Articles by Khadijah Booth Watkins and Gene Beresin

February 10, 2021

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Teen Breakup Violence, Part 2: At-Risk Emotions – Shrinking It Down

Content Warning: Today’s episode is the second in a two-part series on teen relationship violence. It may be difficult for some of our listeners.  When we look underneath a young person’s anger, or shame, or grief, there is often a hidden need that’s not being met. Learning how to identify and address these hidden needs is a […]

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

The Challenges of First-Generation College Students

This post on first-generation students is one in a series on college student mental health. Other posts in this series are:  College Students of Color: Overcoming Racial Disparities and Discrimination LGBTQ Students in College: Fostering Inclusion, Acceptance, and Safety International College Students: Challenges and Solutions *** Currently, around half of all students attending college are […]

February 3, 2021

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Teen Breakup Violence, Part 1 – Shrinking It Down

Content Warning: This episode is the first in a two-part series on teen relationship violence. It may be difficult for some of our listeners. Romantic relationships are a crucial part of life for teenagers. In fact, the biggest emotional struggles in high school and college often come from breaking up with friends or romantic partners. […]

January 20, 2021

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

The Nuts and Bolts of Telepsychiatry, featuring Janet Wozniak, MD – Shrinking It Down

Did you know the first telepsychiatry visits at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), conducted back in 2014, weren’t for adults, but for children? Flash forward, we never imagined how critical teletherapy and telemedicine would become – in such a short period of time – as a part of routine healthcare for all age groups and populations, in […]

January 13, 2021

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

College Students of Color: Overcoming Racial Disparities and Discrimination

This post is one of a four-part series on college student mental health. The other posts in this series are:  LGBTQ Students in College: Fostering Inclusion, Acceptance, and Safety International College Students: Challenges and Solutions The Challenges of First-Generation College Students *** Diversity allows us to embrace humanity in a broader way, and to educate […]

January 7, 2021

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Support Kids and Teens Following the Riot In Our Nation’s Capitol

The images of chaos and violence in our nation’s Capitol that many children and teens have been seeing in the media have been disturbing and scary. What’s the impact on our kids? How can we as parents and caregivers help them feel secure in the wake of not just a domestic terrorist act, but one […]

December 23, 2020

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Media Literacy and Mental Health, featuring Common Sense Media – Shrinking It Down

Today’s young people are spending more time online than previous generations, and many parents and caregivers worry about how social media is affecting their mental health, and emotional and social well-being. Strengthening social media literacy skills can help us all better use media as engaged and informed consumers. But what does “media literacy” mean, and […]

December 9, 2020

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Tackling Racism Internally to Better Serve Our Communities – A Closer Look at Mass General’s 10-Point Plan, featuring Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH

When it comes to structural racism in health care, commitment to change stems from the top in creating physically and emotionally healthier communities. Today, on ‘Shrinking It Down,’ special guest Joseph Betancourt, MD, MPH, Vice President and Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), joins Gene and Khadijah to help us understand […]

November 25, 2020

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

The Power of Community Health During COVID-19: A Look at Chelsea, Massachusetts, featuring Mary Lyons-Hunter, PsyD – Shrinking It Down

Since the pandemic, mental health concerns have risen across the country. But in communities that were already underserved, the burden is even greater, as hardships build one on top of the other: risk for illness, food insecurity, being an essential worker, being unemployed, kids not able to go to school, fear of housing evictions, resurfacing […]

November 10, 2020

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

How Do We Heal From Here? – Shrinking It Down

When the body is injured, it begins the healing process despite the ongoing physical injury. Our minds should be no different. Right now – amidst a pandemic, economic strain, political tension, rising mental illness, and more – we are desperately in need of emotional healing, despite the many challenges ahead. But communities are divided, families are divided, and fear and anger are rampant. How do we heal from here?  […]