Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple

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 everyone else had. Today, it seems every parent thinks their kid could benefit from extra time on tests, and in some cases will go to great lengths to get it. But does extra time really help a student to score higher on exams? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Gene and Ellen discuss the three types of specific learning disabilities for which a child might benefit from extra time on tests, and the types of struggles and disorders for which extra time won’t help a child (even if they can get it). Plus, tips to support kids in test taking, no matter what their challenges, including how to manage anxiety and organizational skills.

Thank you for joining in this conversation. Have questions or comments about extra time on tests or learning and attention issues? Write to us!

Media List

·     Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance (Walt Disney World)

·     Linda Rondstadt: The Sound of My Voice | Official Trailer (Greenwich Entertainment)

·     Timed Versus Untimed Testing Conditions and Student Performance (Pearson Education)

·     Abuse of ‘extended time’ on SAT and ACT outrages learning disability community (Washington Post)

·     Dyslexia 101 (MGH Clay Center)

·     What Is Disorder of Written Expression? (MGH Clay Center)

·     What Is a Math Disorder? (MGH Clay Center)

·     Academic Testing Accommodations for ADHD: Do They Help? (Learning Disabilities Association of America)

·     Video: Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up (MGH Clay Center)

·     What Are the Different Types of Evaluations? (MGH Clay Center)

·     Teaching for the Test or for Real Life? (MGH Clay Center)

·     How Do You Measure Executive Function Skills in Kids? (MGH Clay Center)

·     What Is Executive Function Coaching? (MGH Clay Center)

·     Conquering Test Anxiety (MGH Clay Center)

·     Playing the Insurance Game: When Is Testing Covered? (MGH Clay Center)

·     2020 Best Test Optional Colleges in America (Niche)

·     Do You Really ‘See’ Your Child? (NYT Parenting)

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 more ways to watch our kids’ every move – social media, cell phones, e-mail, even school apps intended for learning.  

A lot of kids and even parents don’t know what kinds of surveillance schools are conducting on students, and many kids may not be aware of how their own parents are keeping tabs. While the aim is to keep kids safe, we don’t yet have enough data to show how it’s working. Do these efforts actually keep kids safer, or do the consequences outweigh the benefits? On today’s episode, Gene and Steve discuss the challenges parents and schools face, and why it’s important to balance oversight with maintaining trust between adults and kids. 

Thanks for joining in this conversation. Do you have questions or comments about the digital surveillance of young people? E-mail us! 

Media List 

• Under digital surveillance: how American schools spy on millions of kids (The Guardian) 
• When Schools Use Tech To Monitor Students Online, Class Is Always In Session (NPR, On Point) 
• ‘It’s up to us as parents’: Protecting your children from online exploitation (NBC15, Madison) 
• Why Parents Should Never Cyber-Snoop or Monitor Their Kids Online, According to a Tech Expert (Fatherly) 
• ‘Don’t leave campus’: Parents are now using tracking apps to watch their kids at college (Washington Post) 
• Black Mirror – Arkangel | Official Trailer (YouTube) 
• Civil rights, disabilities groups urge Florida to stop building student database they call ‘massive surveillance effort’ (Washington Post) 
• As Bushfires Rage, Australia Faces Another Challenge: Protecting National Mental Health (TIME) 
• Is The News Too Scary for Kids? (New York Times Parenting) 

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Episode research by Josh Eng

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Did you know? According to a recent Clay Center survey, six out of 10 parents encourage their kids to adopt New Year’s resolutions. To bring in the new year (and decade!), we’re dedicating this episode to strategies on guiding young people towards meaningful and manageable goals. From getting specific about the “how,” to finding that spark in your child, to involving the whole family, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Ellen Braaten talk through different ways of framing goals to set us all up for success in a new year. Plus, they make their own resolutions based on their own advice.

Thank you for joining in this conversation. Have questions or comments? Write to us at [email protected].

Media List

• Around Town: The Yankee Swap, a gift exchange with a twist (Wicked Local)
• 2019 New Year Resolutions (Statista)
• Your New Year’s resolution will likely fail. Here’s why you should make one anyway, researchers say (Miami Herald)
• This Year, Don’t Set New Year’s Resolutions (Forbes)
• Most People Fail to Achieve Their New Year's Resolution. For Success, Choose a Word of the Year Instead (Inc.)
• 8 Smart (and Fun!) New Year’s Resolutions Kids Can Make (Parents)
• Making New Year’s Resolutions With Your Child (PBS Kids)
• Growing Together In the New Year (MGH Clay Center)
• Won’t You Be My Neighbor (Focus Features)
• A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – Official Trailer (Sony Pictures)

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 today’s episode, Dr. Anne Fishel, executive director of The Family Dinner Project at Massachusetts General Hospital, joins Gene and Steve to discuss her new book, Eat, Laugh, Talk! From speaking with thousands of different families – including single-parent, three-generational, those with infants, those with teens – this book crowd sources the best tips that real families have found to make dinner an easier lift, along with conversation starters, games, and some great recipes. Added bonus? Dr. Fishel gives advice for keeping politics off the dinner table.

Thank you for joining in this conversation! Have a family dinner story to share with us? We’d love to hear. Write to us!

Media List

• The Family Dinner Project at MGH
• The Unexpected and Long-Term Benefits of Family Dinner (Mass General News)
• Eat, Laugh, Talk! The Family Dinner Playbook (Familius Press)
• Ratatouille – Official Trailer (YouTube)
• How to Make Your Toddler an Adventurous Eater and Cooperative Diner (MGH Clay Center)
• Community Dinners (The Family Dinner Project)
• Putting a Little Thanksgiving Into Your Nightly Family Dinners (MGH Clay Center)

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

One of the most common questions Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Steve Schlozman hear from parents, as adolescent psychiatrists, is: “How can I tell if my kid is struggling with a mental health issue?” All kids go through behavioral phases and changes at different stages of life. But when it comes to teens, in particular, it can be hard to tell the difference between typical irritability, withdrawal, and fatigue and something more problematic. When is it cause for concern? The answers to these questions are not crystal clear, but in today’s episode Gene and Steve provide tips and guidance on how to know if your child could use some help. Plus, we’ll share info about an incredible Youth Mental Health First Aid resource for parents and other adults who support young people. 

Thank you for joining in this conversation. Have thoughts or questions on today’s topic? Write to us! We’d love to hear from you.

Media List

• Big Hair Ballads (YouTube)
• Miles Davis: Birth of the Cool (IMDB)
• Most parents struggle to distinguish teen angst from depression (Reuters)
• What’s Wrong With Our Daughter’s Mood? (MGH Clay Center)
• What If My Child Has Depression? (MGH Clay Center)
• What If My Child Has an Anxiety Disorder? (MGH Clay Center)
• Youth Mental Health First Aid USA (National Council for Behavioral Health)
• Lady Gaga Announces Expansion of Teen Mental Health Program (Rolling Stone)
• There Aren’t Enough Mental Health Providers. And Kids Are Paying the Price. (HuffPost)
• Former President Jimmy Carter recovers from surgery to relieve pressure in brain (CBS News)
• The Carter Center: Waging Peace. Fighting Disease. Building Hope.

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Data suggest that Generation Z, the teens and young adults coming of age right now, feels lonelier than any other age group. But we don’t know why. Is it a symptom of digital and social media or the hyper-scheduling of their daily lives? Does it stem from anger about or hopelessness of dwindling future prospects? No one has the answers, but it’s concerning as loneliness can negatively affect both physical and mental health. In this episode of Shrinking It Down, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Steve Schlozman look to the literature and to their child psychiatrist instincts to help parents and other adults brainstorm why this might be, and what we can do to support the young people in our lives.

Thank you for joining in this conversation. Do you have ideas about why teens today are so lonely? We’d love to know. Please write to us! 

Media List

• Solipsism (Philosophy Terms)
• Blue Pill or Red Pill (The Matrix)

• The Death of a Pet (MGH Clay Center)
• New Cigna Study Reveals Loneliness at Epidemic Levels in America (PR Newswire)
• Why Are Teens So Lonely and What Can They Do to Combat Loneliness? (MGH Clay Center)
• Why are Gen Z and millennials calling out boomers on TikTok? ‘OK, boomer,’ explained (USA Today)
• Why Activism Is Good For Teens – And The Country (WBUR Commonhealth)
• Kids, Marches, and the Media (MGH Clay Center)
• Teaching for the Test or Teaching for Real Life? (MGH Clay Center)
• New backup QB plucked from high school (KCTV News)
• Nats make road-win history, capture 1st WS title (MLB News)

Episode research by Joshua Eng

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How can we guide children to 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 20 years strong, is one solution that’s benefited several communities in Massachusetts. In today’s episode, special guest Ming Sun, MCHES, of MGH Community Health Associates, joins host Steve Schlozman, MD to share more about Stay In Shape – including strategies to help kids set goals around activities that will benefit their bodies and minds.

Thank you for joining in this conversation. Do you have a program like this in your community? We’d love to hear about it. Write to us!

Media List

• Nutrition and Mental Health: It’s More Complicated Than You Think (MGH Clay Center)
• MGH Community Health Associates
• MGH Center for Community Health Improvement (CCHI)
• STAY IN SHAPE Program Curriculum (MGH Community Health Associates)
• Rise of the Takis (Houston Press)
• Study: College Students Can Improve Depression Symptoms By Eating Healthy (WBZ / CBS Boston News)
• Being Young, Active, and Physically Fit May Be Very Good for Your Brain (New York Times)
• The Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine
• Self-Care in Middle School (Video – MGH Clay Center)
• The Importance of Sleep for Kids’ Emotional Well-Being (MGH Clay Center)

Episode research by Matt Carron

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music By Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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 is ultimately tied to…money! Where that money should come from is a complicated issue, and it’s not the same issue it was 20 or 30 years ago. What does this mean for both parent and child mental health? Special guest Rand Spero, CFP, MBA, EdM joins our co-director Dr. Ellen Braaten to talk about the economic realities of young adulthood today, including strategies for families to embrace.

Thank you for joining in this conversation. Have a question or comment about financially supporting the young adults in your life? Write to us at [email protected].

Media List

• Adult children are costing many parents their retirement savings (CBS News)
• Price Of College Increasing Almost 8 Times Faster Than Wages (Forbes)
• Life Support (Rand Spero, Humble Dollar)
• Student Debt is Transforming the American Family (The New Yorker)
• Adult Children Moving Back Home: The Boomerang Generation and the New Normal (MGH Clay Center)
• Enrollment booming as VoTech education gains new reputation (The Patriot Ledger)
• How to Talk to Your Middle Schooler About College and Money (HerMoney)
• How to Talk to Your High School Student About College and Money (HerMoney)

Episode guest hosted by Ellen Braaten

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the summer fades and we move into Autumn, activities in our lives start to build up and so can the stress. Perhaps this is one reason that September is national Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. It’s an unsettling topic, but in our first episode of the season Gene and Steve talk about young people and suicide – not to bring folks down but to give it the time it deserves. Whether you’re trying to make sense of increasing suicide rates, practicing how to talk in detail to a young person you’re concerned about, wondering how to talk to a neighbor who has been impacted, or simply trying to be aware of the supports out there, please tune in.

A special thanks to those of you who sent in your thoughts; they were helpful in planning this episode. Thank you all for joining in this conversation. If you have comments or questions, please e-mail us at [email protected]. 

Media List

• NCHS data brief: Increase in Suicide in the United States, 1999-2014 (National Center for Health Statistics)
• Suicide Rates Among Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States, 2000-2017 (Journal of the American Medical Association)
• Why Are Teens So Lonely and What Can They Do to Combat Loneliness (MGH Clay Center)
• What if My Child Has Depression (MGH Clay Center)
• Does asking about suicide and related behaviours induce suicidal ideation? What’s the evidence? (Psychological Medicine)
• When Teens Talk of Suicide: What You Need to Know (MGH Clay Center)
• reportingonsuicide.org (Reporting on Suicide)
• Summer Challenge: Come Together for Mental Health (MGH Clay Center)

Resources

• TEXT “HOME” to 741-741
• CALL 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Suicide Prevention (American Academy of Pediatrics)
• Suicide Resource Center (American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry)
• Find Support (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention)
• Mental Health Resource Center (The JED Foundation)

Episode produced by Sara Rattigan

Music by Gene Beresin

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.