Articles by Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Gene Beresin, MD, MA is executive director of The MGH Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and a staff child and adolescent psychiatrist at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also a full professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. To learn more about Gene, or to contact him directly, please see Our Team.

Our Next Podcast Special Guest Is…YOU – Send Us Your Questions!

January 5, 2023

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Our Next Podcast Special Guest Is…YOU – Send Us Your Questions!

We’re kicking off 2023 with a special episode of Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple featuring *you* our listeners. What questions do you have about the mental health of a child or teen in your life? Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins will answer them on January 19! E-mail your questions: genemghclaycenter.org […]

How Do Social Justice and Youth Sports Intersect? ft. Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, CMPC

December 22, 2022

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How Do Social Justice and Youth Sports Intersect? ft. Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, CMPC

How do social justice issues intersect with youth sports? Tune in to this bonus episode of Shrinking It Down, featuring Dr. Jonathan Jenkins of the Sport Psychology Program at Mass General, for a thoughtful conversation on how societal concerns, including systemic racism, continue to impact all of our young athletes. Media List Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, […]

Young People, Sports, and Mental Health ft. Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, CMPC – Shrinking It Down

December 15, 2022

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Young People, Sports, and Mental Health ft. Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, CMPC – Shrinking It Down

Sports can be such a positive space for young people to let off steam, learn important life skills, and build long lasting relationships. There are times, though, when it can be too much, injury strikes, or someone doesn’t make the team they were hoping to. In this must-listen episode, Dr. Jonathan Jenkins of the Sport […]

Supporting Youth Following the Colorado Springs Shooting

November 21, 2022

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Supporting Youth Following the Colorado Springs Shooting

Another shooting. Another hate crime. Our hearts go out to the survivors and the families and friends of those who are tragically lost. We have surpassed 600 mass shootings this year. And sadly marginalized groups, including those who identify as LGBTQ are often the targets. It is a sad state of affairs, but today our […]

Self-Harm in Teens ft. Dr. Blaise Aguirre, MD – Shrinking It Down

November 17, 2022

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Self-Harm in Teens ft. Dr. Blaise Aguirre, MD – Shrinking It Down

*Content Warning: This episode contains segments of discussion that may be difficult for some audience members to hear. Content such as descriptions of self-harm methods are included. Self-harm is a rising mental health concern that tends to begin in the teenage years. But what are some of the causes and what can we do to […]

Your Child’s Medication: How to Help Organize and Manage Their Treatment

October 26, 2022

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Your Child’s Medication: How to Help Organize and Manage Their Treatment

JUMP TO: Tips for Managing Medication Navigating the healthcare system is often a nightmare for both parents and doctors. Let me share an experience I had yesterday, while treating one of my adolescent patients: I got a fax from a pharmacy stating that one of my patient’s needed a prior authorization (PA) to receive a […]

The Benefits of Music Therapy, ft. Marisabelle Díaz-Falcón, MPH, MT-BC – Shrinking It Down

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The Benefits of Music Therapy, ft. Marisabelle Díaz-Falcón, MPH, MT-BC – Shrinking It Down

As Dr. Gene Beresin always says, music is a universal language. To kick off our new podcast season, and in honor of Gene’s new book, Music, today we’ll look into the ways music can help us heal. Special guest Marisabelle Díaz-Falcón, a board-certified music therapist at Massachusetts General Hospital, joins Gene and Khadijah to talk […]

Music (Arts for Health): Mental Health

October 25, 2022

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Music (Arts for Health): Mental Health

This post is an excerpt from Dr. Beresin’s new book, Music. Additional sections include music’s impact on identity formation, improvement of stress, depression, anxiety, and more; vignettes on how music has impacted real lives; and practical ways for families and professionals alike to draw from the power of music to enhance well-being. Learn more about […]

How Do I Talk to My Kids About Gender and Sexuality? Ft. Dr. Marshall Forstein, MD, DLFAPA – Shrinking It Down

June 30, 2022

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How Do I Talk to My Kids About Gender and Sexuality? Ft. Dr. Marshall Forstein, MD, DLFAPA – Shrinking It Down

 *Content warning: Some of the conversation today includes topics that some listeners may find sensitive including sexuality, gender identity, and violence towards members of the LGBTQIA+ community. What is gender identity? How is it different from sexual orientation? And why are pronouns so important? We talk through all of these questions and more in […]

You Ask, Our Docs Answer! Podcast Miniseries – Shrinking It Down

June 9, 2022

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You Ask, Our Docs Answer! Podcast Miniseries – Shrinking It Down

This past May, Mental Health Awareness Month, we received child mental health questions from our Instagram followers. In this podcast miniseries, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins, along with special guests, answered them in short episodes. Tune in below, or subscribe wherever you stream – just search for Shrinking It Down. How Do […]