News Reel

The holidays are a wonderful time of year. However, they often come with high personal expectations of buying the perfect gifts, participating in holiday parties and seeing family members not frequently seen. The prospect of facing the holidays can be daunting for everyone – and even more so for people who struggle with depression, anxiety, substance abuse and other mental health concerns. As the holiday season is upon us, it is important to remember that you might not always [...]

Is it possible for kids to play video games so much that it can actually change how their brain works? New research is showing that the influx of technology is affecting kids, and even adults, to the point of changing the way brain chemistry works. The following article, written by Cris Rowan, a pediatric occupational therapist, international speaker, and author of “Virtual Child” looks at how video games are rewiring children’s brains, and the scary physical and social repercussions [...]

It seems that to each generation of adults, the current generation of teens is far more daring than they were and much less prepared to handle “real” life. Now, with teens having access to prolific amounts of technology, adults are also concerned that the upcoming generation is also going to struggle with face to face communication skills. At Screenagers, they focus on what technology means for teenagers today. Recently, in their Tech Talk Tuesday, they focus on interpersonal communications, [...]

Throughout time we have seen young men demonstrate “becoming a man” in a variety of ways; whether they went off to war, married their high school sweetheart and settled down to start a family, or left home and moved to college for the first time, historically boys actively sought out ways to become men and move on with their lives. However, we’re now seeing disturbing trends of boys “remaining directionless, devastated and scared children.” In the article below, written [...]

Today's youth frequently manage their relationships - both friendships and romantic relationships - through technology. The combination of adolescent hormones and freedom with technology has led to a pervasive "hook up" culture - where interactions are focused on quick physical intimacy. With teens looking at their screens constantly they aren't spending time talking face to face and having the opportunity to pick up on facial cues, and learn from mistakes made like in times past. The affects of this have been [...]

Returning to school is a big deal for all students, but for students with an Autism Spectrum Disorder or ADHD the challenge can be even greater. As students start and settle into a new school year there are things that can help minimize the stress and promote a healthy outlook on learning. Dr. Gordon Day, Executive Clinical Director and Founder of Seven Stars wrote a recent article giving parents tips to facilitate a successful back to school transition, featured [...]

Children and teens around the nation are heading back to school. The beginning of the year brings a range of emotions - from excitement to anxiety - that they are trying to cope with. To help facilitate the process, Mental Health America  has put together a toolkit of information for parents, teachers and students. Back to School Kids and teens today are dealing with some heavy stuff -- cyber-bullying, body shaming, community violence, abuse, neglect, unstable home lives, drug exposure, sexual [...]

As time passes, each generation gets more and more sexually aware, and this one is no exception. Social media, easier access to the internet, and sexual promiscuity add fuel to an already burning fire. A big problem now with the pre-teen and teen age group is sexting. Sexting is defined as sending sexually explicit photographs or messages via mobile phone. Sexting at any age can have repercussions, but at an age where brains are still developing, bullying is on [...]