Articles by Gene Beresin

October 25, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

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 […]

June 30, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

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 […]

June 9, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

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 […]

May 12, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Power of Peer Support ft. Valerie Grison-Alsop & Julia Esposito – Shrinking It Down

We all know that parents and other adults tend to be the last people teenagers want to talk to about their problems. At this stage of life teens are more likely to reach out to friends in times of need. With this in mind, Valerie Grison-Alsop, founded Give Us the Floor, a nonprofit organization that […]

April 28, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

A Teen’s Take On the Pandemic: 2 Years In featuring Annabel Reddick – Shrinking It Down

The COVID pandemic is like nothing most of us have ever lived through. This is especially true for kids and teens who are still developing mentally and physically. This week we talk with special guest, Annabel Reddick, a high school senior in Davidson, North Carolina about her experience living through the pandemic, and how things […]

April 14, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Youth Athlete Mental Health ft. Dr. Mai Uchida, MD – Shrinking It Down

At what point are we pushing our young athletes too hard? We all watched 15-year-old Russian Olympic skater, Kamila Valieva, exit the ice in tears after a doping scandal. Where did the adults in her life fail her? What can be done to make sure situations like this don’t happen again? These are the questions […]

April 6, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Suicidio en Primavera: ¿Una Combi-nación (Im)probable?

Todos sabemos que los intentos de suicidio, la ideación suicida e incluso la tragedia de morirse por suicidio aumentan durante los días festivos de invierno. Es algo que damos por hecho. Está en toda la prensa, está en la cultura popular. Es la fuerza impulsora detrás de la gran desesperación que se entrevé tanto en […]

March 31, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Self-Esteem: How do we build our kids up? – Shrinking It Down

Low self-esteem gets all of us down at one point or another. For kids, the goal is to help build them back up. Lots of things can lower our kids’ self-esteem like body image, cyberbullying, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), and surprisingly, guilt (along with lots of other things!). This week, Gene and Khadijah break down […]

March 24, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Low Self-Esteem: Where Does It Come From and What Can Adults Do to Help?

You can also listen to more about self-esteem below, or ‘Shrinking It Down’ wherever you get your podcasts. Let’s consider two adolescent scenarios. First, Sasha: Sasha was born a worrier. She’s always been a shy, sensitive kid with a lot of anxiety. Luckily, she’s had supportive family members, friends, and teachers, who have gently pushed […]

March 17, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Ukraine: What Do We Tell Our Kids? – Shrinking It Down

The crisis in Ukraine feels to many like the straw that broke the camel’s back. Between the COVID pandemic, systemic racism, the climate crisis, and now the war in Ukraine, the world may feel increasingly unsafe. Very young children, though, actually respond more to their adults’ distress than to the tragic events themselves. That said, […]