A relatively common misdiagnosis in mental health is mistaking a depressive episode in someone with bipolar disorder for major depressive disorder.  While depression is present, it’s not the primary condition that needs to be addressed. In some people with bipolar disorder, treatment with antidepressants can actually trigger a manic episode, rather than stabilize mood.  It’s […]

There are many reasons to be cognizant of and intentional about screen time for those in your care.  One area psychologists have been exploring with increasing urgency is the proliferation of selfie culture and appearance-focused social media, which some researchers believe may contribute to a co-existing rise in body dysmorphia among teens and young adults.  […]

Our society is rife with iPad kids and adults who aren’t connecting in person anymore. And with so many options to “connect” virtually, we’re statistically lonelier than ever. The number of American adults with no close friends has quadrupled since 1990. Unsurprisingly, this can have a range of negative effects. For example, friendship and mental […]

Parents often expect depression to look like constant sadness, crying, or obvious emotional distress. But depression in teen boys does not always appear that way. Instead, many boys struggle quietly. Some become withdrawn. Others become irritable, angry, reckless, or difficult to reach. What looks like defiance, moodiness, or “typical teenage behavior” may actually be a […]

Signs of trauma can often present differently for children and adolescents. It is not the typically expected anxiety, flashbacks, or overwhelm. It rarely, if ever, looks like the textbook Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).  On top of this, most children and teenagers lack the vocabulary or emotional awareness to express their feelings. Instead, childhood trauma symptoms […]

Distracted? Overwhelmed? Forgetful? Failing to focus? The teen and young adult years can be difficult, even with generally good mental health. But when something more is at play, it can be tricky to know what’s really going on.   Are you struggling with anxiety? Or is your brain’s attention span working at a deficit? Or maybe […]

IOP. PHP. EMDR. DBT. CBT. LPC. LMHC. Before long, mental health care can start to feel like a maze of acronyms. It’s no wonder IOP vs. PHP programs often get confused. If you or a loved one is navigating the labyrinth of mental health care, overwhelmed by all the outpatient treatment options available, you’re in […]

Most teenagers have used drugs at least once by the end of high school, but at what point should you be concerned? And when (or how) should you respond? Many parents feel overwhelmed when they find out their child is using drugs. They become flooded with questions like, “How long has this been happening?” and “How serious is […]

Most teenagers have tried alcohol or drugs by high school graduation, with almost 3 in 4 people trying substances before the age of 17. And while most parents would like to brush this off as experimentation or even as recreational and “in good fun,” the truth is that there are many other (and more disturbing) causes of […]

Picture this: The warmth of the sunlight on your face after a long winter. The sunshine peaking through the trees as you sit on your front porch steps. A few quiet moments in nature when you just needed a breath of fresh air. No matter how you slice it, there is an undeniable shift that happens to us when we spend some time in the […]