October is National Eczema Awareness month and today Dr. Dan Peters welcomes expert Christine Triano, MSW, LCSW, the Director of Mental Health at the Center for Connection in Pasadena, CA.  Today’s interview about often misunderstood chronic diseases and conditions offers helpful advice for all parents raising teenagers.

Christine Triano is a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW) and psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of adolescents, adults, families and creative professionals. Her strengths-based approach ensures that counselling addresses not just what's going wrong, but identifies and nurtures what is going right. She strives to help clients make new discoveries about themselves and identify ways to overcome the obstacles they face—which is why she joined the Understand AD (atopic dermatitis) Squad. Her work at the AD Squad includes encouraging patients with chronic diseases to open up about their personal experience and she helps teens realize their condition does not define them.

Dr. Dan and Christine discuss these questions:   

  What are the psychological and social impacts of living with eczema (and similar conditions) as a teen?

  Advice for  parents who are navigating raising a child with eczema.

  Atopic dermatitis is a severe form of eczema. What is the Understand AD Squad? 

  How parents can control their own stress (so that they don’t amplify their child’s stress)?

  Teaching resilience, self-care, and other life skills for teens.

 The show ends with Christine’s Parent Footprint Moment.

Christine Triano holds a Masters in Social Work from California State University, Los Angeles and a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Political Science from Tufts University in Medford, MA. Highlights of her professional experience include working with Eastlake Youth Services, Verdugo Hills Hospital, Homeless Healthcare Los Angeles, Jewish Family Services, and Gateways Hospital & Mental Health Center, where she spent five years as an adolescent psychiatric social worker.  Most recently, Christine ran the Mental Health Counseling program at AMDA College & Conservatory of the Performing Arts in Hollywood.

A proud native New Yorker, Christine enjoyed many years as a writer, media consultant, and documentary film and television producer before earning her MSW. She continues to pursue her passion for storytelling through documentary projects highlighting the importance of connection and community. As writer and co-producer of Lost Angels: Skid Row is My Home, she received the VOICE Award from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) for educating the public about the experiences of people in recovery from mental illness.  More recently, she wrote and co-produced the 2016 documentary feature, Los Punks: We Are All We Have, chronicling the vibrant DIY punk rock scene in East and South Los Angeles.

For more information visit about Christine Tirano and her work visit:

https://www.thecenterforconnection.org/christine-triano-bio  and https://understandad.com/

Watch this free video to learn more about Dr. Dan and Parent Footprint Awareness Training®