Category: Uncategorized

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The title of this episode might be how many people look at therapy and medication in the treatment of mental health symptoms: see a therapist or take medicine, which is better? In reality though, it doesn’t have to be one over the other. Therapy and medication together are often the best way to treat mental health conditions at any age. Chad and Nikki discuss when to consider psychotropic medication, when not to consider them, and other important information to keep in mind when making decisions about psychiatric medication. 

Gratitude may seem like a stretch from children’s mental health but in Episode 37, Chad and Nikki make a case for gratitude being a fundamental building block of raising children with a solid sense of self, coping skills, and resilience in the face of adversity. They also share practical strategies for teaching gratitude in your home. 

Check out these articles for more information about the mental health benefits of gratitude:

Giving Thanks Can Make Your Happier

From Greed to Grateful in 112 Simple Steps

Gratitude: The Benefits and How to Practice It

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Symptoms and problem behaviors are not always signs of a mental illness health diagnosis or condition. Struggle is a very natural part of the human experience so it can be difficult to know if a problem is actually a problem or if it’s simply an age or situationally appropriate challenge. Nikki and Chad break this down in episode 36 and share how to tell the difference and when to seek help. 

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-y2hra-1308175

Chad and Nikki are starting a new non-sequential series of episodes featuring other individuals and groups that are spreading awareness of children’s mental health. For the first of this series, they are joined by Sara Moore, Founder of Silver Lining Stuffies from Los Angeles, California. Sara struggled with depression in childhood and is using her experience to help others and bring further awareness to childhood mental health with her line of stuffed animals and children’s books. She shares her journey with Nikki and Chad in this episode. 

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Family Meetings are a tool that can help kids and adults practice communication skills, conflict resolution, and effective expression of difficult emotions. In this episode, Chad and Nikki discuss the different ways to build and structure family meetings in your own household.

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What are Phobias? In episode 33, Nikki and Chad discuss what a phobia is and is not, what treatment might look like for someone with this type of anxiety disorder, and things to consider if you or your child is struggling with a specific phobia. 

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Anxiety can look very different from person to person and in children especially, anxiety can have number of different faces. In their 32nd episode, Chad and Nikki describe some of the primary ways that anxiety can be displayed in childhood and share some of the red flags that might indicate that it’s time to reach out to your child’s pediatrician or a mental health professional.

https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-ej2xz-12c8c9d

Episode 31 is a conversation about what happens when a child grows up with a sibling with a mental health condition. Nikki and Chad dig into this experience from the parents’ perspective, noting specific challenges and sharing ideas for how to navigate this aspect of parenting a child with mental illness. The discussion ventures into related topics such as sibling rivalry and bullying within the family unit and special emphasis is placed on the need for parents to be compassionate with themselves as they try new strategies

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In their 30th episode, Nikki and Chad are joined by Dr. Rebecca Rolland, speech pathologist, Harvard lecturer, and author of The Art of Talking with Children for a conversation about getting kids to talk. They identify the ways that parents unintentionally prevent their kids from sharing, highlight strategies for getting kids to really talk with special emphasis on overcoming the unique communication obstacles that anxiety and other childhood mental health disorders present. To find out more about Dr. Rolland, check out her website. Find her book The Art of Talking with Children on Amazon and at other major book sellers.

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For the final episode of their Back to School series, Chad and Nikki are joined by Chrissy Cox, a local school principal, who explores the classroom practicality of the tips and strategies shared in episode 28, Unexpected Coping Skill, Part 1. Chrissy also discusses how schools address the social/emotional needs of their students today.