Chasing Sunshine: Teen Loneliness and Tips for Beating the Summer Blues

While the summer is usually painted as time of fun, freedom, and relaxation, for many teens it can feel like the exact opposite — disconnected, isolating, and emotionally heavy. Without the daily structure of school...

The Vital Role and Methods of Mental Health Advocacy

Why are our young people struggling so much? In this special episode for Mental Health Awareness Month, Gene and Khadijah dive into the growing youth mental health epidemic. They explore the sharp rise in anxiety,...

More than Just a Picky Eater – ARFID

Almost everyone knows a picky eater, either from their own childhood or from their child’s experiences. But sometimes picky eating goes beyond a simple preference for plain pasta. In this episode of Shrinking it Down:...

Teen Nicotine Use

In 2024, the CDC reported that 1 in 29 middle school and 1 in 13 high school students vaped in the past month. This statistic is especially troubling, given that 9 in 10 adults who...

Addressing Your Family’s Anxieties about the California Wildfires

The Palisades Fire has been devastating California since the start of the year, destroying over 23,000 acres and nearly 5,000 structures. In this special episode of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah explore the emotional...

Parents Under Pressure: A Response to the Recent U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health

In the recent Advisory, Parents Under Pressure, the US Surgeon General noted that parents are currently more stressed, burned out, and lonely than ever before. The alarming statistics are not all that different than his...

Supporting Youth in a World Riddled by Conflict

Let’s be honest, we’re all stressed. We’re stressed about climate change, world crises, the upcoming election, or even just the common stressors of everyday life: economic pressures, relationship issues, burnout, you name it. So, with...

Navigating Special Education in Schools Part 2: Working with the Team and Your Child

This is the first blog post in a two-part series on navigating special education in schools. The focus of this first post is on general legal and practical tips for parents. The second post focuses...

Navigating Special Education in Schools Part 1: Legal and Practical Tips

This is the first blog post in a two-part series on navigating special education in schools. The focus of this first post is on general legal and practical tips for parents. The second post focuses...

Stories for Children’s Mental Health

Stories Matter, especially when it comes to children’s mental health and wellbeing. For our season finale, Gene and Khadijah are joined by two special guests from Barefoot Books – book editor Lisa Rosinsky and children’s...

Boys, Body Image, and Eating Disorders, feat. Jason Nagata, MD

Most teens stress over body image at some point. But when you hear the term “eating disorder” what do you think of? Probably not boys and men. Yet, adolescent boys struggle with body image and...

The Role of Roleplay in Therapy

If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know we often reference the benefits of roleplay games – from dress up to Dungeons & Dragons – for healthy child development. It can help kids better understand themselves,...

Alcohol and Drugs. Why Do Teens Use?

Many of us know that the teen years can be a time for experimenting with alcohol and other drugs. But a recent CDC study found the reason why teens use substances today isn’t just for...

Equine Therapy. How Does It Work? feat. Janice Gilman of BINA Farm – Shrinking It Down

You’ve probably heard of pet therapy, but what about equine therapy? Special guest Janice Gilman of BINA Farm Center joins Gene and Khadijah to help us learn about the many different kinds of equine therapy for...

What Can States Do to Support Youth Mental Health? feat. Senator John C. Velis

To address the youth mental health crisis, we need to approach it from different angles – including access, education, and legislation. So, what are states doing to make a difference? Tune in below, or wherever...

Stimulants! Myths, Misconceptions & Managing the Shortage, feat. Anthony Rostain, MD, MA – Shrinking It Down

What role should prescription stimulants play in a child’s ADHD treatment plan? Tune in below, or wherever you stream. Today, Gene and Khadijah are joined by Tony Rostain, MD, MA, chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral...

Lonely College Students: What Can We Do to Help? – Shrinking It Down

Recent national surveys show that a significant proportion of college students report having felt overwhelmed, anxious, and lonely during college. If college is supposed to be the “best years of your life” then why are...

Fears & Phobias in Kids, feat. Susan Sprich, PhD – Shrinking It Down

Fears and phobias are not the same thing. All of us have fears – kids and adults alike. Many of us even enjoy a good scare now and again (there’s a reason why horror movies...

Coping With Gun Violence, Together, feat. Gretchen Felopulos, PhD (Shrinking It Down)

With increasing gun violence and constant media coverage, many kids are scared to go to concerts, to malls, to school. Tune in below, or search for “Shrinking It Down” wherever you get your podcasts. Many...

Autism: Making the Transition to College, feat. Chris Keary, MD

Starting college for the first time can be a big deal for all kids, but for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder there’s even more to consider for making it a smooth transition. As parents, how...

Digital Vigilance and Our Kids

We’ve reached a point in time where most of our kids have grown up with digital media as a way of life. Social media, instant viral news, e-learning, digital surveillance – it’s all here to...

How Should We Respond to Anxiety in Our Kids? feat. Kevin Simon, MD

Anxiety. Unhealthy levels are rising in our kids and teens. What can we do to help them? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah are joined by very...

Understanding Obesity Stigma, feat. Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA

We often hear about how stigma can prevent appropriate treatment for mental disorders and promote feelings of shame or low self-worth among those struggling with their mental health. Did you know the same is true...

Dr. Gene and Dr. Khadijah Answer Your Questions – Shrinking It Down

From challenges with hair pulling to supporting a child through a regression in toilet training, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins answer real parent questions in this episode. For each question, they offer...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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...

Get Ready for a New Season!

It’s nearly time for a new season of Shrinking It Down! Co-hosts Gene Beresin, MD, MA and Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH have some great mental health topics and great guests in store for you....

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

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,...

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...

Body Image and Young People featuring Dr. Holly Peek, MD, MPH – Shrinking It Down

Turning on TV, opening a magazine, or going on our phones these days, kids are overwhelmed with images showing us what we should look like. Even on “reality” TV, none of the people look like...

Alcohol and Adolescents, featuring John F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP – Shrinking It Down

Did you know that 3 out of 4 addiction cases in the U.S. are alcohol addictions, and kids who start drinking before age 15 are significantly more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder than...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

6-Minute Meditation With Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH

Can a 6-minute meditation really make a difference? Try it for yourself! In this excerpt from our March 17 episode, “Medicating with Meditation?“, Dr. Darshan Mehta leads us in a 6-minute meditation – right in...

Everything You’ve Wanted to Know About Sleep, featuring Bernard Kinane, MD – Shrinking It Down

It’s our last episode of the season, but never fear – we are signing off with tips to last you the summer long. Today’s episode is all about sleep! Listen wherever you get your podcasts...

Mental Health Challenges and Latinx Children & Teens, featuring Angel Caraballo, MD – Shrinking It Down

Over the past year, the Clay Center has worked to support even more young people by translating our free, online resources for Spanish-speaking parents and caregivers. In this time, we’ve seen high readership on topics like emotionally supporting...

A Closer Look at High-Functioning Autism, featuring Robyn Thom, MD – Shrinking It Down

Coming into April, Autism Awareness Month, we’ve noticed more families coming to our website with questions about high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some are seeking guidance on challenges families face, some are wanting to learn more about behaviors...

Medicating with Meditation? The Power of Mind Body Medicine, featuring Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH – Shrinking It Down

On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Gene and Khadijah welcome special guest Dr. Darshan Mehta, Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine of Massachusetts General Hospital, to talk about something we...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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,...

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...

Moving Towards Anti-Racism for Our Future Generations, featuring O’Neil Britton, MD – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.” If you’re Black or Brown and growing up in America, it’s noticeable from a very young age that something feels off. That’s...

Medications: For Better or Worse? featuring Timothy Wilens, MD – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Many parents of kids struggling with a mental health issue have concerns – even fears – about medication as a part of...

Managing Challenging Behavior in Kids During Stressful Times, featuring J. Stuart Ablon, PhD – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.” These past months and weeks have put tremendous stress on families across the country, on top of the daily challenges we were...

Climate Anxiety and Kids, featuring Elizabeth Pinsky, MD – Shrinking It Down

Many kids are becoming more worried about climate change. Frightening predictions about the future and political inaction can make them feel that the crisis is out of their control. How can parents help their kids...

Is Your Teen an Emotional Sponge? – Shrinking It Down

Peers can be an excellent source of social support, and it’s great that more young people today talk to friends about their emotional challenges. But for every teen who shares, there’s another teen absorbing the...

Nature Vs. Nurture, featuring Jordan Smoller, MD ScD – Shrinking It Down

Is it always nature vs. nurture, or do the two interact? Many parents worry that their own or a family member’s mental health disorder destine their children to struggle in the same way. But, while...

Being an Emotional Sponge: Supporting Young People Who Are Supporting Friends

Listen to Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Ellen Braaten talk more about supporting teens who are supporting friends on our podcast. Tune in below, or search for “Shrinking It Down” wherever you get your podcasts....

Extra Time on Tests: Does It Work? – Shrinking It Down

The answer is, it depends. When “extra time” on tests first began decades ago, the goal was to level the playing field for students with learning disabilities by allotting them the same amount of time that...

Kids Under Surveillance! – Shrinking It Down

Today’s kids and teens are increasingly under surveillance, including by their own schools and parents. In some ways this is nothing new. Adults have always monitored kids for risk. But in today’s digital age, there are so many...

New Year 2020: We Can Manage This!

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Did you know? According to a recent Clay Center survey, six out of 10 parents encourage their kids to adopt New Year’s...

Making Family Dinner Possible, featuring Anne Fishel, PhD – Shrinking It Down

There are many emotional benefits that come from connecting over a family dinner. But with the competing demands of reality, like busy schedules, technology, and picky eaters, this simple idea isn’t always so simple. On...

Is This Normal? – Shrinking It Down

When it comes to our kids, sometimes it’s hard to tell what’s normal behavior and what’s concerning. One of the most common questions Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Steve Schlozman hear from parents, as adolescent...

The Loneliest Generation: What’s Up With Gen Z? – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down”! Data suggest that Generation Z, the teens and young adults coming of age right now, feels lonelier than any other age...

Stay In Shape: Kids’ Bodies Feed Their Minds, featuring Ming Sun, CHES – Shrinking It Down

How can we guide children to stay in shape, healthfully navigate food, fitness, sleep, and more (especially when Takis® taste so much better than eggs for breakfast)? These aren’t just important for physical health but mental health, as well. The MGH Stay In Shape Program for elementary and middle school students, going on...

Money + Mental Health: Supporting Young Adult Children, With Limits – Shrinking It Down

  If you’re a parent, you’ve likely spent time thinking about your child’s future after age 18. Whether it’s going to college, finding a job, finding an apartment – taking that first step towards independence...

When Kids Talk of Suicide – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” As the summer fades and we move into Autumn, activities in our lives start to build up and so can the...

Summer Challenge: Come Together for Mental Health – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” We shouldn’t need science to tell us that getting together with other people is beneficial. Still, the science is pretty fascinating,...

Illuminating Mental Health Through Art, featuring Multimedia Artist Elisa H. Hamilton – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” At the Clay Center, we often stress the importance of creativity for supporting healthy youth development and community relationships. So, we’re thrilled to have...

Self-Care for Resilience – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Did you know Ellen enjoys boxing for self-care, and that Gene depends on daily interactions with his dog, Bear? This week...

Understanding ADHD – Shrinking It Down

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” We all get distracted and disorganized. Today, it seems more than ever with digital media consuming our lives. We bet you’ve...

It’s the Time of the Season for… Mental Illness – Shrinking It Down

Tune in below or wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Flowers are blooming. People are smiling. On the surface, it seems as if spring is the sweetest season of...

Discipline and Punishment – Shrinking It Down

Listen wherever you get your podcasts – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” Punishment. It’s not the most fun part of the job, but parents know they have a responsibility to discipline their kids when...

Admissions Scandal, College Pressure, and Mental Health

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” On today’s show, Dr. Ellen Braaten joins Gene and Steve to think deeper about our...

Cannabis and the Teen Brain, featuring Jodi Gilman, PhD – Shrinking It Down

Welcome to today’s “pot-cast”! Marijuana is on everyone’s mind, especially the parents of tweens and teens, as it becomes legal in more states – not just for medicinal use, but for recreation. We’ve learned from...

Oscars Special – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps – just search for “Shrinking It Down”.  Why on earth are two child psychiatrists talking about the 2019 Academy Awards? It’s not...

Surviving Tantrums With Toddlers, featuring Rebecca Schrag Hershberg, PhD – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps.  Almost every parent has been there. Whether your child is age two or twenty-two, we’re all familiar with the “T” word. Out-of-control...

Intimacy and the Teenage Brain – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps.  Intimacy. Is there anything else in the teenage brain? It’s a wonder they make it through school after adolescence hits! We’ll be...

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, featuring Susan Sprich, PhD – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps.  Did you know that Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is one of the most evidence-based psychosocial treatments we have for mental health issues? Today, its...

New Year’s Evolution – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps.  What’s the difference between a “resolution” and an “evolution”? In the context of New Year’s, even though they begin with the best...

Shrinking It Down: Home for the Holidays

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps.  Here we are, in the peak of the holiday season. Do you feel joyful? Do you feel down? Are you simply...

Coping With the Wintertime Blahs (SAD) – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and most podcast apps. It’s cold. It’s gray. It’s dark. This time of year, a lot of folks feel pretty blah. And not just those...

Helping Kids with Challenging Behavior, featuring Stuart Ablon, PhD – Shrinking It Down

You can also listen to this episode wherever you get your podcasts – just search for ‘Shrinking It Down’. Rewards. Punishments. Incentives. What parent hasn’t used one or all of these when trying to navigate...

Gaming Disorder – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and most podcast apps. “I couldn’t get off the computer ‘cause I was about to kill that final thing in ‘Call of Duty’ and if I...

Our Greatest Strengths, Part 2 – Shrinking It Down

You can also subscribe to this podcast on SoundCloud, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, and most podcast apps. *** At the Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, we think a lot about helping kids as they’re growing up with...

How Scary Is Too Scary?

Here is my most vivid memory of Halloween as a child: I’m 8 years old. I have, to my father’s delight, developed an affinity for the “creature-features” that appear on the old UHF stations every...

Shrinking It Down: The Death of a Pet

You can also subscribe to this podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, and TuneIn. *** Last season, we talked about the benefits of pets for our kids’ mental health. That unconditional love helps our children to build skills...

Shrinking It Down: When Nightmares Become Reality in the U.S. (Special Episode)

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.” *** In research that’s been done about kids’ fears, the most frightening thing is losing...

Shrinking It Down: Beyond High School (Season 1, Episode 15)

You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iTunes.  *** Did you know that many young people forego college and go into the workforce after high school? In fact, going to college right away has...

Shrinking It Down: Kids, Marches, and Media (Season 1, Episode 14)

You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iTunes.  *** Recently, youth-driven marches such as ‘March for Our Lives’ have received extensive media coverage. While many kids and teens are participating in these marches, what...

Creativity Gives Our Brains a Boost: Shrinking It Down (Season 1, Episode 12)

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” *** Is creativity important for human relationships? We don’t just think so, we know it!...

Shrinking It Down: Political Angst in America? (Season 1, Episode 6)

You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iTunes.  *** According to a 2017 report by the American Psychological Association, 2/3 of Americans feel stressed about the future of our nation, including a majority of...

Shrinking It Down: Films That Heal, featuring Eric I. Lu (Season 1, Episode 5)

You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iTunes.  *** Films foster empathy and can even promote social action. Sharing stories of mental health through video allows viewers to deeply connect with storytellers. When we...

Shrinking It Down: Navigating Divisiveness During the Holidays (Season 1, Episode 3)

You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iTunes.  *** Differing viewpoints, feelings of frustration. We’re all constantly on edge today, and families can be home to a wide range of beliefs, which only adds...

The Psychological Gift Of Giving A Gift

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. The holidays are, alas, upon us. And, what usually comes to mind? Well, we enter the frenzied hijinks of...

Shrinking It Down: Does My Child Need to See a Therapist? (Season 1, Episode 2)

You can also listen to this podcast on SoundCloud, Stitcher, and iTunes.  *** In today’s episode, Dr. Ellen Braaten, psychologist and associate director of the Clay Center, joins co-hosts Beresin and Schlozman to address common...

Shrinking It Down: Our 1st Episode! (Season 1, Episode 1)

  Mental health made simple? Phpht. Who are we kidding? It can be really complicated. Which is why we’re psyched to launch Season 1 of our new video podcast Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple,...

When Teens Talk of Suicide: What You Need to Know

Suicide can be a scary topic to think or talk about. Yet, suicide is often preventable when family members, friends, and entire communities know what signs to look for in a young person, when to...

When Kids Leave Home: Part 1

This is the first blog post in a two-part series on adolescents’ transition to the “real world.” To view the second blog post, click here.  Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music...

For Those Suffering From Addiction, Recovery Is The Most Likely Outcome—But How Do We Get There From Here?

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music arranged and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. NOTE: In light of the landmark substance abuse and recovery legislation that was passed today by the...

Music For Autism Is Music For All: Reshaping And Expanding A Disability-Friendly Space

Intro and outro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.   Linda Rodgers Emory, daughter of the great American composer Richard Rodgers, writes in one of her poems that, “Music for Autism is music...

Anorexia Nervosa And Access To Care

As we recognize National Eating Disorder Awareness Week here at The Clay Center, we hope the information we share will be both informative and useful. For even more information about eating disorders, and ways you can...

The College Mental Health Crisis: A Call for Cultural Change – Part 1

This is the first blog post in a two-part series on college mental health in the United States. The focus of this first post is college student suicide prevention. The second post focuses on general...

Spring Suicide: An (Un)Likely Combination?

Tune in to a conversation about springtime and psychiatric disorders – listen below or search for “Shrinking It Down” wherever you stream. Este artículo está disponible en español. So, we all know that suicide attempts, suicidal...

Raising Moral Children: Parental Strategies That Last A Lifetime

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music arranged and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. We want our kids to know right from wrong. We want them to care about the welfare...

Living With A Chronic Medical Illness

This blog post is part of a series entitled Real Lives, Real Stories: Personal Experiences With Mental Illness. Note: The following person’s account of his/her personal experience has been published with his/her consent to support...

When Kids Leave Home: Part 2

This is the second blog post in a two-part series on adolescents’ transition to the “real world.” To view the first blog post, click here.  Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music...

Home Is Where The Heart Is: Thinking About Homeless Children In The Classroom

This is the final blog post of a series in collaboration with the Lesley University Child Homelessness Initiative (CHI). For more information about the CHI curriculum, and the ways in which it seeks to empower the...

Treating Specific Phobias in Kids

It was the last semester of medical school, and Philadelphia couldn’t have been nicer—even West Philly. My wife and daughter, then almost five years old, were walking around town, and at one point let our...

Bad To The Bone: Seven Myths About Juveniles In Jail

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. *** Bad To The Bone: Seven Myths About Juveniles In Jail Judith Edersheim, J.D., M.D. and Robert Kinscherff, Ph.D.,...

The Impact Of Divorce: All Children Only Get One Childhood

Listen to a conversation about the impact of divorce on children on our podcast. Tune in below or search for “Shrinking It Down” wherever you get your podcasts. Navigating divorce is an adult problem and...

The Crisis In Pediatric Psychiatric Emergency Rooms

Psychiatric emergency rooms are busier than you can imagine—unless you’ve been stuck in one.  In fact, there’s only one emergency room setting that’s even more so: pediatric psychiatric emergency rooms. In both urban and rural...

Jade’s Journey From Homeless Child To Lesley University Student: A Story Of Resilience

This is the second blog post of a series in collaboration with the Lesley University Child Homelessness Initiative (CHI). For more information about the CHI curriculum, and the ways in which it seeks to empower the...

Military Sexual Trauma (MST): My Experience of the Challenges Facing Female Soldiers and Veterans

This blog post is part of a series entitled Real Lives, Real Stories: Personal Experiences With Mental Illness. Note: The following person’s account of his/her personal experience has been published with his/her consent to support the...

A Closer Look at Separation Anxiety

 Sarah sits on the couch, clutching her stuffed bear. Her finger nails are visibly torn; they’ve been bleeding again. Her mom, meanwhile, is calling into work again. She’ll have to explain for what feels...

The Plight Of Child Homelessness In The United States

This is the first blog post of a series in collaboration with the Lesley University Child Homelessness Initiative (CHI). For more information about the CHI curriculum, and the ways in which it seeks to empower...

Creativity and Mental Illness, Bipolar Disorder and the Arts

This blog post is part of a series entitled Real Lives, Real Stories: Personal Experiences With Mental Illness. Note: The following person’s account of his/her personal experience has been published with his/her consent to support...

Beyond Sexual Assault

This blog post is part of a series entitled Real Lives, Real Stories: Personal Experiences With Mental Illness. Note: The following person’s account of his/her personal experience has been published with his/her consent to support...

Putting A Little Thanksgiving Into Your Nightly Family Dinners

Intro and outro written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. When my colleague Kiley told me recently about her Thanksgiving tradition, she gave me some new ideas about family dinners—a subject I think about every...

High School Junior Stresses

Intro and outro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Sometimes things are so obvious that we fail to take notice. If I begin this piece by saying that high school students who plan...

The Developmental Challenges Of Middle School: It’s Not So Much Who You Are, But Whom You’re With

Let’s talk about middle school. When does adolescence begin?  What is it about, and why is it for some an exhilarating time of new thinking, positive exploration of the world and emotional self-discovery, and for...

The Role Of Temperament

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.Outro music arranged and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. We have all had the experience of either knowing or parenting siblings that seem quite different from one...

Coping With ADHD: How A Young Man And His Mom Are Managing The Path To Success

This blog post is part of a series entitled Real Lives, Real Stories: Personal Experiences With Mental Illness. Note: The following person’s account of his/her personal experience has been published with his/her consent to support...

Rise of The YA (Young Adult) Novel

When I was young, the neighborhood bookstore had a distinctive arrangement.  It almost always looked something like this: The front table?  Spy novels and books about tennis. The books at the counter?  More spy novels...

Did The Black Box Warning For Antidepressants Risk Greater Depression & Suicidal Behavior In Youth?

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. In 2004, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) made the difficult decision to apply a “black box” warning to...

Dad’s New Shoes

Intro and outro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Today’s dads are confused. It might not be a bad kind of confusion, but confusion is still the best word for how dads feel....

Concerts: A Survival Guide

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Almost Famous, Cameron Crowe’s wonderful movie about sex, drugs and rock n’ roll, has many lovely and poignant moments....

The Senior Prom: A Joyous Rite Of Passage Or Nightmare For Parents?

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. It’s the weekend before your kid’s senior prom. You and your wife are having a typical evening at home,...

Over-Scheduled, Stressed-Out Families

You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” A contemporary belief is that it’s our job as parents to make our beloved children...

Adult Children Moving Back Home: The Boomerang Generation and the New Normal

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin. In the past when children went off to college or left home, parents needed to adjust to living as...

Contact Sports: Yes Or No?

There’s no doubt about the recommendations.  Most experts in neurodevelopment suggest that kids stay away from American contact sports, like tackle football, until they are at least 14 years old. You can also tune in...