Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple-logo

Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple

Health & Wellness Podcasts

Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple plays up the fact that mental health is anything but simple, while helping parents and other caregivers to navigate some tough questions. Join Dr. Gene Beresin and special guests as they explore and provide practical guidance on a range topics related to the emotional and behavioral well-being of children, teens, and young adults. From depression and learning issues, to societal issues and digital media, Shrinking It Down covers it all. Tune in today! About Us: The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital is a free, online educational resource dedicated to promoting the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of young people through innovative education. Visit us online at mghclaycenter.org. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple plays up the fact that mental health is anything but simple, while helping parents and other caregivers to navigate some tough questions. Join Dr. Gene Beresin and special guests as they explore and provide practical guidance on a range topics related to the emotional and behavioral well-being of children, teens, and young adults. From depression and learning issues, to societal issues and digital media, Shrinking It Down covers it all. Tune in today! About Us: The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital is a free, online educational resource dedicated to promoting the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of young people through innovative education. Visit us online at mghclaycenter.org. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Location:

United States

Description:

Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple plays up the fact that mental health is anything but simple, while helping parents and other caregivers to navigate some tough questions. Join Dr. Gene Beresin and special guests as they explore and provide practical guidance on a range topics related to the emotional and behavioral well-being of children, teens, and young adults. From depression and learning issues, to societal issues and digital media, Shrinking It Down covers it all. Tune in today! About Us: The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds at Massachusetts General Hospital is a free, online educational resource dedicated to promoting the mental, emotional, and behavioral well-being of young people through innovative education. Visit us online at mghclaycenter.org. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Language:

English

Contact:

617-643-1590

Episodes

Moving Towards Anti-Racism for Our Future Generations, featuring O'Neil Britton, MD

7/29/2020
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 because, no matter where you go, there is a layered, structural unfairness that plays out. The harmful impact of this unfairness begins to take its toll on even the youngest developing minds. On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, special guest O’Neil Britton, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president of Massachusetts General Hospital, joins Gene Beresin for...

Duration:00:45:22

Special guest next week!

7/22/2020
We've wrapped up Season 3, but we have a summer episode coming up. Next week, we welcome very special guest O'Neil Britton, MD, chief medical officer and senior vice president of Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Britton joins Gene to discuss racism's continued impact on community health and well-being, and to think critically about ways that each individuals, communities, and healthcare systems can do more and do better in moving towards an anti-racist Boston, and an anti-racist...

Duration:00:00:53

Medications: For Better or Worse? featuring Tim Wilens, MD

6/24/2020
Many parents of kids struggling with a mental health issue have concerns – even fears – about medication as a part of treatment. Will it help? Will it hurt? What are the side effects? Today, Dr. Tim Wilens, chief of the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital, joins Gene and Ellen to talk about prescribed medications, and other substances used recreationally to ease symptoms: How they can help, how they can harm, and how to know when medication should be...

Duration:00:34:00

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

6/10/2020
These past months and weeks have put tremendous stress on families across the country, on top of the daily challenges we were already navigating. And under tremendous stress, it can become even harder to regulate our emotions, leaving our kids – and even us – struggling with challenging behavior. In today’s episode, Dr. Stuart Ablon, Director of Think:Kids at Massachusetts General Hospital, joins Gene to talk through strategies to help you and your kids do the best you can right now. A huge...

Duration:00:35:37

Climate Anxiety and Kids, featuring Elizabeth G. Pinsky, MD

5/13/2020
Many kids and teens are growing more worried about climate change. Scary predictions about the future and lack of government action can make them feel the crisis is out of their control. How can parents help their kids cope with climate anxiety? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Dr. Elizabeth Pinsky, a pediatrician and child psychiatrist at Mass General Hospital for Children, and mom of two young kids, joins Gene to discuss how parents can talk about climate change to kids of...

Duration:00:43:19

COVID-19 and College Students, featuring Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD

4/29/2020
When teens leave home for college, it’s natural for both parents and young adults to adjust to new lifestyles and living apart. But many college students unexpectedly returned home due to the coronavirus pandemic, and this can pose challenges for families as they reestablish norms and expectations for living together. How can parents and young adults find the right balance between respect and independence during this time of uncertainty? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Dr. Khadijah...

Duration:00:38:09

Growing Up With a Parent on the Autism Spectrum, featuring Hillary Hurst Bush, PhD

4/15/2020
If you do an online search for the words “parenting” and “autism,” most of the results will be about parents who don’t have autism raising children who do. But what if you’re a parent on the autism spectrum, or have a partner or co-parent who is? In today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Gene welcomes special guest Dr. Hillary Hurst Bush to share her story of growing up with a Dad with autism – both from the perspective of her younger self and her professional experience as a...

Duration:00:28:21

COVID-19: Mental Health Check-In

3/25/2020
Life as we know it has changed since our last episode. Disruptions, anxiety, and uncertainty surrounding the new coronavirus disease have affected us all. While we can’t immediately change this public health crisis – though we can do our part by staying home if we’re able! - we do have the power to change how we think about our individual situations, and help our children and teens to do the same. In today’s short episode, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Ellen Braaten take a mental health break to...

Duration:00:10:24

We'll be back March 25!

3/4/2020
We're taking a short break, but we've got a great line up of topics and guests for the spring. A sample of what's to come: All this and more. We'll see you back March 25! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Duration:00:02:17

Is Your Teen an Emotional Sponge?

2/26/2020
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 info like an emotional sponge. And while it feels good to help a friend, it can also feel overwhelming - even scary - to be a friend's sole source of support, especially for serious issues. On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Ellen Braaten help parents...

Duration:00:24:02

We'll Miss You, Steve!

2/19/2020
Seasons change, and so do podcast co-hosts. Since the beginning, Shrinking It Down has been co-hosted by child psychiatrists Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Steven Schlozman. But alas, Steve is moving on to the next creative chapter in his life. It's been a long run, Steve, and a great one. Thank you for everything. We'll miss you so! Media List It's Time for Saying Goodbye - Muppets Take ManhattanThe Importance of Stories for Child Mental HealthNature Versus Nurture (Steve's last podcast...

Duration:00:02:52

Nature vs. Nurture, featuring Jordan Smoller, MD, ScD

2/12/2020
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 many psychiatric disorders do run in families to some extent, so do lots of things! Right down to food preferences and professions. So, how much do genes have to do with it? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, special guest Dr. Jordan Smoller, of MGH’s Center for Genomic Medicine, joins Gene and Steve to discuss how nature and nurture always work...

Duration:00:38:15

Extra Time on Tests - Does It Work?

1/29/2020
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...

Duration:00:28:49

Kids Under Surveillance!

1/15/2020
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...

Duration:00:33:54

We''ll be back January 15!

12/31/2019
We'll be back January 15 with new episodes, including conversations about digital and social media surveillance of kids and teens, and genetics and mental health. Hope you have a peaceful holiday season. See you in a couple of weeks! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Duration:00:00:53

New Year 2020: We Can Manage This!

12/18/2019
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 our last show of 2019 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...

Duration:00:31:21

Making Family Dinner Possible, featuring Anne Fishel, PhD

12/4/2019
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,...

Duration:00:30:35

Is This Normal?

11/20/2019
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...

Duration:00:24:44

The Loneliest Generation

11/6/2019
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...

Duration:00:26:56

Stay In Shape: Kids' Bodies Feed Their Minds, featuring Ming Sun, MCHES

10/23/2019
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...

Duration:00:31:01

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