Conversations with KidsPeace

KidsPeace offices in Pennsylvania have a way to help families struggling with the mystery of whether (or how) to seek help for kids in crisis … and all you have to do is walk right in.  In the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, therapist Sara Kahler explains the free walk-in assessment program.  Bob Martin hosts.

It may be the single biggest barrier to seeking help for many suffering from a mental health condition – the stigma society associates with mental illness.  In our podcast series, host Bob Martin talks with author Michael Schlossberg and Dr. Matthew Koval as they take on the issue of stigma from personal, medical and societal perspectives – including:

How a depression emerged for one of the guests during college, and how he got past “self-stigma” to seek help. 

The role Robin Williams’ suicide played in prompting Schlossberg to become a public advocate for viewing mental illness as a chronic condition, and how his latest writing venture carries that message into the realm of young adult science fiction.

The need to humanize depression in order to combat the stigma against treatment, especially among men and minority communities: 

Why primary care physicians need to be ready for what’s called “the doorknob comment,” as the opening to learning what may truly be troubling their patient.

And why turning around the old saying, “Don’t just sit there, DO something!” can reveal a path to help individuals suffering in silence because of stigma.

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace.”  Also check out our YouTube channel for more content.

(PLEASE NOTE: The audio of this episode’s discussion has been edited for privacy needs.)

Mental health professionals, along with many families and individuals, are dealing with the implications of gender diversity, as society moves from a binary view of gender to multiple gender models.  On this Conversations podcast, therapist Jonna Finocchio and psychiatrist Ashleigh Anderson discuss the changes in how we view gender and their impact on caring for the gender-diverse.  Bob Martin hosts.

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace.” Also check out our YouTube channel for more content.

It’s holiday time on the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast – actually, it’s holiday stress that guests Adrienne Pauling and Michelle Callahan discuss with host Bob Martin.  They offer tips on navigating money concerns, grief, family conflicts and overscheduling – as well as a foolproof way to clean up a broken glass at your holiday get-together!

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace.”  Also check out our YouTube channel for more content.

On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we look at the latest issue of Healing Magazine and its focus on de-escalation of kids in crisis.  We talk with the head of an organization promoting a comprehensive strategy for defusing situations quickly and effectively.  We also discuss what therapists and professionals need to keep in mind when counseling populations at risk for suicide amid a wave of attention to the subject in popular culture.  And a KidsPeace clinician reviews a new book by an Olympic champion about enduring and triumphing over horrific sexual abuse.  Bob Martin hosts.

1:22 - Jamie Pfister, KidsPeace - Addressing Suicide Amid Popular Culture

11:40 - Kim Sanders, Ukeru Systems - Creating an Environment of Comfort vs. Control

23:36 - Eric Sell, KidsPeace - Book Review: Fighting Back by Kayla Harrison, et al.

Listen here, or to subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace”

Ukeru Website: https://www.ukerusystems.com

The new issue of Healing Magazine was published November 19; to view it and back issues of the magazine, visit www.healingmagazine.org.

On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, the two foster parents behind the “Foster Talk” feature on fostercare.com talk about how they hope the blog series can provide guidance to both foster parents and those considering fostering. Bob Martin hosts.

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace.”  Also check out our YouTube channel for more content.

On our podcast, we invite you to meet an Indiana foster teen and hear her insights about how she grew from a troubled child into a college student and scholarship recipient. Introducing the remarkable Daysha Copeland, on the latest episode of “Conversations with KidsPeace.”  Bob Martin hosts.

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace.” Also check out our YouTube channel for more content.

It’s that time of year again – families are starting to get ready for summer to end and school to begin. On the latest episode of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we talk with Adrienne Pauling and Michelle Callahan from KidsPeace’s Pennsylvania community programs on what parents can do to help their kids better manage the transition back to school.  Bob Martin hosts.

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace.”  Also check out our YouTube channel for more content.

Adrienne and Michelle’s Six Back-to-School Tips for Parents:

Develop a sleep routine. Start kids going to bed earlier and earlier each night until they have worked up to their typical school sleeping times.

Have the kids eat a balanced diet. During school, kids won’t have access to snacks and sugary things that they typically may have access to during the day at home. 

Cut back on “Screen Time.” Setting boundaries with video games, TV, tablets, etc., will help prepare kids for the school routine.

Help them get organized. Have supplies ready prior to the first day of school.  Follow the suggested list that many school districts put out so that your child does not have to feel anxious or worried that they do not have what they need.

Empathize!! Kids need to feel supported and encouraged, no matter how trivial their concerns/fears may seem.  Knowing that their parent/caregiver is there for them and willing to listen is so important during this often difficult transition. 

Stay involved! Know your child’s teachers, daily schedule, etc.  Take advantage of apps and websites that schools provide to keep you “in the know” of what is expected of your child daily.

In times of crisis or disaster, we rely on the courage and skill of first responders to help those affected.  But what about the well-being of those individuals? Who helps the helpers cope with the stress and emotions they feel as a result of their work?

On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we talk about KidsPeace’s Critical Incident Response Team - a program that can provide needed support for the first responder heroes we all depend upon.  Bob Martin hosts.

To subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace”

Sex trafficking of children isn’t a problem just in other countries – it’s happening in America as well, and communities need to bring resources from multiple sources together to combat it.

On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we discuss the work that’s being done in Pennsylvania’s Lehigh Valley community to address the commercial sexual exploitation of children, and the role KidsPeace plays in treating its victims.  Bob Martin hosts.

Listen here, or to subscribe to the podcast, go to iTunes or Google Play and search “Conversations with KidsPeace”