Articles by Khadijah Booth Watkins and Gene Beresin

January 20, 2022

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Is Your Child Struggling With School Refusal? – Shrinking It Down

Does your child get stomachaches at the thought of going to school? Does your younger child throw temper tantrums? Does your teenager spend all day in the school counselor’s office, or even refuse to leave the house? When kids struggle to go to school, it can be a challenging situation. And nearly two years into […]

December 31, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Take a Cup of Kindness (musical interlude) – Shrinking It Down

As we lead into a New Year, we wish you and your loved ones physical and mental wellness. It has been a challenging two years, with more challenges to come. But together, we can manage this. So for tonight, unwind a bit if you can, draw strength from memories past, and look forward to a […]

December 16, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Strategies for Managing Holiday Stress – Shrinking It Down

Families have felt tremendous stress over the past two years due to the pandemic. Still, for many, this is a special time of year that we fantasize about and look forward to, so it’s not healthy to go into the holiday season and the school winter break at this heightened state of stress and duress. […]

November 29, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Coping With Holiday Stress: 11 Parenting Tips

For many, the holidays are anticipated as idyllic. A long awaited time to connect with family and friends, share memories, play games, watch familiar movies (we all have our favorites – Home Alone, Harry Potter, Elf, It’s A Wonderful Life – you know yours), watch sports, cook together. And eat, eat, eat, and worry about […]

October 28, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

All About ADHD: Behavior, Medication, CBT and More – Shrinking It Down

Today’s episode of Shrinking It Down is all about ADHD. We revisit some of the most helpful conversations we’ve had with clinical experts about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in kids and teens. First, we talk through what ADHD really is with Dr. Ellen Braaten, including the three different types of ADHD and how the […]

October 7, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Unsettled About Instagram? Ways to Support Your Teen’s Mental Health – Shrinking It Down

It’s been an unsettling time for many, with the testimony by Facebook whistleblower Frances Haugen and her disturbing claims that the company knows that Instagram causes mental harm to teen girls. In this episode of Shrinking It Down, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins put on their shrink caps to process the concerns […]

September 30, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Mental Health Myths BUSTED – Shrinking It Down

Mental Health Myths BUSTED – Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Welcome back to Shrinking It Down – because mental health is anything but simple! What better way to launch Season 5 than by busting some mental health myths? In this episode, co-hosts Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. […]

September 10, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Mental Health Myths: BUSTED

Mental health myths can increase stigma and prevent parents and caring adults from taking important actions to support children and teens, even when the best intentions are there. Below, child and adolescent psychiatrists Gene Beresin, MD, MA and Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH share the truth about about nine common mental health myths. You can […]

June 16, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Anger: Knowing What Sets You Off and Ways to Manage It

We all have things that tend to unleash our anger. They vary from person to person. Once we have identified the things that set us off, we can work on behavioral strategies to avoid them – or if that’s impossible, to at least minimize them and lessen the feelings of anger that follow. Furthermore, should […]

June 9, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

What Are the Consequences If Your Teen Has Been Using Pot?

Many teenagers experiment with alcohol and other substances, and pot – or marijuana – is one of those drugs. While many states have made pot legal for medical and/or recreational use, recent studies show that this, specifically, has not increased its use in teens. Tune in for more on what parents should know about teen […]