Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple

In the recent Advisory, Parents Under Pressure, the US Surgeon General noted that parents are currently more stressed, burned out, and lonely than ever before. The alarming statistics are not all that different than his Advisories on the Youth Mental Health and Loneliness Epidemics that have been escalating since the late 1970s.In this episode of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah discuss this new advisory and what parents can do to combat these increased feelings of stress and loneliness.Media ListParents Under Pressure (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)Protecting Youth Mental Health (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation (U.S. Surgeon General Advisory)Self-Care for Parents (MGH Clay Center)NAMI | National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)Myths About the 12-Step Program (MGH Clay Center)Parental Stress: Practical Tips in Response to the Surgeon General (Clay Center)

Let's be honest, we're all stressed.We're stressed about climate change, world crises, the upcoming election, or even just the common stressors of everyday life: economic pressures, relationship issues, burnout, you name it. So, with all stress, our conversations can easily become more uncivilized.In this episode of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah discuss the key elements of conflict resolution, strategies for civil conversations, and a special role-play scenario to help demonstrate positive conflict resolution.Media ListPolitical Polarization in the American Public (Pew Research Center)Conflict Resolution - 10 Tips for Families (Clay Center)Parents Under Pressure (U.S Surgeon General)Parental Stress: Practical Tips in Response to the Surgeon General (Clay Center) Episode music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Spenser Egnatz

The Special Education system in school can be confusing, especially if you haven’t been through the process with a child before.In part 2 of this series, Gene and Khadijah continue their discussion with Ellen Braaten, PhD, and Eileen Hagerty, Esq, who specialize in learning disabilities and special education law. They discuss evaluation results, advocacy, and the importance of destigmatizing special ed. Media ListLearning & Emotional Assessment Program (LEAP) (MGH) Ellen Braaten, PhD (MGH) Eileen M. Hagerty, Kotin, Crabtree & Strong, LLP (KCS Legal) Massachusetts Advocates for Children (Mass Advocates) Navigating Special Education in Schools Part 1: Legal and Practical Tips (Shrinking it Down)Wrightslaw Special Education Law and Advocacy (Wrights Law)From Emotions to Advocacy by Pamela Darr Wright and Peter W.D. Wright (Wrights Law)Parents Have the Power to Make Special Education Work (Amazon)Episode music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Spenser Egnatz

Stories matter, especially when it comes to children's mental health and wellbeing.For our season finale, Gene and Khadijah are joined by two special guests from Barefoot Books – book editor Lisa Rosinsky and children’s author Joelle Retener. They explore how stories help kids to make sense of the world in all of its confusion and beauty by taking a closer look at Marley’s Pride, a new children’s book about overcoming big anxieties and realizing the power of community. Plus, stay tuned to the end to hear everyone’s favorite children’s book!Media ListThe Importance of Stories for Child Health (MGH Clay Center)Barefoot Books - About Us Joelle Retener Marley’s Pride (Goodreads)Mindful Kids Card Deck (Barefoot Books)Berry Song, by Michaela Goade (Goodreads)Little Witch Hazel, by Phoebe Wall (Goodreads)The Snowy Day, by Jack Keats (Goodreads)The Velveteen Rabbit, by Margery Williams Bianco (Goodreads)We wish you a story-filled summer! We’ll see you back here in October on the Third Thursday of every month. Until then, be well.Episode music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Spenser Egnatz and Sara Rattigan

When you hear the term “eating disorders” what do you think of? Probably not boys and men. Yet, adolescent boys struggle with body image and disordered eating behaviors nearly just as much as girls. On today’s show, eating disorder specialist Jason Nagata, MD joins Gene and Khadijah to unpack what every parent should know about disordered eating in boys. They discuss the pressures boys face when it comes to body ideals, the impact of sports culture, and how to recognize signs of an eating disorder in your child.Media List Jason Nagata, MD (University of California, San Francisco) Why eating disorders are affecting more adolescent boys (PBS News Hour) Parents’ perception of their child’s body image (Mott Poll Report) Boys, Bulk, and Body Ideals: Sex Differences in Weight Gain Attempts Among Adolescents in the United States (Journal of Adolescent Health) The real cost of a “Marvel body”: How the pressure to look like Thor and Captain America is hurting men (Salon) Muscle Dysmorphia (National Eating Disorders Association)  Research suggests student athletes face body image concerns, develop rigid eating habits (Clemsen News) Disordered eating and considerations for the transgender community (Journal of Eating Disorders) What Are the Treatments for Eating Disorders? (MGH Clay Center) Being You: The Body Image Book for Boys (Charlotte Markey, Daniel Hart, Douglas N. Zacher) Resource Center (National Eating Disorders Association) 19 of Your Favorite Superheroes: Then and Now (RVCJ) Special thanks to the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) for connecting us with special guest Jason Nagata, MD.Podcast theme music by Gene Beresin, MD, MAEpisode research by Spenser EgnatzEpisode produced by Sara Rattigan

If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know we often reference the benefits of casual roleplay games - from dress up to Dungeons & Dragons - for healthy child development. It can help kids better understand themselves, gain a deeper understanding of others, and build confidence. Today, Gene and Khadijah explore roleplay through a more therapeutic lens. They are joined by special guests John Corbett, MD and Terrance Dolan, MD, two MGH/McLean Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellows (and lovers of roleplay games) to delve deeper into how it can be used in therapy and at home to support our kids’ mental health. Stay tuned to the end to hear everyone’s favorite games!Media ListFollow along with the conversation.John Corbett, MD (Harvard Catalyst Profiles)Terrance Dolan, MD (Harvard Catalyst Profiles)The Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residence of MGH/McLean (YouTube - Mass General Brigham)Role-playing (Wikipedia)The use of clinical role-play and reflection in learning therapeutic communication skills in mental health education: an integrative review (Advances in Medical Education and Practices)What Is Family Therapy? (MGH Clay Center)The Positive Value of Conflict Resolution (MGH Clay Center)The Psychology of Video Game Avatars (The Psychology of Video Games)Why do kids love Roblox? (LinkedIn - Education Next)Helping Kids With Challenging Behavior, feat. Stuart Ablon, PhD (YouTube - MGH Clay Center)The Incredible Hulk, TV series (IMDB)Thanks for joining in this conversation. We’ll see you back on the THIRD Thursday of next month!Podcast music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Sara Rattigan

The teen years can be a time for experimenting with alcohol and other drugs. But a recent CDC study found the reason why teens use substances today isn’t just for experimentation, but also to stop worrying about problems, and even to help with depression or anxiety. Today, Gene and Khadijah discuss how to approach your teen if you’ve discovered they are using alcohol, marijuana, or a prescription or over-the-counter drug, and what health risks to know about for each of these.These are hard conversations to have. We hope that ours will help you to have yours.Media ListWhen to Worry, What to Do PDF Library (MGH Clay Center)CDC Report Indicates Teens are Seeking to Escape Worries and Stress Through Drug Use (HuffPost)Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health (US Dept of Health & Human Services)Alcohol & Adolescents, featuring John F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP (Podcast) Alcohol - Conversation Starters with Dr. Gene Beresin (YouTube)Asking Adolescents About Alcohol  with Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins (YouTube)Cannabis and the Teen Brain, featuring Jodi Gilman, PhD (Podcast)Once You Have Discovered Your Teen Is Using Pot, What’s the Next Step? (MGH Clay Center) Commonly Abused Prescription and OTC Drugs (WebMD)NARCAN’s Available Over the Counter, Should I Carry It? (MGH, Psychiatry)Addiction Recovery Management Services (MGH, ARMS)When to Worry, What to Do PDF Library (MGH Clay Center)Myths About the 12-Step Program (MGH Clay Center)Find a Treatment Facility (SAMHSA)If you have a question that we didn’t cover, please get in touch. Write to Gene or Khadijah at mghclaycenter@mgb.org. Music by Gene BeresinEpisode produced by Sara Rattigan and Spenser Egnatz

Many of us have heard of dog therapy and pet therapy. But what exactly is equine therapy?Special guest Janice Gilman of BINA Farm Center joins Gene and Khadijah to help us learn about the many different kinds of equine therapy for kids. What make horses so unique when it comes to therapeutic treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, and more? Plus, tune in until the end to hear everyone's favorite horse films and TV shows!Media ListFollow along with the conversation.Who We Are (BINA Farm Center)How Much Does a Horse Weigh? (PetMD)Equine-Facilitated Psychotherapy: Facing Trauma With a horse by Their Side (McLean Hospital)Very fashionable Angel! (BINA Farm, Instagram)Hippotherapy (Nationwide Children’s Hospital)Effect of animal assisted interactions on activity and stress response in children in acute care settings (Comprehensive Psychoneuroendicrinology)How Horses Read Human Emotions (EQUUS)Therapeutic horseback riding for at-risk adolescents in residential care (Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health)Effects of Therapeutic Hoseback-Riding Program on Social and Communication Skills in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Int’l Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health)Buck (IMDB)The Incredible Dr. Pol (National Geographic)The Black Stallion (1979) ORIGINAL TRAILER (YouTube)Find a Program – Equine Assisted Services (PATH International)New episodes on the THIRD Thursday of every month. Subscribe wherever you stream!Music by Gene BeresinResearch by Spenser EgnatzProduced by Sara Rattigan