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.
Young People, Sports, and Mental Health ft. Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, CMPC – Shrinking It Down
December 15, 2022
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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 […]
The Power of Peer Support ft. Valerie Grison-Alsop & Julia Esposito – Shrinking It Down
May 12, 2022
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 […]
A Teen’s Take On the Pandemic: 2 Years In featuring Annabel Reddick – Shrinking It Down
April 28, 2022
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 […]
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