Articles by Gene Beresin

December 11, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

11 Self-Care Tips for Teens and Young Adults

Este artículo está disponible en español. Stress. Teens and young adults today are more stressed, anxious, depressed and lonely than ever – at least in the United States. At first glance, it’s hard to wrap your head around this fact.   No one really knows the root cause, but it seems to be a perfect storm of several factors. While many experts have pointed to digital and social media, […]

December 4, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Making Family Dinner Possible, featuring Anne Fishel, PhD – Shrinking It Down

There are many emotional benefits that come from connecting over a family dinner. But with the competing demands of reality, like busy schedules, technology, and picky eaters, this simple idea isn’t always so simple. On today’s episode, Dr. Anne Fishel, executive director of The Family Dinner Project at Massachusetts General Hospital, joins Gene and Steve […]

November 20, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Is This Normal? – Shrinking It Down

When it comes to our kids, sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s normal behavior and what’s concerning. One of the most common questions Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Steve Schlozman hear from parents, as adolescent psychiatrists, is: “How can I tell if my kid is struggling with a mental health issue?” Tune in wherever you […]

November 6, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

9 Ways to Know If Your Child’s Mental Health Clinician Is Right for Them

As parents, we all want the very best for our kids – the best teachers, coaches, and health professionals, among others. About one in five of our children, teenagers, and young adults will experience a mental health issue and ideally receive mental health care. I say “ideally” because there is a huge shortage of mental […]

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Loneliest Generation: What’s Up With Gen Z? – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down”! Data suggest that Generation Z, the teens and young adults coming of age right now, feels lonelier than any other age group. But we don’t know why. Is it a symptom of digital and social media or the hyper-scheduling of their […]

October 30, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Borderline Personality Disorder: A Case of Suffering, Drama and Hope

There’s an understandable tendency to portray Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in films. Silver Linings Playbook, Fatal Attraction, and Girl Interrupted are just a few.  It makes sense. High drama, stormy interpersonal relationships, drugs, sex, self-destruction – what could be more compelling?   But for the individual and their family, Borderline Personality is never merely the stuff of […]

October 2, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

What Is a Personality Disorder?

I’ve always had a problem with the label “personality disorder,” and so have many of my patients. I think it’s because we typically associate “personality” with a “person,” so the term seems to suggest that there’s something wrong with the human being. But short of reinventing a better name for it, let’s define what this term means and try to understand it in a more meaningful and […]

September 25, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

When Kids Talk of Suicide – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” As the summer fades and we move into Autumn, activities in our lives start to build up and so can the stress. Perhaps this is one reason that September is national Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It’s an unsettling topic, but in […]

August 7, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Why Chores Are Important for Kids

Chores. We all remember them. Some were associated with allowance, others simply mandatory. For many kids, and I bet for most of us, they were often an intrusion on other more important things to do. As a parent, I’m sure you’ve asked (hopefully without screaming), “Did you take out the trash and clean your room?” […]

June 5, 2019

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Summer Challenge: Come Together for Mental Health – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” We shouldn’t need science to tell us that getting together with other people is beneficial. Still, the science is pretty fascinating, and in the data-driven age in which we live, knowledge is power! In this episode, Steve and Gene dig into […]