child-adolescent-v1

THE EQUAL WORTH OF EVERY HUMAN LIFE: A MORAL REFLECTION

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 21:23:52 GMT

Every human life has equal worth.

This worth is not earned. It is not granted. It is not dependent on achievement, wealth, identity, or status. The value of human life is intrinsic—built into our very existence.

Yet we live in a moment where the perception of human worth feels increasingly distorted. The problem is not that human value has changed. It is that our recognition of that value has become clouded.

The Problem: Distorted Perceptions of Worth

Although humanity inherently has equal worth, society often behaves as if worth is conditional. People are judged by their bank accounts, job titles, zip codes, skin color, gender identity, immigration status, or the sound of their names. These judgments are not reflections of human value—they are reflections of bias, prejudice, fear, stereotypes, economic systems, political narratives, and historical trauma.

These forces shape how people are treated, not who they are.

Humanity: The Moral Contradiction

Humanity means recognizing each person as equal in dignity. But we are pulled into a painful contradiction when society does not treat us equally (reflecting internalization of society’s biases, fear, stereotypes, etc.)

A difficult question emerges:

Can someone treat another person as unequal and still expect to be treated as equal? Philosophically, the answer is no.

To treat someone as inferior is to claim superiority—to assume the authority to decide whose life has value and whose does not. This is the root of oppression. It is also the beginning of moral collapse.

Dignity: Kant’s Unshakeable Principle

Immanuel Kant argued that every person possesses dignity, not price (Kant, 1785/2012). A price can be compared or traded. Dignity cannot.

Kant insisted that no person may be used merely as a means to an end. Human value comes from our rational agency and moral capacity—not from external conditions. When people are objectified, exploited, or treated as disposable, it is not their worth that changes. It is the moral failure of those who refuse to see it.

The Social Contract: When Societies Fail

Philosophers like Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau, and Rawls argued that societies depend on agreements—explicit and implicit—about how we treat one another. Rawls (1971) introduced the Veil of Ignorance, asking us to imagine designing a society without knowing our race, wealth, gender, nationality, or abilities.

Behind that veil, no one would choose a world where some lives matter more than others.

When societies fail to honor human worth, they break the social contract that makes justice possible.

We Are Not Objects: Existentialist Insight

Existentialist thinkers like Sartre and Beauvoir emphasized that humans are subjects, not objects (Sartre, 1943/2003; Beauvoir, 1949/2011).

To treat someone as a thing is to strip them of agency and reduce them to an instrument. This is not just harmful—it is ontologically violent, an attack on the very structure of what it means to be human.

Power and Worth: How Hierarchies Distort Humanity

Critical theorists such as Fanon, Arendt, and Foucault showed how power structures create artificial hierarchies of human worth (Fanon, 1963; Arendt, 1958; Foucault, 1977). Power determines:

whose pain is believed
whose death is mourned
whose voice is amplified
whose body is protected
whose humanity is recognized

Wealth, race, gender identity, nationality, or immigration status do not change the value of a life. But power structures distort how that value is treated.

Virtue: Humanity as a Practice

Virtue ethicists—from Aristotle to contemporary thinkers—remind us that morality is not just rules but character. Compassion, justice, courage, empathy, and humility are practices that allow us to see the humanity in others (Aristotle, trans. 2009).

When we fail to practice virtue, we fail morally—not because the other person lost value, but because we lost vision.

The Truth We Must Reclaim

The value of human life is inherent, equal, and unchanging.
What changes is whether people and systems recognize that value.
And when they fail to recognize it, the failure is theirs—not yours.
Humanity is not a ranking. It is a shared truth.
And reclaiming that truth is one of the most urgent moral tasks of our time.

References

Arendt, H. (1958). *The human condition*. University of Chicago Press.
Aristotle. (2009). *Nicomachean ethics* (W. D. Ross, Trans.). Oxford University Press. (Original work published ca. 350 BCE)
Beauvoir, S. de. (2011) . *The second sex* (C. Borde & S. Malovany-Chevallier, Trans.). Vintage Books. (Original work published 1949)
Fanon, F. (1963). *The wretched of the earth* (C. Farrington, Trans.). Grove Press.
Foucault, M. (1977). *Discipline and punish: The birth of the prison* (A. Sheridan, Trans.). Pantheon Books.
Kant, I. (2012). *Groundwork of the metaphysics of morals* (M. Gregor & J. Timmermann, Eds. & Trans.). Cambridge University Press. (Original work published 1785)
Rawls, J. (1971). *A theory of justice*. Harvard University Press.
Sartre, J.-P. (2003). *Being and nothingness* (H. E. Barnes, Trans.). Routledge. (Original work published 1943)

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC AFFILIATION WITH GOODWILL INDUSTRIES TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACROSS STARK COUNTY

Fri, 16 Jan 2026 21:23:01 GMT

CANTON, Ohio (Jan 16) – Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) announced today a strategic affiliation with Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc. (Goodwill). The affiliation reflects a shared commitment to strengthening community-based services and ensuring long-term stability for children, adolescents, and families across Stark County.

This affiliation brings together two mission-driven nonprofit organizations that serve many of the same individuals and families. C&A’s clinical expertise in youth behavioral health will be supported by Goodwill’s established administrative and operational infrastructure, allowing both organizations to advance their missions while remaining focused on the communities they serve.

“Youth mental health needs continue to grow across our community,” said Melissa Coultas, Chief Executive Officer of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health. “This affiliation allows us to strengthen our operational foundation while preserving who we are. Our mission, our services, and our commitment to Stark County remain unchanged, and this partnership allows us to reinvest resources into care and into our staff.”

As part of the affiliation, C&A will maintain its designated 501c3 status and operate as an affiliate program of Goodwill. C&A’s name, mission, programs and local leadership remain in place. Clinical services will continue without disruption. Select administrative functions will transition to a shared services model supported by Goodwill.

“At Goodwill, our mission is to strengthen communities by helping people overcome barriers,” said Anne Richards, president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio. “This affiliation reflects Goodwill’s commitment to supporting vital local programs and ensuring C&A can continue delivering trusted, lifechanging mental health services to Stark County families for years to come.”

C&A will retain its own Board of Directors and leadership team. Goodwill will serve as the corporate member and provide shared administrative services in areas such as human resources, information technology, and financial operations.

“This was a thoughtful, mission-centered decision by the Board,” said Casey McCloud, Board President of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health. “It strengthens C&A’s longterm sustainability while preserving local oversight and ensuring continued access to critical services for children and families.”

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF GREATER CLEVELAND AND EAST CENTRAL OHIO:

Goodwill Industries of Greater Cleveland and East Central Ohio, Inc. (“Goodwill”) is a proven social enterprise that works closely with nonprofit partners and community businesses to help people overcome barriers and prepare for stable, in-demand careers. Revenue from its retail stores supports more than 30 mission outreach programs that provide life-changing, skill-building services promoting employment, independence, and long-term stability. In addition, COMPASS Rape Crisis and Connect Well operate as affiliate programs under Goodwill, further extending its impact through critical communitybased services. Goodwill serves thousands of individuals annually across 10 counties: Cuyahoga, Geauga, part of Lake, Stark, Tuscarawas, Carroll, Jefferson, and Harrison in Ohio, and Brooke and Hancock in West Virginia. Learn more at goodwillgoodskills.org.

About Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

C&A is Stark County’s premier mental health agency and a single point of access for social, emotional, and behavioral health services for children and young adults ages 0–24. With four locations offering convenient day and evening appointments, C&A provides school-based services in eight Stark County districts and 42 buildings. C&A has been recognized as a Cleveland Plain Dealer / cleveland.com Top Workplace for four consecutive years and a Thrive Workplace by the Ohio Psychological Association. Learn more or give at childandadolescent.org

Media Contacts

Dan Mucci

Marketing Director

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

330.454.7917, ext. 145

dmucci@childandadolescent.org

Diane Pilati

Vice President of Marketing and Development

Goodwill Industries of Greater

Cleveland and East Central Ohio

330.617.4734

dpilati@goodwillgoodskills.org

Belden Office

4641 Fulton Dr. N.W.

Canton, Ohio 44718

P: 330.433.6075

F: 330.433.1843

Plain Office

1801 Schneider St. N.E.

Door 6

Canton, Ohio 44721

P: 330.470.4061

F: 330.480.4083

Shipley Office

919 Second St. N.E.

Canton, Ohio 44704
P: 330.454.7917
F: 330.452.8860

Alliance Office

405 S. Linden Ave.

Alliance, Ohio 44601

TALKING TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ABOUT VIOLENCE

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 20:59:53 GMT

It seems to be happening all the time – school shootings, violent attacks at public events, celebrities and public figures being attacked or even killed. When things like this happen, it usually shows up on the television and the internet, people post about it on social media, and people talk about it with others around them. Children and adolescents find out, and they may come to you wanting to talk or to ask you questions. How should you handle it?

These are difficult but important conversations to have. Here are some tips for talking with children and teens about violent events.

Do we have to talk about it?

No one wants to have these types of conversations. It can be tempting to hope that my child won’t notice or won’t be affected by it. Sometimes people worry that they may actually make things worse by bringing it up. The truth is that children and adolescents will find out. If you aren’t part of the conversation with them, you can’t know for sure what they’re hearing and you can’t help them to understand it through the lens of your value system.

Start by asking what they’ve heard.

You want to find out what the child knows (or thinks they know) about what happened. Asking about this helps you to be able to tell if the information they have is accurate and complete. If not, you can correct any misunderstandings or misinformation they may have. You can also check for ways that the child may have filled in the blanks with faulty conclusions. Listening carefully to what your child says, and how they are saying it gives you good insight into the child’s reaction to the event.

Ask what questions they have.

Let their questions guide you. Provide answers in simple and direct terms. Tell the truth and don’t try to sugar-coat it or mislead them. If you don’t know the answer to a question, it’s best to admit that, and validate their desire to know.

Ask what worries them about the event.

Don’t assume that their worries are the same as yours. People’s reactions are influenced by their developmental level, their past experiences, and anything else that comes to their mind when they learn about what happened. Sometimes we can be surprised by what someone else finds most concerning about a situation. Be careful not to be dismissive (“Oh you don’t need to worry about that.”) of anything your child tells you they are thinking or feeling.

Could this happen to me?

When children and adolescents hear about awful things happening to others, they often worry about whether that same thing could happen to them or someone they care about. Adults often want to soothe these worries with promises that it couldn’t happen to them. Such promises are not a good idea. The truth is, in the world today, we can’t make that kind of promise. What we can do is promise that we and other adults in the government, the schools, and other parts of the community are taking steps to keep people safe in the future.

Whose fault is it?

Human beings often look for someone to blame when awful things happen. It’s a natural impulse that sometimes helps people feel as if they are taking control over a situation that made them feel vulnerable and helpless. Blame can also be dangerous and hurtful, especially when it lands on a target that is convenient, but not necessarily responsible for what happened. Blame is also sometimes destructive when entire groups of people are blamed for the actions of one or two individuals who happen to be part of that group, but not representative of the group as a whole.

What if talking about this upsets my child?

Talking about violence is upsetting. Don’t be surprised if your child or adolescent cries, becomes irritable or displays some other form of strong emotional reaction. Keep in mind that they are upset because of what happened, not because you are talking about it. The fact that they feel comfortable expressing those emotions with you is a positive reflection on your relationship. Acknowledge and validate their feelings. Let them know that you feel angry (or sad or scared) too. This shows them that it is OK for them to show you how upset they are.

How can I help?

For more additional information regarding, please call 330.433.6075

Mary M. Kreitz, LPC, CDCA has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

SAME MISSION, NEW PLACES: EMPOWERING STARK COUNTY’S YOUTH FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 20:39:17 GMT

For 50 years, we have stood shoulder to shoulder with Stark County’s children and families, helping them grow, heal and thrive through every challenge. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is a leading nonprofit here in Stark County, but many are unaware of the significant number of lives we touch every day. We are working to change that and find people in the community ready to help us build the next 50 years of hope for Stark County youth. We serve more than 4,000 kids each year by providing mental health services: a person to talk to, a mentor to help them grow, a place where kids with trauma can go to school and a place to hear a voice of reason where no one is turned away because of income.

Right now, we invite you to become a mission builder and continue this journey. Whether you donate, volunteer or bring us in to share our story with your workplace, service club or faith community, your support fuels the hope and healing kids need. Together, we can make the next 50 years even stronger. Today’s children face challenges unimagined 50 years ago. They need us to be stronger, bolder and more united than ever for the next 50 years and beyond.

Back in 1973, the idea for a mental health agency dedicated to children and teens was sparked by the Stark County Community Mental Health Board (now Stark Mental Health and Addiction Recovery - StarkMHAR). By 1976, a visionary collaboration between education leaders, Family Court and Jobs and Family Services brought this idea to life as the Child and Adolescent Service Center, now known as C&A. At the time, it was groundbreaking for a county to create a mental health agency solely focused on young people. That commitment laid the foundation for generations to come.

Like the families we serve, we have grown and adapted. Our programs evolve as needs change, and we build partnerships to make help nearby and accessible.

To strengthen our work and maximize resources, we recently consolidated most services into three main locations: Belden, Plain, and Alliance. Our administrative, clinical, psychiatric, human resources, finance and intern teams now work side by side at Belden. Prevention programs, some school-based, multi-systemic therapy services and marketing run out of Plain Community. Families can visit our Alliance office by appointment at the Alliance Commons. Meanwhile, our

Trauma Informed Day Treatment School remains at the Shipley building, continuing its vital work with students.

These moves bring our teams closer, spark collaboration and infuse our work with fresh energy and vision. We remain the same caring people you know, dedicated to our mission and ready to support every child and family who needs us.

Our success depends on the community we build. Every child who finds comfort with us, every parent who trusts us and every teacher, coach, pastor, neighbor or community partner who connects a struggling child to care is a mission builder.

Mission builders include families and partners such as StarkMHAR, United Way, YMCA, YWCA, Boys and Girls Club of Massillon, JRC, local preschools and daycares, school districts and community foundations. Anyone whose life has been touched by our work and who helps carry our mission forward is part of this powerful network.

Looking back on 50 years, we are proud of the programs that show our commitment to meeting the changing needs of Stark County’s youth:

Care Pathway: Providing hope and safety for children feeling overwhelmed and alone
Juvenile Justice Program: Delivering specialized treatment for youth learning to make better choices and supporting safer school environments
Multi-Systemic Therapy: A 24/7 in-home program with a 90 percent success rate that helps families tackle tough challenges together
Trauma Informed Day Treatment: Helping children heal from trauma and succeed academically, with a 95 percent success rate

Our staff members are building the mission every day. They show up with compassion, skill and fierce dedication. They listen without judgment, find creative answers to complex problems and stand beside families during their hardest moments. They work across teams and treat every child as if they were their own. Their passion makes Stark County a place where kids know they are safe, supported and never alone.

So, will you stand with us? Become a mission builder in your own way. Together, we can ensure every child in Stark County has the chance to grow, heal and thrive.

To learn more or get involved, call us anytime at 330-433-6075 or visit www.childandadolescent.org and check out our programs or hit the donate button. We’d love to hear from you.

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AWARDED THREE GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

Mon, 19 May 2025 15:13:07 GMT

CANTON, Ohio (May 19) – Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) has been awarded more than $217,000 in new grant funding from six community-focused foundations and agencies to enhance service delivery, support families, and improve internal operations across Stark County.

The grants—awarded by the Health Foundation of Greater Massillon, Massillon Rotary Foundation, North Canton Medical Foundation, United Way of Greater Stark County, the SummerTime Kids program, and the Roy H. Powell and Nina B. Powell Family Charitable Fund—reflect continued community investment in C&A’s mission and momentum.

“These contributions help us strengthen the systems that support the mental health of our community’s youth,” said Melissa Coultas, CEO of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health. “They ensure our team is equipped, our services remain accessible, and our families feel supported.”

The awarded grants will support the following initiatives:

Health Foundation of Greater Massillon – $29,550

This grant will fund the launch of an electronic intake and check-in process to improve the client experience, reduce access barriers, and streamline care delivery.

Massillon Rotary Foundation – $4,950

Funds will support staff wellness and retention initiatives at the Massillon YMCA, Boys & Girls Club of Massillon, and Massillon Preschool, enhancing the care provided to children and families.

North Canton Medical Foundation – $5,200

This investment will support enhancements to billing processes and revenue cycle operations, contributing to the agency’s long-term financial sustainability.

SummerTime Kids Grant – $937

Students in C&A’s Trauma Informed Day Treatment program will benefit from a hands-on animal learning experience designed to promote healing through interactive education.

Roy H. Powell and Nina B. Powell Family Charitable Fund – $8,000

A general support grant providing flexible resources to meet program and operational needs.

United Way of Greater Stark County – $168,827

Two allocations will sustain key programming: $71,570 will support the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P), and $97,257 will maintain after-school behavioral health services at the Central YMCA and Boys & Girls Club of Massillon.

Together, these grants allow C&A to maintain critical services, improve internal systems, and invest in the well-being of both clients and staff.

About Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health provides comprehensive mental health services to children, teens, and young adults across Stark County. With a focus on prevention, treatment, and education, C&A empowers youth and families to build healthy, resilient lives through trauma-informed care, school and community partnerships, and accessible support systems.

Media Contact:

Dan Mucci

Communications Specialist

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Phone: 330.470.4061

Email: dmucci@childandadolescent.org

Website: www.childandadolescent.org

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Thu, 21 Nov 2024 20:40:57 GMT

For many people changes in the seasons also bring changes in mood, energy, sleep, weight and appetite. Some researchers have found that as many as 90% of people report noticing these types of changes in themselves. However, for some people, the changes are so intense that they interfere with the person’s ability to function in their daily life.

Seasonal Affective Disorder or SAD is a type of clinical depression that occurs with a consistent seasonal pattern. The symptoms of SAD are the same as those for other depressive disorders; what is different is that the symptoms begin every year around the same time, last for several months, and then go away for the rest of the year. The most common form of SAD is what is known as winter-pattern SAD in which depressive symptoms start in the fall or early winter and end in the spring. Another less common form is known as summer-pattern SAD and is associated with depressive symptoms that occur during the spring and summer months and improve in the fall.

Signs and symptoms

Symptoms of depression can vary from person to person. Many people experience feelings of sadness or emptiness most of the day, nearly every day. Others may become easily irritated, annoyed or frustrated. Depression can make people feel hopeless, discouraged or worthless. It often causes people to become more self-critical, more sensitive to criticism and unable to enjoy the things they normally like to do. Depression affects more than just a person’s mood. Changes in sleep, appetite and energy level are also associated with depression.

It also causes problems with concentration, decision-making and working memory (our ability to work with information without losing track of what we’re doing, to find the right words when we are speaking and to hold on to bits of useful information for short periods of time while we need it for a specific task).

Additional symptoms associated with winter-pattern SAD can include:

Oversleeping (falling asleep earlier, staying asleep longer, having a harder time getting out of bed in the morning, craving naps during the day)
Overeating (craving carbohydrates such as bread, pasta or sugary foods)
Social withdrawal (wanting to hibernate rather than get together with friends)

Additional symptoms associated with summer-pattern SAD can include:

Difficulty sleeping (difficulty falling asleep, waking during the night and having difficulty getting back to sleep, waking up earlier than usual)
Decreased appetite (not feeling hungry, finding food to be less appealing)
Restlessness and agitation (difficulty sitting still, fidgeting, feeling tense)
Anxiety
Aggression

It is important to recognize that SAD is not the same as feelings of sadness, anxiety or irritability that occur at certain times of the year due to stressors such as holidays, seasonal changes in work or school schedules, or anniversaries of losses or traumatic experiences. These stressors can exacerbate the effects of SAD, but the symptoms occur seasonally even in less stressful times.

Who gets SAD?

Anyone could experience SAD. It tends to be more common in latitudes that are further from the equator. That means that, in the United States, a person who lives in New England or Wisconsin would have a higher chance of developing SAD than someone who lives in Florida or Texas. It is likely related to the fact that regions further away from the equator experience greater seasonal changes in hours of daylight/night and temperature.

SAD occurs more often in women than in men. Some studies have estimated that women are 2 to 4 times more likely to have SAD than men. The reasons for this are not currently known.

SAD can sometimes run in families. Researchers are still looking into why this happens.

What causes SAD?

Sad was first recognized in 1984 and research is still ongoing about its causes and contributing factors. Because it is more common, more research has been done about winter-pattern SAD than about summer-pattern SAD. The exact cause of SAD is not clear yet, but research has identified some possibilities.

Studies have found a link between chemicals in the brain and symptoms of SAD. One of these brain chemicals is serotonin, which helps to regulate mood. When it’s sunny the brain makes more serotonin. Higher levels of serotonin boost feelings of happiness and well-being. Related to this is vitamin D, which is believed to promote serotonin activity. We can get vitamin D through foods (such as certain types of fish, some mushrooms, and fortified milk) or our bodies can produce it when skin is exposed to sunlight.

Another brain chemical melatonin, a hormone that is important in maintaining sleep-wake cycles. High levels of melatonin cause a person to feel sleepy and have less energy. Low levels of melatonin have been linked to insomnia, poor sleep quality and depression. What all this means is that shorter amounts of daylight and longer darkness in fall and winter may decrease serotonin and vitamin D levels and increase melatonin, the combination of which results in more vulnerability to depression.

What helps?

Light therapy (sitting in front of a very bright light box) and vitamin D supplements have been beneficial for people with winter-pattern SAD. Spending time outside during sunlight hours can also help to alleviate symptoms of winter-pattern SAD. Many people also benefit from general health and wellness activities such as eating healthy, exercising regularly, scheduling enjoyable activities and staying socially connected. Antidepressant medication may be another option; consult with a trained medical professional.

If depression becomes so severe that you are having thoughts of suicide, help is available. Free and confidential support is available by calling or texting 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. In Stark County, crisis support is also available by calling 330-452-6000 .

ELECTION ANXIETY

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 14:49:46 GMT

The 2024 election has brought a lot of fear and stress into the lives of people throughout the country. A recent survey by the American Psychological Association found that 77% of adults in the US are worried about the future of the nation, 73% reported feeling stressed out about the economy and 69% reported feeling stressed about the presidential election. When adults are feeling this high of a level of stress, you can bet that children and adolescents are feeling it too.

Why are people feeling so much anxiety?

Regardless of their political leanings or which candidates they prefer, most people in the US agree that the stakes are high in this election. Uncertainty activates anxiety, especially when the thing we are uncertain about is believed to be extremely important. There is a lot that is uncertain at present. Who will win? What will they do when they take office? What will the candidate who doesn’t win do? What will other people do? Will there be a peaceful transfer of power?

Change also causes anxiety. On the national as well as the state and local levels, elections usher in change. We feel anxiety when the changes that are anticipated are not ones that we want. We also feel anxiety when we believe that change is needed but not likely to happen. Uncertainty about whether change will happen, what will change and how quickly changes will happen all add to feelings of stress and anxiety.

Are children and adolescents feeling it too?

The answer is YES. Even though they aren’t yet old enough to vote many adolescents today are very much aware of political, social and economic issues affecting the country and they worry about how they will be affected by the outcome of the election. Recently The New York Times asked more than 1000 teens to identify the local, national and global issues they would most like political leaders to address. The teens who responded expressed concerns about climate change, abortion, gun violence, the economy, social media, international relations, health care, farming and homelessness. Not having the ability to vote leaves some teens feeling increased anxiety because they feel powerless to influence the issues that are important to them.

Young people, children and teens alike, are aware of how contentious the political climate is. It is hard to turn on the TV, stream media or log onto the internet without encountering political ads and commentary. Adults are talking about their own opinion on candidates and issues and about events that have been in the news. Young people listen.They are adept at picking up on the emotions and stress level of the adults with whom they interact on a regular basis. Without even realizing it, they often mirror those same emotions and the heightened level of stress.

What can we do to help children and adolescents with their election anxiety?

Christina Bethel, who researches what helps children to flourish, found that children did better when they were able to talk to trusted adults about the difficult things in life, those situations that don’t have easy answers. Having adults in their lives who could sit with them through discomfort and uncertainty helped children to learn how to regulate their emotions and deal with ambiguity.

Teachers, parents and other caring adults must be prepared to respond to the emotions, words and behaviors of children and adolescents who are feeling anxiety. Keep in mind that many times anxiety shows up looking like anger, irritability and power struggles, especially for children who don’t like what they are hearing, don’t like what they think is going to happen and feel powerless to control what is happening.

If you are a teacher, a parent or someone who cares about the young people in your life here are some things you can do and say to help.

Help them to feel seen and heard – Describe what you notice using phrases like “you look worried” or “your voice sounds upset.” Encourage them to tell you their thoughts and feelings. Listen carefully to what they say and how they say it. Thank them for sharing this with you. Don’t rush to fix things or to say that they don’t need to worry. This often comes off as indicating that you don’t really understand or that you simply don’t care.

Addressing misinformation or misunderstandings – It can be difficult to tell people that they are wrong without making them feel defensive. When we feel defensive, our ability to listen tends to shut down. A more effective way to start is by asking where the person heard the inaccurate information. Model being a responsible consumer of information by showing the young person how to identify the source of information and evaluate how reliable that source is. Offer to help them identify more reliable sources of information or to find additional information that could help them to understand the situation more fully. You can also offer to share information that you have by saying something like, “may I tell you some things I know that might help you to understand this better?” Instead of telling the young person what to think, help them learn how to think things through, how to collect and evaluate information, and how to make an informed decision.

Help them feel safe – Let them know that there are adults in their life (including yourself) who are aware of what is going on and who will do what is needed to keep them safe. Reassure them that this will not change, no matter what the results of the election turn out to be. Whatever happens, you will be there with them and will be working on plans for what is needed to keep your class, your family or your loved ones safe and moving forward. Bethel, the researcher mentioned earlier, found that having trusted adults looking out for you and keeping you safe is one of the positive childhood experiences that is linked to better mental health in adults.

Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

TRUSTED ADULT

Tue, 01 Oct 2024 00:58:49 GMT

Are you a trusted adult to your child or someone’s child in your life? What are the characteristics of a trusted adult?

Trusted adults are viewed by children or adolescents as a safe figure that listens without judgment, agenda or expectation, but with the sole purpose of supporting and encouraging positivity within a young person’s life.

Today’s youth identify a trusted adult as someone who is willing to listen and engage, rather than lecture and give orders. Young adults are interested in having open conversations about mental health, social media, bullying and sharing their own experiences.

Other qualities young adults seek in a trusted adult include patience, consistency, respectfulness, honesty, kindness, attentiveness, trustworthiness, lightheartedness, open-mindedness, non-judgment and knowledgeability.

The criteria youth set today for a trusted adult may be challenging if you are a parent. Oftentimes, as a parent, it may be difficult to sit back, listen and not provide a lecture depending on the age of the child. The seeds for a parent becoming a trusted adult are planted at a young age.

As a parent, are you more willing to listen to your young child to discuss their feelings and experiences or are you more authoritative? Do you listen intently and ask questions so the child figures out how to move forward or do you solve the problem for your child so you can move forward?

A trusted adult can be any grown-up whose actions and words make a child feel safe – a teacher, mentor, parent or coach. Anyone who loves and respects a child.

When and how to talk to a trusted adult?

There are many reasons why an adolescent might want to talk to a trusted adult. When you are faced with making important decisions, are trying to navigate complicated interactions, or when you are trying to figure out how you feel about a situation that is complex or unfamiliar it can help to talk it through with someone you trust to listen, to give guidance and to do so without judgment. If you have an experience that causes you to feel unsafe physically, emotionally or socially, you should reach out to a trusted adult. Any time that you notice a pattern in your life that seems unhealthy or is not leading to the type of life you want to live, find a trusted adult and tell them about it.

When reaching out to speak with a trusted adult, here are a few tips to remember:

Choose someone you feel safe with.
Plan what you want to say.
Make sure it’s a good time to talk and that they are not distracted.
You have control over how much you tell someone – you don’t have to say everything If you do not want to.

Adolescents should try to include people in their safety network. That way, when a problem arises there are several people they can turn to for advice, a different perspective and support. Sometimes, children might feel better talking to trusted adults who are not their parents. Parents need to recognize this, not feel threatened by it, and help their children to identify who the trustworthy adults in their life are.

Why is it important to have a trusted adult?

When a person has trust in another person, that involves a degree of vulnerability. It means risking the possibility that the person might not follow through with promises made, that they might give bad advice or respond in a way that is not supportive. Opening up to share your feelings, fears and mistakes with another person is uncomfortable, but can be totally worth it if that person shows compassion, shares wisdom and listens respectfully.

Trusted adults can offer the kind of practical support that many children and young people need to succeed at school. For many young people, having a trusted adult to help them with their reading or finding materials for a school assignment can make all the difference.

What is the responsibility of a trusted adult?

Being a good listener, using silence to give a young person space to open up and guide the conversations. Prioritizing honesty, asking hard questions when necessary and being vulnerable with young people. Being reliable, through making yourself available to young people and engaging with them in a consistent way.

As your children transition through different stages of growing up, the relationship will change and grow. As a parent, you will go from setting the rules, to guiding your child through adolescence to eventually being able to listen non-judgmentally so they will come to you with tough teenage/young adult challenges – friends, experimenting with substances, questions surrounding the loss of a significant other to struggles in adulthood at college or a job.

For many parents, the challenge of being a trusted adult is great because it is very different from what they experienced growing up. The world today is full of challenges and dilemmas. Parents can rest easier knowing that their children have trusted adults to guide and support them along the way.

Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. C&A’s Trauma Lead Specialist Mary Kreitz contributed to this post. Mucci, C&A’s Mission Advancement Director, has 30 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org, call 330.433.6075 or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 18:01:02 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) The Canton Repository Let Your Light Shine presented by the Massillon Eagles FOE #190 is Sept. 21 at the DoubleTree by Hilton, Canton, from 6-9 p.m. The 19th annual event supports the youth mental health programs and services C&A provides each year to our 4,100 clients.

This year’s event promises an enchanting evening with a plated dinner and delectable desserts, a vibrant tropical-themed ambiance and a variety of exciting live auction items. The silent auction is available online through Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. by clicking HERE to register to bid. You do not have to be present to win a silent auction item.

For the fourth consecutive year, the event features The Schauer Group Grand Raffle ticket drawing. Tickets can be purchased online for $10 each by clicking HERE . The drawing will take place on Sept. 21 at 9 p.m. The winning prize is $1,500 and the winner need not be present at the event. The Grand Raffle drawing supports art and school supplies therapists need to work with clients.

Attendees will also enjoy a video presentation showcasing the inspiring stories of our student mental health champions. Each year, students representing every Stark County high school provide powerful peer messages highlighting the importance of mental health. The champion's tips include having a “trusted adult” to “self-care tips their friends and family use.” These messages highlight that all students go through similar mental health challenges and all students feel the same way at some point as part of the struggles of adolescence.

This year’s program also includes C&A Board Member and event emcee Mike Gallina speaking with Heidi Wilson from the YMCA of Central Stark County. C&A’s prevention and case management staff works with the YMCA after-school program sites to work with students on leadership skills, behavior challenges and Y staff to help identify and work through situations with students.

This year’s amazing committee is led by event chair Molly Sperling and co-chair Jamie Lowry. The talented and dedicated efforts of the auction committee are led by C&A Board Member Stacy Remark and Andrea Cerreta, who have put together some unusual and fine items. Some unique items include seasonal date nights, trips to Cleveland, Columbus and Pittsburgh as well as family fun activities such as game night and cat and dog-themed baskets.

"We are delighted to invite everyone to our 19th Annual Let Your Light Shine event. It is an opportunity to celebrate and support Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's ongoing mission,” said Molly Sperling, “We look forward to sharing this evening with you and thank our sponsors and volunteers for their invaluable support."

C&A’s new CEO Melissa Coultas will greet and welcome guests at this year’s event. Coultas, who previously served as the agency’s Chief Advancement Officer through April 2023, led the efforts for previous Let Your Light Shine fundraisers.

"Supporting C&A is not just a commitment to a cause, but a pledge to every child who needs hope and healing. Together, we can make a profound difference in their journey toward brighter futures. I am incredibly proud of our Let Your Light Shine committee and volunteers for making this event possible and excited about the impact we will create together," said Coultas.

Grand Raffle tickets are available through Sept. 21 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets to attend this year’s event are available through Sept. 12. C&A appreciates your support of this amazing event and supporting youth mental health.

For more information, contact Mission Advancement Director Dan Mucci at 330.454.7917 , ext. 145.

WHY PRIDE MATTERS FROM A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

Tue, 18 Jun 2024 14:01:46 GMT

You have probably heard the scary statistics. LGBTQ+ youth are at higher risk for serious mental health problems (such as anxiety and depression) than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. They’re more likely to consider suicide, more likely to attempt suicide and more likely to engage in non-suicidal self-harm.

This is directly related to other disheartening statistics that LGBTQ+ youth experience more bullying, abuse, rejection and discrimination than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. They also have higher rates of running away from home and using substances as attempts to escape from conditions in which they’ve been judged, mistreated and victimized for being who they are.

And if they are transgender or nonbinary, the risk is even higher.

Hatred, judgment and rejection are powerful. It does not take much to do a lot of damage.

Acceptance, respect and kindness are also powerful. They can do a lot to prevent and heal damage.

Having even one supportive adult who treats them with kindness, talks to them openly, and is willing to listen can have a positive impact on the wellbeing of a young person.

Transgender and nonbinary youth are less likely to attempt suicide when all of the people they live with respect their pronouns and/or when they have access to a gender-neutral bathroom at school. When young people are able to wear clothes that align their physical appearance with their gender identity, their risk for attempting suicide decreased.

Responses to the 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Health of LGBTQ+ Young People identified 10 ways people can show support and acceptance to LGBTQ+ young people:

Trusting that I know who I am
Standing up for me
Not supporting politicians that advocate for anti-LGBTQ+ legislation
Looking up things about LGBTQ+ identities on their own to better understand
Respecting my pronouns
Showing support for how I express my gender
Asking questions about LGBTQ+ identities to better understand
Accepting my partner
Showing support on social media
Having or displaying pride flags

June is LGBTQ+ Pride month. Pride is about having the freedom to show the world who you really are without fear or shame. It is about acknowledging and celebrating LGBTQ+ persons as individuals and as assets to society. It is a celebration both for people who are LGBTQ+ and for friends, family, and community members who support them.

Isn’t that what everyone wants? To be able to live authentically as who you really are without fear or shame.

To have someone who knows who you are – all of it – and loves and supports you. To know that there are others who are “like me” and that those people are awesome!

In the United States, we have a tendency to view things like honorary months and celebrations as frivolous. We should not underestimate the positive effect it has on our LGBTQ+ young people to know that there is a Pride festival in their community, or what it means to see the crowds of people who show up to be part of that celebration. It means even more when a young person sees someone they know participating in the festival, or even better, someone they know who is willing to go with them to the festival. These seemingly small symbols and gestures can make a huge difference in how young people feel about themselves, about others and about the world. These are the types of changes that lead to better behavioral health.

We cannot control the whole world and everyone in it. There will be people and places where the bullying, abuse, rejection and discrimination continue. We can create oases of safety for LGBTQ+ youth, places where they know they can let their guard down and be themselves. If doing this means a significant shift in our customary way of thinking, it may help to know that it is not necessary to be perfect or to become a rainbow flag-waving enthusiast. The national survey mentioned earlier showed that LGBTQ+ youth are very appreciative when the people in their lives look up information and ask questions so that they can be more understanding.

Pride is about expressing acceptance, respect and kindness to LGBTQ+ youth. It is an experience that improves mental health and offers hope. Acceptance, respect, and kindness save lives.

References

The Trevor Project (2024). 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/#anxiety-depression

HOPE AND HOPELESSNESS

Tue, 04 Jun 2024 15:11:36 GMT

Hope and hopelessness play a large role in the phenomenon of suicide and depression including that of children and adolescents (Liu, et al., 2021). On the positive side I am always reminded of the use of hope to overcome hopelessness in stories reminiscent of a hero’s journey. Stories, where in the face of insurmountable odds, one digs in deep to find themselves, their own hope, and the hope of others joining together to help whilst overcoming trials and tribulations (Campbell, 2011).

We resonate with this as we often love to see others overcome challenges. It is why many movies are so successful like the Star Wars Saga. Hopelessness refers to thinking that one’s situation will not get better no matter what (Jobes, 2023). My work as a therapist is to help a client to see that hope exists for the future. Seems simple enough. Unfortunately, life brings with it many stressors and events that can be seen as failures. I am always referring to Socrates wisdom: “Falling down is not a failure. Failure comes when you stay where you have fallen.” Instead of opportunity, in hopelessness, one sees no chance of improvement. We must remind ourselves and family that sometimes we, or our children, need help. Why is this important?

As a constellation of suicide, hopelessness is an aspect that plays a vital role (Jobes, 2023). Hopelessness is also tied closely with depression and can be overlooked as an important factor that needs to be managed as well as being an important predictor for suicidality (Rognli, & Fjermestad, 2023). Predictors of hopelessness can be related to (but not limited to) difficult family relationships, irrational thinking, trauma, and poor self-esteem of efficacy (Rognli, & Fjermestad, 2023). If I do not value myself and I think there is no hope, I may question why I should go on? Hopelessness can also play a role in predicting Major Depressive Disorder and can be seen with anhedonia (the inability to experience or difficulty experiencing pleasure when engaging with activities that normally bring enjoyment), agitation or slowness in movement, tiredness, sleep challenges, feelings of low worth, guilt, and thoughts of death or suicide (Liu, et al, 2021).

A study by Koçtürk, & Bilginer (2022) examined psychological symptoms and hopelessness in runaway female adolescents in Turkey. They identified that a significant contributing factor to hopelessness was parent child-conflict ending up with hopelessness for a sound future and their running away to the streets where they then engaged in risky and unsafe behaviors (Koçtürk, & Bilginer, 2022). It is important to note the child/adolescent’s perceptions of the conflict as being a driver for hopelessness. This is further supported by Li, Li, Wang, & Bao (2016) in their study identifying the importance in parenting of how the desire for psychological control is a risk factor in adolescent suicidality. This supports attachment theory and the importance of the parent child relationship in mental health and suicidality (Li, Li, Wang & Bao, 2016). Elements of feeling thwarted, reduced feelings of autonomy, and a desire to escape pain can lead to the use of suicide as a relief (Li, Li, Wang & Bao, 2016). What can we do with this information?

Indeed, this information sounds bleak. But as research goes, it is identifying valuable information that we can then use to help those in need. To be true, we must recognize those suffering with suicidal ideation, hopelessness, depression, and significant mental health challenges. We must understand that they have a depth of pain that is severe. A tall order. We must engage our empathy, and compassion and use that to help us move forward. At times we must look at our own part in the mix and see what we can do to improve too. To be real, parent-child conflict is a very real thing that is ubiquitous in the journey of parenting. This is where we look towards defeating hopelessness and promoting the growth of hope.

Hope can be seen as looking forward to something, trust that something will come true, an expectation of better things or success, and can even be conceptualized as recognizing that in failure we can be optimistic that things will work out for the better (Guetzloe, & Rockwell, 2003). Viktor Frankl (2006) was a holocaust and internment camp survivor who had much suffering in his experience. He was a psychiatrist and existential practitioner who devised logotherapy, a therapy to identify meaning in one’s life (Frankl, 2006). The challenge being that we must find that thing. In this Frankl (2006) identifies that if we find meaning in our suffering, we will find that goal and in working toward a worthwhile goal he will find meaning and hope. Frankl’s (2006) hope, throughout his time in the internment camps, was to be able to help others find meaning in their lives through logotherapy.

But how can we lead our children and adolescents there? We must help them have success in life to be sure. Playing the role model is very helpful for children and adolescents. Bandura’s Bobo doll experiments in the 1970’s identified how adults are role models and how modeling behavior is later seen in children, current related research shows this still to be true, especially with permissive attitudes and non-direction from caregivers (Drewes, 2008). This is particularly true of aggressive behavior that is also paired with muscular actions (Drewes, 2008). Children look to caregivers for direction and to model what they do. In effect they want to be like us and to please us. When we provide the positive model or when we set boundaries on unwanted behavior, we teach our children how to do this for themselves over time (Guetzloe & Rockwell, 2003). Boundaries promote safety and promoting that safety helps manage things like hope and a willingness to venture out. Positive parenting including collaboration of the parents, warmth, positive control, and low levels of harsh parenting help to provide models for and create prosocial behavior in children (van der Storm, van Lissa, Lucassen, Helmerhorst, K. O. W., & Keizer, 2021). Logically, we can see that prosocial behavior results in a more social being connected and supported and one who will then be freer to have and pursue hopes and dreams.

On an individual level, children can learn hope. As noted, they are going to learn by watching us, our modeling, particularly optimistic behavior, and by being nurtured and protected. (Guetzloe & Rockwell, 2003). Consider all the positive cartoons and movies that we watched as youngsters and that our children watch. Being exposed to positive media and stories about hope and optimism can have a beneficial effect (Guetzloe & Rockwell, 2003). We can also encourage hope through helping the child succeed in engaging in new tasks and being rewarded, meeting role models or community leaders who portray positive attributes and using a language of hope in the home; think about a positive word of the day on the refrigerator (Guetzloe & Rockwell, 2003). Temple Grandin (2022), a prolific writer; on autism, the science of autism, and animal science identifies that we must support our children in achieving success and in setting them up for success. How can you help children and adolescents with success? Grandin (2022) identifies many different thinking styles including visual thinking, linear thinking, creativity, spatial thinking, and abstractions, and that knowing a type of thinking may help with leading one to success. For example, you can have a musician who does well with creativity, or a spatial thinker that thinks in patterns. This leads us to knowing the individual and how they think, what works best for them?

We can also encourage hope through helping the child succeed in engaging in new tasks and being rewarded, meeting role models or community leaders who portray positive attributes and using a language of hope in the home; think about a positive word of the day on the refrigerator (Guetzloe & Rockwell, 2003). Temple Grandin (2022), a prolific writer; on autism, the science of autism, and animal science identifies that we must support our children in achieving success and in setting them up for success. How can you help children and adolescents with success? Grandin (2022) identifies many different thinking styles including visual thinking, linear thinking, creativity, spatial thinking, and abstractions, and that knowing a type of thinking may help with leading one to success. For example, you can have a musician who does well with creativity, or a spatial thinker that thinks in patterns. This leads us to knowing the individual and how they think, what works best for them?

Hopelessness can have tragic effects on our children and adolescents. Obviously, there is a danger to depression and suicide, but there is also the problem of a long-term life of seeing no hope, having a low self-concept or esteem, and little confidence in being able to act to improve one’s life or situation. Despondency will reign and depression and hopelessness may remain indefinitely. Promoting an optimal level of hope, through healthy thinking patterns, activities, and supported successes will work to combat hopelessness and improve the quality of life. Imagine a child looking at the world as a safe place to create their life and having the confidence to do so. Of course, there are children that are already suffering. These tactics still work. In some cases, we may need to do treatment like David Jobes (2023) CAMS Care and directly confront pain, stress, agitation, hopelessness, and self-hate. This program helps to identify these issues and then provide a space to work on them. This is, in conjunction with other modes like DBT or trauma-focused therapies will pair well with support in the home. It has often been said that it takes a village. Let us orchestrate the village so that we can develop healthy attitudes and behaviors for our children and help them to see the future and have hope.

Dr. Robert Willoughby is the Care Pathway Program Manager at C&A. He has 7 years of experience in his own research with suicides in the first responder community and oversees the care and development of suicide-related programs and the Zero Suicide Project at C&A.

References

Campbell, J. (2011). Comparative Mythology, Joseph Campbell Foundation. (e-single)

Drewes, A. A. (2008). Bobo revisited: What the research says. International Journal of Play

Therapy, 17(1), 52–65. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1037/1555-6824.17.1.52

Drewes, A. A. (2008). “Bobo revisited: What the research says”: Correction to Drewes

(2008). International Journal of Play Therapy, 17(2), 101. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1037/a0013841

Frankl, V. (2006). Man’s search for meaning. Beacon Press. (E-version)

Grandin, T. (2022) Visual Thinking: The Hidden Gifts of People Who Think in Pictures, Patterns,

and Abstractions. Riverhead Books, New York.

Guetzloe, E., & Rockwell, S. (2003). Preventing Hopelessness in Children and Adolescents.

Beyond Behavior, 20–24.

Jobes, D., (2023). Managing suicidal risk; A collaborative approach, third edition. Guilford

Press. (E-book).

Li, D., Li, X., Wang, Y., & Bao, Z. (2016). Parenting and Chinese Adolescent Suicidal Ideation

and Suicide Attempts: The Mediating Role of Hopelessness. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 25(5), 1397–1407. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10826-015-0334-0

Liu, Q., Martin, N. C., Findling, R. L., Youngstrom, E. A., Garber, J., Curry, J. F., Hyde, J. S.,

Essex, M. J., Compas, B. E., Goodyer, I. M., Rohde, P., Stark, K. D., Slattery, M. J., Forehand, R., & Cole, D. A. (2021). Hopelessness and depressive symptoms in children and adolescents: An integrative data analysis. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 130(6), 594–607. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1037/abn0000667

Koçtürk, N., & Bilginer, Ç. (2022). Sexual abuse, psychological symptoms and hopelessness

among runaway female adolescents in Turkey. Journal of Forensic Psychiatry & Psychology, 33(3), 461–474. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/14789949.2022.2065333

Rognli, E. W., & Fjermestad, K. W. (2023). Informant Discrepancy in Report of Parent-

Adolescent Conflict as a Predictor of Hopelessness among Depressed Adolescents: A Replication Study. Journal of Child & Family Studies, 32(8), 2522–2531. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1007/s10826-023-02610-3

van der Storm, L., van Lissa, C. J., Lucassen, N., Helmerhorst, K. O. W., & Keizer, R. (2021).

Maternal and paternal parenting and child prosocial behavior: A meta-analysis using a structural equation modeling design. Marriage & Family Review. https://doi-org.msp.idm.oclc.org/10.1080/01494929.2021.1927931

Dr. Robert Willoughby is C&A’s Care Program Manager. Dr. Willougby holds technical certificates in medical assisting, EMT-B, EMT-paramedic and completed critical care paramedic coursework. For more information on this program, please call 330.433.6075 or visit our website at www.childandadolescent.org .

988 IS LIFELINE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

Thu, 16 May 2024 17:20:54 GMT

Suicidal ideation is on the rise nationwide, especially among teenagers and college-age students. Post COVID, adolescents are struggling to handle a variety of situations and have limited coping skills to help them through the challenges. One of the biggest challenges is loneliness.

What can lead an adolescent to believe life is no longer worth living? Suicide is rarely caused by a single circumstance or event. Instead, a range of factors can increase risk. Some of those include:

Perception that you are a burden to others
Isolation
Hopelessness
Increases in anxiety or depressed mood
Substance use
Access to lethal means
History of previous attempts
Loss of a valued relationship, especially if the loss is due to suicide
Relationships that are high in conflict or low in support
Anticipation of harsh punishment, loss of status, or physical or mental deterioration
Stigma associated with mental health and seeing help for emotional distress

Here are some startling statistics regarding mental health/suicide. Approximately 20% of the entire U.S. population has been diagnosed with a diagnosable mental health illness. In 2021, 10% of students in grades 9-12 reported they made at least one suicide attempt in the past 12 months. Forty-five percent of LGBTQ+ youth reported seriously considering attempting suicide in the past year. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 24. If you, or someone you know, is having suicidal thoughts or experiencing a crisis, help is available 24/7 by calling/texting 988

What is 988?

The 988 lifeline was established to improve both accessibility of crisis services and to meet the nation’s growing suicide and mental health-related crisis care needs. The 988 Lifeline provides easier access to mental health crisis care through a 200+ network of crisis call, text and chat centers, separate from the public safety purposes of 911.

What happens when I call 988?

When you call 988, you first hear a greeting message that presents you with several options. The 988 Lifeline has specially trained counselors for Veterans (through the Veterans Crisis Line , operated by the Veteran’s Administration), Spanish speakers and LGBTQI+ youth and young adults. Your call is then routed to one of the national networks or a local 988 Lifeline network crisis center based on your selections and your phone’s area code.

A trained crisis counselor answers the phone, listens to you, works to understand how your problem is affecting you, provides support and shares resources if needed. If your local crisis center cannot take your call, you are automatically routed to a national backup crisis center. All these services are available in English and Spanish. The 988 Lifeline uses Language Line Solutions to provide translation to callers in more than 240 additional languages.

What happens if I text 988?

When you text 988, a trained counselor listens to you, works to understand how your problem is affecting you, provides support and shares resources that may be helpful. Texting is available in both English and Spanish. When texting 988 in Spanish, you will be asked to type “Ayuda” to connect with a Spanish-speaking counselor. Veterans and service members who text 988 will be redirected to text 838255 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line , which is managed by the Veterans Administration. You will also be given an option to connect with an LGBTQI+-trained counselor. Text service is currently expanding so that an increasing number of texts are routing to local 988 Lifeline network crisis centers based on a texter’s area code.

What happens when I chat via 988?

Chat is available in both English and Spanish through the Lifeline’s website at 988lifeline.org/chat and linea988.org/chat . People seeking chat services are provided with a pre-chat survey before connecting with a counselor, who identifies the main area of concern. If there is a wait to chat with a crisis counselor, a wait-time message will appear. If demand is high, people are encouraged to look at the 988 Lifeline’s “helpful resources” while waiting. Once you are connected, a crisis counselor listens to you, works to understand how your problem is affecting you, provides support and shares resources that may be helpful. Chat service is currently expanding so that an increasing number of chats are routed to local 988 Lifeline network crisis centers based on the information that you choose to supply in the pre-chat survey.

Does reaching out to 988 help?

Yes, this lifeline works. Numerous studies have shown Lifeline callers are significantly more likely to feel less depressed, less suicidal, less overwhelmed and more hopeful after speaking to a Lifeline crisis counselor. 988 Lifeline counselors are trained to help reduce the intensity of a situation for the person seeking help and connect them to additional local resources, as needed, to support their well-being. About 98% of people who reach out to the 988 Lifeline are helped by a crisis counselor, resource shared or community connections are made.

Will I be hospitalized if I contact the 988 Lifeline?

Lifeline counselors strive to provide care and assistance in the least restrictive environment while also maintaining the safety of the individual. Most people who call, text, or chat with Lifeline counselors are able to be helped without needing to be hospitalized.

Is 988 Lifeline a free service?

Individuals who call 988 Lifeline are not required to provide any payment or insurance information to receive support, however, standard data rates from telecommunications mobile carriers may apply to those who text 988 Lifeline.

How long will I wait before talking to a counselor?

The 988 Lifeline is located in more than 200 local and state-run crisis centers. The counselors will listen, support, assess your situation, share resources and make community connections. Average wait times can vary based on usage surge and other factors. Once you have completed the greeting, the wait time is within a minute.

Does everyone have the same access to services provided by 988?

Yes, anyone located in a U.S. state, territory or tribal land with access to telephone, cellular or internet services can connect to a trained counselor by calling, chatting or texting 988.

C&A’s Care Pathway programs works with adolescents who are experiencing suicide ideation. If this is a non-emergency but you think your child is struggling with self-harm, please call 330.433.6075 .

Information for this blog post was provided by SAMSA and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. C&A’s Trauma Led Specialist Mary Kreitz, who has more than 20 years experience in the mental health field, contributed to this article.

STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 22:42:52 GMT

The sixth annual Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week is May 6-10 Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), CommQuest Services and Pathway Caring for Children will partner to bring positive mental health awareness to more than 53,000 students and 7,000 support and administrative staff in all 18 Stark County School districts.

Each year, the highlight of the week is seeing StarkMHAR’s Student Mental Health Champions come together to produce a unity video that is shown in all 18 school districts and spotlighted on the video board at Centennial Plaza.

This year’s theme is “You’ve Got This.” Prior to Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week, the Stark Mental Health Addiction and Recovery (StarkMHAR) Student Mental Health Champions created peer-to-peer messages that are spotlighted on each agency’s social media channels.

This year, a handful of the student mental health champions came together for a mental health panel discussion hosted by Canton City Schools TV broadcast studio at McKinley High School’s Timken Campus. C&A’s Lead Trauma Specialist Mary Kreitz moderated the discussion, providing insightful viewpoints from teens on mental health. Participating high school students were Massillon’s Anna Rivera, Sandy Valley’s Peyton Nicholson, Central Catholic’s Madison Heiser and Gabe Griez and McKinley’s Kae’lub Edwards and broadcast media teacher Jacki Power, providing a teacher and parent perspective.

This week, which initially started with eight participating school districts, has grown to include all 18 school districts in Stark County and 19 high schools. Today’s students continue to grow their resiliency skills having lived through the pandemic, when much of their world was turned upside down, and now have fully put the pieces back together.

High School

Middle School

This year, 25 StarkMHAR Student Mental Health Champions came forward to create peer messages, which resonate with students across the county. These students are recognized on C&A’s website, where their inspiring messages and unity video are available to view. These champions reflect the uniqueness and diversity of our schools. The champions represent athletes, the performing arts and students who have a passion for bringing awareness and helping to remove the stigma associated with mental health.

C&A, CommQuest and Pathway Caring for Children know that students hearing peer messages from fellow students resonates better than having an adult communicate the same message. Students may also view that other students across the county share their same struggles and triumphs. The agencies know students talking about mental health and understanding how to maintain their mental health is important for their success and more importantly life success.

Each year, this program each year allows students to self-affirm, recognize and learn about mental health. People, specifically young people, assume mental health is something only certain individuals go through, but in reality, everyone faces mental health challenges in some way. A person does not always need to see a doctor to deal with mental health. Our physical health, as well as our mental health, are a normal part of being human. If young students do not learn to identify mental health challenges, they are prone to a cycle of possible anxiety, stress and depression.

Student-led initiatives for positive mental health

C&A, CommQuest and Pathway Caring for Children are working with 18 area school districts to spread the message of positivity. This year, elementary, middle and high school students will all receive age-appropriate messaging to keep strong mental health.

Elementary and Intermediate students: All elementary and intermediate students will see age-appropriate posters hung in their school buildings as well as having an age-appropriate morning announcement read. In addition, every elementary student will receive a laminated card where the student may write their name, grade, favorite subject and have a student or teacher write a favorite thing about the student. Each day, the student may circle if they need a high-five, fist bump, smile or compliment.
Middle school students will also see age-appropriate posters hung in their schools, have an age appropriate morning announcement read, receive positive affirmation JPEG images emailed to them and receive a positive affirmation sticker with the message “You Matter” or “You Got This.”
High school students will view the Student Mental Health Champion poster in their school featuring all 25 Stark County StarkMHAR Student Mental Health Champions. The students will view the Unity video, peer messages and receive positive JPEG affirmations emailed to them each day.
Administrators, administrative and support staff (teachers, cooks, custodians, bus drivers, etc.) in all 18 school districts will receive a self-care card where they may scan a QR Code to learn more about self-care to maintain their own positive mental health.

This week would not be made possible without our community partners – AultCare, StarkMHAR, State Farm agent Michael Dougan, Q-92, Commercial Savings & Bank and community mental health partners CommQuest Services and Pathway Caring for Children. In addition, each Stark County School District for selecting and partnering to create the videos and peer messages for display.

C&A is thrilled our Stark County School Districts view the importance of presenting a week for students to engage in positive mental health. Raising awareness on this topic can help so many students change their conversations with friends and families and remove the stigma.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS’ EXPERIENCES

Thu, 16 Nov 2023 13:19:21 GMT

In the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? as introduced and explored in first of this three-part blog post series, the participants engaged in multiple workshops that address race and racism. Interpersonally, the group of students grapple with their own differences and similarities, which impact the content and emotions they share with each other. There are several moments in the film that demonstrate the clear differences in the participants’ understanding of race.

In the first workshop, the students were exposed to the idea that all white people are inherently racist seeing as American society was founded on principles meant to support white people (see more on structural racism here, here, and here for further understanding). Several white students in the film became emotional during that workshop. Most students remained quiet. Following this workshop, a black student and a white student were filmed independently of each other in their own homes and discussed the workshop and what they learned with their families.

The white student discussed the differences between structural racism and bigotry with her mother and struggled to identify with the principles taught in the training. The black student stated to his mother how almost everything spoken in that workshop applied to him. The student further discussed his feelings by stating how overt racism is and yet how “subliminal” it is at the same time. How can something be so in your face and yet under your feet simultaneously? I immediately reflected on the dialectic of something being so clear and yet so vague. The film continued to grapple with student differences.

At the beginning of the film, one white male student discussed with his mother how he feels that all individuals, if they apply themselves wholeheartedly, have the same chance of success regardless of their skin, gender, sexuality or other demographic factors. As a white man myself, I must confess that when I was in high school, I had the same mindset. How could it be different? Especially when I was reading mythic bootstrap literature in high school classes. Sure, the harder you work the more you deserve, but that statement does not work for all Americans. I had not accounted for racial factors that inhibit the growth of others, not to mention socio-economic factors, nationalities, citizenship status, gender and age.

I continued to reflect on these statements and connected them to my experience in high school in New York City. In the wake of the Black Lives Matter movement responding to the murder of George Floyd, multiple private progressive schools in New York, including the one I went to, suffered scrutiny from students and alumni who identify as black, indigenous people of color (BIPOC). Multiple Instagram accounts surfaced with the handle “BLACK AT [school name].” I read the posts in 2020, and again before writing this post, and remembered feeling horrified knowing these acts of racism, bigotry and microaggressions happened all around me. This was subliminal to me, yet overt to others.

In one post at Calhoun, the school where I went, a student wrote: “when my friends and I were in third grade, we were late to our music class. When we first arrived at the class, our [music] teacher said, ‘why are all the brown girls late?’ The three of us had no idea what [the music teacher] meant by that because at that age, we weren’t taught about racism and the injustices against our race. At the end of the school day, our homeroom teacher [not the music teacher] had to hold us after school to explain to us what [the music teacher] meant and why it was wrong. [The homeroom teacher] was also a teacher of color.”

Another post from the Black at Calhoun Instagram states: “I have to say that the people who greeted me with the most warmth at Calhoun were always the teachers of color, the Spanish speaking kitchen ladies and the maintenance crew. They always said hello and asked me how I was doing. So many times I walked into school and felt invisible but those people made me feel real and like I mattered. What does it say about a school if the students of color feel invisible?”

At Chapin, another private progressive school in New York City, one student wrote: “black kids are CONSTANTLY educating other kids because no one takes the initiative to teach them. There was no reason that I had to explain to [a peer] that it was offensive to say a slur. I’ve never asked anyone if I can say a slur before.” Another Chapin post read “For all of ninth grade, my history teacher got me and the only other black girl mixed up. I would constantly be given the other girl’s work and tests.” At both schools, students continued to reflect on their experiences of racism and how frequently the course curriculum and reading material focused on white experiences written by primarily white authors.

In talking with my peers of color, I learned that, as kids, some of my peers were anxious to bring their lunch to school, since it wasn’t the usual peanut butter and jelly. I was told that other students were anxious about sharing their name in class considering the countless times teachers mispronounced it. Having grown up in Harlem, a predominantly black neighborhood in New York City, I had a friend in high school whose white parents would not let her come see a movie with me at the Magic Johnson movie theater and requested we go to a theater on the upper east side where they lived. I had another friend tell me his mom would not let him buy or wear a hoodie, since, as a black boy, he was at risk of being a target on the street.

As I reflect on these experiences and remember the adolescents in I’m Not Racist… Am I?, I thought about how none of these experiences were relevant to my childhood. I never had to think about what I brought to school for lunch, never worried a teacher would mispronounce my name, and certainly never questioned my goals in life and what expectations I could meet.

Considering the recency of these posts and the continued outcry among students of color, I thought about the students I work with at my school-based therapy location. In Northeast Ohio, students have reported ongoing racism and bigotry inflicted upon them at school (Henry, 2023; Morris, 2023), not to mention continued school segregation (Carrillo & Salhotra, 2022). Kids experience acts of racism and bigotry daily. As therapists and providers who work in schools—not to mention parents, school staff, alumni and community members—we need to be aware of how our own identities inhibit our ability to notice, understand and address these concerns among students. We are thus responsible for informing teachers, school administrators and our communities of the impacts of these experiences.

As I continue to think on my own learning and growth since high school and the growth of the students in I’m Not Racist… Am I?, I feel a sense of privilege around my whiteness both individually and structurally. I am reminded of James Baldwin’s essay, The Fire Next Time, where he discusses the role of whiteness, how whiteness should not be the standard to live up to, and the need for personal education and awareness to increase liberation for all. Baldwin states: “White people cannot, in the generality, be taken as models of how to live. Rather, the white man is himself in sore need of new standards, which will release him from his confusion and place him once again in fruitful communion with the depths of his own being.” (p. 97).

For further reading and learning, please watch, listen, and read the following resources that have aided in my learning and could aid in yours.

Anderson, J (2012). Admitted, but left out. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/21/nyregion/for-minority-students-at-elite-new-york-private-schools-admittance-doesnt-bring-acceptance.html

Bailey, Z. D., Feldman, J. M., & Bassett, M. T. (2021). How structural racism works—racist policies as a root cause of US racial health inequities. New England Journal of Medicine, 384(8), 768-773.

Baldwin, J (1963). The Fire Next Time.

Black at Calhoun [@blackatcalhoun]. (2020, June 17). “When my friends and I were in third grade [Photograph]. Instagram.

Black at Calhoun [@blackatcalhoun]. (2020, June 17). “I have to say that the people who greeted me [Photograph]. Instagram.

Black at Chapin [@blackatchapin]. (2020, June 29). “Black kids are CONSTANTLY educating other kids [Photograph]. Instagram.

Black at Chapin [@blackatchapin]. (2020, June 22). “For all of 9th grade, my history teacher got me and [Photograph]. Instagram.

Carrillo, S., Salhotra, P (2022, July 14). The U.S. student population is more diverse, but schools are still highly segregated. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2022/07/14/1111060299/school-segregation-report

Center for Prevention MN. (2021, January 26). What is structural racism? [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZllrF9EB-lY

Choices Program (2020, January 28). What is Structural Racism? [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rGY1EXgYD9g

Henry, M (2023, August 8). New Ohio Black Student Equity report campus sheds lights on discrimination, campus policing. Ohio Capital Journal.
https://ohiocapitaljournal.com/2023/08/28/new-ohio-black-student-equity-report-campus-sheds-lights-on-discrimination-campus-policing/

Joffe-Walt, C., Snyder, J., Koenig S., Drumming N., Glass I., Ewing E. L., Lissy, R., Nelson S. (2022, July 26). Introducing: Nice White Parents. A new five-part series about building a better school system, and what gets in the way. New Episodes of “Nice White Parents” are available here, brought to you by Serial Productions and The New York Times. The New York Times.

McIntosh, P. (1989, July/August). White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack. Peace and Freedom.

Morris, C (2023, March 8). Northeast Ohio school faces charges of not addressing repeated racist incidents. WOSU Public Media.
https://news.wosu.org/2023-03-08/madison-local-schools-faces-charges-of-not-addressing-repeated-racist-incidents

Othering & Belonging Institute. (2023, January 16). Structural Racism Explained [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQ_8eOaiz8o

C&A’s Doctoral Intern Chris Alpert presented the information for this blog post at an agency training. This is part 2 of a three-part series. In the third post, Alpert will provide reactions on C&A staff members who view the screening of I'm Not A Racist, Am I? Alpert’s doctoral internship with C&A will end on June 30, 2024. For more information regarding this topic, please reach out to C&A at 330.433.6075.

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 13:14:44 GMT

When I first came to Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), I was unsure what to expect regarding race and diversity at both the organization and in Ohio. Having grown up in Harlem in New York City and attended graduate school in San Diego, CA, I had heard stereotypes about Ohio, specifically that Ohio was a very white state. At C&A during orientation, we discussed the role of first impressions for clients and discussed how the front desk staff are considered, “the directors of first impressions.” I loved this term. After orientation, I wondered, why we didn’t discuss demographic factors such as race and gender? We generally pick those up upon first impressions and have implicit biases and judgements in those first impressions. It was odd to me that we did not discuss these demographic factors.

As the summer and fall progressed, I noticed that there were few discussions about race as it impacts C&A and the kids and families we serve. I noticed the number of white staff at C&A and reflected on my own privilege as a white man who can easily avoid the discussion of race because I do not suffer discrimination on an individual or systemic level. I reflected on my first experiences discussing race in high school.

When I was in high school at the Calhoun School, my father received a grant to create a film and workshops that addressed race and racism seen through the eyes of high schoolers in New York City. My dad had completed a training hosted by the People’s Institute for Survival and Beyond. This training opened my father’s eyes to his own white privilege and motivated him to teach kids, specifically white kids, about their privilege earlier in life. I first saw the film, I’m Not Racist… Am I? (see more here ), toward the end of high school after it had come out in 2014.

I’m Not Racist… Am I? follows a group of 12 high school teens through a series of workshops that focus on understanding race and racism from both an individual and systemic level. You can learn more about the teens themselves here . The teens came from different boroughs in New York City, were all of differing socio-economic status, and differed in race and gender. I introduced and screened this film at C&Aon Oct.16 and then Catherine Wigginton Greene, the director, facilitated a discussion for those in attendance.

The teens in the film experienced various workshops focused on undoing racism from a systemic perspective, understanding stereotypes that affect individuals of different racial backgrounds both individually and systemically, exploring the meaning and contexts of the N word, and other discussions evaluating the teens’ personal experiences of race, racism and white privilege. Following the screening of the film, I continued to reflect on how my own personal privileges play a role systemically, interpersonally and within the therapeutic context.

In 2017, the American Psychological Association (APA) published multicultural guidelines for therapy entitled Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context, Identity and Intersectionality, 2017. In their second guideline, the APA states: “Psychologists aspire to recognize and understand that as cultural beings, they hold attitudes and beliefs that can influence their perceptions of and interactions with others as well as their clinical and empirical conceptualizations. As such, psychologists strive to move beyond conceptualizations rooted in categorical assumptions, biases and/or formulations based on limited knowledge about individuals and communities.” (p. 4).

The APA expands upon this guideline more specifically as it relates to privileged demographic factors and the traditional avoidance of discussions of power:

It is important that researchers, clinicians, educators and consultants consider the effects of privilege on their interactions with participants, clients, students and consultees, and that privileged identities (e.g., White/White American, male, heterosexual, middle class, cisgender and able-bodied) often remain invisible to others and to themselves and are therefore assumed to be normative (McIntosh, 2015). The issue of privilege is connected with systemic issues in training that contribute to challenges associated with engaging in a dialogue concerning multicultural issues.” (p. 33).

Furthermore, in an article on Psychotherapy.Net, Dr. Margaret Clausen identifies the difficulties white clinicians face when encountering racism content in psychotherapy. Dr. Clausen states, “As a white person, accounting for one’s own racial identity and racism, talking about the larger system of racism bestowing power and privilege, is typically a conversation stopper among white people.” She goes on to discuss race as it impacts white clinicians conducting psychotherapy: “The obstacles to creating open dialogue seem to be about several factors, among them: white guilt; protecting privilege; the nature of trauma (racism and acts related to it) evoking blaming and shaming; the lack of practice white people have in talking productively to one another about racism; desires to maintain an all-good self; the lack of white racial identity development and awareness; and the significant discomfort of sitting with the realities of and felt gratitude for the enormous privilege and protection light skin brings in our daily lives.”

Furthermore, in his book, Drug Use for Grownups, Dr. Carl Hart expands upon the difficulties of seeking therapy himself when his son is faced with racism at school. Hart states: “This work is beyond the expertise of typical U.S. therapists, who are rarely trained in matters of race, especially as it relates to the impact of racism on mental health functioning and on parenting.” (p. 154). These experiences may hinder individuals’ interest in seeking mental health services, especially since most therapists and psychologists are white and the mental health concerns of people of color are growing or becoming more apparent than they were in the past (Kim, 2022).

As clinicians, and as a white clinician, it is my duty to be aware of biases and privileges as they impact my ability to provide clinical care, and my role in perpetuating stereotypes and discrimination interpersonally among staff and patients. The APA expands upon this need for privileged individuals to do their own work rather than to lay the burden on people of color and marginalized communities: “…multicultural education is not intended to be provided solely by faculty who identify as minorities (e.g., racial, gender, or sexual), as this contributes to the problem of categorization and marginalization within psychology, and it dismisses the importance of faculty from all sociocultural backgrounds investing their time and resources to examining and addressing the influence of their beliefs, attitudes, and assumptions on education and training.” (p. 33).

As a clinician providing meaningful psychotherapy, I challenge my patients to confront hard conversations, be open-minded, and not fall into avoidance out of guilt, shame and fear. I must practice what I preach. Just as I encourage the self-care of my clients, I must prioritize it myself. If I expect my patients to confront difficulties, I must confront difficult topics that I may otherwise avoid as a result of my privilege. Although I may not be able to choose how I look or how others perceive me, I have the power to react to those perceptions and decide how I want to behave and make an impact on myself and others. I do not consider myself an expert, but I am invested in growing my psychotherapy skills and general awareness as they relate to issues of race and discrimination.

References:

American Psychological Association. 2017. Multicultural Guidelines: An Ecological Approach to Context, Identity, and Intersectionality. Retrieved from: http://www.apa.org/about/policy/multicultural-guidelines.pdf

Clausen, M. (2015) Whiteness Matters: Exploring White Privilege, Color Blindness and Racism in Psychotherapy. Psychotherapy.net. https://www.psychotherapy.net/article/racism-white-privilege-psychotherapy#section-white-therapist-as-racial-subject

Hart, C. L. (2021). Drug Use for Grownups: Chasing Liberty in the Land of Fear. Penguin Books.

Kim, R. (2022, March 7). Addressing the Lack of Diversity in the Mental Health Field. NAMI. https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/March-2022/Addressing-the-Lack-of-Diversity-in-the-Mental-Health-Field#:~:text=According%20to%20a%20report%20from,mental%20health%20counselors%20were%20white

McIntosh, P. (2015). Extending the knapsack: Using the White privilege analysis to examine conferred advantage and disadvantage. Women & Therapy, 38(3–4), 232–245.

C&A’s Doctoral Intern Chris Alpert presented the information for this blog post at an agency training. This is part 1 of a three-part series. In the second post, Alpert will discuss what the student’s learned about themselves participating in the project. Alpert’s doctoral internship with C&A will end on June 30, 2024. For more information regarding this topic, please reach out to C&A at 330.433.6075.

THE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA USE

Fri, 20 Oct 2023 13:08:41 GMT

Ohio is at a crossroads once again with marijuana on the ballot next month. The following article is from Every Brain Matters, an organization that believes that the THC in marijuana is a dangerous and addictive drug. Every Brain Matters is a trusted source of educational material based on the latest scientific evidence.

One of the major criticisms of expanded marijuana legalization is that it makes the drug more accessible to minors. A brand-new study just published in JAMA Pediatrics shows that it has become a valid concern.

“Pediatricians and caregivers must be aware of the widespread availability of online dispensaries and potential dissemination of marijuana to minors.”

~ Access to Marijuana by Minors Via Online Dispensaries, JAMA Pediatrics

According to the study, which looked at online weed sales in 32 states, internet dispensaries are woefully negligent regarding age verification safeguards that are supposed to prevent underage purchases.

This new information should serve as a wake-up call for anyone who thinks that making marijuana available everywhere for adults won’t have an influence on children.

Troubling Findings

By nearly every measure, online cannabis dispensaries are failing at keeping the drug away from adolescents and teens. Of the 80 internet weed shops looked at by researchers:

Only 70% asked website visitors if they were of legal age. The standard is 100%.

Less than 4% asked for a specific birthday.

NONE of the dispensaries “required verified age documentation to enter the website.”

Just one in five sites required formal age verification at any stage to purchase a cannabis product.

One in four would deliver marijuana across state lines.

Of those, 95% would deliver their products even if the other states had different laws.

84% of the cannabis stores accepted non-traceable payment methods such as cash, prepaid debit cards, or even digital cryptocurrency, which allows “youth to hide their transactions.”

Verification failures at so many dispensaries demonstrate just how egregious the lack of regulation, enforcement, and accountability is within the cannabis industry.

Targeting Youth or Turning a Blind Eye?

Despite most dispensaries listing their policies prohibiting sales to minors, there was not much done in practice to prevent it. Worse still, some products appear explicitly aimed to market to young people.

The vast majority offered marijuana edibles such as candies, gummies, chocolates, baked goods, and sweetened drinks. Among these, 67% used colorful packaging that could be attractive to minors .

This predatory practice is serious because accidental marijuana poisonings among children are soaring .

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE – SOUTHERN NIGHTS: ILLUMINATING HOPE AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION

Mon, 11 Sep 2023 13:00:12 GMT

For the last few months, C&A has been diligently preparing for the 18th Annual Let Your Light Shine – Southern Nights presented by The Repository by organizing auction items, printing tickets and using their creativity to make sure that eventgoers feel as though they are walking into an evening in the south, with barrels and lanterns to boot. The committee, led by chair Jen Frey and co-chair Molly Sperling and auction chair Stacy Remark are hard at work, it’s crucial to remember that this event raises awareness and dollars to support the agency’s programs and services amid suicide prevention and awareness month.

As children and young adults navigate life, they often must face new pressures due to physical, emotional and psychological changes that coincide with growing up. These unfamiliar feelings and thought processes can be challenging to adapt to, sometimes leading a young individual to seek alternative ways to cope with their circumstances. Shockingly, suicide is the second leading cause of death for individuals aged 15-29, as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO). One of the contributing factors to this statistic is the limited accessibility of mental health services to young people.

According to Mental Health America, an alarming 59.8% of youth with major depression did not receive mental health treatment of any kind. Numerous factors contribute to why many children and adolescents do not seek this treatment. Some may not know where to start, while others may fear the societal stigma attached to mental health issues, hindering them from seeking support. Many people, however, are just simply unable to afford therapy without insurance coverage.

Nationally, 1.2 million youth who are covered under private insurance do not have coverage for mental or emotional difficulties, as reported by Mental Health America. This not only expresses the gravity of the situation, but it also seems to highlight the inequality that prevents a significant portion of the population from getting the help that they need.

C&A is committed to combating this inequality by striving to provide assistance to those in need, regardless of their status. Events like Let Your Light Shine play a pivotal role in making their services more accessible and affordable.

The Let Your Light Shine – Southern Nights event serves as more than just a fundraising initiative; it’s a glimmer of hope for many children and parents who initially thought that mental health care didn’t have them in mind. By participating in this event, you are contributing to breaking down barriers and ensuring mental health resources are accessible to all. The symbol of the light represents life. This light is fueled by community, which is what Let Your Light Shine is all about. A community coming together that understands the importance and impact of mental health on the younger generation, and in doing this, we hope to make it a brighter future for all.

Let Your Light Shine is Sept. 23 from 6-9 PM at the Double Tree Hilton in Canton, 320 Market Ave. N. In conjunction with the live auction, participants have the opportunity to purchase a grand raffle ticket for $25 and have the chance to win $2,500. This year’s grand raffle is sponsored by Schauer Group.

Use this link to become a sponsor, purchase event tickets, bid on live auction items presented by Huntington Bank and purchase grand raffle tickets - https://onecau.se/lyls

For more information, visit www.childandadolescent.org or call Abbey Van Auken at 330-454-7917, ext. 141.

GROWING WITH YOUR CHILD AS A PARENT

Wed, 30 Aug 2023 12:52:45 GMT

I have grown up as a parent for the last four and half years!

As luck would have it, a little more than four and a half years ago, I started at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) in the mission advancement department with my responsibilities being the marketing and development coordinator. Some might say, I did a good job of raising my two kids, who were teenagers at the time. But, boy, if I had known of the services C&A offered and even some of the parenting tools for my toolbox, parenting might have been even better.

When my children were younger, in the toddler stage, my wife and I were fortunate my stay-at-home mom was able to babysit. Being old school, my mom firmly believed in tried-and-true methods. Feed our children, spend a little time with them, place them in the playpen to soothe and learn to entertain themselves and nap at the same time everyday. She had a plan and a schedule and oftentimes sacrificed some of her time and errands to stay to that schedule.

While I tended to believe in the schedule, my wife and I, who both worked, ate dinner together, did bath time, read a book and put the kids to bed probably later than we should. We had friends who had their kids in bed at 7:30 every night. Yet, as a parent, I felt cheated that I had so little time to see my kids. But looking back, would a two-year-old realize I did not spend time with them every day? Therefore, these routines were delayed a little each evening.

But, having witnessed C&A’s Family Programming teachings and learning about Triple P (Positive Parenting Program), some of their tiredness and crankiness might have dissipated if I hadn’t insisted on a later time bed frame. The nice thing about C&A’s Triple P classes is they are FREE. The classes are online and cover a variety of topics – bedtime routines, trouble with kids behaving while shopping, eating habits, struggling with potty training. The sessions, individual or group, provide comfort in knowing other parents are having the same challenges. But what is really fantastic, Triple P can be there every step of your child’s life from birth to the teenage years. And, you should be aware, it is ok to ask for help and receive help. Help comes in the form of providing multiple ways to handle the situation and you get to decide which method to implement based on your family situation.

Perhaps, back when I was toddler, maybe parenting was easier, but probably not. Kids are kids, and the struggles are the same. What isn’t the same is when I was a child, there was no internet, no cable and definitely no cell phones. Parents socialized with friends playing cards, perhaps discussing and coming up with solutions to today’s parenting obstacles instead of asking the question on Facebook and getting 50 potential answers.

Learned behaviors?

Looking at the words above, those two big and important words. Perhaps powerful words, but helpful words for parents.

If many believe, and it is true, little ones are watching your every move, think about what your teenagers are watching. What learned behaviors as adults are our kids viewing? I never much thought about the phrase learned behaviors, but since my time at C&A, the phrase makes sense. Some of the behaviors and parenting styles my parents used on me, which of course, filtered into my own parenting style with some adaptions. But looking back, I realize the learned parenting behaviors may not have been the best.

Here are a few questions for you - how do you view alcohol? Do you drive after having one or two drinks? What is your attitude about substance use, and what are your kids picking up? How do you view your cell phone? Are you on your phone from the time you are home until you go to bed? Is dinnertime interrupted with you answering a text or checking email on your phone? How do you handle and use social media? Are you consistently posting to different platforms? And what message is that sending your kid? The answers to the questions above are behaviors your children are learning external influences. And that behavior often leads families into disagreements.

As my kids moved into the teenage years, I tried to drink more socially, and never if I was the person driving, even though they said, “Dad, it’s just one. Drink early, and you will be fine.” And I replied, “No, you really should never have one if you are driving. Don’t take chances.” I often come home and put my cell phone down for hours, often to the dismay of my family, especially if someone is trying to reach me. I treat my phone more like an old landline phone. And social media, if it were not for the position I have at C&A, I probably would not be on social media. And even then, I am on a few platforms more to keep in touch with family far away. Learned behavior is challenging.

What about social-emotional learning? Yes, my parents taught me self-regulation, but there was no social-emotional learning. They were good parents, but not always interested in hearing our feelings and thoughts. Kind of the old saying, “my way or the highway. Do as you’re told.” Which again, I somewhat carried into my parenting. I can’t say I bought into this whole notion until I worked at C&A. Like a light bulb, it clicked how important this is for kids to be able to express feelings and communicate these feelings at a young age in a safe, protected environment, with a trusted adult. My son often acted out by hitting his head against the wall – maybe he was tired or could express his feeling in a correct way. As my kids grew older, I enjoyed picking them up at extracurricular activities and hearing, for good or bad, about their day – their thoughts and feelings. Today, as both are in their 20s, I still say I miss having you at home every day, not necessarily “seeing you” but “hearing about your day, what went well, and what didn’t. And not being the tenth person who heard it several hours or days after it happened.”

But so much of what I have learned centers around the next three phrases, communication, intentionality and trusted adult.

All three words on the surface are big words, often difficult words. Yet, all three tie together. As with our Athletes Strong for Mental Health initiative, Dr. Steve Graef’s most often used phrases are communication and intentionality. If parents and kids sit down, when emotions are not in play, and discuss potential scenarios ahead of time, so much of the debate, arguments, etc. are eliminated. For instance, most parents want to know how their kid’s day went. But, if the child has been at school, then a job or extracurricular activity, the child may need some time to cool off before answering some questions. So, ground rules could be set in advance. Dinner is at 6 p.m. every night. When everyone gets home, everyone has 15 minutes to cool down, gain composure, at dinner time all phones are put away, and everyone will share their day.

In this scenario, communication has been set forth before the school year starts. Everyone knows the expectations and the intention behind the rules. If conflict develops, the emotion can be removed, and the parent can refer back to the initial conversation.

And the last one, trusted adult. Maybe, oftentimes the most difficult, but one I have grown into is often lending a listening ear. In the past couple of years, I have absorbed a lot of venting. When the venting is done, sometimes I ask if the person would like me to respond or offer advice. So many times, no advice or conversation is needed. The venting was enough. Other times, reminding my child to take a deep breath, do a fun activity for 15 or 20 minutes to calm down, do some homework for a half hour afterwards, get a good night’s sleep, and all will be well in the morning. Waiting till mid-morning, I will text to see if everything is ok. Nine out of 10 times, this has been true. And then there are the bigger problems and helping them work it out by asking questions and letting them provide the answers. Some challenges require more attention than others like dealing with a little anxiety and depression, which I documented in an earlier blog post.

As a former youth coach, Dr. Steve has validated the philosophy’s I instilled in players and their families. On the athletic side, some of these are lessons I told my son and his team before every game – play hard, have fun and don’t do more than you are capable of. And then there is the message to parents, after the game, tell your kid you enjoyed watching them play. Leave the teaching and mistakes for the coach to review with your kid.

If I asked my kids, they probably would say, the last four and half years, I am easier as a parent now. I am calmer through conversations, I can be a trusted adult, communication is better. As they have grown into adulthood, I feel like I have grown up with them as a parent. While they may have wished or hoped I might have been this parent in their younger years, I think they are grateful for this dad now. My best suggestion to all parents is do not be afraid to ask for help! And take advantage of awesome community resources. If you are facing parenting challenges, reach out to our Family Programming team and get enrolled in Triple P.

Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. Mucci, C&A’s Mission Advancement Director, has more than 20 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org , call 330.433.6075 or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

WHAT DID YOU DID THIS SUMMER?

Wed, 09 Aug 2023 12:47:16 GMT

This summer I attended a Marijuana Prevention conference near Denver, Colorado. I was curious to know what the locals were saying after 10 years of legalization. The speakers included a Denver Police Commander, school resource officer, medical doctor, residential treatment program CEO, deputy from the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), Executive Director of the National Drug and Alcohol Screening Association and others related to educating the community and defending children’s rights. In the audience were parents, professionals and advocates for children from all over the United States. The conference was geared toward the protection of children.

I listened to story after story of the damage marijuana has caused families, communities and the State of Colorado. The Denver Police Commander said over and over, “if we knew then what we know now, we never would have legalized it.” Several presenters pointed out that today’s marijuana is very different than the marijuana from 10 years ago. Concentrates, modes of use, and availability have changed what, who, and how marijuana is used. The Ohio HIDTA operates out of Brooklyn Heights, a suburb of Cleveland. Of the 22 designated counties that comprise the Ohio HIDTA region, Stark is one of them!

One presenter mentioned that big tobacco is behind the cannabis industry supporting the belief that if children get hooked young, they will become lifelong consumers. Another presenter spoke about the increase of marijuana in persons coming to the hospital ER. Julie Dreifaldt is the Community Liaison for One Chance to Grow Up, an organization that focuses on protecting children from the dangers of today’s marijuana. Julie and her team have been instrumental in changing policy to protect kids by requiring child-proof packaging, limiting marketing and products that appeals to kids, requiring data collection, education for pregnant and breast-feeding mothers, and putting a cap on THC potency. Their website, https://onechancetogrowup.org/ contains education and policy research and resources for parents and youth.

Author and therapist, Dr. Crystal Collier provided an in-depth presentation of her book, The Neuro-WhereAbouts Guide. The book, in infographic style, is appealing and playful as it advises adults to set healthy boundaries and limits regarding risky behaviors faced by today’s youth. It includes tools, activities, sample contracts and scripted talks for 18 high-risk behavior topics. The book, available in both Spanish and English, can be purchased at her website, https://neurowhereaboutsguide.com/ or Amazon. There is also an Audible version with printable resources.

The most impactful “speaker” however, was the conference host, Laura Stack and her husband John. They have personal experience having lost their college-bound son to suicide. Three days before his suicide he told his mother, “I want you to know you were right. You told me marijuana would hurt my brain. It’s ruined my mind and my life, and I’m sorry. I love you.” Laura didn’t tell her story or present a topic. She introduced the speakers, hosted the breaks, and mingled with us. I had a chance to speak to them personally because I have a story too, but it’s never been shared publicly.

I left the conference floored, inspired and determined to say more. As Ohio again attempts to legalize marijuana for recreational use (the word ‘recreation’ is also misleading, it implies fun and play. Recommended verbiage is ‘adult use’) this November, I would strongly encourage voters to consider the data. Have we thought about the quadrupled rates of poisoning of children in states where it is legal? What about the cows that are fed hemp that makes them high. What does it do to the milk that we then give to our children? Are we prepared to deal with the increase in psychosis and psychotic-related behaviors that affect our legal system, hospitals and neighborhoods? Are our police departments prepared to monitor the illegal grow houses and all the product not federally regulated? The Denver Police Department started with three narcotic officers when marijuana was legalized. Eight years later, 56 officers had been added to manage all the drug-related crime. Crime didn’t increase, they reported, it became more violent.

Those two days supplied me with a very convincing argument that I’ve been able to use as I talk with teens. More and more, I’m told by youth that they really don’t want to be addicted to a substance or spend so much money on it. Teens may push back on having rules and boundaries, but they will thank you later. I still remember the text I received right after midnight a few years ago from a young man thanking me for being “hard on him” in therapy. He was six months sober and wanted me to be the first person he told. I actually wasn’t hard on him, just firm. It worked!

As we approach perhaps a new dawn, let’s join together to protect our children. Let’s stand strong together to help them become healthy, happy, and productive adults.

If you, or an adolescent you know is struggling with substance use, please call C&A at 330-433-6075.

Karita Nussbaum , PhD, LISW, LICDC Has More Than 30 Years Of Experience Working In The Field Of Behavioral Health, Over 10 Are With Substance Use. She Is Currently The Program Manager For The Gemini Program Which Serves Both Mental Health And Substance Use Disorders At Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health .

FROM DARKNESS TO DISCOVERY: MY COLLEGE JOURNEY OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION

Mon, 24 Jul 2023 12:41:22 GMT

When I arrived on campus, I tried to immerse myself in college culture. I joined a sorority, the speech and debate team, and two other clubs which were extensive time commitments, factoring in no time to relax or focus on bettering my mental health. This lack of attention to my mentality, combined with my low self-esteem that prevented me from making friends led me down a dark hole in which some days I thought it would be better if I wasn’t here.

About four weeks into school (at Ohio University), I realized that I had to do something, as I knew it was not safe for me to continue down the road I had been on. From there I moved home and attended an inpatient treatment center where I worked with counselors for five hours a day, learning coping skills and other ways in which I could help mend my suffering mental health. Through the lessons I learned I was able to get the skill set and help I needed and returned to school three weeks later.

Even though this therapy was the help I needed at the time, like everyone else, I still struggle. The difference is now I have a better understanding of the things that keep me from finding myself in that dark place again. I continue to use coping skills such as focusing on my breathing through grounding techniques as well as practicing meditation daily. I truly believe that without these skills I learned through my therapy, I wouldn’t have walked across the stage to accept my diploma a couple of months ago.

I sometimes wish that I knew about a place like Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health when I was younger because I believe that could’ve given me those mental health skills that I so desperately needed earlier on in life.

Today, I look back at my four years of college and smile. These were not the best years of my life because I was constantly having fun. College was the best years of my life because it taught me how to get through hardships and the lessons I have learned through my education, my therapy and from living on campus made me realize what kind of person I wanted to be in the world after college. So, if anyone going into college ever asks me what to expect out of their experience, I will say that they should expect to learn something new about themselves every day and that through that journey, they may discover why many people proclaim college as the best years of their lives.

Savannah Okray graduated from Ohio University in May, 2023. She is a summer intern in the Mission Advancement office at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health.

THIS IS WHY WE CELEBATE

Mon, 19 Jun 2023 12:30:53 GMT

This time of year there are a lot of celebrations happening in our communities – Memorial Day, Pride Festivals, Juneteenth celebrations, 4th of July and many more. These events aren’t just frivolous excuses to have parties, backyard barbecues or festivals. They are important cultural and civic events we need these celebrations.

Enjoyment of Participation in Community Events

Researchers from John’s Hopkins University identified 7 categories of positive childhood experiences that are associated with happiness and success in adulthood despite facing adversity early in life. One of those categories is the ability to enjoy participating in community events. It gives people a sense of belonging to something bigger than oneself, a sense of being accepted and valued by one’s community, and a reminder that, despite all that can and does go wrong in life, there are still good things – reasons to celebrate.

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial is a day to remember and commemorate the sacrifices of the men and women who gave their lives in service to our country. Over time, the celebrations on Memorial Day have expanded. It is a day to appreciate the sacrifices made by military veterans and active service members. For many, it is also a day to remember deceased relatives, friends and loved ones. Grief is a common experience among Americans. The US spent more than 20 years fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan, resulting in tens of thousands of military and civilian deaths and injuries. Additionally, we’ve all been through a global pandemic. A poll conducted by the Associated Press estimated that 1 in 5 Americans lost someone close over the past three years due to COVID-19.

Pride month and Pride festivals are a way of celebrating LGBTQ+ culture, recognizing LGBTQ+ influences throughout the world, and raising awareness of political and social issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. LGBTQ youth are at high risk for being victims of verbal assault, sexual violence, relational aggression, and cyberbullying. They are more likely than their peers to experience depression, to attempt suicide and to abuse substances. Incidents of hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ individuals increased dramatically in recent years and many laws have been proposed and passed that restrict the rights of LGBTQ individuals. These young people need to know that there are many members of their community who see their struggle, value the contributions they make, and welcome them as friends and neighbors.

Often referred to as the “Black Independence Day,” Juneteenth honors the emancipation of formerly enslaved people at the end of the Civil War. The name is a contraction that is short for “June nineteenth.” June 19, 1865 was the day that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned that the Civil War had ended and that they were free. Over time Juneteenth has come to represent more than just emancipation. It now also is a celebration of African American achievement, history, and culture. Celebrations today often aim to encourage continuous self-development and respect for all cultures. For black and brown families who have experienced racial trauma due to overt racism, microaggressions, and media depictions of violence against unarmed black people, a day devoted to expressions of joy, appreciation and freedom is much needed.

July 4, 1776 the Second Continental Congress unanimously adopted the American colonies’ Declaration of Independence from Britain. It is often referred to as the “birthday of our country.” Throughout the country people celebrate freedom with fireworks, parades, barbecues, picnics, concerts and flag waving. In a time of political conflict and intense attention focused on what we want to change or improve, it is important to take time to recognize the many things that are great about this country.

Enjoyment of Participation in Community Events

Celebrations aren’t important just for specific groups of people, they’re important for everyone. For the groups being celebrated, a chance to be recognized as valued members of society is good for individual and collective self-esteem. Others need to participate too. These celebrations offer fun opportunities to learn about diverse parts of our community, to express appreciation for others’ achievements, and to reinforce our connections with each other.

Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

WHY WOULD A STRAIGHT PERSON GO TO PRIDE? THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLYSHIP

Mon, 05 Jun 2023 12:23:04 GMT

Recently, when I was making plans with a friend, I said that I would not be available on the afternoon of June 10 because I will be at the Stark Pride festival. My friend looked confused and replied, “But you’re straight! Why are you going to a Pride festival?” In a way, she’s right. I am a heterosexual, cisgender female, and because of that I’ve never needed to advocate to openly express my gender identity, felt unsafe expressing affection for my romantic partners, or had to fight for the right to marry the person I choose. That doesn’t mean I can’t support, advocate for and celebrate others who have not had these privileges.

Even if you don’t identify as LGBTQ+ yourself, chances are very good that you know someone who does. A 2021 Gallup poll indicated that 7.1% of adults in the US identify as LGBTQ+1. A 2021 survey of high school students indicated that 24.1% of high school students identified as lesbian, gay or bisexual.

Pride month and Pride festivals are a way of celebrating LGBTQ+ culture, recognizing LGBTQ+ influences throughout the world and raising awareness of political and social issues affecting the LGBTQ+ community. Why should we celebrate LGBTQ+ people? Yes, an argument can be made that people from all demographic groups should be celebrated. But let’s also not forget that all people aren’t treated equally. People who identify as LGBTQ+ are often subject to discrimination, oppression and stigma. A 2022 study found that LGBTQ+ people are nine times more likely than non-LGBTQ+ people to be victims of violent hate crimes3. According to data reported by the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting program, reported incidents of hate crimes targeting LGBTQ+ individuals increased by 70% in 20214 (who knows how many more went unreported). People who identify as LGBTQ+ are at increased risk for being victims of verbal assault, sexual violence, relational aggression and cyberbullying2, 3, 4. They are also more likely to experience problems with mental health5 (such as depression or anxiety), more likely to abuse substances6 and at higher risk for suicide6, 7.

It's not that people who are LGBTQ+ aren’t strong enough or capable enough to handle the challenges they face. It’s that they shouldn’t have to face these challenges alone. Feeling a connection with others is a fundamental human need. We all need to be seen, heard and to have our struggles acknowledged. Similarly, we all long to have our successes, our positive characteristics, and our accomplishments celebrated.

An ally is a person who advocates for or supports a marginalized or politicized group but is not a member of the group. In both my personal life and my professional life as a counselor, I have come to know many LGBTQ+ persons. I don’t have to have experienced their struggles to appreciate the hardship. I can use my privilege as someone who is heterosexual and cisgender to work alongside them toward creating the changes I want to see in the world. I can use my voice and my presence to promote, encourage and honor the beauty that I see them bring to the world.

When a person faces stigma, discrimination and hatred on a regular basis, it is easy for them to believe that is all there is, that everyone shares those views. I want to show my community’s LGBTQ+ residents that there are people here who don’t fit that mold. There are people who welcome, support and enjoy diverse perspectives, identities and lifestyles.

That’s why I go – and will continue to go – to the Stark Pride festival. I hope to see you there!

REFERENCES

Jones, J. M. (2022, Feb. 17). LGBTQ Identification in US Ticks Up to 7.1%. https://news.gallup.com/poll/389792/lgbt-identification-ticks-up.aspx
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2023). Youth Risk Behavior Survey: Data Summary and Trends Report. Youth Risk Behavior Survey Data Summary & Trends Report: 2011-2021 (cdc.gov)
Flores, A. R., Stotzer, R. L., Meyer, I. H., & Langton, L. L. (2022). Hate crimes against LGBT people: National Crime Victimization Survey, 2017-2019. PloS one, 17(12), e0279363. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0279363
Federal Bureau of Investigation (2023). Crime Data Explorer. https://cde.ucr.cjis.gov/LATEST/webapp/#/pages/explorer/crime/hate-crime
National Alliance on Mental Illness (2023). LGBTQI. https://www.nami.org/Your-Journey/Identity-and-Cultural-Dimensions/LGBTQI
National Institute on Drug Abuse (2023). Substance Use and SUDs in LGBTQ* Populations. Substance Use and SUDs in LGBTQ* Populations | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (nih.gov)
The Trevor Project (2023). Facts About LGBTQ Youth Suicide. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/resources/article/facts-about-lgbtq-youth-suicide/

Mary M. Kreitz, LPC, CDCA has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

MAKE A DATE IN MAY TO SET GOALS TO IMPROVE YOUR MENTAL HEALTH

Tue, 16 May 2023 12:16:59 GMT

Every day you should make your mental health a priority. During the month of May, National Mental Health Awareness Month, this is a great time to take inventory of your mental health and look to establish positive habit-forming strategies.

When the clock strikes midnight on Dec. 31, many of us vow to make a New Year’s resolution for our physical health. Think of this month as Dec. 31 and make some healthy changes for your mind. Soon, you may recognize taking care of your mental health also helps your physical health.

How can one get started? Similar to making your new year’s resolution, pick a date on the calendar in May. From that date forward, implement a new coping skill or strategy each day. Like any resolution or change, it will take 21 days to form a habit.

Here are a few suggestions you can implement to help your mental health toolbox:

Try applying yoga or mediation into your daily routine.
Yoga is a practice that connects the body, breath and mind. It uses physical posture, breathing exercises and meditation to improve overall health.
Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your well-being and your overall health.

The weather is getting nicer outside. Start with a short walk and gradually increase the distance over time. Many areas have built trails connecting different townships and their park systems.
Drink plenty of water – drinking water can prevent dehydration, a condition that can cause unclear thinking, result in mood change, cause your body to overheat and lead to constipation and kidney stones.
Eating healthy – the benefits of eating healthy snacks in between meals may provide a boost of energy if several hours pass between meals and blood glucose level drops. Good healthy snacks include nutrients when choosing certain snacks like fresh fruit or nuts.
Plenty of rest – being well rested will lower your risk for serious health problems, like diabetes and heart disease. Being well rested will reduce stress and improve your mood.
Listen to music or your favorite playlist.
Have a trusted person to speak with to help you navigate through challenging situations.
Plan to start gardening. Gardening may help lighten your mood and lower levels of stress and anxiety. It may be gratifying to plant, tend and harvest and share your own food. A gardening routine, such as watering and weeding, can create a soothing rhythm to ease stress.

Many of the suggestions listed above are individual tips to improve your personal toolbox to help your coping skills. Here are a few tips to help you in larger settings to boost your mental health.

Plan a time to do an activity with your immediate or extended family without phones and social media.
Plan a friend’s evening out or schedule time with one or more couples for a group outing.

Other fun activities to do are puzzles, crossword puzzles, journaling, drawing, painting or any activity you enjoy.

Today, mental health appears to be a buzzword or popular phrase, but the reality is everyone’s mental health is on display every day. And throughout the course of a day, there are many challenges that can affect your mental health. Be kind to yourself and kind to others. Remember, you can take a pause during the day to collect your thoughts!

In the Mission Advancement department at C&A, we are starting to implement wellness stations for when we need a “pause.” Stations included are an area to do a puzzle and a gratitude station. As this initiative moves further along, more wellness areas will be created for team members to pause, collect their thoughts and then move back to the task at hand.

During this month, take inventory of what you can do to restock your shelves and implement new mental health and coping strategies to be your best both physically and mentally!

STARK SCHOOLS CELEBRATE MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:52:54 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A’s) and its community partners are celebrating a milestone fifth anniversary of Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week, May 1-5. This year, C&A and its community partners are using this opportunity to bring positive mental health awareness to more than 53,000 students and more than 6,000 teachers, administrators, cooks and bus drivers all across Stark County.

Each year, the program continues to grow, bringing more Stark County school districts and students together to celebrate and remind the students important tips for positive mental health. All 18 Stark County school districts and 19 high schools have selected at least one student to discuss how that student views mental health through peer-to-peer videos. These students are recognized on social media and C&A’s website as a Stark County “mental health champion.” A record 33 student mental health champions created a short video answering a question about how they view mental health, how their friends look at mental health and what they personally do to help other students around them. These champions reflect the uniqueness and diversity of our schools. The champions range from athletes, performers and students who have a passion for bringing awareness and helping to remove the stigma associated with mental health. During the past several years, Stark County’s mental health champions know that it is “ok not to be ok everyday” but there are trusted adults and fellow students to help you through on days individuals are struggling.

Each participating school district receives a package of materials from C&A. The packages contain some items that allow for students to self-affirm, recognize and learn about mental health. People, specifically young people, assume mental health is something only certain individuals go through, but in reality, everyone faces mental health challenges in some way. A person does not always need to see a doctor to deal with mental health. Our physical health as well as our mental health are a normal part of being human. If young students do not learn to identify mental health challenges, they are prone to a cycle of possible anxiety, stress and depression. This cycle can affect a person for their entire life, and sadly their children or peers can be affected. Understanding the importance of mental health at a young age is crucial to breaking the stigma and embracing the reality.

What does the week look like?

C&A is working with 18 area school districts to spread the message of positivity. There are activities and positive messages are for students in elementary, middle and high schools. Each school in the district will be receiving bags filled with posters and positive affirmations for students. Schools will be displaying their mental health champions all throughout the week. C&A is posting mental health champion peer-to-peer videos from Feb. 27 to May 30 on social media channels to highlight all of the school's students. This year’s theme is “Pause.” This week is important for youth to be mindful of their own mental health, and it will be highly encouraged.

Students receive the following resiliency strategies

This year, elementary school students throughout Stark County will be receiving a poster that features elementary students. In addition, each student will be receiving an erasable bookmark. The concept of the bookmarks is for students to write a positive affirmation. Each time a student uses the bookmark, the student can read the affirmation that they wrote. If they would like to create a new message on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, the student can simply erase and replace! Principles will be reading a morning announcement each day with a positive affirmation.

Each middle school student will be receiving a positive message affirmation that may be placed on a computer, tumbler or water bottle. The positive affirmation is from Mental Health week sponsor AultCare, with the simple message, “You Matter.” This important message will help students continue to navigate the challenging middle school years by consistently seeing a simple but powerful message. In addition to the positive affirmation, students will receive a JPEG self-affirmation image emailed to them daily throughout the week or through the Remind app and principles will also be reading a morning announcement each morning with a positive affirmation. Middle school students will see posters hung in their school too.

High school students will be receiving a JPEG self-affirmation that will be sent daily through email and/or the Remind app. Students will also watch the peer-to-peer self-care videos created by students all across the county. This is an important part of the week as students view that each of them shares the same strengths and challenges even though they may not know each other or may be rivals on the athletic field or other school sponsored competitions. Each school will get a chance to listen to their peers discuss how they view the importance of mental health. The high school students will see a unity poster of each school’s mental health champion hanging in their school.

Each student will receive a special treat – The Ohio State University Head Football Coach Ryan Day taped a powerful two-minute message for all students. C&A received a special video from Coach Day discussing the importance of physical and mental health. The students will also view a countywide unity video on mental health starring their peers. If the peer videos were not inspiration enough, Coach Day’s inspiring and powerful message should spark the minds of high school students.

Talking about mental health and understanding how to maintain your own mental health is important for student success and more importantly life success. The mental health champions are student representatives from each school that have been selected to create videos discussing the importance of mental health week and representing their school on a poster.

This week would not be made possible without our community partners – AultCare, Stark Mental Health and Addiction Recovery, State Farm agent Michael Dougan, Q-92 and community mental health partners CommQuest Services and Pathway Caring for Children.

C&A is thrilled our Stark County School Districts view the importance of presenting a week for students to engage in positive mental health. Raising the awareness on this topic can help so many students change their conversations with friends and families.

WHAT IS MENTAL HEALTH STIGMA?

Wed, 29 Mar 2023 10:41:00 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) held multiple training sessions during President’s Day for clinical staff. One of the presentations covered the topic of Mental Health Stigma.

Dan Sager, a C&A doctoral intern who gave the presentation, used a definition provided by the Western Australia Department of Health.

“Stigma is a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart from others. When a person is labelled by their illness they are no longer seen as an individual but as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes and beliefs towards this group create prejudice which leads to negative actions and discrimination.”

The Mayo Clinic defined mental health stigma as when someone views you in a negative way because you have distinguishing characteristic or personal trait that’s thought to be, or actually is, a disadvantage.”

Stigma promotes misunderstanding, discrimination, shame and fear. The stigma surrounding mental illness affects all of us at the individual, social and systemic levels. This stigma makes it difficult for people to get care for themselves or loves ones as people with mental illness are often viewed as dangerous, difficult, unintelligent and/or incapable of making decisions despite the evidence to the contrary. In fact, people with mental illness are more likely to be the victims of violence rather than the perpetrators. With approximately 20% of Americans struggling with some form of mental illness we know that people with mental health concerns come from all walks of life and fill every imaginable role in society.

The origins of Mental Illness

The way in which mental illness is viewed can be divided into the three categories supernatural/spiritual, somatogenic and psychogenic. These three viewpoints have each ebbed and flowed through societies since the beginning of human history often intertwining with each other. (One of the earliest suspected treatments for mental health was trepanation in which a hole was drilled into the head of individual to let out evil spirits and or relieve swelling in the brain.) These three ways of understanding mental health continue with in the United States to this day.

Supernatural/spiritual looks at mental health issues as having a supernatural or divine source. Throughout history it was believed that divine beings and demons would inflict people with mental illness either to punish them or test them. Others believed mental health issues were caused by magic from witches, fairies and other supernatural creatures. Versions of these beliefs continue on through present day with some churches using exorcisms and other religious rites to treat mental illness. There are other groups as well that believe that mental health concerns can be treated through various mystical or supernatural means. Stigma arises from this way of thinking due to the presumption that a person has a mental health disorder due to a moral failing on their part or the part of their family and treats the person accordingly.

Somatogenic looks to causes in the body as the source of mental illness. According to this perspective, mental illness is caused by disease, physical problems such as hormonal imbalances or other internal sources. It also looks to environmental causes such as pollution, diet and external factors that impact a person’s body. As scientists and health care professionals better understand genes epigenetics is taking a larger role in this field of thought and our understanding of what causes mental illness. The belief that somatogenic issues have been a cause of health problems dates back to ancient Egypt and Greece. This is currently one of the ways in which the medical community works to understand mental illness present day and many people work to improve their health or limit their exposure to environmental toxins and contaminants in order to improve their overall mental wellbeing or as a way to protect their mental health. Stigma from a somatogenic viewpoint may take different forms. Some people will become frustrated when a person does not get better quickly while on medication assuming some sort of failure. Others will see the person as diseased in some way and try to avoid them. And some will see the person as having brought the problem on them self through diet and lifestyle choices and believe that the person does not deserve help or understanding.

Psychogenic factors explore the ways in which traumatic events, maladaptive thoughts and coping styles, distorted perceptions and social factors create or exacerbate mental health concerns. The belief that negative or traumatic events, on personal or social levels, can cause mental health concerns is also quite old. The ancient Greeks were one of the first to recognize that sometimes people need a quiet and relaxing place to go in order to heal from mental trauma. The belief continues today with more focus on how trauma and coping styles can negatively impact mental health. There is also a much greater focus on the ways in which racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism and other forms of societal discrimination lead to mental health problems. Stigma from psychogenic beliefs may focus on a person just needs to “get over it” or “it’s all in their head.” Others may believe that, due to systemic issues, a person is incapable of having their health improve without first societal changes occurring first.

Today, most people’s understanding of mental illness reflects a combination of these viewpoints. For example, there has been some evidence to support a physiological component in many mental health conditions including depression, anxiety, ADHD and schizophrenia. That’s why medication can be an effective component of treatment. Also, societal and economic factors often do impact mental health, and yet people can benefit from treatment and support to help them function more adaptively within a problematic system. Additionally, problems can arise when people attribute their own experience or that of someone close to them to a single cause (such as a biochemical imbalance) when the cause more likely a combination of factors (such as environmental stressors + negative thinking + societal stressors + biochemical imbalance).

What is the impact of having a mental illness?

The impact of having a mental illness is often:

Self-blame
Shame/blaming others.
Success/failure
Denied access to resources.
Intersectionality - the combined impact of belonging to more than one social category, such as race, class and gender.

What are some of the effects of mental health stigma?

If individuals perceive a stigma associated with their mental health, a person may be less likely to seek out treatment and more likely internalize a sense of shame around their symptoms. This internalized sense of shame can be so great that even when people have other achievements, they do not feel accomplished due to this shame.

Family and friends may also stigmatize in what Dr. Erving Goffman, an expert on stigma, refers to as “the contamination effect.” Due to mental health stigma, people with mental illness may be perceived as dangerous, which in most cases is untrue. People with mental illness are more likely to be victims then aggressors. They are also at a higher risk of incarceration or isolation from society and resources such as jobs, community and housing.

Many people have a bias against individuals with mental health challenges. This bias fades into every day conversations something when we think something is bad, unacceptable or wrong so we say it is “crazy”. For examples, in politics, it has become more common to call people who disagree with you mentally ill thus conflating bad, unacceptable and wrong with mental illness even if that is not literally the intent. Often these kinds of comments come, from social interactions but also from medical professionals, politicians and members of the media. Even well-intentioned people sometimes perpetuate stigma. For example, when news outlets run stories about mental health, they may inadvertently increase stigma by showing people with mental illness at the extremes.

Progress is being made to reduce stigma. In 1999, the Surgeon General declared stigma towards mental health as a major health concern. The Affordable Care Act allowed people who had been denied medical insurance before the ability to purchase health insurance and required medical systems to treat mental health issues on parity with physical illness. This has had some success though parity has not yet been reached.

Part of removing the stigma surrounding mental health is how each individual perceives mental health. Here a few questions to ask yourself –

Do I help perpetuate the stigma around mental illness?
Do I counter bias?
Where do I see bias?
What are the subtle or overt ways that stigma is expressed?

There are multiple groups working to remove the stigma associated with mental illness. These groups include National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), Stamp Out Stigma and the World Health Organization to name a few.

C&A Doctoral Intern Dan Sager presented the information for this blog post at an agency training on Feb. 20. Sager’s doctoral internship with C&A will end on June 30, 2023. C&A’s trauma specialist Mary Kreitz, who has 20 years of experience, contributed to this post

For more information on the agency's services, please visit www.childandadolecent.org or call 330.433.6075.

REVERSE RAFFLE TO BENEFIT MIKE FLOOD ENDOWMENT

Mon, 13 Mar 2023 10:34:47 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is fortunate to be the recipient of the Mike Flood Endowment established in 1999. Mike Flood, a former board member for C&A and Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery, retired from The Timken Co., he asked in lieu of gifts, donations be made to the newly established endowment fund.

The original endowment fund started with $25,000. Over the years, with the generosity of Mike and Kay Flood, their friends and community supporters, the endowment fund had grown to more than $350,000, with the ultimate goal of $1 million.

To further boost the growth of the endowment fund, C&A decided to hold an event benefiting the endowment in 2020, hosting a virtual wine and cheese tasting event with family-owned Canton restaurant Fromage Du Monde. After enjoying a laid back, casual holiday gathering amongst supporters through Zoom due to the pandemic, C&A decided to take the event in-person with a reverse raffle at the Massillon Eagles #190, a regular supporter of the agency and the Massillon community.

On March 24, C&A is excited to hold the third annual Mike Flood Endowment event- Diehl Suburu Hoops & Heart Reverse Raffle. This event is chaired by C&A’s board member Jeremy Hesson, director of human resources & accounting at Canton Country Day.

The Reverse Raffle will take place at the Massillon Eagles Club #190, 303 Weirich Blvd. N.E., Massillon, from 6-8 pm and will feature a reverse raffle with a grand prize of $1000, gift card pull, 50/50 and raffle baskets. Tickets are available online at https://childandadolescent.org/reverse-raffle-for-flood-endowment / for $50 and includes a rigatoni dinner. The reverse raffle is March Madness themed, so guests are encouraged to dress to support their favorite basketball team! All fundraisers at the event are cash only, there will be an ATM onsite.

This worthwhile cause supports the 4,200 children and families C&A serves each year. As a board member, Flood saw the struggle to provide additional support for agency projects and programs due to balancing the operating budget. This endowment provides funding outside the normal operation budget for small projects, trainings or other initiatives.

The Floods became involved with C&A, when their son Christopher struggled with mental health and addiction. Looking for answers to help their son, Mike continued to search for resources in Stark County, which led him to C&A, and eventually the county mental health board. To read the Flood’s complete story, visit https://childandadolescent.org/give-to-ca/endowment/.

If you would like to make a donation to the Mike Flood Endowment, you may do so at www.childandadolescent.org/donate . In the memo section, write for Flood Endowment.

C&A serves children and families birth to 24 throughout Stark County, providing life changing mental health services varying from general behavior modification strategies to intensive home-based therapy for self-harm ideation and behaviors. C&A is looking forward to a fun evening with the Massillon community and strengthening the legacy of our youth mental health services in Stark County and beyond.

If you would like to make a significant contribution to the Mike Flood Endowment Fund, please contact Mission Advancement Director Dan Mucci at 330.454.7917, ext. 145 or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org.

AN HONEST CONVERSATION ON SUICIDE PREVENTION

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 10:26:55 GMT

The word SUICIDE conjures up many feelings for individuals – anger, fear, sadness, taboo (saying the word) and often survivor’s guilt for those left behind. The stigma around mental health is softening, yet as a society, suicide still holds a different stigma.

On Feb. 8, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) moderated a Suicide Prevention Panel discussion with area Stark County college students, which included participation from students, faculty and community members. C&A’s Trauma Specialist Mary Kreitz moderated the discussion.

Mary started the discussion with some startling figures:

Suicide is the second leading cause of death between the ages of 15-34

One in five people affected by suicide report having thoughts of self-harm

For every one person who dies by suicide, 147 people who know someone personally who has died by suicide.

Six people will experience high levels of stress for a considerable length of time afterward.

The death of a close friend or loved one, especially if that death is due to suicide, can be a risk factor for suicide.

Kreitz said, “Most people, at some point in their life, will experience distress and have thoughts that they don’t want to go on living, or that they wouldn’t mind going to bed and never waking up again.”

Challenges facing today’s students

University of Mount Union senior student and panelist Gretchen Koken and Aultman College panelist Lauren Wilson both indicated social media is a huge stressor, including the new platform Yik Yak, where students can post negative comments about other students for no reason and there is no way to respond to the anonymous posted comments. In addition, seeing posts on social media and comparing your situation to someone else’s is challenging and difficult to handle when people appear happy in the moment.

Koken, a student-athlete, indicated her coach has not had conversations with the team regarding mental health. The expectations her coach or other coaches at the university place on athletes, in her opinion, are unrealistic. The attitude is you get better and toughen up.

Depression is a factor in suicide

Koken said, “A person needs to accept their own feelings. It is not a choice. To help a person (with depression or suicide thoughts), you need to have hard conversations. Let people know they can talk to you; you won’t go anywhere. People who are depressed lose their perception of normal. Depression is a real disease similar to heart disease, diabetes or anxiety. It is a real condition and people need to educate themselves more on mental health.”

Koken mentioned that the year before she helped two friends who were considering suicide. Koken, a psychology major, provided examples of how she tried to help her friends.

“I am close to my parents,” she said. “I encouraged my friend to speak with her parents. There is still stigma about mental health. Parents need to let their kids know it is ok to have these conversations.”

However, parents are not always a source of comfort. Koken shared the story of a situation in which the reactions of the person’s parents made them feel worse. In that situation, she found it helpful to assist her friend to write down all the reasons she had for living and what to look forward to. “You have to be there for them. Be present in the same room – cook something together, color, be in that space. Validate their feelings. The person needs to feel valued.”

Kreitz spoke to the fact parents want to do the right thing and be there for their children but it can be hard for a parent to hear their child is suffering. “Before a child is born, parents have dreams, hopes and expectations for their child and it is painful to hear the child wants to end their life. It can often be more than parents can handle.”

Aultman College’s Lauren Wilson, a non-traditional student and a mother of two kids, said, “We need to have normalized conversations around mental health. Mental health days are needed and should be available for people.”

Wilson shared that she knew someone who died by suicide. “It is getting better than where it was,” said Wilson. “In the ‘90s, no one would reach out to you. A doctor did not suggest you go to support group for help. You felt alone. I felt such shame and guilt from surviving. Today, there are better resources.”

I should’ve….

Kreitz indicated many people feel survivor’s guilt following a suicide. A common phrase friends and family will use is “I should have..”

“I should have seen the signs,” said Kreitz. “After the fact, people will look back and see signs they missed. And that is a horrible feeling. And to make things worse, people will pass judgment and say the person was selfish, bad, it was cop out.

“What we really should be doing is being more supportive. Showing compassion and love for that person. What if it were me? How would I want people to treat me?”

Protective factors -help reduce the risks of suicide

One of the ways Koken suggested providing help to someone is taking time with an individual who is considering suicide. Help them make a list of important things in their life and what they have to look forward too. “Remind the person, these feelings are temporary.”

Wilson has a unique perspective as a parent, and a non-traditional student changing career paths.

“It can be two-fold,” said Wilson. “You see your kids growing up. That brings stressors to parents, even having discussions on mental health regularly. You need to have connectability and stability. If you say something, do it. I will be there for you. Even if the timing is not great, I will be there and drop everything and give 100% to the person, and then hopefully someone is there for you.”

Kreitz added, resiliency is important and finding a solid connection with someone is important, whether that is a spouse, significant other, friend or partner. “If you are busy, and a person asks for help, and you don’t have time, the person will see themselves as a burden. ‘I don’t really matter. They have other things more important to do.’ I have to be there for someone who needs me today.”

A mindset of gratitude can be extremely helpful because it shifts the focus from the ways one is dissatisfied with life to recognizing things that make life worth living. An easy way to cultivate a mindset of gratitude is to every day write down three things you feel grateful for or appreciate.

How can teachers/professors be more helpful?

Kreitz said one way professors could be more helpful is to take a trauma-informed perspective, which means considering what is happening in a student’s life, rather than focusing on what the student is doing wrong. For example, is student is frequently asking for extension on assignments, the prof can say, “What is going on in your life? What is getting in the way of getting these assignments done? I will hold your confidence and what you tell me will remain private.”

Wilson added, “Be approachable. Be open to considering something different than how you taught the class the past five years. Be willing to make some schedule adjustments. Have good conversations with your students and develop a rapport.”

A final tip, “Be understanding and show grace on assignments,” said Koken. “If you see a student feeling overwhelmed, be willing to give him/her a mental health day.”

The panel concluded by saying professors also need to be aware of when to recommend a student see a counselor and provide mental health resources that are available for the student.

If you or someone you know is experiencing suicide ideation, please call/text 988 and locally call Coleman Crisis Mobile Youth at 330.452.6000 or C&A at 330.433.6075.

The Suicide Prevention Panel received a grant from the Ohio Program for College Mental Health & Safety. C&A’s Mary Kreitz has more than 20-years of experience in the field of mental health and is a leading trauma specialist in Stark County.

Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. Mucci, C&A’s Mission Advancement Director for the past four years, has more than 20 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org , call 330.433.6075 or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

TIPS FOR PARENTS LIVING WITH A CHILD WITH DEPRESSION

Wed, 01 Feb 2023 09:24:15 GMT

A first-time parent looks at their child, starry-eyed and full of love with many preconceived thoughts of what their life will be in the future. At the many crossroads of life, with each milestone passing, concerns over whether the child has friends or if the friends share their family’s values; will the child experiment with substance use; or how does social media affect my child?

This past year, I have witnessed myself and spoken to other parents whose children have experienced depression. In talking with parents, warning signs were visible, and advice was given to try and avoid the catastophe that soon was coming. As parents, you never want to see your kid in pain, but sometimes that is inevitable.

From personal experience, when depression took hold, it appeared an entirely different person was living under our roof. In this place of darkness that saw little light, decisions were made that didn't seem in line prior to this depression. And at the time, my child saw pain and no way out. From a parental standpoint, this was difficult – you want to fix problems immediately and know everything will be fine. Unfortunately, depression does not work that way. Just as the symptoms developed over time, the solution takes time as well.

The conversations I have had with other parents seem to follow a pattern:

A change in thinking; eating habits; sleep patterns
A change in a relationship (a breakup or friend moving away)
Not being able to express their feelings
Overwhelmed with work, school and extracurricular activities that do not go as perceived

Some of the behavioral changes I noticed were low energy, overly critical of oneself, sensitive to criticism, difficulty making decisions, changes in appetite and complaining of headaches and stomachaches.

The hardest part as a parent is giving space, grace and patience to allow the healing process to begin. While your child needs to be patient with themselves, it is equally important as a parent to be supportive, understanding, encouraging and empathetic. For parents, nagging your child is only going to agitate your child and make the situation more challenging.

If you are a parent or caregiver, here are a few tips C&A’s Trauma Specialist Mary Kreitz put together to provide guidance to help a struggling teen:

Talk about what they are experiencing. Let them know it is safe to express their thoughts and feelings, even the ones that are not so comfortable to hear
Express - it can be hard to put feelings into words. There are lots of ways to express yourself – art, music, dance, photography, etc.
Listen – you don’t have to have all the answers or know how to fix every problem. Just listen without judging and empathize with the struggle
Gratitude – every day identify three things to be grateful for, three things that were achieved or three good things that happened
Counter negative feelings of self by saying how proud you are of them. Notice the positive things they do and let them know they are doing a good job
Plan something enjoyable for the day. Plan something to look forward to in the near future and in the longer turn.
Routine – make sure they get out of bed and dressed every day. Eat regular meals.
Accept – it’s never helpful to make light of a teen’s depression by saying they are being dramatic or feeling sorry for themselves. Depression does not feel good.

What can a parent do?

When your child is struggling, it often takes a toll on the entire family. Spouses and caregivers need to step back and be patient with each other while figuring out the best course of action to resolve the problem, which may include looking into therapy.

The first steps a family can take to work towards treating depression is recognizing your child is depressed and the second is seeking help.

These coping strategies may help until a more permanent solution is in place:

Keeping your child in touch with family and friends. Try to prevent withdrawing from life
Be active. Try to involve your child in some form of exercise, perhaps an activity you can do together
Help your child face their fears. Don’t let them avoid the things they find difficult
Avoid use of substances. Talk to your child about this and how this will make the situation worse instead of better
Try to help them eat healthier foods
Keep a consistent routine

As I have witnessed and discussed with friends having been through this situation, there will be challenges ahead. Some of the changes are the parent’s perceptions and holding back your opinions and truly providing a listening ear. As your child continues to grow, your role continues to change from parent telling your child what to do and how to think into a parent who is listening, asking the child how they would like to handle the situation and listening to what they are saying as a key to the solution. Oftentimes, difficult transitions occur in a time of crisis.

From personal experience, with time and patience, the recovery process will take place and you will see your child change back into the person they were before depression took hold. The key to your child’s long-term sustainability is recognizing the signs in advance and using the strategies the child learned to avoid a bout of long-term depression.

Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. Mucci, C&A’s marketing coordinator for the past four years, has more than 20 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org , call 330.433.6075 or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

DISCIPLINE VS DISCIPLINED

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 09:19:46 GMT

At the start of each new year people traditionally make resolutions with the intention of improving their lives. By a few weeks into the year, many of those resolutions have already been forgotten, broken, or abandoned. This raises the question of how we can approach self-improvement goals in a more disciplined manner.

What does that mean? It might help to explore the meaning of the word “discipline.”

What comes to mind when you think about discipline?

For many people the answer is punishment. Parents discipline their children for misbehavior. A disciplinary panel serves to determine whether someone (usually a professional) has violated rules, laws, or a code of conduct, and if so, what punishment is appropriate for the offense. Disciplinary action generally refers to negative consequences for wrongdoing.

The word discipline is derived from the Latin word discere which means “to learn, get to know, or become acquainted with.” Notice that punishment is not part of this definition.

Here at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, we use this definition of discipline:

A broad program designed to help kids learn appropriate ways to express their thoughts, feelings, and problems.

It is a broad program, meaning there are many components. Reliance on just one tool limits overall effectiveness. It is more effective to have a broad array of strategies for creating change.

It is a learning process. We know that learning takes time. We also know that mistakes and setbacks are normal parts of the learning process. Rather than punish for these, we look at them as opportunities to learn so that we can do better next time.

We aim to help young people learn appropriate ways to express their thoughts, feelings, and problems. Often they have been expressing themselves and trying to get their needs met in ineffective and/or inappropriate ways. Once we identify and acknowledge the valid thoughts, feelings, and problems that underlie behavior, we can help young people learn more appropriate and effective ways to express themselves and get their needs met.

How can we apply this definition to help us keep New Year’s resolutions?

First, take a careful look at the goal of the resolution. Is it realistic? In other words, is this something that realistically be achieved, given the resources available, in the time frame given.

Take a careful look at how vague or specific the goal is. Many people make resolutions to “lose weight” or to reach a specific target weight. Frequently these kinds of goals aren’t achieved. A different way to look at it is to change the focus from a number (how many pounds) to behaviors.

Overall, the goal is to be healthier. What kinds of behaviors improve health? Eating healthy food. Exercising regularly. Progress is more likely to occur if we set goals to increase the frequency and/or consistency of engaging in specific healthy behaviors rather than setting a target weight or number of pounds to lose.

Second, put more than one tool in your toolbox. If your goal is to be healthier, then focusing on just one aspect of health is limiting your chances of success. The cumulative effects of multiple small changes (such as eating healthier foods, exercising regularly, making sure to get enough sleep, and seeing a physician about any ongoing medical needs) are likely to be greater and to last longer.

Third, pay attention to anything that reinforces undesirable behavior. Reinforcers are anything that makes it pay off to engage in a behavior. Using that same example of a goal to become healthier, it would be useful to identify anything that reinforces unhealthy behaviors. If you think that unhealthy food tastes better, it might be worthwhile to look for recipes or products that are tasty and also healthy. If you are having a difficult time finding the time to go to a gym to work out, identifying quick and easy ways to be more active throughout the day might work better for you. Keep in mind that reinforcers come in many different types – they might be things that feel good, taste good, are easy, are fun, don’t cost much, are socially rewarding, or make us feel good about ourselves.

Fourth, remember that change takes time. In popular media you can find estimates of it taking between 18 days and 254 days to form a new habit. The truth is that there are a lot of factors that influence how long it takes. If a behavior is highly rewarding, a habit may form quickly. If the behavior is seen as difficult, burdensome, or depriving one of other rewarding experiences, it is going to take a lot longer. Behaviors that are repeated consistently have a greater chance of becoming habits than behaviors that are done occasionally. The point is, don’t give up if the behavior hasn’t become easy or automatic after just a few days.

A final thought to help you be successful in keeping your New Year’s resolutions this year – be careful with how you define success and failure. Strive for progress rather than success. Expect setbacks and slip-ups. When they occur, try to figure out what you can do a little differently so that the same obstacle doesn’t keep getting in your way, then try again.

Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

WHAT’S INSIDE THE WRAPPING PAPER?

Sun, 11 Dec 2022 09:15:58 GMT

This week I wrapped my gift for our office white elephant gift exchange. I’m the one that always gives the weird stuff at these gift exchanges. Many years ago, for a family white elephant gift exchange with the theme “snowman”, much to the horror of my aunt Ruth, I showed up with a 3-foot plastic snowman, the kind you used to see on porches and in yards. The rest of the family brought cute little ornaments, candles, and nick knacks. Not me! My cousin ended up with the gift, he was thrilled, his parents were not… My family no longer does those white elephant gift exchanges but that has nothing to do with me, I’m pretty sure.

Anyway, my office gift last year was 300 balloons. Boy did I get teased for that until a coworker gleefully stole it from the “unlucky” recipient (I think it was Joe French) to give to her daughter for archery practice. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure! This year, my office gift is wrapping paper! Yep, I’m going to wrap wrapping paper! Not just any wrapping paper either, I sent away for some pretty cool and trendy gnome wrapping paper. Who wouldn’t want Christmas gnomes hugging their gift?

It's all about presentation, right? Wrapping gifts is so much more fun when they look mysterious or super cool. But then again, isn’t that the case in general? Isn’t that what marketing is all about? How do we get the customer to buy our product over all of the others? Recently I did some research and discovered a horrible thing related to packaging, presentation, and drugs. Most of us know about marijuana and the ongoing debacle about packaging and shaping them to look like candy. Remember Joe Camel and the Marlboro Man on cigarette packs? These characters were “cool” which then suggested that smoking was cool. Now the latest thing is ‘shroom chocolate bars.

It's disturbing enough to be to imagine bits of mushrooms in my chocolate bar but if you look them up, you’ll be shocked to see the wrapping. They look very much like a chocolate bar with names like “Wonka Bar”, “Wonderbar”, “One Up”, or “Polka Dots” to name a few. The wrapping has nice images of the Mario Bros. mushroom, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory characters, and even the wild rabbit from Alice in Wonderland.

This is extremely bothersome to me. I’m not a drug user and wouldn’t have any knowledge of this stuff had I not researched it. I purchased a Wonka Bar last year without even thinking about the psychoactive properties. I was in Ireland. I don’t think it contained anything, I’m sure I would have known.

So, to ‘wrap’ this all up, I would caution parents, kids, and really anyone that buys candy to look carefully at the wrappers before you buy. Parents, look at what your kids are eating just to be sure. Do some research on the latest products disguising themselves as innocent candy. Skittles and Medicated Skittles are two different products, look for a label that says “Contains THC” or something similar to that. Each State tends to have their own label. Keep your eyes out for psilocybin labels too, these are newer and can be purchased on Amazon. I did a quick search and didn’t see warning labels on those.

I’m not trying to be a bah humbug for Christmas, rather, I’m hoping everyone in your family stays safe and has a wonderful time wrapping and unwrapping gifts this holiday season!

If your child is struggling with substance use, please call C&A at 330-433-6075

DOES SANTA CLAUS DRINK ALCOHOL?

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 09:07:51 GMT

Have you ever noticed that Santa Claus is never seen drinking alcohol in public places? Never mind the 681,000,000 results for images of Santa and alcohol online. He’s an adult after all. It certainly could be argued that he deserves a nice glass of wine after his night of deliveries. Why is it that we never see Santa nestling a drink or slamming a shot? It’s actually against the law in Ohio to depict him in this way! Ohio Administrative Code 4301:1-44 (D)(4) says that “No advertising shall represent, portray or make any reference to Santa Claus.” Yep! It’s really there! I’ve included a link at the bottom for those that want to read it for themselves.

Now, why do you suppose that’s there? What does Ohio have against Santa drinking a little of the bubbly? Simple, this law doesn’t want children associating Santa with alcohol. Okay wait, what’s wrong with an adult drinking alcohol? This is a loaded question. The correct answer is ‘generally nothing’ however…the children are watching.

In 1999, PBS aired a documentary entitled, “The Children Are Watching.” Hosted by Jane Seymour, the story follows four families raising teenagers, and captures candid, often disturbing situations which reveal the direct connection between parents' behavior and the ways their kids are mirroring or reacting to that behavior. The video can’t be found anymore although ABC did a remake in 2008. I’ve included a link at the bottom for this 12-minute report on YouTube that was posted by Henry Cooper.

The sobering truth of the video and the Santa Law is that our kids really do watch what we do. So, as we go into the holidays, let me offer some suggestions for families:

DEVELOP FAMILY RULES ABOUT UNDERAGE DRINKING

Children that grow up in homes with clearly established “no alcohol” rules and expectations, are less likely to begin drinking. Each family should develop agreements about teen alcohol use that reflect their own beliefs and values. Some possible family rules about drinking are:

Kids will not drink alcohol until they are 21.
Older siblings will not encourage younger brothers or sisters to drink and will not give them alcohol.
Kids will not stay at teen parties where alcohol is served.
Kids will not ride in a car with a driver who has been drinking.

TIPS FOR HOSTING A HOLIDAY GATHERING (From NIAAA)

Offer a variety of nonalcoholic drinks—water, juices, sparkling sodas. Nonalcoholic drinks help counteract the dehydrating effects of alcohol. Also, the other fluids may slow the rate of alcohol absorption into the body and reduce the peak alcohol concentration in the blood. They also provide your guests with alternatives to alcohol.

Provide a variety of healthy foods and snacks. Food can slow the absorption of alcohol and reduce the peak level of alcohol in the body by about one-third. Food can also minimize stomach irritation and gastrointestinal distress the following day.
Help your guests get home safely—use designated drivers, Ubers and taxis. Anyone getting behind the wheel of a car should not have ingested any alcohol.
If you are a parent, understand the underage drinking laws—and set a good example.

So, this holiday season, do not underestimate the effects of alcohol, both internally and externally. Enjoy the holiday and all that it represents. Enjoy time with family, create positive memories that will be shared for years to come! And by all means, wait expectantly for Santa…

Rule 4301:1-1-44 - Ohio Administrative Code | Ohio Laws

The Children are Watching (Rare ABC Documentary) https://youtu.be/lXYuVXK7ZBU

The Truth About Holiday Spirits | National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) (nih.gov)

HOW MENTALLY STRONG IS YOUR ATHLETE?

Tue, 15 Nov 2022 08:46:44 GMT

Does a strong physique for an athlete relate to them being strong with their mental health? Do old school coaches who verbally abuse high school and college athletes make the person “mentally tough” or do they instead about bring undo stress, anxiety, pressure and fear of making a mistake?

Does the yelling, barking and running for punishment tactics coaches use work to make the athlete mentally tough or tear the person down to the point where their performance hurts the team, their teammates and creates a dislike for the coach and sport? Or would talking through with the athlete what they viewed on the playing competition provide better understanding and help the athlete through the situation?

Fun damentally, athletics is supposed to be fun – working to achieve a goal; playing with your teammates and forming positive social bonds; learning time management; and how to get along with teammates of different backgrounds. This concept is summed up in a video titled #HuddleUpAmerica published by The Pro Football Hall of Fame. In today’s athletic world, a teenager is playing their chosen sport year-round, parents are aggressive towards the coach and referees and there is little room left for learning from mistakes. On top of that, many parents are taking pictures and videos to post on social media to add to the pressure of athletic performance.

C&A partners with Dr. Steve Graef

This fall, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) partnered with Dr. Steve Graef , a Columbus-based sports psychologist and performance coach and owner of Mindurance , a mental health fitness community bringing like-minded individuals together to manage stress, enhance performance and optimize life through virtual group coaching and online support to provide tips for athletes navigating the student-athlete-teenage balance needed for positive mental health.

Graef is creating a video series titled “Ask Dr. Steve” to help area athletic directors, coaches, parents and athletes navigate through maintaining good mental health while playing sports. Graef, a former star football player at Lake High School and The Ohio State University, answers a question and tailors the information to each group.

Topics Dr. Steve has tackled (no pun intended) so far are:

What is mental health? In creating the videos on what is mental health, Dr. Graef talks to coaches about doing “mental health check ins” weekly. Coaches do not have to be the therapists, but if they look, listen, observe and if they notice something is different about the athlete, they can speak with the athletic director and parents or contact a school counselor to resolve a small mental health challenge before the situation presents a bigger problem.

For the athlete, he discusses – how much joy does playing athletics bring you? Is playing a sport bringing you the social connections you desire or is this bringing too much stress and anxiety?

Another series of videos looks at what happens when an athlete is injured. How are coaches keeping the athlete part of the team and not forgotten? For athletes, especially if it is their senior year, an injury can be devastating whether that injury knocks the athlete out for one game, a series of games/season or ends their career. Dr. Graef looks at the objectivity/subjectivity of an injury and when an athlete returns from an injury, the stress and anxiety that may occur.

A parent's support, and startling stats

For a parent, your most important role is to be supportive at all times, especially in the role of helping your child in recovering from an injury. This may include extra time providing transportation to the doctor. But more importantly, having conversations with your athlete about how they would like to handle the injury.

Here is a comment from a parent whose son, a senior, was injured in a football game that ended his season. “I do want you to know how much the athlete videos you have shared have helped him and my husband and me. I appreciated each and every one of them.”

In the past few years, prominent athletes who have struggled with mental health have brought the topic to the public opening up discussions. These athletes include Olympians Michael Phelps and Simone Biles, Cleveland Cavaliers basketball player Kevin Love and Ohio State University’s football coach Ryan Day and medically retired football player Harry Miller to mention a few.

Athletes feel a tremendous pressure to perform well. If an athlete makes a mistake, oftentimes they feel they have failed or let people down. Some of the pressure an athlete feels may be the difficulty or uncomfortable feeling an athlete feels being in the spotlight.

A recent study from the National Collegiate Athletic Association found said 35 percent of collegiate athletes struggle with one mental health disorder. Anxiety is the No. 1 issue mentioned. The anxiety can range from time management of academics and athletics or just not providing adequate self-care themselves. The study found 30% of athletes feel extremely overwhelmed, with nearly 25% feeling mentally exhausted.

Other mental health related issues the study found:

Anxiety is the No. 1 issue mentioned. That anxiety can range from time management of academics and athletics or just not providing adequate self-care themselves.
Other issues include eating disorders, burnout and depression.
61% of women sports participants and 40% of men sports participants have had a conflict with a coach or teammate.
Among college athletes with mental health conditions, only 10% will seek help.

Many parents take great pride watching their child play sports in high school or even into college. Today, parents often invest time and resources into travel leagues, agility training and overnight stays. The time and resources invested also distorts a parent’s view if their child is not playing or their stress and anxiety comes out yelling at referees. Parents need to realize their role is to support their child and times may have changed since they played sports.

Dr. Graef suggest parents have empathy for their child. He suggests parents ask how they are supporting their athlete’s mental health. And to further examine what their child’s relationship is with mental health. Parents need to look past the uniform and make sure everything is ok.

Athletes Strong for Mental Health is a video series that offers tip sheets to download as well. The topics and lessons apply to athletes, parents and coaches just starting out to high school seniors. To learn more about Athletes Strong for Mental Health, please visit https://childandadolescent.org/athletes-strong-for-mental-health/. If you have a topic you would like to see Dr. Graef address, please email info@childandadolescent.org. These preventative tips are designed for coaches and parents to catch little changes before the issues become bigger and more challenging.

For more information on strategies dealing with stress or anxiety disorders, please call Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health at 330.433.6075.

Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. He is C&A’s marketing coordinator. Mucci has more than 20 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

INTRODUCING C&A’S NEW FAMILY PROGRAMMING

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 08:39:59 GMT

Family Programming is Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s newest program and specializes in offering parenting strategies for families who have toddlers and children struggling with behavioral issues to offering tips to parents of teenagers. Family Programming will offer this support through two different programs: Positive Parenting Program (Triple p) and Strengthening Families Program (SFP).

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program®

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program® is one of the world’s most effective parenting programs. It is one of the few based on evidence from ongoing scientific research. There have been more than 200 evaluation papers, including 104 randomized controlled studies, showing that Triple P works for most families in a variety of cultures, countries, and family situations. Triple P works by giving parents the skills to raise confident, healthy children and teenagers, and to build stronger family relationships. It also helps parents manage misbehavior and prevent problems occurring in the first place. But it doesn’t tell people how to parent.

Rather, it gives them simple and practical strategies they can adapt to suit their own values, beliefs, and needs. Triple P is also different because it is not ‘one size-fits-all’. It’s a system that offers increasing levels of support to meet parents’ different needs.

Parents can choose anything from one-off public seminars or self-help books to more detailed group courses or individual sessions. Several specialist Triple P programs have also been developed. These include Teen Triple P programs (for parents of teenagers); Stepping Stones Triple P (for parents of children with a disability).

Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health has over 13 staff who provide ten different options of Triple P. Our menu of services consists of levels 2-5, with group and individual options. We will help find the best fit for each parent. Services are offered in the office, the community, in homes, schools and virtually.

Triple P services are provided free to the community through the support of Ohio Children’s Trust Fund and United Way.

Strengthening Families Program

Family Programming is offering a Strengthening Families Program (SFP). SFP family relationship skills are useful for all families with children ages 7-17, not just those at risk.

The goal of the SFP program is to strengthen a family’s bond, communication, promote pro-social skills, and prevent and reduce adolescent substance abuse and other problematic behaviors in youth 7-17. Strengthening Families is built on five protective factors: parental resilience, social connections, concrete support in times of need, knowledge of parenting, and child development and social and emotional competence of children.

Research has demonstrated a strong link between what parents know about parenting and child development and how they behave with their children. Parents with more knowledge are more likely to engage in positive parenting practices, whereas those with limited knowledge are at greater risk of negative parenting behaviors.

Results from previous participants reported:

Increased family bonding
Increased parental involvement
Increased positive parenting skills
Increased positive communication
Increased family organization
Decreased family conflict
Decreased youth depression
Decreased youth aggression
Increased youth cooperation
Increased number of pro-social friends
Increased youth social competencies
Increased youth school grades

C&A is offering both Triple P and Strengthening Families for free. Triple P is offered in person and virtually; SFP will be offered in person twice, once in the Fall and once in Spring. These 2 research-based prevention programs will support parents in effectively and confidently handling social, emotional, and behavioral issues before they become bigger and more challenging concerns in the future. C&A, like other behavioral health agencies across the country, is experiencing a shortage of qualified clinicians on staff. By offering these preventative programs, the goal is to provide skills to parents to prevent needing mental or behavioral services in the future.

Strengthening Families is provided to the community for free through the support of StarkMHAR.

“We are excited to be able to help support all families through their parenting journey,” said Family Programming Program Manager Larissa Haring . “Parenting is hard and exhausting, let us help provide you with strategies and new ideas to balance all the hard with many more hugs and joy.”

For more information on C&A’s Triple P and Strengthening Families Program, please visit our website at www.childandadolescent.org/family-programming . You may also sign up for parenting classes on this page, call program assistant Deanna Moyer at 234-348-1958, or email dmoyer@childandadolescent.org.

Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. Contributing to this post was C&A's Family Programming manager Larissa Haring, LPC, OCPC, ECMHC, who has 22 years experience working with early and middle childhood youth. Mucci, who is is C&A’s marketing coordinator, has more than 20 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org , call 330.433.6075 or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

C&A ‘S COLLEGIATE FAIRS OFFERS SELF-CARE TIPS, SUICIDE PREVENTION

Wed, 05 Oct 2022 08:25:29 GMT

College is an exciting time for families. For many young adults, making the transition from living under their parent’s roof to venturing out on their own and make their own decisions is exhilarating, stressful, fun and anxiety filled. The experience often includes meeting new friends, learning about different cultures and managing expectations or reaching out for help from professors.

For some students, working their way through college while attending a non-residential campus or returning to school while supporting a family presents its own challenges.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), in partnership with Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR), Coleman Crisis Center and Stark County Adult Led Prevention (SCALP) are presenting the fourth annual Collegiate Self-Care Fairs on Stark County’s six college campuses and universities. The fair is funded by College Collaborative Grant, which is part of the Ohio Program for College Safety and Mental Health.

Collegiate Partners

Partnering schools for this important effort include Aultman College , Kent State University -Stark , Malone University , Stark State College , the University of Mount Union and Walsh University . C&A and its partners will spend one-day, two hours on each campus providing self-care tips to college-age students. The schedule of events is:

5 – Walsh University
6 – Kent State University -Stark Campus
11- Aultman College
18 – Malone University
19 – Stark State College
2 – University of Mount Union

Students who choose to participate in the fair will receive a self-care bag filled with the following items: a stress ball; a Gatorade stick; a fidget toy; a motivation chip; a positive-affirmation sticker; information on time management, exercise, nutrition and getting proper sleep; and suicide prevention information. Each item in the bag relates to self-care.

Stress ball – studies indicate that when you squeeze a stress ball, your nerves and muscles stimulate and contract which makes them smaller
Gatorade sticks - students will receive a Gatorade powder stick to mix with water. Following an exercise routine, Gatorade helps restore the lost electrolytes and keeps a person hydrated during intense activity
Fidget toy – individuals who are experiencing anxiety may fidget or make small movements when they are feeling anxious, restless, impatient or nervous. Fidget toys give these movements an outlet and can help calm a person’s nerves, relieve stress and serve as a distraction in an overstimulating environment
Motivation chips/positive-affirmation stickers – these messages provide encouragement for students and reminders for positive self-care
Suicide awareness brochures – provide tips and warning signs for students if they are considering self-harm and where to reach out for help in a time of a crisis.

Instilling resiliency

Students who stop by the booth can also play Jenga. During the game, students will pull a block and read a positive saying while continuing to build the tower upwards, strengthening the foundation. When the one piece that is pulled out causes the foundation to crack and fall, the student will rely on tips they learned playing the game to rebuild the foundation.

In addition to Jenga, students this year will roll a die. For example, if the number two comes up, a student will be asked to name two self-care techniques they use to maintain positive mental health.

Finally, students may participate in a make and take project. Students will have the opportunity to fill a test tube with water and add glitter. The individual will then shake the test tube up. As the glitter floats everywhere, it represents how sometimes our thoughts are jumbled, out-of-control and we feel unbalanced. Over time, the glitter settles to the bottom of the tube and our thoughts become clearer and may lead to the solution in an uneasy situation.

Partnerships

This year, C&A is proud to once again partner with StarkMHAR , Coleman Crisis Center and SCALP. These partnerships provide students with a multitude of resources in time of need in addition to on-campus resources through counseling departments.

SCALP is a new organization based under C&A’s umbrella of services. This is the organization’s first year in existence. Their mission is to provide college students an organization to meet and plan events to lead a substance-free lifestyle. The group is for young adults ages 18 to 25. For the past three years, their sister program is Stark County Youth Led Prevention (for students ages 13 to 20)

StarkMHAR is the county’s mental health board. A division of StarkMHAR is StarkHelpCentral, which provides suicide awareness and prevention programming.

Through the College Collaborative Grant, C&A is able to provide colleges and universities with yard signs with suicide prevention information to place on campus at various times throughout the year. These signs provide warning signs and steps for help including promoting the new national call/text number 988.

School initiatives

Each college or university chooses a mental health champion to participate in a unity video. A few of the mental health champions also participated in sharing self-care tips to share with fellow students. A link to these videos is available by clicking the box below.

Mount Union’s radio station, WRMU-FM (91.1) created promotional public service announcements to share with fellow campuses. These messages will be shared on each school’s website and social media channels during the virtual week, Oct. 24-28, when all schools will be sharing positive messaging.

For more information on C&A’s services or prevention events similar to this, please call 330.454.7917, ext. 145 or visit www.childandadolescent.org .

WHAT CAN A PARENT DO IF CATCHING TEENAGER SEXTING?

Mon, 26 Sep 2022 08:12:27 GMT

In today’s ever fast-paced lifestyle, teenagers and their parents often pass each other during the day but struggle to find time for meaningful dialog. Once your child falls asleep for the night, you decide to check their phone. Scrolling through text messages and SnapChat conversations, shockingly you stumble across a picture of your child’s significant other showing off body private parts.

Through the course of following the text message chain, you discover your child is encouraged or pressured to share images of their private parts. But then you notice the tone of the messages and suspect there is more to the situation than meets the eye.

In part two of Dr. Seandra Walker’s blog series on Sextortion, she provides insights into how a parent or legal guardians should handle the situation with their child. A parents first instinct is to overact, confront their child, demand answers. However, Dr. Walker, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s Sexual Inappropriate Behavioral Remediation (SIBR) program manager, suggests a more sensible non-confrontation approach.

Ask questions . It is important for parents to ask children questions about their experiences online; however, knowing children are not always willing to share this information. Many children fear that their parents will judge them or worse… their online privileges may be revoked. Therefore, parents should use a nonjudgmental approach when asking questions. Instead of asking, “Have you ever sent nude photos to someone online!?”, a parent may ask, “Has anyone you know ever been involved in sextortion?”

Monitor your child’s online activity . Do not assume that your child is safe because they are playing Mindcraft or Roblox. Predators are there, too. Monitor your children’s devices and online activity. There is no such thing as a child’s “right” to online privacy from their parents. Establish this early and make it the expectation that you are monitoring their devices and that they can be searched by you at any point.
Keep yourself (and your child) educated . If you think your teen is only on Facebook, you’re wrong. Try to stay up to date with popular social media platforms and video game servers. Educate your children about the dangers of sharing personal/confidential information online, even with people they consider “friends.”

If your child is experiencing sextortion, contact law enforcement immediately.

If you suspect your child/teen is involved in sending or receiving sexting messages or they have experienced sextortion victimization, the Healthy Sexuality group program may be able to help.

Dr. Walker said statistics regarding sextortion are difficult because the crime often goes unreported. She indicated Stark County kids are absolutely experiencing sextortion. Some of kids are being victimized by their peers while others are victims of unknown online perpetrators.

Healthy Sexuality group is an eight-week program that is educational in nature and is designed for youths ages 12 to 18 who have demonstrated inappropriate sexual behavior. The topics discussed in this program include developing and maintaining healthy relationships, internet safety, communication skills, boundaries, sexual education, laws of consent, human trafficking, effects of pornography, and victim impact.

Dr. Walker noted that C&A is definitely seeing an increase for full-treatment SIBR as well as Healthy Sexuality services. C&A’s outpatient SIBR program is unique, not only in Northeastern Ohio but across the county. This program has clients from Stark and surrounding counties.

Below are additional online resources for youth, parents, and professionals.

- Sextortion: The Hidden Pandemic (1 hour documentary) https://sextortionfilm.com/

- Team HOPE peer support ( https://www.missingkids.org/gethelpnow/support/teamhope )

- FBI https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion

Attached are NCMEC NetSmartz handouts for kids and teens.

Remember, mistakes happen. It’s ALWAYS okay to ask for help!

The purpose of treatment includes not only the elimination of risk for sexual and/or general recidivism, but also the introduction of positive indicators of health – psychological, social, biological, and/or spiritual. The goal of the SIBR program is to provide relevant psychoeducation, effective interventions, and genuine empathy to remediate inappropriate sexual behaviors and develop skills necessary for healthy and happy relationships.

If you are interested in these services and not already a client of C&A , you can call our intake department (330) 433-6075 to schedule an initial intake.

SEXTORTION EXPLOITS KIDS TO SEND EXPLICIT PHOTOS/VIDEOS

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 08:07:04 GMT

What is sextortion?

Greek philosopher Heraclitus has been famously quoted as saying, “Change is the only constant in life.” More than 2,500 years later, this could not be truer regarding technology and the internet. Technology is always changing, as are the social dynamics of an online world.

Twenty years ago, parents warned their children of “creeps in AOL chatrooms.” Today, most parents are unaware of how predatory the internet truly is. “Stranger danger” has been hammered into children’s heads for decades:

Don’t talk to strangers.
Don’t accept candy or gifts from strangers.
Don’t get into a stranger’s car.

But what happens when the stranger presents themselves as a 15-year-old boy who loves soccer and attends a neighboring high school? Let’s say, their profile picture and online language appear consistent to that of an adolescent male. He even shares mutual friends with my teenage daughter. Everything checks out, right? Think again.

Social engineering is the art of communication where one person manipulates another person into providing confidential information, doing certain actions (for the benefit of the manipulator) or taking an action that the victim normally would not take. Sextortion is often a consequence of a particular type of social engineering called online grooming. Online grooming involves a malicious individual developing an emotional relationship or connection with a child for the purpose of sexual abuse.

Sextortion has been broadly defined as a type of sexual exploitation that involves threatening or coercing a child into sending sexually explicit photos or videos. After the perpetrator receives one or more sexually explicit photo or video from a child, they may threaten to release the photos or videos to the child’s family, friends or classmates unless they comply with the perpetrator’s demands. According to a study conducted by Sameer Hinduja and Justin Patchin (2019), the most common demands are more sexually explicit photos or videos (38%), sex or sexual acts (29%), and/or money (29%). The majority of sextortion cases begin with “consensual” sexting, where you willingly share explicit materials. It is important to note that sextortion is not solely perpetrated by adults targeting children they meet online. Sextortion can also occur in teen dating relationships or as part of a break-up. Sextortion is on the rise and has been increasing more rapidly than any other form of online child exploitation.

According to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Sextortion Tipline from October 2013 through June 2015, approximately 22% of victims suspected or knew that multiple children were targeted by the same offender. The ages of sextortion juvenile victims range from 8- to 17-years-old, with 25% of sextortion victims being 13 years old or younger
(Thorn, 2017). A majority of sextortion victims were reported to be female children (78%) with the average age of 15 years. However, a recent study suggests that boys are more likely to be the target of sextortion but are more reluctant to tell an adult compared to girls (Hinduja & Patchin, 2019).

According to Patchin and Hinduja (2019), “75% of the victims of sextortion admitted to sending a sexually explicit image of themselves to someone else. That means that at least 25% of the victims did not, and their images were somehow procured illicitly (perhaps through hacking their phone, or the Cloud where their images were backed up).”
You may be asking yourself, “So what are kids doing when they are threatened!?” According to a 2017 survey of 2,097 participants, 62% of victims complied with demands made by the perpetrator in an effort to make the threats stop. However, 68% of those victims noted that the threats became more frequent after complying with the initial demands (Thorn, 2017).

Now, how are youth affected by sextortion?

Anxiety and depression including suicidal ideation and/or attempts
Withdraw from friends and family
Feelings of hopelessness and helplessness
Shame and embarrassment
Loss of control as well as feelings of safety/security
Bullying at school or online (if sexually explicit photos/videos are released)
Fear of legal consequences for victims (going to jail; sex offender registration) or consequences from parents (phone taken away; delete social media). This fear may contribute to delayed disclosure

In part two of blog series on sextortion, learn tips on how to avoid sextortion as well as resources for parents and children who have been victimized online.

Dr. Seandra Walker is a clinical psychologist and the Sexual Inappropriate Behavior Remediation (SIBR) Program Director at C&A. The mission of the SIBR program is to prevent sexually inappropriate behavior among adolescents and to address its effects on youth, families and the community. The purpose of treatment includes not only the elimination of risk for sexual and/or general recidivism, but also the introduction of positive indicators of health – psychological, social, biological, and/or spiritual. The goal of the SIBR program is to provide relevant psychoeducation, effective interventions, and genuine empathy to remediate inappropriate sexual behaviors and develop skills necessary for healthy and happy relationships.

If you are interested in these services and not already a client of C&A , you can call our intake department (330) 433-6075 to schedule an initial intake.

WHAT IS A QMHS? HOW ARE THEY DIFFERENT FROM A CASE MANAGER OR THERAPIST?

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 08:00:43 GMT

Do you know what a Qualified Mental Health Specialist (QMHS) is and how they differ from a case manager or therapist?

Most people have some knowledge regarding case management but are not as familiar with the term Qualified Mental Health Specialist. By definition, a case manager helps their patients understand their options concerning the specific situation they are dealing with at the time. A case manager is a liaison between patients and their treatments or care options. Case managers are available in a variety of areas including substance abuse, rehabilitation, legal, medical and more.

A QMHS is a relatively newer term to the field of mental health. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s QMHS’s have at least 3 years of experience or a bachelor’s degree, and training in mental health competencies required by the state and C&A. QMHS’s provide therapeutic behavioral services and work with our clients to:

Resolve conflicts with others
Manage emotions including anger, minor social or performance anxiety, disappointment, frustration, occasional sadness
Coping with change, uncertainty, death or loss
Positive parenting strategies and support
Linkage to mental health services and other indicated medical/support services
Linkage to natural and community supports
Reinforcement and rehearsal of skills taught in therapy

It is important to note that a client seeing a QMHS does not have to be seeing a therapist. However, in some cases, a QMHS will work with a therapist and help the client to reinforce skills and strategies learned in therapy sessions.

When the presentation of symptoms warrants a clinical (medical) diagnosis and is leading to impairment of daily functioning, a therapist is warranted. Some indicators that a therapist is needed are:

Significant anxiety
Depression
Significant oppositional/conduct behavior
Trauma
Suicidal ideation or self-harm behaviors
Homicidal ideation or harming others
Substance abuse
Resolve the complex roots of each individual client’s unique struggles

QMHS’s provide community-based services and will meet the needs of the client where he/she is. This means meeting the client in a school setting, in a park, at a restaurant, the library or the client’s home. To better serve C&A’s clients, QMHS’s are divided into specific school districts/areas of the county. This allows them to become a familiar face and build rapport within the community.

Typically, QMHS providers are not meeting clients in an office setting but rather in a location where the client is working on tools and strategies to cope with their specific need. Some examples of skills a QMHS may work on with a client include:

If a child is struggling on the playground with a fellow student who is bullying the child by taking the basketball from them, the QMHS will go to recess with the child and help them practice social skills, conflict resolution and friendship skills and when and how to appropriately ask for help.

For a high school aged client, the QMHS may work on independent life skills. An example may be how to ride public transportation. The QMHS will walk the client step-by-step through the process, perhaps by obtaining a copy of the bus route, or linking the client to a training class. The QMHS may ride the bus with the client, and then advance to meeting the client at their destination to see how the client is navigating public transportation.

For more information on C&A’s Qualified Mental Health Specialist services, please call 330.433.6075.

WHAT IF WEED IS LEGALIZED IN OHIO?

Tue, 26 Jul 2022 07:55:11 GMT

Last summer, *The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol launched an effort to legalize marijuana use in Ohio for adults only. The proposed law, “Legalizes and regulates the cultivation, manufacture, testing and sale of marijuana and marijuana products to adults aged 21 and up. Legalizes home grow for adults aged 21 or older with a limit of six plants per person and 12 plants per household.” The proposal narrowly missed the deadline and will likely be on the ballot in 2023. Marijuana laws are changing at a rapid pace in all 50 states, it can be hard to keep up, even with the terminology.

TERMS TO KNOW

The following terms are used to identify marijuana legal status in the states:

Legalized - the production and sale of either recreational or medical marijuana and marijuana-infused products

Decriminalized – no longer a crime to possess small amounts of marijuana

Medical - marijuana that is available only by prescription and is used to treat a variety of medical conditions

Ohio is a medical marijuana and decriminalized state. In an effort to understand and perhaps prepare for future changes, I spoke with Dr. Brad Conner, director of addiction counseling at Colorado State University.

Dr. Conner had just presented at a national addictions conference on the current trends of marijuana use in Colorado. Having just attended the Cannabis Summit from The Ohio State University’s School of Social Work last month myself, I found one of the seminars on marijuana use in Colorado fascinating. I was eager to grill Dr. Conner on the new-found data.

We spent much of the 60-minute discussion talking about working with adolescents. Dr. Conner did not debate whether it should or shouldn’t be legalized but rather offered strategies to help youth manage the current times. His perspective might align with the current proposed legislation to treat marijuana as we would alcohol. First of all, it’s still illegal for youth under age 21 to consume marijuana. Period. Harsher laws and punishments would help youth understand that it is not okay to use underage. Teens like to debate the age to use claiming that it’s not as bad as alcohol and should therefore be permitted at a younger age. **An article published in the Journal of Psychopharmacology, June 2022 reports on the outcome of a study on cannabis use with adolescents. Results show that adolescents who use marijuana 1-7 days a week (mean=4) were more likely to be diagnosed with Cannabis Use Disorder than adult users. Adolescents also showed more psychotic symptoms than adult users.

Dr. Conner and I spent time exchanging strategies we use to work with adolescents that use marijuana. His approach is a little different than mine since marijuana is legal. The overall strategy we both agreed on was to teach kids how to use responsibly. This includes following the law to not use until 21, use in moderation and to always be safe. The approach is similar to managing alcohol. If the State of Ohio legalizes marijuana for recreational use in the future, we should be diligent to role model responsible use so that teens become adults that can handle the substances available to them.

*The Coalition to Regulate Marijuana Like Alcohol was formed to encourage legislators to end cannabis prohibition in Ohio and establish a system in which cannabis is regulated and taxed similarly to alcohol. For more information, visit www.justlikealcohol.com

** The CannTeen Study: Cannabis use disorder, depression, anxiety, and psychotic-like symptoms in adolescent and adult cannabis users and age-matched controls - Will Lawn, Claire Mokrysz, Rachel Lees, Katie Trinci, Kat Petrilli, Martine Skumlien, Anna Borissova, Shelan Ofori, Catherine Bird, Grace Jones, Michael AP Bloomfield, Ravi K Das, Matthew B Wall, Tom P Freeman, H Valerie Curran, 2022 (sagepub.com)

If you have a young person in your life that is struggling with substance use, please consider contacting Dr. Karita Nussbaum at C&A’s Belden office at 330.433.6075 for an assessment.

This blog post concludes our two-part series on marijuana usage and if usage has increased since some states have legalized marijuana.

HAS LEGALIZING MARIJUANA INCREASED ADOLESCENT USAGE?

Tue, 12 Jul 2022 04:50:37 GMT

I recently attended the 2022 Cannabis Summit, hosted by The Ohio State University School of Social Work. One of the presentations was of particular interest in light of Ohio’s ongoing push to legalize marijuana for recreational use. Colorado legalized marijuana for medical use in 2000, medical marijuana became commercialized in 2010 and retail marijuana was legalized in 2012. The seminar, “Colorado Experience with Cannabis Legalization” provided some very interesting data that prompted a response from me. I reached out to Dr. Brad Conner, associate professor and director of the addictions program at Colorado State University. Dr. Conner’s interview will be shared in an upcoming post.

The two master’s level presenters from the Marijuana Health Monitoring Program provided some pretty fascinating scientific findings on the health effects of marijuana use in Colorado for the past eight years. In accordance with Colorado Revised Statutes 25-1.5-110 Monitor Health Effects of Marijuana, the program follows guidelines to "Monitor changes in drug use patterns, broken down by county and race and ethnicity, and the emerging science and medical information relevant to the health effects associated with marijuana use.” I focused on data related to adolescent use.

The committee looked at four areas related to marijuana: who is using (age, gender, ethnicity, county), how they are using (vaping, smoking, dabbing, ingesting), how often they are using, and are they following safe practices (safe storage away from children, not driving while using). Data was gathered from surveys and public health incident reports.

According to the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey, marijuana use with adolescents occurs the highest in 11th and 12th graders and those that identify as LGBT. Data from the January 2022 “Identifying Cannabis-Related Health Outcomes in Colorado” report ( https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xlILd5ejEAV73bJK0MMsx_3scnSQLUbr/view ), Emergency Room discharges with cannabis-likely attributes were highest for males, ages 13-17, of black race/ethnicity.

Smoking is by far the highest method of use, dabs is second. The presenters reported that marijuana use has not changed much since it was legalized, similar to national levels. Storage was not mentioned for youth however, it was noted that youth are at a higher risk of using if parents have the belief that marijuana is “not a big deal.”

So, what does this information mean for us Ohioans? Legalizing marijuana continues to appear on the ballot year after year. Are we destined to see marijuana legalized for recreational use at some point in the near future?

What would this mean for our youth? The presenters had something to say about these kinds of concerns. First, we were advised to follow evidence-based strategies learned from 50 years of alcohol and tobacco regulation.

Such as, enforcing a strict age limit (21+), limiting hours of operation for dispensaries, prohibiting public consumption, high tax rate and strict licensing and enforcement for dispensaries and offenders. Furthermore, regulations must exist for dispensaries (density and away from schools), packaging cannot appeal to kids, child-proof containers, labeling with health and safety messaging and limits on concentrate purchases.

Dr. Conner had some thoughts along these lines, be sure to look for his perspective in the next post. The state of Ohio has not legalized marijuana for recreational use as of this writing but even if it was, youth are still underage and should not be using marijuana. If you have a young person in your life that is struggling with substance use, please consider contacting Dr. Karita Nussbaum at C&A’s Belden office at 330.433.6075 for an assessment.

This is part one of a two-part series on marijuana usage among teenagers.

UNDERSTANDING AND BEING AN ALLY THE “T” IN LGBTQ+

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 07:49:04 GMT

June is designated as Pride Month across the world. Recently, Stark County held its First Pride Festival at Centennial Plaza. In Part 1 of this blog series, information was provided to define sexual orientation/gender identification and how you can be an ally to an LGBTQ+ adolescent.

In the second part of this LGBTQ+ series, C&A is providing information to expand your knowledge and become an ally for everyone in this community! This post will answer the question “What’s the T?” in LGBTQ+ as well as exploring other gender identities and learning about gender expression.

In the previous post, C&A discussed how there is a chance you likely know someone who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community. As you read this this post, it is important to keep in mind that not every person who is LGBTQ+ uses the terminology throughout this text. Much of this information is based on the most widely understood/accepted terminology and is likely to change over time. When in doubt, ask someone how they identify themselves first and seek additional information.

What does the "T" in LGBTQ+ stand for?

In LGBTQ+, “T” stands for transgender or “trans” for short. Transgender is sometimes used as an umbrella term to define individuals who are typically assigned as either female or male at birth (based upon things such as chromosomes, reproductive glands, and genitals) and later discovers that their internal sense of self doesn’t match the assignment they were given at birth. When someone’s gender identity matches their assignment at birth, they are often referred to as cisgender.

Though the term transgender has been used since around the 1960’s or 70’s, the concept of a person being transgender has existed for much longer. The United States National Park Service provides stories of gender variant/expansive individuals throughout history. An example is Albert Cashier, a soldier assigned female at birth, who served in the Civil War.

In an article from the Cleveland Clinic , they discuss how new research shows that transgender individuals have brain structures more closely matching the gender they identify with, furthering the fact that people do not “choose” to be transgender, but rather they are hard-wired this way from birth.

You can be an ally for transgender youth by helping others learn about and normalize the existence of transgender individuals throughout history! We know that representation matters. Children and adolescents feel safer and more accepted when they see examples of transgender people online, in movies, books and television.

In fact, in a study done by Stephen Russell from the University of Texas in Austin, it was indicated that “transgender youths report having suicidal thoughts at nearly twice the rate of their peers, with about 1 out of 3 transgender youths reporting considering suicide.” He also identified using a person’s chosen name in at least one setting (home, school, etc.) lowers suicidal thinking by almost 30%.

What is "transitioning"?

When someone identifies as transgender or non-binary, they may choose to go through transitions to help them better align their external self with their internal self or they may not go through any kind of transition at all. Transgender and non-binary individuals often experience gender dysphoria: a mental health diagnosis that addresses the anxiety, stress, discomfort and/or depression that may be experienced due to a person’s gender identity not matching their assignment at birth. This is one reason why someone may choose to transition. A person may choose to socially transition (coming out to loved ones, using name/pronouns that match their identity, changing appearance to match identity) or medically transition (using hormones, surgeries). Some people may choose to socially transition in more ways than others and the same goes for medical transitions. This could be due to costs of medical care or simply a preference of the individual. What is important to remember is that regardless of whether someone decides to make any of these transitions, their identity is valid and should be respected.

Expressing one's gender identity and roles

EXPRESSING ONE'S GENDER IDENTITY AND ROLES

Gender identity refers to the different variations of historically masculine and feminine traits that a person aligns with internally; however, some people may not align themselves with either. Most cultures, like that of the United States, have historically functioned using a gender binary.

This means that throughout our history, gender has been divided into two categories that each person falls under: man or woman, masculine or feminine. Some cultures have long been functioning with additional gender identities, such as Two Spirit individuals in Native American culture or Sekrata in Madagascar who have variations of gender expression and gender roles. Earlier, we discussed that transgender is a gender identity because it describes an individual who was assigned at birth, though their internal since of self is different than what they were assigned.

Gender expression is the way that a person presents themselves to the outside world, often as their identified gender. This is sometimes based on traditional ideas of masculinity and femininity; however, because these traditional views are changing over time, people of all gender identities may express themselves in ways that don’t conform to traditional views of masculine and feminine. This may be done through clothing, jewelry, make-up, hairstyles, ways of speaking/walking, and/or pronouns. For example, a cisgender man (assigned male at birth and identifies as a man) may wear a dress, but this doesn’t mean that they identify as a woman, nor does it assume their sexual orientation. Some people who do not conform to traditional views of masculinity/femininity may refer to themselves as gender diverse, gender expansive, or gender variant. Remember, it is always best to ask someone how they identify.

Based on a person’s culture or society, what is considered masculine or feminine is different and these concepts continue to change throughout history. Traditional views of masculinity and femininity in the United States have influenced the gender roles and stereotypes that still exist today. Gender roles are the behaviors that are associated with a particular gender. These roles are what create gender stereotypes, or the expectations that a society has of a person based on gender.

For example, in the Unites States, traditional gender stereotypes assume that men should be dominant, competitive, or physically strong and women should be submissive, nurturing, and sensitive. Boys should play sports, video games, and work out. Girls should play with dolls, make-up, and take care of others.

One way to advocate and be an ally for LGBTQ+ individuals is to challenge these gender stereotypes. This doesn’t mean forcing anyone to play with toys they don’t want to or putting them in activities that they don’t like. In fact, it’s the opposite. By encouraging children and adolescents to explore their own interests, we are giving them the space to learn and develop their identity. Though it may seem confusing, being supportive and asking questions can increase comfort in them sharing their thoughts/feelings about their gender identity more openly.

Do's and Don'ts language for trusted adults

When someone does not identify with the traditional roles and expectations of their assignment at birth, they might identify as non-binary or genderqueer. Some non-binary folks may even identify as transgender because their assignment as birth does not match their internal sense of self. As always, it is important to ask how someone identifies as a sign of respect.

Everyone has pronouns! Essentially, pronouns are the words that we use to take the place of a person’s name. Common sets of pronouns are “she/her” “he/him” and “they/them.” One way to find out what a person’s pronouns are is to introduce yourself by the name and pronouns that you use. If you make a mistake and use the wrong pronouns for someone, it is best to apologize and correct yourself. Of course, there are more than just these sets of pronouns that a person may use, which makes it even more important to ask rather than to assume. Did you know that using the proper pronouns for someone can save lives? Referring to someone by the name and pronouns that they use is shown to significantly reduce depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation.

Here are some examples of words or phrases to avoid:

“What genitals/parts do you have?” – It is never appropriate to ask someone about their genitals and sends the message that a person’s genitals are what defines them as a person, though there is much more to a person’s identity than their body. It is as equally inappropriate to ask someone if they have had surgeries as some trans/non-binary folks may not be interested in undergoing any medical transitions. If this is a topic that they bring up in conversation, be sure to listen and show that you understand.
“What is your REAL name?” or “I support you, but I am not calling you that.” – As previously mentioned, choosing a different name can sometimes be a first step in socially transitioning. Sometimes a person may try out various names until they find the one that suits them best. You may hear people in the trans/non-binary community refer to the name they were given at birth as their “dead name” and prefer that it not be used. Though this may be confusing/difficult for others, it’s important to use the name that someone has chosen. Using the name (and pronouns) that someone shares with you can increase their self-esteem, reduce their risk of suicide or self-harm, and may increase their trust in sharing more about themselves with you.
“Tranny” – This is a term that has been used offensively to demean the trans community. Some people in the trans community have re-claimed this word and may utilize in certain settings; however, many prefer that this word not be used by anyone.

Remember that words hurt and can be mentally and emotionally damaging. They can break a person down and the effects can be long-lasting. This may lead to a decrease in self-esteem and self-worth and may increase symptoms of depression and anxiety or could lead to thoughts of self-harm and suicide. Aside from the words/phrases listed above, the words that we use to describe others can sometimes be harmful and encourages others that it’s okay to use these words. Always try your best to lead with kindness, even when you may not fully understand a person’s identity.

What are appropriate responses trusted adults should give/use if a parent suspects their child is struggling with their identity, what are the signs parents may/should be looking for?

You are already on your way to being more supportive of children struggling with gender identity by gathering new information. You can be supportive of a person’s gender identity in/out of school by using gender neutral terms.

One of the most important things that a parent or other adult can do if they suspect that their child may be struggling with their gender identity is to make it known that they are a safe person to talk to about problems/concerns they may be having. You can also show support by talking positively about LGBTQ+ individuals in your personal life or in the media, and/or by displaying signs/symbols in your home that show your support for the LGBTQ+ community.

Some signs that a child may be struggling with their gender identity could be:

Withdrawing/Secluding themselves from family or friends
Difficulty in school or at home
Requesting to go by a different name/pronouns

*Note: If a child is requesting this, it’s important to show support by using the name and pronouns that they have expressed; This will help build trust and let a child know that you are a safe person to talk to

Experimenting with different types of clothing/hairstyles

Making statements about not fitting in

Statements about suicide

Changes in mood/behavior

If you are noticing any of these signs/symptoms for your child, seek support from community resources, such as mental health specialists at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health and gender-affirming support groups like Margie’s Hope. Margie’s Hope provides support groups for transgender individuals and their families and is in the Akron area.

What are some appropriate resources families can use to educate themselves if they are struggling with what the child has shared?

For a list of some local resources around Stark County:

www.starkhelpcentral.com/coming-out

Transcend Canton

For resources around the greater Cleveland area:

Margie’s Hope

LGBT Cleveland

PFLAG Akron

Akron Children’s Center for Gender Affirming Medicine

For national resources:

www.glaad.org/resourcelist

There are of course many more resources available which are included in the Summa Health handout as well as through this resource from Planned Parenthood!

This is the first of a two-part series on how to learn and support the LGBTQ+ community. The author of this blog is C&A’s Joseph Fisher , LPC, who has been a school-based therapist for the past four years. C&A’s expert Trauma Specialist Mary Kreitz , LPC, CDCA, who has 20 years of clinical experience in the field, and C&A doctoral intern Sushmitha Mohan contributed to this post.

HOW CAN YOU BE AN ALLY TO A LGBTQ+ ADOLESCENT?

Wed, 01 Jun 2022 07:37:15 GMT

June is PRIDE month in the United States. This year, Stark County’s LGBTQ+ (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning) Community is sponsoring a PRIDE Festival June 11 at Centennial Plaza.

As the LGBTQ+ becomes more known in the country, there is a chance you likely know someone who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community. If you identify with the LGBTQ+, know that you are not alone in your reactions, your reaction is valid, and that you are on a path that many have been on before! If you are looking to be a supportive person to the LGBTQ+ community, this post will provide some key language to help you navigate as an advocate.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is glad that you chose to find some resources to learn more about the LGBTQ+ community and how to support those that you love who identify as part of this wonderful community.

“What is sexual orientation?”

Sexual orientation is used to refer to the attraction that someone has to others. This can be physical, emotional, sexual, intellectual and/or spiritual. Knowing your sexual orientation can help you to identify with others whom you can build fulfilling relationships with, platonic or otherwise. Later in this post, C&A will break down the meaning of “LGBTQ+” to help you better understand what these letters represent.

Gender identity and sexual orientation are not necessarily fixed, meaning that they may not remain the same throughout life. As people mature and learn more about themselves, they may realize that their gender identity or sexual orientation are different from what they originally thought. Self-discovery is a journey that does not happen overnight. By utilizing the information provided here, as well as seeking additional supports, parents can continue to be a supportive person in your child’s unique journey.

If parents suspect their child is struggling with sexual orientation, in most cases, therapists recommend it may be better to wait until the child is ready to come to them; however, it is important to provide an environment with which a child can feel comfortable in sharing their thoughts/feelings related to their sexual orientation. If your child initiates conversations about gender and sexual identities, it might be worth keeping in mind that the language used by LGBTQ+ allies is evolving and changing. The words can mean different things to different people. So, it is important to ask your loved one what they mean by certain terms and identities to best understand and support them.

WAYS TRUSTED ADULTS CAN SUPPORT CHILDREN

A trusted adulted for a child may include parents, teachers, coaches, mentors or other family members. To be that trusted adult and more inclusive of an LGBQT+ individual, it is important to understand some key words. One of those words is heteronormativity. Essentially, this refers to the norms in our culture that assume that individuals are in heterosexual relationships or are interested in this type of relationship (meaning a relationship between a man and a woman). Heteronormativity promotes the idea that heterosexuality is the preferred sexuality, when in fact there are many different types of relationships and sexual orientations that exist.

When adults function from a heteronormative society, we can make it difficult for individuals to want to express their sexual orientation for fear of rejection from loved ones or other important figures in their lives. For this reason, it is important to normalize that there are many different types of relationships. By doing so, we increase a student/child’s comfort in talking to trusted adults about their sexual orientation!

One way that adults can be inclusive when it comes to someone’s sexual orientation is to make small shifts in the types of language they use when discussing relationships. Examples of this language include:

Instead of saying boyfriend/girlfriend, husband/wife, we can say partner/spouse/significant other.
If a parent is curious whether a child has a significant other, they can ask “Is there someone you are interested in/have a crush on?” rather than asking if they have a boyfriend/girlfriend.

Other ways that adults can be inclusive of the LGBTQ+ community is by talking positively about members of the community you have read about and/or have seen in television/movies. You can also display signs/symbols that show support for the community. This can help make children feel more comfortable in coming out to you. “Coming out” means that someone has made the decision to share their sexual orientation/gender identity with because you are a safe person to talk to.

The most important thing to keep in mind is that the person who came out to you is still everything that you love about them and to be open to having conversations with them. It is also crucial to go into conversations with your loved one/student with an open mind and ears to give them opportunities to share their thoughts and feelings.

When a child shares information regarding their sexual orientation, which is oftentimes a surprise to loved ones, it is important for parents/trusted adults to learn to be an ally for the child. What does that mean? First and foremost, there is no one correct way to react to your loved one coming out to you. Learning about your child’s gender or sexual orientation can be confusing or uncomfortable for you, and these are valid and normal reactions to have! You are not alone in these reactions, and despite your discomfort your child needs your support. Some different ways that a person can become an ally are by supporting LGBTQ+ causes, listening to the stories of other LGBTQ+ individuals, standing against the discrimination of LGBTQ+ people, and by challenging your own biases and prejudices as well as those of others about the LGBTQ+ community.

Connecting with other parents with LGBTQ+ children, joining support groups, looking into resources for parents as well as youth can be additional ways in which you can learn more and connect with others in this journey. Of course, it is possible that you will still have some discomfort with these unfamiliar topics, but it is important to express these thoughts, and as much as possible, expressing these thoughts when you are away from your loved one.

School environment

As more students come out and express their sexual orientation, learning environments need to provide safe environments and encourage allyship for LGBTQ+ children and help classmates support that environment.

Schools can help provide a safer environment for LGBTQ+ students and encourage allyship by setting school policies that oppose discriminatory words/actions against the LGBTQ+ community by both students and staff. Additionally, schools can develop a Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) or other LGBTQ+ support group for students and allies. Finally, training staff members about LGBTQ+ terminology, as well as the helpful/unhelpful words and phrases can assist in making schools a safer environment for LGBTQ+ students.

What not to say to LBGTQ+ individual

Dr. Caitlyn Ryan conducted research as part of the Family Acceptance Project which found that LGBTQ+ youth who are not accepted by their families have higher risk for several mental and physical health issues. For example, these youth are:

Nearly six times as likely to report high levels of depression

More than eight times as likely to have attempted suicide

More than three times as likely to use illegal drugs

More than three times as likely to be at high risk for HIV and sexually transmitted diseases.

However, before you are alarmed, know that there are several ways to be supportive and mitigate these negative risk factors.

Some harmful words/phrases to avoid are:

“That’s so gay!” – This phrase is often used when someone is describing something they dislike, find boring or when feeling irritated/frustrated about something. Though some may not find this phrase to be offensive, it creates negatives attitudes towards those who may identify as gay or any other part of the LGBTQ+ community and can evoke feelings of shame in a person who identifies as such. It also implies that “gay” is “less than” or something to look down upon.
“It’s just a phase” – Unfortunately, this phrase is utilized frequently and dismisses the thoughts/feelings that a person may have been struggling to share for a while. When a person gets the courage to come out to a trusted individual, this phrase may affect the trust they once had in sharing personal information with a trusted adult.
“Being (gay/lesbian/bisexual) is a choice.” You might be asking why this phrase is offensive. Consider the first time that you felt a genuine physical or emotional attraction to someone. Was it your “choice” that you were attracted to this person or was it something you felt internally? More and more, studies are being published every year that show that sexual orientation cannot be tied to a single explanation. It is more likely a combination of different biological/genetic factors that may determine a person’s sexual orientation.

Words hurt. Though they can’t physically hurt us, words can be mentally and emotionally damaging. They can break a person down and the effects can be long-lasting. As research has shown, this may lead to a decrease in self-esteem and self-worth and may increase symptoms of depression and anxiety or could lead to thoughts of self-harm and suicide. Aside from the phrases listed above, various slurs that are used to describe those in the LGBTQ+ community can be harmful and encourages others that it’s okay to use these words. Always try your best to lead with kindness, even when you may not fully understand a person’s identity.

It is true that actions speak louder than words and taking any—or all—of the steps above will help assure your child that they have your love and support no matter what. And if you find yourself at a loss for words? A simple hug can be the best response!

WHAT DOES LGBTQ+ STAND FOR?

Throughout this post, the letters “LGBTQ” has been used along with a “+” at the end. You might have been asking yourself, “What does all of that mean?” Here is how the Human Rights Campaign defines some of these terms:

L = Lesbian – “A woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.”

G = Gay – “A person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.”

B = Bisexual – “A person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender identity though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree.”

Q = Queer or Questioning –

Queer - “A term people often use to express a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream. Queer is often used as a catch-all to include many people, including those who do not identify as exclusively straight and/or folks who have non-binary or gender-expansive identities. This term was previously used as a slur but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQ+ movement.”

Questioning – “A term used to describe people who are in the process of exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.”

“+” = The plus sign is used “to recognize the limitless sexual orientations and gender identities used by members of our community.”

But wait…what’s the “T”? The “T” stands for transgender. Transgender and will be outlined with other information about gender identity and gender expression in the second part of this series to be published later in June.

For a list of additional sexual orientations/gender identities, as well as other LGBTQ+ terminology, check out: Glossary of Terms - Human Rights Campaign (hrc.org).

Note: This is not an exhaustive list and there are additional ways that people identify their sexual orientation.

If you child is struggling with a same sex relationship or struggling with sexual identification, please reach out to Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health at 330.433.6075.

This is the first of a two-part series on how to learn and support the LGBTQ+ community. The author of this blog is C&A’s Joseph Fisher , LPC, who is a school-based therapist for the past four years. C&A’s expert Trauma Specialist Mary Kreitz , LPC, CDCA, who has 20 years of clinical experience in the field, and C&A doctoral intern Sushmitha Mohan contributed to this post.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THIS MAY FOR NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH?

Tue, 17 May 2022 07:08:56 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) has many activities taking place throughout the month to bring awareness to youth mental health. Gratitude is an excellent self-care tip. There are multiple ways for you to give and express your gratitude by participating in these events.

So, how may you express a grateful heart that benefits C&A and gives you a sense of self-care? Here are some different ways.

Canton Round-Up

C&A is sponsoring its first Canton Round Up. The Canton Round Up is a way for community members to support downtown businesses and restaurants while at the same time rounding up your final bill or make a donation at the cash register to support youth mental health. Participating restaurants have a poster displayed in their business and a donation box – no amount is too small. Proceeds from this fundraiser support C&A’s youth program and services.

Fourteen area businesses are participating in the Round-Up. The businesses are: Arcadia Grille, Carpe Diem, Cherry Blend Coffee Roasters, Conestoga Grill, Fromage du Monde, George’s Lounge, Grapes In A Glass, H2 Huth & Harris Restaurant, Jerzee’s Café, Johnny Look Out Pizza, Kendall & Blue Boutique, Milestone Games, Muskellunge Brewing Co. and Sparta Steakhouse & Lounge.

Stark Flavor, a website that promotes area restaurants, has partnered with C&A for this exciting event. The restaurant/business that brings in the most donations during the month of May will earn the Stark Flavor Trophy. This two-foot trophy will take residence in the business for a year.

Duck Derby

C&A’s second annual Duck Derby is taking place virtually again May 26 at noon on Facebook Live. Participants can adopt one duck for $10 or a Quack Pack (5 ducks) for $40. After adopting a rubber duck, participants can name the duck.

This is a unique fundraiser taking place on the West Bank of the Nimishillen Creek in North Canton. The first duck to cross the finish line wins $500, second place earns $150, third place wins $50 and if your duck is the last to float across the finish line, you will win a pizza card.

Proceeds from the second annual Duck Derby also support programs and services offered by the agency.

Self-Care Tips

Earlier this month, C&A presented its fourth annual Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week. This year, 27 student mental health champions from 14 area high schools created 30 self-care videos. Please click on this link - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLXuvOjyAS6FqB9fdQXmDG0O4F97XD-IBr to listen to some wonderful self-care tips.

Maintaining positive mental health is vital to also maintaining good physical health. Here are some easy to implement self-care tips on a gradual basis:

Exercise – start out slow and gradually build up to a comfortable sustainable pace. Exercise can include walking, running, riding a bicycle, weightlifting or yoga.
Socialization – isolation can be detrimental to one’s health. Plan a simple get together with family or friends to talk, have dinner or sit by a bon fire.
Listen to music – listening to music in the car, office or with headphones while exercising can help elevate your mood, reduce stress and symptoms of depression, stimulate memories, manage/ease pain and helps people eat less.
Eat healthy snacks – snacks are an important part of your diet. Snacks provide energy in the middle of the day. Healthy snacks include fresh fruits and vegetables; frozen fruit; fruits canned in water or their own juice; whole grain bread; crackers or cereals; lower fat yogurt; lower fat cheese; unsalted nuts, seeds and their butters; and hummus.
Get plenty of rest – the benefits of getting enough sleep include reduced stress and anxiety, improved moods, decreased blood pressure, chronic pain relief, improved immune health and stronger cardiovascular system.

This month, you can make a difference with your mental health and the mental health of our youth. Take the opportunity to make a positive change in your life.

If your child is in need of emotional, behavioral or trauma youth mental health services, please call Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health at 330.433.6075.

*Dan Mucci is the author of this blog post. He is C&A’s marketing and development coordinator. Mucci has more than 20 years of writing experience. To learn more about the services the agency offers, visit www.childandadolescent.org or email dmucci@childandadolescent.org .

A WEEK OF POSITIVITY FOR 52,000 STARK COUNTY STUDENTS

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 06:58:10 GMT

Stark County Schools Mental Health Awareness Week is May 2-6. This week, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A’s) and its community partners are using this opportunity to bring positive mental health awareness to more than 50,000 students all across Stark County.

Fifteen Stark County school districts have selected at least one student to discuss how that student views mental health. These students are known as a Stark County “mental health champion.” All 27 student mental health champions created a short video answering a question about how they view mental health, how their friends look at mental health and what they personally do to help other students around them.

Each participating school district received a package of materials from C&A. The packages contained some items that allow for students to self-affirm, recognize and learn about mental health. People, specifically young people, assume mental health is something only certain individuals go through, but in reality, everyone faces mental health challenges in some way. A person does not always need to see a doctor to deal with mental health. Our physical health as well as our mental health are a normal part of being human. If young students do not learn to identify mental health challenges, they are prone to a cycle of possible anxiety, stress and depression. This cycle can affect a person for their entire life, and sadly their children or peers can be affected. Understanding the importance of mental health at a young age is crucial to breaking the stigma and embracing the reality.

Stark County Schools Week

C&A is working with 14 area school districts to spread the message of positivity. There are activities and positive messages for students in high schools, middle schools and elementary schools. Each school in the district will be receiving bags filled with posters and positive affirmations for students. Schools will be displaying their mental health champions all throughout the week. C&A is posting mental health champion peer-to-peer videos from March 7 to May 20 on social media channels to highlight all of the school's students.

The theme for this year is, “You Are Not Alone.”This week is important for kids to be mindful of their own mental health, and it will be highly encouraged.

This year, our elementary schools will be receiving a poster that features elementary students. In addition, each student will be receiving an erasable bookmark. The idea behind these bookmarks is to allow for students to write their own positive affirmations. Each time they save their place in their books, the student can read the affirmation that they choose. If they would like to create new messages, they can because they can simply erase and replace! Principles will be reading a morning announcement each day with a positive affirmation.

Each middle school students will be receiving a mood changing pencils that change color as your body heat changes. The idea of the pencils is to represent your current mood by color. Along with the pencils they are receiving, students will also receive a JPEG self-affirmation image emailed to them daily throughout the week or through the Remind app. Principles will also be reading a morning announcement each morning with a positive affirmation. Between the self-affirmations, morning announcements and mood pencils, students will have many opportunities to be reminded of the importance of positive mental health during the week.

Student Items

High school students will be receiving a JPEG self-affirmation that will be sent daily through email and/or the Remind app. Then, each of the schools has a mental health champion and will have their self-care videos played at their respective schools. Each school will get a chance to listen to their peers discuss how they view the importance of mental health. The high school students will receive a special treat – The Ohio State University Head Football Coach Ryan Day . C&A received a special video from Coach Day discussing the importance of physical and mental health. The students will also view a countywide unity video on mental health. If the peer videos were not inspiration enough, Coach Day’s inspiring and powerful message should spark the minds of high school students.

This week would not be made possible without our community partners – AultCare , Stark Mental Health and Addiction Recovery , Kent State University -Stark , State Farm agent Michael Dougan , Q-92 and CommQuest Services.

C&A is thrilled oServiceur Stark County School Districts view the importance of presenting a week for students to engage in positive mental health. Raising the awareness on this topic can help so many students change their conversations with friends and families.

WHAT ARE SIGNS YOUR CHILD MAY BE AUTISTIC?

Tue, 05 Apr 2022 06:42:45 GMT

April is Autism Acceptance Month. With the number of individuals diagnosed with autism increasing every year, there has been a transition from autism awareness to autism acceptance. The journey toward acceptance begins with education. So, what is autism?

Autism Spectrum Disorder is a life-long developmental disorder that affects how a person communicates with, and relates to, other people. It affects how they make sense of the world around them. It is a spectrum condition, meaning that people with autism may share certain difficulties; however, their condition will affect them differently. The three main impairment areas are communication, social interaction, and behavior.

HOW MANY KIDS HAVE AUTISM AND WHAT ARE SOME CHARACTERISTICS?

C&A therapist Sunni Abney recently gave a staff presentation on Autism. In that presentation, Abney said one in 44 children are diagnosed with autism in the United States. Boys are four times more likely to be diagnosed with autism than girls.

More common characteristics of autism include:

Food aversions
Parallel play
Honesty
Avoid eye contact
Struggle to understand idioms
Difficulty reading social cues
Special interests
Difficulty identifying emotions correctly
Attachment to objects
Often have sensory processing issues
Good long-term memory
Engage in stimming
Struggle with change
Difficulty with executive functioning
Repetitive words/phrases
Struggle to initiate or sustain a conversation
Unaware of danger
Sleep challenges
Overreact/underreact to pain

Here are a few common traits for females – engage in masking leading to burnout, attempt to make friends by mimicking behaviors and controlling others, advanced vocabulary, and anxiety is often a prevalent characteristic.

Behaviors

One of the behaviors children with autism experience is stimming. Stimming is a self-stimulatory behavior that usually involves repetitive movements or sounds. It can be used to help the individual stay focused, manage anxiety, assist in dealing with sensory overload or an unfamiliar situation, and express frustration. There are six types of stims – visual, auditory, tactile, vestibular, taste and olfactory.

What does some stimming look like? Examples of some stimming is rocking, humming, grinding teeth, rolling eyes, clapping hands, squinting, cracking knuckles, jumping or coughing/clearing throat.

Stimming only requires intervention when it disrupts others, is harming to themselves, interferes with socialization and/or acceptance from peers/community or interferes with learning.

Here are additional stimming behaviors and replacements:

Hand flapping – stress ball or other fidget, color or draw, arts and crafts, kinetic sand or play dough
Spinning in circles – go for a walk, act as staff helper, activity in gym and weighted blanket
Licking items – chew gum, eat a snack, engage in conversation, pencil topper, chewy
Repeating Lines from a show – ask a question about a show, engage in conversation about the show, give a specified amount of time to talk about the show
Rocking back and forth – lay on the floor, go for a walk, activity in gym, use an exercise ball as a desk chair
Jumping – provide a chair band, go for a walk, activity in gym, going up and down the stairs

The key to controlling stimming is communication, eliminating triggers, sticking to a routine, teaching alternative behaviors to reach the same need, and addressing the reasoning behind the stimming.

Sensory Processing

Individuals with autism often have difficulties organizing information from their senses, difficulty regulating emotional reactions, poor balance, coordination, and muscle control.

Some of the triggers for individuals with sensory processing are:

Buildings – smells, lights, sounds of multiple voices and zippers on bookbags
Schools– smells, hallway lighting, multiple voices, classroom lights, air purifier, smell of lunch, snack/lunch wrappers, people drinking/eating, desk drawers opening and closing, clock ticking, clicking of pencils/pens, staff phones, facets, keys, fidgets.
Offices – lights, smells, clock ticking, temperature, sounds/voices from other offices, fabric on chairs

Individuals with autism are divided into two groups – avoiders vs seekers.

Avoiders/hypersensitive tend to avoid or escape stimulation, avoids active movements or activities, become agitated in presence of stimulation, may meltdown due to sensory overload.

These types of kids will cover their ears, be distracted by background noises, be agitated in large groups, can hear frequencies others can’t, and avoid common sounds.

Tips to help these individuals include limit the number of steps given verbally, provide headphones and gradually introduce new, calming sounds.

In a visual setting, these individuals are sensitive to bright lights and sunlight, sensitive to certain colors and squint or use peripheral vision.

Visual tools include providing sunglasses, limit stimuli on the walls, move desks from windows and low lighting.

Individuals who are seekers/hypo-sensitive often are viewed as acting out or defiant and disruptive, crave or seek out stimulation, under-reactive to input, may not register low-level stimulation, hyperactive and impulsive.

These individuals speak loudly, don’t notice sounds unless they are loud and make loud repetitive sounds. Tips for these individuals include playing calming music, nature sounds, as wells as hum, clap or whistle sets of sounds and the client repeats.

These kids may be attracted to visual stimulation, like lights turned on and off, reflective surfaces, and likes moving objects.

These individuals will like hidden pictures, create and use a sensory bottle, play hide and seek, scavenger hunts, sort shapes and play ‘I spy.’

Most neurodiverse individuals are a combination of both avoiders and seekers.

Sensory Overload

Many autistic individuals have a sensory overload, which causes the individual to lose balance or coordination, refusing the activity, covering their ears, crying, complaining of stomach pain, sweating excessively, easily agitated/angry, stimming, echolalia, verbal and/or physical aggression and non-verbal.

Tips to help individuals may include turning down the lights, minimal things on the wall, give instructions in few steps, allow additional time to process directions, give additional time to complete activity/play game, quiet instrumental music, provide a visual schedule, advanced warning of change in routine, sensory toolbox.

Many schools today have sensory rooms. But if a school does not have a sensory area, here are some tips a school could implement. The school could have pipe cleaners, worry stones, stress balls, Pop-it, Rubik’s cube, Tangle, bubble wrap, sensory bottle, slinky, squish ball, coloring pages, headphones, fidget spinners, stretch fidget, kinetic sand, expanding ball, animal squishy, marble fidgets, infinity cube, fidget cube, marble maze, cotton balls, Legos, and bubbles.

If you feel your child may be on the spectrum or is experiencing stress, anxiety, or other behavioral issues, please contact C&A at 330.433.6075.

Sunny Abney, MA, LPC, has been a therapist at C&A for 11 years. She currently works with clients in our Day Treatment school. Abney is the parent of two sons with autism. The information for this post was taken from a staff training she did on Feb. 21.

WHAT ARE SOME INDIVIDUALS GAY WHILE OTHERS ARE NOT?

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 06:35:39 GMT

As clinicians, we often hear the acronym LGBTQIA+ in reference to those with a variety of gender identities and sexual orientations. But are you aware of what those letters stand for? The abbreviation refers to various gender identities and sexual orientations including Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning, Intersex, and Ally. The ‘+’ in the acronym can include various other identities including pansexual, demigirl, demiboy, gender non-binary, gender non-conforming, gender fluid, asexual, and aromantic. As this is a growing field, new identities and terms are emerging, and it becomes essential for clinicians and medical professionals to educate ourselves in order best help our clients and families.

What is sexual orientation? It is an individual’s preference of sexual partners. Is sexual orientation just sexual attraction? Research shows that sexual orientation is not only sexual attraction, but also sexual identification and sexual behavior. All three components generally align well and are significantly correlated. However, one’s identity and behavior can vary for a variety of reasons including political, religious, opportunities, culture, and parental/societal expectations.

Ultimately, what determines your sexual orientation? Is it determined in the mother’s uterus and is biological? Do we have a ‘gay gene’? Or could it be a change in the brain?

IN THE MOTHER'S UTERUS

Research suggests that a person’s sexual orientation is determined biologically when a child is in their mother’s uterus. Varying amounts of sex hormones at varying times in prenatal (pre-birth) development influences a person’s gender and sexual orientation.

Human sexual hormones include testosterone, estrogen, progesterone and other related hormones. In research completed on animals, it was identified that biological sex, i.e., being male and female is influenced by changes in prenatal testosterone. This was found through animal studies that have shown that by injecting sex hormones, such as testosterone at various stages of development, there are changes to specific parts of the brains and bodies of these animals. These changes depended not only on the amount of testosterone injected but also on the timing of the injections.

Since sexual orientation is a gendered trait, meaning that sexual orientation is a part of gender, current research on the development of sexual orientation is primarily focused on prenatal sex hormones. Based on animal studies, it is likely that the critical period for sex hormones in humans is pre-birth. Prenatal sex hormones are found to influence gender and gendered traits, so it is safe to assume it also influences sexual orientation.

While such studies have been conducted in animals, it is unethical to inject sex hormones into human fetuses in the uterus. So how do we know that sex hormones influence gender and sexual orientation in humans? Researchers study conditions that mimic the studies in conducted in rats. One such condition, called Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) which is a disorder that causes the adrenal gland to secrete excess testosterone during prenatal development in pregnant women. Children of these women with CAH are significantly more likely to be homosexual compared to the children of women without this condition.

Since sexual orientation is one aspect of gender, it can be assumed that human sexual orientation is also influenced by changes in testosterone and other sex hormones during prenatal stages of development.

According to a presentation by C&A’s Doctoral Intern Sushmitha Mohan, “same-sex attraction is a part of a package of gender a-typical traits.” She emphasized that sexual orientation is an aspect of gender that emerges from prenatal sexual differentiation in the brain, which is influenced by their genes, sex hormones and brain systems,” said Mohan. This implies that sexual orientation is a biological trait that is determined when the fetus is developing in the mother’s uterus.

Mohan also presented that there were structural and functional differences in brains and bodies of gay and straight people, which may also be influenced by the prenatal levels of sex hormones. According to research, some characteristics of the bodies and minds of gay men are shifted in a straight female direction compared with straight men, and some characteristics of the bodies and minds of lesbians and bisexual women are shifted in a straight male direction compared with straight women. These shifts are identified in specific traits and do not indicate gender reversals. It’s important to also keep in mind that these shifts occur in only a few gendered traits (e.g., the lengths of fingers), and do not influence all gendered traits.

DIFFERENCES IN THE BRAIN AND BODY

The human brain is essentially gendered, meaning that male brains are typically different than female brains in various ways. However, studies show that the brains of gay men and women are more similar to the brains of the opposite gender in a few specific ways. Some of these changes are in parts such as the hypothalamus and anterior commissure.

In humans, the hypothalamus is approximately the size of a pea. The hypothalamus is a gland in your brain that controls the hormone system. It releases hormones to another part of the brain called the pituitary gland, which sends hormones out to your different organs. The anterior commissure is a bundle of nerves connecting the two temporal lobes.

Studies that examined the differences between gay and straight men and women found that the brains of gay men were similar to straight women in some ways, and the brains of gay women were more similar to that of straight men in some ways. For example, the anterior commissure, which is typically larger in women than men, was found to be larger in gay men than straight men. In a different study, the corpus collosum was found to be significantly larger in gay men than straight men, which is more typical of female brains. Similarly, parts of the hypothalamus (a cell cluster called INAH3) was found to be gender shifted for gay men. Other gender shifted brain differences include the sizes of hemispheres of the brain, and differences in lateralization.

Some studies have also identified finger length ratios, known as the 2D:4D ratios, to be different between gay people and straight people. This ratio is the length of the index finger divided by the length of the ring finger. Straight males typically have a lower 2D:4D ratio and straight females have a higher 2D:4D ratio. Several studies have found that lesbians have lower ratios (more male liken ratios) and that gay men have higher ratios (more female like ratios).

DOES BEING GAY RUN IN FAMILIES?

The short answer is Yes! Gay men and women are more likely to have gay siblings than straight men and women. Typically, about seven to 16% of the same sex siblings of gay people are found to be gay.

There are a few reasons for family clustering, including genetics. Studies show increased rates of homosexuality or bisexuality among non-sibling relatives of gay or bisexual people, and increased rates in same-sex siblings vs. opposite sex siblings. In twin studies, there is a 50% concordance rate in identical twins and 30% concordance rate of homosexuality in non-identical twins. Research also suggests that it is the maternal inheritance of genes that predispose males to same-sex attraction. In addition, it is identified that it one gene in chromosome-8 could influence homosexuality in men.

Another interesting study showed that gay men, on average, have more brothers than straight men. However, the influence of older brothers is not a direct one but hypothesized to be mediated by their mother (her immune system). This theory proposed that mother’s immunization against male-specific antigens changes during each pregnancy, which could affect changes in sex hormones in pregnancy, and thus sexual orientation.

DO GAY PARENTS RAISE GAY CHILDREN?

It should be noted that the vast majority of gay people have straight parents. Studies show that children raised by gay parents do not differ from average in any single developmental/cognitive characteristic when compared to children raised by heterosexual parents.

If your child is struggling with self-identification or orientation, please call C&A at 330.433.6075. One of our caring clinical staff members will provide help for families.

C&A Doctoral Intern Sushmitha Mohan presented the information for this blog post at an agency training on Feb. 18. Mohan’s doctoral internship with C&A will end on June 30, 2022.

UNLOCKING MENTAL STRESS FOR STUDENTS IN EXTRACURRICULARS

Mon, 28 Feb 2022 04:45:51 GMT

A freshman in high school begins his ﬁrst ever varsity football season. He must wake up early in the morning to catch the bus to school. He is taking CCP classes and several other challenging courses. He is a smart student, but he still needs time to study. He has two free study hall periods during the school day. He uses this time to study and complete assignments. However, these two mods are only 40 minutes long. After the ﬁnal bell lets out, he has to rush down to the locker room to get changed.

The head football coach likes to start by having a team meeting, and then heading out for practice. After a long two-hour practice, the team is held for ﬁlm. This leaves him to be out of practice by 6:30 p.m. His normal bedtime is 9:30-10 p.m.

He still needs to knock out some studying and he has to eat dinner. After that long day he is exhausted. It is 10pm, and he is completely drained, and he does not have any time for his favorite Netflix series. “Well maybe tomorrow… I hope,” he says while he lays his head down. Does this sound like someone you know? Is it currently you? Because this was me, I was that young freshman trying to balance school and sports simultaneously.

This cycle will continue for the next two to three months. I used all of my time and energy towards school and sports, but where is my personal time? Did I have enough time for a mental checkup? I will introduce you to ways that I made it work for me. Everyday will not be positive for a student, but unfortunately for students in extracurriculars they may not get a chance to communicate their mental issues or ﬁnd a healthy outlet. Many coaches are pressuring students to do more and “push through” I ask the question when is enough, enough?

MENTAL HEALTH CHECK INS

Many students sponge all of their negative thoughts, emotions, and feelings. A terrific way to help with positive mental health is by having someone keep you accountable to acknowledging your emotions. Everyday a parent, friend, coach or even a teacher asks you for a number on a scale of 1-10 how are you feeling mentally. One being the worst and ten is the best. This activity allows you to quantify how you are currently feeling, but most importantly why. Having someone show enough care for a simple ﬁve minute or less discussion can help students destress. Mentally unpacking your emotions can help students deal with their issues.

SLOTTED TIME SCHEDULE

For me, when I am feeling a little overwhelmed with school, sports, or my vice president position in my student organization I want a release. My down time throughout my days is important because it keeps me balanced mentally, but also allows me to be more productive. When I am not able to have time throughout the day where I can do the things I like to do, I end up shutting down for too long. I recently spoke with Dr. Ryan Cook, Psychology, Neuroscience, and Human Development instructor at the University of Mount Union, he recommends for students to take “10-15 minutes of active relaxation time.”

During Active relaxation you should do an activity that is stimulating enough to have you active, but not too stimulating to the point where it is challenging. Dr. Cook suggests using techniques such as coloring, listening to relaxing music, walking, or a combination of a couple. Another technique is to include a stimulation of at least two senses at once. Dr. Cook has stated, “I ﬁnd that students have shown better results when using two or three senses at a time. An example he used was giving students a coloring pad and a mint, while playing relaxing music in the background. Three or four senses are being utilized at once. Using these tools can be a terrific way to help yourself destress.

MAKING A TO-DO LIST

Trying to mentally keep track of all the things that you need to get done is not only impossible, but it is also a one-way ticket to exhausting yourself mentally. With technology and writing utensils just write stuff down! I promise writing out your future goals and to-do list can seem very annoying considering how busy you already are, but just give it a chance. Simply glancing at your phone notes or a sticky note can help you have one less thing off your mind. This makes it extremely easy to hone in on your daily task as a student. Writing your goals and tasks down will also make your tasks seem more attainable. Because mindset is everything. Say I mentally keep track of my assignments for the week, extra practice rather than sports, speech and debate, choir, etc., and chores. Two things are likely to occur if I do not write them down, the ﬁrst is that I forget a task entirely. Worrying about all the things you need done, your mind usually focuses on the biggest most “important” task.

Leaving the smaller task to suffer. The second occurrence will be a lack of quantiﬁable importance. If I cannot literally see how many tasks I have to do then I will instantly start to look at each task as one. If you write your task down, you can break them into pieces. Professor Kachilla at the University of Mount Union has a theory of, “how do you eat a frog?” The answer is “one bite at a time.”

IDENTIFY YOUR PRIORITIES

Doing extracurricular activity as a student is a special privilege in my opinion. It shapes you as a person and can develop a young student's mind for life. Not only that, but it introduces young students to discipline and accountability. These are all traits that a person should develop to be successful in life. Everyone’s goal no matter if they want to go to college, own a business, go straight into the workforce, trade, military, etc. and must understand what they want. Once you identify where you think you want to go, plan accordingly.

If you want to play sports in college, keep playing your sport. If you do not, you can continue to enjoy your high school athletic career, but if it’s taking a negative mental toll on your life. Maybe it is not that important to keep going. If you are in choir and want to go to school to study music it is in your best interest most likely to continue choir.

If you do not want to study music, but choir is enjoyable for you currently, continue to do choir. The point is do what you love and ﬁnd what you have a passion for. Even the things that we love dearly to have something we do not care for such as writing speeches for speech, practice for a sports team, practice for a play in the theater. All these things can be stressful and hard at times, but if you love them, keep going and it will pay off. If these things are not your passion and they are stressing you out from being your most authentic self, then you may have to leave it behind you. Do what’s best for you!

If you know a student who is participating in extracurricular activities and is experiencing unusual stress and anxiety, please call C&A 330.433.6075.

Sir Elliott is a senior marketing student at The University of Mount Union. He is interning this semester in the Mission Advancement Office.

BIOLOGICALLY-BASED MULTIGENERATIONAL TRAUMA

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:26:58 GMT

Previous blog posts in this series have looked at ways that trauma can spread across groups and cultures and ways that trauma can be passed down through generations. Today we are going to take a look at biologically-based ways that trauma can be transmitted from parent to child.

IN ULTERO EXPOSURE

When a person goes through a high stress situation there are chemical reactions that happen in the body. Of particular importance, the stress hormone cortisol is released to mobilize the resources needed to engage the fight or flight responses, should they be needed. In a typical pregnancy, the mother’s body produces a protective enzyme that regulates fetal exposure to maternal cortisol byconverting the hormone into an inactive substance before it can reach the fetus. Research has found that the bodies of some pregnant women who experienced extreme trauma produced less of this protective enzyme, thereby exposing their fetus to higher levels of cortisol in utero.

When an infant is exposed to elevated levels of stress hormones in utero, while the infant’s brain, nervous system, circulatory system, and other vital organs are still forming, it has an impact on the way those organs form. Especially if this happens over a prolonged period of time, the infant’s body becomes used to the high level of stress hormones being present. It becomes that child’s “normal” way of being. Studies of children born under types of circumstances found that the babies experienced greater distress to novelty as infants, increased impulsivity and greater difficulty organizing their thoughts during childhood, and an increased likelihood of exhibiting anxiety, behavioral disturbances, and emotional regulation problems throughout their lives.

EPIGENETICS

Epigenetics is the study of how a person’s behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way their genes work without changing the underlying DNA sequence. What happens is that a tag is added to the DNA molecule that acts like a dimmer switch, turning expression of a gene off or on or turning the volume of that gene up or down. These changes are thought to be heritable, meaning the tags remain in the DNA that parents pass on to their children.

Epigenetic research is still relatively new. Although researchers have shown that effects of trauma are heritable through epigenetics in animals, the connection has not yet been demonstrated empirically in humans. At this point, the connection is mainly theoretical and research is ongoing.

To understand the influence of epigenetics in trauma, let’s imagine an 18 year old black man who is driving his car and gets pulled over by the police. For almost anyone, this would be a stressful experience.

This young man, however, comes from a family in which the long history of negative experiences with police - history of police brutality against persons of color, racial profiling, “sundowner” towns, enforcement of Jim Crow laws, and patrols hunting down people attempting to escape from enslavement - has resulted in a heightened sensitivity in his autonomic nervous system. The young man sees the lights flashing and pulls over. He looks in his rearview mirror and sees the police officer get out of the cruiser and start walking toward him. The epigenetic tag on his DNA has dialed up his sensitivity to these stimuli and instead of reacting with nervousness or irritation, his brain interprets the situation as DANGER!! How does he react? Maybe he freezes and seems uncooperative. Maybe his flight instinct is triggered and he takes off. Maybe his fight instinct is triggered. Either way, the police officer sees his reaction as evidence of guilt rather than what it really is, a manifestation of multigenerational trauma.

Recognition of the multigenerational impact of trauma is very important if we want to accurately understand behavior. It isn’t enough to know what an individual has been through (though that is valuable information to know). We also need to take into consideration what happened in the history of that person’s family, and to be aware of the history of injustices and traumatic experiences that happened to others like them in the past. Knowing this information can make the difference between viewing a child as a troublemaker or viewing that child as someone who is doing the best they can to deal with difficult problems that might have begun before they were even born. By broadening our perspective, we gain a better ability to respond with compassion and empathy.

Additionally, we gain the ability to appreciate the strength and resilience it has taken for people to survive and thrive despite these challenges.

If you or someone you know is experience generational trauma, please call C&A at 330.433.6075.

* This is the second in a three-part series on Multi-generational trauma. The final segment in the series will focus on bilogical based trauma.

Mary Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has over 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

If you would like to support C&A services, programs or this blog, please consider making a Venmo donation to @CABehavioralHealth or use this donation link - https://childandadolescent.org/give-to-ca/

TRAUMA CROSSES GENERATIONS THROUGH LEARNED BEHAVIORS

Wed, 19 Jan 2022 06:20:09 GMT

Multigenerational trauma is trauma that is passed down from one generation to the next. Often the people affected by multigenerational trauma aren’t even aware of it. They might describe their lives as difficult, but because it doesn’t fit the typical profile of trauma, they wouldn’t use the word trauma to describe what they’ve experienced.

One way that trauma can be transmitted across generations is through learned behaviors.

Learned Behaviors

Human beings are amazing for our ability to learn from experience and from the example of others. For most people parents are one of the greatest influences on our learning.

When a member of the household is struggling with mental health problems and/or addiction the whole family is affected. The person may be unpredictable and inconsistent.

It may feel like the whole family is riding on a rollercoaster driven by that one person’s mood. There may be added stress due to financial problems, legal issues, and instability. A child growing up in this environment may not know anything different. To that child, this is normal.

Parents who have experienced trauma and continue to be negatively impacted by it may perceive the world in disordered ways, which they may then pass on to their children. For example, a parent who experiences high levels of anxiety due to her past trauma experiences may be overly protective of her children, may discourage trusting others, and may be very restrictive about the types of activities in which she allows her children to engage.

Parents who have experienced trauma and have coped more effectively may pass on different messages to their children. For example, they may teach their children that it is possible to overcome difficult circumstances, may emphasize the importance of helping others who are struggling, and may instill their children with a sense of pride in their family’s strength and determination.

Sometimes behaviors that are adaptive for survival in a hostile environment are seen as problematic when circumstances change, and the behaviors are no longer necessary. For example, a parent who lived through famine or economic depression may have learned that one cannot rely on basic necessities being available, so it is important to keep a stockpile, just in case, and he will likely teach this same strategy to his children.

Other Influences

It is important to note here that parents are only one of many influences on our learning. It is possible that children who grow up in dysfunctional households will learn disordered behaviors and perceive them as a normal or even preferable way of being. It is also possible, if those children are exposed to other ways of thinking, other ways of solving problems and meeting needs, and other ways of interacting, that they will make a conscious decision to do things differently.

One important factor that influences children’s learning is the broader culture in which they are raised. Research has shown that children as young as preschool will show awareness of societally prescribed biases based on skin color and will assign positive or negative attributions to people based on race. For example, in their famous “Doll Tests” Kenneth and Mamie Clark found that preschoolers who were presented with a light-skinned doll and a dark-skinned doll were readily able to identify the race of the dolls, and almost all of them reported that they preferred the doll with the lighter skin and assigned more positive characteristics (e.g. pretty, smart, or good) to that doll.

Some of the strongest predictors of resilience include a relationship with a trusted, caring adult who is not a family member, and a sense of belonging to a community. These relationships have the potential to break or buffer multigenerational patterns by exposing young people to positive alternatives, by providing them with a positive identity as a member of the community, and by offering opportunities witness kindness, compassion, and acceptance.

Learned Behaviors

If you or someone you know is experience generational trauma, please call C&A at 330.433.6075.

* This is the second in a three-part series on Multi-generational trauma. The final segment in the series will focus on bilogical based trauma.

If you would like to support C&A services, programs or this blog, please consider making a Venmo donation to @CABehavioralHealth or use this donation link - https://childandadolescent.org/give-to-ca/

HOW DOES ONE TRAUMATIC EVENT AFFECT A FAMILY FOR GENERATIONS?

Wed, 05 Jan 2022 06:15:00 GMT

Trauma has occurred throughout human history. Awful things have happened to people that overwhelm the ability to cope and have effects that last for a long time.

Most of the time when we talk about trauma the focus is on individuals – how individual persons experience and are affected by traumatic events. However, recent research has shed light on the ways that trauma’s impact can be much broader than that. Whole families, communities, and groups of people in society can be affected by the same traumatic event. The effects of trauma can be passed down through from one generation to another. In other words, trauma can be shared by whole groups and spread across generations.

How does that happen? The answer is not a simple one. There are many ways that trauma can be shared, spread, and passed along as a legacy.

Before going any further into the mechanisms of multigenerational trauma, a reminder of two very important things everyone should know about trauma:

Trauma is never the fault of the individual or group experiencing the trauma. Being traumatized does not reflect an inherent deficiency or inferiority in the individual or group. Bad things happened to them, not because of them, and certainly not because they deserve it.
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not the predominant reaction to traumatic events. Individuals, groups, and societies differ in the ways they experience, process, and remember events. Most people who experience a traumatic event will recover naturally. It is only a small subset of survivors whose ability to cope will be overloaded and for whom the recovery process breaks down. These are the ones who become stuck in a post-traumatic state.

WHO IS AFFECTED?

nonetheless reporting symptoms of trauma, anxiety and depression related to their parents’ experiences during the Holocaust.The phenomenon of multigenerational trauma first gained attention in the 1960’s when clinicians began seeing an increasing number of adult children of survivors of the Nazi Holocaust seeking treatment for mental health concerns. These clients had not experienced trauma directly but were Similar patterns were later observed other groups including children

of Japanese-Americans who had been interned during World War II, Native Americans, children of the Rawandan genocide, children whose parents survived the Dutch famine of 1944-45, children of war veterans, and children born to mothers who survived the 9/11 terror attacks.

That list might give the impression that multigenerational trauma is something experienced only in the aftermath of a major historical event like a genocide, famine, or war. Multigenerational trauma does not require a massive event to occur. It also happens in families in which abuse has occurred generation after generation. It is evident in families and communities that have endured oppression, violence, and discrimination due to their race, ethnicity, or religion.

PERCEPTIONS OF SELF AND THE WORLD

Traumatic events affect our perceptions of ourselves, each other, and the world. Personal and collective memories are passed down in families and in society to form the story that becomes the foundation for our understanding of who we are, how we fit into the world, and what can be expected from others and from life. The earlier this narrative is passed on to us, the more likely we will be to internalize it, forming the unquestioned truth of “how it is.

If the story that is passed down to us is about strength, resilience in the face of adversity, and belonging, it becomes a source of vitality and of individual and collective pride. It is a resource that can bolster us during difficult times and help us to overcome the challenges life inevitably brings.

If the story is about oppression, failure, and always being less than, it fosters a sense of learned helplessness, futility, and shame. Why would anyone pass down such an awful story, you might ask? It gets passed on because it is what’s known, what has likely been reinforced by personal experiences, and what is accepted as truth. People do what they believe is necessary to prepare the next generation for the world as they know it.

SECONDARY VICTIMIZATION

Knowing that awful things have happened or could happen to someone you love can be traumatizing. This is especially true among people with a strong capacity for empathy (they are aware of and feel the pain and suffering of their loved one), and among people who feel powerless to ease their loved one’s suffering.

Children are often aware that their parent(s) have experienced trauma but don’t know the details of what happened nor of the full impact that the trauma had. This happens for a lot of reasons. It may be too difficult for the parent to talk about what happened. The memory might be just that painful. They might not know how to explain it. They might be afraid that someone who wasn’t there wouldn’t understand. They might believe that they are sparing their child(ren) pain by not telling them.

The unfortunate result of this silence is that children fill in the blanks for themselves, and often what they imagine is pretty awful, if not worse than what actually happened. Unintentionally, through their example, parents teach their children that awful experiences are not to be talked about, which leaves the child feeling alone and unable to reach out for support when facing their own difficulties. Some children feel an implied sense of duty to make up for the suffering that was inflicted upon their parents.

Bringing history out into the open, exposing it to light and talking about it is a necessary part of healing. It relieves the tension and shame associated with trying to keep things hidden. It makes it possible to grieve together and begin construction of a healthy narrative in which trauma is only a part rather than the main theme.

This is the first of a three-part blog series on Multi-generational trauma. Part II in the series will examine Learned Behaviors as part of the trauma cycle. If your child is affected by anxiety, depression or trauma, please contact C&A at 330.433.6075.

Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has more than 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

*To continue to support ongoing content on mental health topics, please make a donation at https://childandadolescent.org/give-to-ca/ or use the Venmo mobile app with the handle @CABehavioralHealth.

A HISTORY OF SELF-CARE

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 06:07:57 GMT

With so many stressful events happening in close succession over the past few years we have all heard reminders to make time for self-care. Some of these come in a paternalistic tone, like a concerned parent reminding a child to brush her teeth. Others come across more like a supportive friend who’s been there for you with a pint of ice cream after a breakup. In modern life most of us take the concept of self-care for granted, as something we all know we should do even when we don’t put it into practice very often. That hasn’t always been the case. The idea of self-care has evolved over time and has quite an interesting history.

MOST OF HISTORY

Through most of human history self-care focused on doing what was necessary for survival. Only members of the aristocracy and other wealthy individuals could afford the luxury of devoting time and resources to doing things purely for enjoyment and for their physical and mental betterment. For the general population, self-care as we think of it today would have been a foreign concept. Nonetheless, people have always done small things to make their lives tolerable – adding decorative touches to their possessions, singing songs or playing music, and so forth.

RISE OF THE LABOR MOVEMENT

In the 19th century workers began organizing their efforts to reduce working hours and include time for leisure in their week. A 1827 statement of their reasons for striking in demand of reducing their work hours to 10 per day, by a group of Philadelphia carpenters resolved, “All men have a just right, derived from their Creator, to have sufficient time each day for the cultivation of their mind and for self-improvement.” As organized labor gained power industrial employers began decreasing working hours. Many instituted a Saturday half-day holiday, and vacations began to be regularly offered (though usually unpaid). With more leisure time available, a wider variety of entertainment activities became available including vaudeville shows, circuses, Wild West shows, and county fairs. Parks, playgrounds and sports fields were dedicated. Museums and libraries opened in many communities. On a more commercial front, amusement parks, resorts and hotels began to crop up across the country. People began to form clubs related to hobbies or common interests, as well as sports teams and leagues.

FORD MOTOR CO.

In 1914 Henry Ford rocked the industrial world by offering to pay factory workers $5 a day. Before then workers typically earned around $2.25 for a 9-hour workday. In 1926 Ford did something even more radical. He introduced a 5-day work week at his factories. Why would Ford do these things? Was he a kind soul who truly cared about his workers? He was a businessman and these decisions made good business sense!

Before he increased the pay for his workers, turnover at Ford factories was high and it was costing the company more to constantly train new employees than it did to increase wages, enticing workers to stay in their current jobs.

A good businessman knows there’s not much advantage to putting more money into the pockets of workers if they don’t have time to spend that money. As Ford explained in an October 1926 Time interview, “People who have more leisure must have more clothes. They eat a greater variety of food. They require more transportation in vehicles.”

CONSUMERISM

With the rise of the advertising industry in the first half of the twentieth century, Americans became more aware of the many ways that commercially available products could make their lives better, easier, and more glamorous. This movement had a mixed impact on self-care. As appliances like refrigerators, vacuum cleaners and washing machines became more widely available and relatively more affordable, quality of life improved in some ways (less food spoilage, cleaner homes, etc.). However, it also brought higher demands on people in terms of what they “should” be doing during a day. People also found themselves working longer hours to be able to afford the latest innovations and to “keep up with the Joneses.” Leisure activities such as bowling, card games and magazines became popular. Radios, televisions, and record players found their way into living rooms throughout the country. People started going out in increasing numbers to movies, restaurants, and dance clubs. The rise of the middle class after the Second World War saw more people being able to afford to participate in recreational activities.

MEDICAL ADVICE

The term self-care was originally used in the medical field by doctors who wanted patients to be active participants in their own care by eating healthy, exercising, and maintaining healthy habits in general. Over time professionals in high-risk and emotionally daunting professions such as EMTs and ER staff were encouraged to practice self-care by attending to their own physical, mental, and emotional welfare. Professionals in fields such as counseling, social work, and nursing are now routinely taught that self-care is necessary for the prevention of compassion fatigue and burnout.

Civil Rights Movement

Recognizing the strong correlation between poverty and poor health, leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960’s drew attention to inequalities in the nation’s health care system. For example, when he addressed the convention of the Medical Committee for Human Rights in Chicago in 1966 Martin Luther King Jr. said, “Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in health is the most shocking and the most inhuman.”

The Black Panther Party picked up this torch and carried it further, characterizing self-care as both a political act and a necessary corrective action to preserve one’s mental and physical health while navigating the inequitable sociopolitical system. Advocacy led to the creation of free wellness programs and clinics across the country in response to the lack of adequate health and social-service programs in black communities.

WOMEN'S LIB MOVEMENT

Around that same time, activists in the women’s liberation movement began highlighting the rampant sexism that existed in institutional healthcare, where women’s bodies were characterized at best as inherently weak and deficient, and at worst as vectors of disease. The 1960’s and 70’s saw the emergence of healthcare clinics designed specifically to address women’s needs including reproductive health, preventative care, and self-care. Women were encouraged to share knowledge and support each other.

CATASTROPHIC EVENTS

In recent years self-care has emerged as a topic of attention in the aftermath of catastrophic events. Most notably, after the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, mental health experts throughout the country encouraged people to make time for self-care regardless of whether they were affected directly or indirectly by the attacks themselves. Similar advice was common more recently in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and the civil unrest that occurred in reaction to the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and police killings of unarmed black people. It is now commonly accepted wisdom to acknowledge the importance of self-care in moments of great political, social and cultural instability.

ONGOING CHALLENGES

Despite the broad acceptance of value of self-care during times of crisis, the routine practice of self-care is frowned upon in many circles. Acts of self-care often viewed as extravagant, self-indulgent, or attempts to justify laziness rather than as a form of self-preservation. Work remains to be done to establish self-care as a foundational component of basic health.

Mary M. Kreitz, LPC, CDCA has over 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health, is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

To further support C&A services, programs and initiatives such as this blog, you may donate using your Venmo mobile app - @CABehavioralHelath

IS ALLOWING YOUR CHILD TO DRINK A SMALL AMOUNT OF ALCOHOL ON NEW YEAR’S EVE HARMLESS OR IRRESPONSIBLE PARENTING?

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 04:39:17 GMT

As thoughts shift toward a fresh start in a new year, there is an energy in the air and hope in our hearts for new beginnings. Out with the old, in with the new! Let’s celebrate! Friends and families gather again to welcome in the New Year in a variety of ways. The question of whether to allow your child a sip of the bubbly might be yours to answer this season. For some, the answer is easy, others wrestle with it. Rather than take a side one way or the other, this article lays out two sides of the argument, introduces a third, and ends with some delightful non-alcoholic drinks for kids.

FOR ALLOWING A FEW SIPS

Those in favor of allowing their child to have alcohol on special occasions limit the use to sips, a taste, or a watered-down version. This is done in the company of family where they can be monitored. “Allowing teenagers to experience alcohol in a family environment can stop teenagers from binge drinking” was one response on the Quora forum.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports Underage Drinking as a serious public health problem. Underage drinking does not include sips of alcohol but rather a standard sized drink of 5 percent of alcohol or more.

Another often used argument in favor of allowing youth alcohol use references European countries and cultures where alcohol use is commonplace. Throughout Europe, the legal drinking age is 16 for wine and beer, and 18 for other types of alcohol. Alcohol tends to be consumed with meals either before, during, or after the meal. Since alcohol is absorbed through the stomach, any food in the stomach would also absorb the alcohol before it moves to the bloodstream. In a 2016 study of European adolescents drinking culture, alcohol use was identified in three categories, non, mild, and high/risky use. Iceland had the highest percentage of non-users, Germany fell below the average, and Denmark had the highest proportion of risky users. According to the study, 15 Percent of all adolescents across all countries can be classified as risky users. For more information from this study see, Alcohol drinking cultures of European adolescents | European Journal of Public Health | Oxford Academic (oup.com) .

Some wonder if forbidding it is like demonizing it. Will youth then want to drink more? Others have expressed concern that if kids are not permitted to drink, they will go hog wild in college or when given the opportunity. Teens are notorious for pursuing something they are told not to do.

AGAINST ALLOWING A FEW SIPS

Counter to the argument that letting kids have sips at a young age teaches responsible behavior, is the idea that giving them alcohol actually reinforces approval of alcohol. When youth are given alcohol underage, the message they get is that alcohol use underage is okay.

UnderOhio law, children under the age of 21 may drink alcoholic beverages while under the supervision of their parents. Alcohol is the most frequently used substance according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Adults (age 21 or older) who started using alcohol before age 15 were almost six times as likely to have alcohol dependence or abuse than adults who first used alcohol at age 21.

A 2015 study, published in the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, followed a group of children from the beginning of sixth grade to the beginning of ninth grade to look at whether early sipping behavior was associated with patterns of early alcohol use. They excluded alcohol in the context of religious services. The children who had tried alcohol before sixth grade, mostly at home, mostly beer and wine, mostly given by a parent, were more likely to have had full drinks or gotten drunk by the beginning of ninth grade. The study concluded that parental attitudes about drinking may have a stronger influence than the drink itself. Parents that refuse to give sips are reinforcing rules for drinking at a legal age.

One parent approached the topic this way, “I would explain that beer is bittered as a preservative but also to make it not appealing to youngsters. And that human tastes change in the early 20s to like bitter more. You’ll like it better somewhere in your early 20s.”

NEITHER

Early sipping has not been found to cause problem behavior for teens but hasn’t been proven that it doesn’t either. There is no evidence that the teaching approach prevents youth from irresponsible behavior as they get older. There is no ‘one size fits all’ solution here. Here’s an alternative option. Let the focus of the celebration be on the event rather than the alcohol. Make some special and fun drinks for those occasions when toasting is part of the event. Kids and teens will enjoy making or choosing a drink that is rare which will add to the specialness of the event.

ALTERNATIVES

Below are four fun non-alcoholic drinks that could be a tantalizing option for any curious youth. Most of these ideas come from the websites, 20 New Years Eve Drink Recipes for Kids (growingupgabel.com) and New Years Eve Drinks for Kids (3boysandadog.com) .

ROCK CANDY SPRITZERS

You’ll need a 2-liter of Sprite, Rock Candy suckers, and plastic champagne cups. Fill the cups with Sprite and then place one candy stick in each. Swirl it around a little to get a nice color!

Technically, you could just warm up some apple cider and call it hot apple cider. But this recipe takes it a step further. And you’re only adding on a few minutes of work for a hot drink that is so delicious. Here is what makes this one special:

Apple Cider– pick a good one, if you can. I like one that is nice and cloudy, more than just apple juice labeled as cider.
Lemon Juice– make sure it is freshly squeezed, not from a bottle. It makes a huge difference!
Orange Juice– again, freshly squeezed for the best results.
Cinnamon Sticks– these are the whole sticks, and you throw them in whole. They flavor the cider – you won’t actually eat (drink) the cinnamon sticks.
Lemon Zest– this will flavor the cider. You remove this before serving.
Orange Zest– same as the lemon above.
Whole Cloves– Again, these are just to flavor the cider. They do bring a lot of flavor, so don’t skip them. You remove these before serving, as well.

Ingredients

1/2 gallon apple cider
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
3 cinnamon sticks
1 strip of lemon zest
1 strip of orange zest
4 whole cloves

Instructions

In a large pot, combine all of the ingredients.
Simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes, but do not allow it to boil.
When ready to serve, ladle the cider into cups or mugs, leaving the cinnamon, zest and cloves in the pot.
Serve warm.

MAGIC MERMAID WATER MOCKTAIL

Mocktails are a short way of saying “fake cocktails”. They contain zero alcohol but can be fairly sugar-heavy.

Mermaid Water Ingredients

Pineapple Juice
Gatorade Zero Sugar, Berry Flavored
Gatorade Frost, Glacier Freeze
Ice Cubes
Pineapple juice.

To Make Mermaid Water

Start by filling your glass completely to the top with ice cubes.
If you would like to use a straw, it’s best to insert your straw in the glass before pouring your liquids, otherwise the straw will disturb the layering process.
Pour the pineapple juice over the ice, filling the glass a little over a third full.
Next, very slowly pour the Gatorade Zero Berry over the pineapple juice, filling the glass about ¾ full.
If the Gatorade begins pouring too quickly it will mix into the pineapple juice.
A trick to help pour slowlyis to hold a spoon with the backside facing up across the glass and pour the Gatorade over the back side of the spoon.
It will slowly trickle into the glass and keep it from mixing with the pineapple juice.
Lastly, pour the Gatorade Frost Glacier Freeze slowly over the Gatorade Zero Berry.
The two will slightly mix together creating an ombre effect, while still separating from the pineapple juice.

PEPPERMINT MOCKTAIL

Ingredients

½ cup sugar
½ cup water
¼ teaspoon peppermint extract
2 cups eggnog
5 scoops vanilla ice cream
1 cup of crushed peppermint candy
Club soda

Instructions

Combine sugar, water, and peppermint extract in a small saucepan.
Bring this to a boil, then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.
Remove the mixture from the stove and allow it to cool for 3-5 minutes.
While that's cooling, combine peppermint extract, eggnog, vanilla ice cream and half the peppermint candy in a blender until smooth.
Place the rest of the crushed peppermints on a plate. Dip your cup’s rim in water or corn syrup, then in the peppermint candy.
Pour one cup of peppermint eggnog mixture into each cup, then top-off each glass with club soda.

Hopefully you and your children will have lots of fun this holiday and in all future celebrations. If you do find your teen has developed a problem with alcohol use and may need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Karita Nussbaum PhD, LISW-S, LICDC. Dr. Nussbaum is an experienced substance use and mental health counselor and is the Program Manager for the Gemini Program, C&A’s program that addresses both mental health and substance use concerns. Happy New Year from C&A!

If your teenager is experiencing issues with alcohol or other substance use issues, please call C&A at 330.433.6075.

Karita Nussbaum , PhD, LISW, LICDC has over thirty years of experience working in the field of behavioral health, over 10 are with substance use. She is currently the Program Manager for the Gemini Program which serves both mental health and substance use disorders at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health .

SUICIDE IN CHILDREN

Tue, 16 Nov 2021 05:58:42 GMT

When we talk about suicide usually the discussion is about teens and young adults. In fact, many people believe that younger children aren’t capable of intentionally ending their own lives because they assume that children don’t really understand what it means to be dead. Unfortunately, this type of thinking is not only incorrect, but also dangerous.

THE HARD TRUTH

Pre-adolescent children can and do die by suicide . According to data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death for children ages 5-11 years. Research has shown that by age 9 most children have a thorough understanding of both death and suicide. Regardless, it isn’t necessary to be able to fully understand what it means to be dead in order to engage in actions that could result in death.

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR CHILD IS AT RISK

You can find lots of articles about suicide that include lists of risk factors and warning signs. These lists were compiled out of desire to identify who is at risk so that we can intervene before anyone gets hurt. Unfortunately, research shows that these lists aren’t very useful in predicting which specific individuals will think about suicide and which ones will make an attempt. The truth is that lots of stressful life events can increase a person’s risk for suicide. Suicide is never the result of just one bad thing that happened. People reach a point of thinking about suicide when they are experiencing so much psychological pain that they come to believe the only way to end their pain (or the burden they believe they have become to others) is through ending their life.

The best way to know if your child (or any child) is at risk is to communicate directly with the child. Know what is going on in their life, whether they’re under a lot of stress or having a rough time. Notice changes in the way your child behaves and reacts and notice when that changes – when they aren’t acting like themselves. Talk to your child. Not just when problems are occurring (if you wait until then to start talking, you’re already too late), but talk to them regularly. Listen. Listen carefully. Too often parents minimize their child’s problems (“Oh it can’t be that bad”), rush to try to fix things (“Well all you need to do is . . .”), listen half-way while also trying to do something else, or get distracted by disapproval (“You did what”). When that happens, children don’t feel safe being open and honest. The only way to get them to really tell you what is going on in their life is to show them that they have your undivided attention and that you can handle hearing whatever it is they have to say.

If you have even the tiniest suspicion that your child might be suicidal, ask them about it. Don’t be afraid that bringing it up will backfire by planting the suggestion in their brain. It doesn’t work that way. If they aren’t thinking about suicide, they’ll let you know. If they are, then you’ve just opened the door to talking about it and getting them the help they need.

HOW TO ASK ABOUT IT

Asking a person if they’re thinking about suicide is hard. Most of the time when we’re asking the question we are also thinking inside our heads, “Please say no. Please say no. Please say no.” No one wants a person they care about to be suicidal. But we have to be brave enough to ask, because asking just might save that person’s life.

A person who is suicidal might not be able to volunteer that information. They can’t walk up to you and say, “I really need your help. I’m thinking about killing myself.” However, many people who have attempted suicide and survived reported afterward that they had been hoping desperately that someone would notice and ask them. Be that someone who asked.

There is no one right way to ask. You can weave it into the conversation: “You seem to be in a lot of pain right now. Sometimes when people are in that much pain, they think about killing themselves. Are you thinking of that?” You can ask directly: “Are you thinking about killing yourself?” What you don’t want to do is ask in a way that telegraphs to them that you want them to say No: “You aren’t thinking of killing yourself, are you?” And you don’t want to ask in a way that passes judgment: “You’re not thinking of doing anything stupid, are you?”

FALSE ALARMS

Because we are talking about children here, it is necessary to acknowledge that children sometimes say things they don’t mean. It isn’t that unusual for a child who is upset to say something like, “I hate my life! I wish I was dead!” If this happens with your child, don’t automatically dismiss it. There may be a pretty good chance that the child is being dramatic. However, something is going on. After your child has calmed down, go back and check in, “Is that something you really think about?” If it is not, help your child to find other, more accurate words to express the intense emotions they were feeling.

WHAT IF THEY SAY YES?

If your child tells you that they are thinking about suicide, there are several important steps to take next:

Ask them to tell you about what they’re going through and listen. You don’t have to fix their problems. Just listen and show that you care.
Tell them that you love them, and you want them to stay alive. This may be an obvious one to you, but it’s not obvious to a person who is suicidal. They need to hear the words.
Get professional help. Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-8255) or text 741741 for free, professional help 24/7. They aren’t just there to help the person who is suicidal. They can support you and help you through this difficult conversation with your child.
Follow up by calling a local counseling or behavioral health agency to begin services for your child.
Take care of yourself. Your child is going to need you. This isn’t an easy conversation for any parent to have. Use your self-care strategies and resources to take care of yourself so that you can continue to be there for your child.

*C&A does offer counseling and programming for children experiencing suicide ideation. For more information, call 330.433.6075.

Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has over 20 years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

IS YOUR ADOLESCENT BEHAVING SEXUALLY APPROPRIATE?

Wed, 03 Nov 2021 05:50:57 GMT

In a perfect world, parents would have started the difficult conversations regarding appropriate and inappropriate sexual behavior with their child before reaching double digits. As youth approach the middle school years, hormonal changes combined with technology can lead to not only curiosity but behavior that can lead to a youth being in trouble with the law.

In part one of this two-part blog series, C&A’s Sexually Inappropriate Behavioral Remediation (SIBR) team of Dr. Emma Farkas and Dr. Seandra Walker discussed what is sexually appropriate behavior for children ages 5 to 9, using the Traffic Lights Framework . Using the Traffic Light framework, green represents normal, safe and healthy behavior; yellow indicates behaviors that are concerning and can be risks to health, safety and relationships; and red exhibits actions that are problematic, harmful and abusive behaviors.

For adolescents ages 10 to 13, Dr. Farkas and Dr. Walker explained healthy sexual behavior for males and females as their body changes and develops.

Appropriate behavior for this age group is masturbating in private; accessing information about sexuality; sexual conversations or use of humor/obscenities with peers.
Behaviors that may start to be concerning would be accessing pornographic material; sexual activities with unknown peers; and persistent expression of fear of STI/STD or pregnancy.

Actions that may be problematic or harmful include engaging vulnerable others in a process to gain sexual activity (i.e., grooming); force or coercion of others in sexual activity; sending/publishing sexual images of self or others.

Adolescents in intermediate/middle school start to become more curious either seeing pictures at home, in magazines or receive texts (sexting) from a friend.

Dr. Farkas said, “sexting with or without nude photos or videos is illegal for minors (for both those sending and those receiving) and pornography can be illegal in certain circumstances. Regardless of legality, viewing pornography has especially harmful effects for children and adolescents. Curiosity is normal; we encourage parents to welcome questions and provide developmentally appropriate and educational responses.”

In addition to the warning signals listed above, here are few additional signs parents should keep in mind.

Green light behavior would include additional need for privacy; viewing materials for sexual arousal; interest in participating in 1:1 relationship with a similar peer; and sexual activity with a partner of similar age.

Yellow light behavior is persistent masturbation; explicit sexual talk, art or play; accessing

pornographic material; marked changed in behavior (adult flirting) and mutual oral/intercourse with known partner of similar age.

Red light behavior includes compulsive masturbation; oral sex/intercourse with person of different age group/ability/peer group; sending/publishing sexual images of self and others; arranging face-to-face meetings with online acquaintance; sexuality activity for money; and processing, accessing and sending child exploitation material.

An adolescents first relationship

As youth enter the middle school setting, adolescents often get into their first relationship. Over time, the concept of a first love has remained the same but dating and communicating has changed. Here are some guidelines for appropriate relationships.

Green light behavior would be a 1:1 relationship with a peer of similar age/developmental level; sexual activity with a partner of similar age/developmental level (making out); use of internet in relationship in peers.

Yellow light behavior may or may not be “totally normal” for this age group. These behaviors include markedly changed behavior (adult flirting behavior); persistent sexual talk or sexual activities with unknown peers (making out); mutual oral/intercourse with known partner.

Red light behavior regarding dating would be unsafe and include engaging vulnerable other in a process to gain sexual activity (grooming); forced or coercion of others in sexual activity; oral sex/intercourse with a person of different age/developmental level; presence of STI/STD/pregnancy.

How do parents have conversations about their child’s gender identify or sexual orientation?

As adolescents become sexually active, some youth start to question/explore their gender or sexual orientation. When youth begin to go through this process, there is a fear factor of how others will perceive them. Here are some tips for parents to provide a safe zone.

“Many times, children do not open up to their parents because they are fearful of being rejected or judged,” wrote Dr. Farkas. “The most important aspects of creating a safe and open line of communication with your child are listening without judgment and asking questions to gain a better understanding.” (Please see attached sheet)

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) provides a Healthy Sexuality Group for youth ages 12 to 17. Currently, C&A does not offer a group for children under age 12 but C&A can provide consultation with a clinician in our SIBR program to review the Traffic Light modular to see if a child needs to work with a trauma-informed, child-based therapist that is competent in this area.

If your child is displaying signs that the child is engaging in inappropriate sexual healthy behaviors, please call 330.433.6075.

*This completes C&A’s series on healthy sexual behavior for children up to age 13. Part two of the series will focus on healthy sexual behavior for youth ages 10-13. C&A’s expert clinical staff in our Sexually Inappropriate Behavioral Remediation department provided information for this post. Program Manager Dr. Seandra Walker has four years of clinical experience treating clients with inappropriate sexual behavior and Dr. Emma Farkas has three years of experience in the field.

WHAT IS SEXUALLY APPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR FOR KIDS AGES 5 TO 9?

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 05:32:17 GMT

A parent has many decisions to make when caring for their children. Oftentimes, decisions start with having conversations with your child. Many of those talks center around the table sharing each other’s day while eating dinner. Dinnertime conversation can lead to the start of uncomfortable topics.

The most uncomfortable conversation for most parents is talking about sex. One way to address and discuss sex and healthy sexuality is to start at an early age so over time the conversations become less painful and embarrassing for both parties.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) Sexually Inappropriate Behavioral Remediation (SIBR) department consisting of Dr. Seandra Walker and Dr. Emma Farkas provide tips for what is appropriate sexual behavioral for kids ages 5 to 9.

At age 5, kids are starting school (kindergarten) and are becoming more aware of their sexual body parts. Using a green, yellow and red traffic light framework , Dr. Farkas outlines what is healthy/appropriate sexual behavior that fall within the Traffic Lights Framework (green is good and red is bad)

Green light - is body touching and holding own genitals; masturbation (usually with the awareness of privacy); and curiosity about other children’s genitals involving looking at or touching familiar children.
Yellow light behaviors include masturbation in public, masturbation with others and masturbation causing self-injury, explicit sexual talk, art and play as well as persistent nudity and/or exposure in public.
Red light behavior includes compulsive masturbation; persistent bullying involving sexual aggression; and entering rooms of sleeping children to engage in sexual touch.

A PARENT’S REACTION AND RESPONSE

Dr. Farkas and Dr. Walker wrote each child is going to discover their body parts within the first few years of their life, which is normal behavior! Parents should respond positively as this is crucial for the child to develop an understanding of what is appropriate versus inappropriate. Each child has the right to accurate, developmentally appropriate information as well as the right to learn rules, boundaries and social cues.

As the child discovers their body parts, Dr. Farkas and Dr. Walker encourage parents to begin to use anatomically correct names for body parts from the moment their child begins speaking. “Afterall, they’re just body parts, similar to an arm, a neck or and elbow!” wrote Dr. Farkas.

This is important for numerous reasons; however, it is especially important if the abuse of one’s child takes place and legal proceedings begin. For example, if a four-year-old girl is sexually abused but is unable to tell the police or forensic interviewer the anatomically correct name (and instead uses a “nickname” or “silly name” that her family or her peer use), prosecution of the perpetrator can be made difficult, and even sometimes be halted.

KIDS AND CELL PHONES

Most households no longer have a home phone and kids as young as age seven or eight have cell phones to communicate with their parents. The recommendation is all parents have at least one app and/or plan for parental controls on their child’s cell phone and/or regularly check their child’s cell phone for inappropriate and/or other suspicious activity. Older people who aim to hurt or otherwise exploit children are doing so via cell phones, video games and other online platform these days. It is no longer a stereotypical “creepy person in a van.”

Psychologists are also encouraging youth to tell their parents if a peer, stranger or other person sends them any inappropriate and/or unsafe messages or materials. Simultaneously, it is recommended that parents continue to encourage their children to do the same as well.

If your child is showing signs of falling into the yellow or red light of the traffic light framework, and conversations are not deteriorating the behavior, please call 330.433.6075. A visit to C&A’s SIBR program may be warranted to see if treatment is recommended.

*This is the first of a two-part series on healthy sexual behavior for children up to age 13. Part two of the series will focus on healthy sexual behavior for youth ages 10-13. C&A’s expert clinical staff in our Sexually Inappropriate Behavioral Remediation department provided information for this post. Program Manager Dr. Seandra Walker has four years of clinical experience treating clients with inappropriate sexual behavior and Dr. Emma Farkas has three years of experience in the field.

C&A’S COLLEGIATE FAIRS PROVIDE SELF-CARE TIPS TO COLLEGE STUDENTS

Mon, 04 Oct 2021 04:23:26 GMT

In many ways, this past year has tested the patience of even the most positive person. On a monthly basis, one obstacle after another seems to have been placed in front of every individual. All of these challenges has led each of us to a unique shared experience.

Young adults and adolescents have had a major disruption to the way they are used to socializing, learning, communicating, quarantining, masking up and not being able to attend events in person. This has led to an increase in stress and anxiety for many of our collegiate students, who are also adjusting to the “adult world” by living on their own for the first time.

To help young adults across Stark County attack the challenges they are facing today, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is presenting its third annual Collegiate Mental Health Day on each campus throughout the month of October. C&A will spend two hours, one day on each campus to bring increased awareness to positive mental health practices to college students and provide strategies to cope with stress, anxiety and depression.

COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Many Stark County organizations have come together to help C&A in their mission.

Coleman Crisis Center will be at each event making students aware of their 24-hour mobile crisis unit for students who are struggling emotionally and may be considering harming themselves. Stark Help Central will provide collateral on suicide prevention to students. C&A’s Stark County Youth Led Prevention team will speak with students and provide handouts informing students how to live a substance free lifestyle. In addition, the University of Mount Union (UMU) has offered their radio station, WRMU-FM, as a way to reach UMU students with mental health messaging though public service announcements (PSA). These PSA’s will be available for other partner schools to share on campus and through their social media channels. This year’s PSA announcements focus on self-care – exercising, proper nutrition, journaling, socialization and the importance of listening to music.

Sponsors for these campus events include Stark County Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR) and the Ohio Program for College Safety and Mental Health provided a grant.

COLLEGIATE PARTNERS

Partnering schools for this important effort include Kent State University -Stark, Malone University , Stark State College , the University of Mount Union and Walsh University . Each participating school will host C&A for two hours on a different day throughout the month of October to bring self-care strategies to campus.

A self-care kit filled with P.A.S.S. (Panic, Anxiety, Stress and Support) Kit cards, a single packet of Gatorade powder to mix with water, a magnet with local and national emergency contact numbers, a positive affirmation chip and a mini journal notebook for each student that stops by the C&A booth on campus. The kits are to provide students with positive messaging to ease stress and anxiety and increase their ability to cope with life’s ongoing challenges.

Finally, students may participate in a make and take project. Students will have the opportunity to fill a test tube with water and add glitter. The individual will then shake the test tube up. As the glitter floats everywhere, it represents how sometimes our thoughts are jumbled, out-of-control and we feel unbalanced. Over time, the glitter settles to the bottom of the jar and our thoughts become clearer and may lead to the solution in an uneasy situation.

Students who choose to participate will have the opportunity to pick up information sheets on topics ranging from time management and ways to reduce stress to maintaining positive mental health practices.

For more information on the services C&A offers, please call 330.433.6075.

FACTS ABOUT FASD

Thu, 09 Sep 2021 04:17:42 GMT

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASDs) is one of the most common preventable neuro-developmental disorders. FASDs are a collection of diagnoses with a range of different effects that occur in individuals who were exposed to alcohol through the umbilical cord during their mother’s pregnancy. The effects on an individual with an FASD diagnose differ from person to person and range from physical, mental, behavioral and/or learning challenges.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

Like any other disorder, signs and symptoms differ from person-to-person. Though an individual may not experience all these signs and symptoms or the same signs and symptoms as a peer with FASDs, it is very well possible they exhibit a few. The CDC has identified the following as potential signs and symptoms:

Low body weight
Poor coordination
Hyperactive behavior
Difficulty with attention
Poor memory
Difficulty in school (especially with math)
Learning disabilities
Speech and language delays
Intellectual disability or low IQ
Poor reasoning and judgmental skills
Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
Vision or hearing problems
Problems with heart, kidneys, or bones
Shorter-than-average height
Small head size
Abnormal facial features, such as smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip

FASD DIAGNOSES

Four FASD diagnoses have been identified based on the different signs and symptoms displayed in individuals.

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is the most involved diagnosis in the FASDs category. FAS can affect all aspects of an individual’s life and typically effect the central nervous system.

Alcohol-related neurodevelopmental disorder (ARND) most commonly affects an individual’s learning and behavioral ability.

Alcohol-related birth defects (ARBD) affects an individual’s physical health. Most commonly, physicians notice complications with an individual’s heart, kidneys, and bone growth.

Lastly, neurobehavioral disorder associated with prenatal alcohol exposure (ND-PAE) affects three areas: thinking and memory, behavioral challenges and trouble with day-to-day living.

Unlike many other diagnoses, there is no medical test to confirm an FASD diagnosis and many signs and symptoms mimic other disorders such as Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Physicians look at four aspects to confirm diagnosis of FASDs:

Prenatal alcohol exposure
Central nervous system problems
Lower-than-average weight and/or height
Abnormal facial features

TREATMENT AND HELP

FASD is a preventable lifetime disorder with no cure, but studies reveal that with early diagnosis and intervention an individual’s symptoms may reduce in severity and development may improve. Physicians have identified treatments that show improvement an individual’s day-to-day life: medication, alternative approaches, therapy and parent training.

If a parent suspects their child has FASDs, they can contact their primary care physician, school resource counselor, school psychologist, local mental health agency and/or FASD clinic. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health is one of three FASD clinics in the state of Ohio. Early diagnosis, and therefore, early intervention may allow for great improvement in a child’s development physically, mentally and emotionally.

It is important to remember that FASD is preventable, but if you suspect a child has FASD, early diagnosis and treatment can better a child’s life.

Currently, C&A is one of three FASD clinics in the state of Ohio, and the only clinic in Northeastern Ohio. For more information or to make an appointment, call 330-433-6075.

* Information for this blog post was taken from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, May 21). Basics about fasds. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/fasd/facts.html.

WHAT MEDICAL PAPERWORK IS NEEDED FOR YOUR COLLEGE STUDENT

Tue, 24 Aug 2021 04:09:49 GMT

Parents and their children look forward to many milestones – the first day of kindergarten; turning 13 and becoming a teenager; passing your driver’s test and getting your license at age 16; and turning 18 – the age the law states you are an adult.

“There are many important changes that occur once that legal adulthood milestone is reached,” wrote Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s Assistant Clinical Officer Susan Brown. “One of those changes is the ability to be involved in decision making and access to information related to your new adult. Preparation, including open and honest discussions prior to this transition to young adulthood will set you both up for success.”

In today’s world, due to HIPPA compliance laws, a parent no longer has access to their young adult’s medical records. Setting up appointments may be difficult and questioning/setting up a payment plan for medical bills must go through your child even though the child is on a parent’s insurance plan and the parent is oftentimes paying the bill.

“Prior to turning 18, engaging with the medical professionals involved in your young adult’s life will prepare each for what someone does and does not have access to regarding their medical information,” wrote Brown. “Several documents including having signed HIPPA forms (medical information access), Healthcare Proxy’s (being able to act on behalf of your young adult) and a Durable Power of Attorney (financial decision making) are beneficial to have prepared in case of emergencies.”

Brown recommends speaking with your teen about these documents and the purpose of each will prepare you (the parent) for this transition in medical decision-making. “Afterwards, you and your teen may consult with a local attorney regarding these documents and having them prepared.”

WHAT IS A PARENT’S ROLE?

Our role as a parent is to provide stable, safe and informed environments to foster our teens sense of autonomy and confidence,” wrote Brown. “The goal is that they become functioning adults capable of making decisions as they begin to individuate and set future goals. Engaging with your teen prior to this transition to adulthood encourages them to take responsibility of their care, holding themselves accountable and building self-reliance.

“As parents, we continue to reinforce the skills, offer reminders, begin conversations, listen to what your teen is sharing and respect their privacy. Having discussions related to medical care, decision making and payment of medical services will take many of the ‘What ifs’, confusion and frustration out of the relationship and transitions.”

ENGAGING YOUR CHILD IN THE DECISION MAKING

While preparation is the key to handle this transition, it is just as important to engage your teenager in the process of navigating their medical professional’s specific way of appointment setting, medication management and paying medical expenses.

“Parents should have these discussions at a well visit with the doctor and your teen in advance of them turning 18,” wrote Brown. “Many medical professionals offer on-line medical portals and engaging with your teen on how to access these (for example, MyChart with Akron Children’s Hospital) will provide guided understanding of what these portals offer and how to navigate them. Additionally, it is important that they be aware of their medical coverage and have a copy of their medical insurance card with them should the need arise.”

INFORMATION IF YOUR CHILD IS AWAY AT COLLEGE

“If your young adult is attending a college, it may be necessary to have HIPPA forms completed not only for their home state, but for the state they are attending college,” wrote Brown. “This too may be discussed with an attorney. Additionally, Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) was enacted to protect student information. Students may sign FERPA releases so that whoever they designate may access to their financial /academic information. Information regarding this Act can be found on the U.S. Department of Education website at www.2.ed.gov .

“This is a significant transition for yourself and your child. Educating yourself and your teen along with communicating with one another will help to prepare you. Learn and go through the process together.”

In the end, all the above tips will strengthen your relationship with one another, reduce conflict and set your young adult up for success.

Information for this article was provided by Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s Susan Brown , LPPC-S. Brown is C&A’s Assistant Clinical Officer, Master’s Program Coordinator and NextGen Trainer.

A LIVE CIRQUE PERFORMANCE HIGHLIGHTS LYLS

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 04:05:18 GMT

Are you ready for a dazzling array of colors to fill a room against the backdrop of stilt walker, a cyr wheelist rolling across the floor, an aerialist and other roaming acrobatic performances.

Just in case you haven’t heard, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) Annual Let Your Light Shine (LYLS) Event is on Aug. 14, 2021, starting at 6 p.m. What a great outing to close the summer season and prepare for the new school year. Where else will you and your friends be able to relax, enjoy a nice dinner, watch a live Cirque performance presented by Down To Earth Aerials and bid on exciting auction items.

This year, C&A Board Member Mike Gallina will be the emcee and auctioneer for our live auction. Highlights of the live auction feature two fantastic vacation destinations on the opposite sides of the country and Art from the Classroom. The trips include:

A four-day, three-night Las Vegas trip which includes airfare and a Visa Gift card;
A seven-day, seven-night Orlando vacation which includes airfare and activity vouchers; and
Art from Classroom is created by clients in our four offices.

This year’s silent auction features unique, family activities that will provide exceptional experiences and great memories. Additional auction items deliberately chosen so that everyone’s interests will be piqued include wireless Bluetooth electric smoker, kayak with paddles, kitchen sets, spa packages, a variety of women’s purses by Kate Spade, Coach and Michael Khors, men’s watches, women’s jewelry, an ice cream maker and many more intriguing items.

Due to the pandemic last year, LYLS pivoted from in-person to online, which made attendees more tech-savvy. Therefore, this year’s event will be a hybrid event. Starting Aug. 7, the agency will open the online bidding for auction items to the public. If you are already not preregistered, you create your account and then begin bidding on items. At the auction, we will continue with the online bidding which will allow all attendees to watch their items and continue to bid while enjoying delicious food and live entertainment. LYLS event attendees will be able to participate in the Live Auction, so make sure to purchase your tickets to be able to bid on our exciting Live Auction items.

The agency is thrilled to highlight some of the amazing work done by C&A throughout the year. This past May, C&A sponsored its third annual Stark County Mental Health Schools Week. For the first time this year, the agency created a unity video from 12 Stark County Partner School Districts. Overall, the agency introduced 21 Student Mental Health Champions. Each year, C&A strives to add to our partner list and create a strong community within Stark County to promote healthy lives for all our students. The agency’s work does not stop with our local schools but expands to the five Stark County colleges and universities – Kent State University -Stark Campus, Malone University, University of Mount Union, Stark State College and Walsh University. Each year, the agency coordinates with the colleges and universities to host a Mental Health Day with activities and information to increase mental health awareness and acceptance among the campuses.

Monica Gwin, the auction team chaired by Jen Frey and the Mission Advancement Office have worked tirelessly to create a night you surely will not forget. Thank you to all our sponsors who have helped to make this night happen. We want to highlight our Beacon Sponsor – The Repository, Shine Sponsors – PPI Graphics & The Hoover Foundation and Sparkle Sponsors – Schauer Group & Norman Eckinger. Without the generous donations and sponsorships from area businesses, the agency would not be able to provide the services and programs to the more than 4,400 individuals we serve here at C&A.

The agency looks forward to hosting you at our 2021 Let Your Light Shine Event in support of all our services provided at C&A. There are multiple ways for you to participate this year:

Purchase a Grand Raffle tickets for $25, with the opportunity to win $2,500.
Purchase an $85 ticket to attend the event.
Participate in the on-line auction if you are unable to attend.

Tickets are available for purchase by visiting www.childandadolescent.org, scroll over the events tab, and select “LYLS Cirque De Lumiere – Partie Deux.” Remember, a little support from you could mean a world of difference to the families we serve every day.

For more information, contact Chief Advancement Officer Melissa Coultas at mcoultas@childandadolescent.org or call 330.454.7917, ext. 114

IS YOUR TEEN A SCREENAGER?

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 04:00:07 GMT

Delaney Ruston is the mother of two teenagers and a medical doctor. When her daughter was in junior high, they began shopping for a phone for her. Delaney wanted her daughter to have a phone only for the purpose of verbal communication, her daughter wanted a phone with the internet so she could connect with her friends through social media. A conflict followed as mother and daughter battled the wants of the other. This struggle led Dr. Ruston in a deeper dive into the influence and impact of the digital world and teens. As a result of her study, Delaney has produced two videos, a book, podcast, and website that is packed full of extremely valuable and helpful information for parents. In this blog, information on her site is highlighted.

THE WEBSITE

https://www.screenagersmovie.com/ contains links to the two movies, a blog, podcast, and resources for parents. Viewers are welcome to join a screening of the movie or host their own screening. There is a cost involved to host the movie, suggestions are given to help cover the cost. The website also includes bios of Delaney Ruston and the production team, contact information, testimonials, and event photos. It is designed to be informative and helpful to parents, educators, and others concerned about youth and screens.

THE MOVIES

SCREENAGERS: Growing Up in the Digital World and Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER: Uncovering Skills for Stress Resilience are feature-length documentaries addressing the emerging concern of technology and kids. The videos are each over 2 hours long and can be viewed online for $20 each or $25 for both. The films have been shown at several film festivals receiving rave reviews.

SCREENAGERS reveals how tech time impacts kids’ development and offers solutions on how adults can empower kids to best navigate the digital world and find balance.”

“The impact of social media and screen time in general is incorporated in topics brought to our attention in Screenagers NEXT CHAPTER, how it may be impacting our teen’s mental health, and what we can do to help support youth in the face of struggles.”

SCREENAGERS BLOG

From 2016 to now, Delaney has written about a variety of topics ranging from Addiction to Video Games. In a weekly post entitled, Tech Talk Tuesdays, Dr. Ruston draws from her own experiences as she writes about how to have conversations about technology. For example, the topic this week (this is being written July 13) is, “Parents In Conflict Over Screen Time.” She shares strategies for parents and includes a link to helpful Screen Time Rules.

Also on the blog page is the option to sign up to receive Dr. Ruston’s weekly Tech Talk Tuesday’s newsletter.

THE BOOK

Parenting in the Screen Age can be purchased through the website or Amazon for $19.95.

Dr. Ruston draws from research and provides How To’s for:

How to bring up screen time without making your child or teen defensive
How to talk through difficult issues like online social cruelty, sexting, and mental health
How to engage your child in creating boundaries around Netflix, video gaming, and social media
How to have screen time limits that actually work--with less of the sneaking or arguing.

SCREENAGERS PODCAST

Dr. Ruston interviews researchers, thought leaders, and youth as they explore the latest science and tips for parents and youth. Each episode is intended to be listed to by kids and their parents with the intent to generate conversation. Some of the topics available currently are:

Brain Biology and Preventing Excessive Video Gaming
TikTok’s Allure (And How 2 Teens Cut Back)
New Science on Sleep, Our Kids and What to Do
Tips From a Therapist of Teens with Problematic Tech Use
Violence in Video Games and Shows and Why Should We Care

The podcasts are available on Apple Podcast and Spotify.

OTHER RESOURCES

Perhaps the most hidden gem on this site are the Resources. This page contains links to more information mentioned in the movies. Delaney includes links to articles she is written and research on the topic.

This website is truly a godsend for the time we are living in. Youth are on their screens more than ever and, let us be honest, screens are not going to go away. How we interact with screens MUST be the next focus as we guide our children toward healthy, happy adulthood.

PUFF BARS: THE NEW ERA OF DISPOSABLE VAPING

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 03:50:41 GMT

VAPING POP QUIZ

If you found this item in your teen's pocket, what might be in it?

a. Tampon
b. Candy
c. Puff Bar vape
d. Flavored drink mix

2. If you saw this advertised, at first glance, you might think it was:

a Breath freshener
b. Lip gloss
c. Perfume
d. Vape pen

3. Which of these is NOT a vape pen?

Answers: Question 1- c, Question 2 - d, Question 3 -b

VAPE PENS ... PUFF BARS ... POD MODS ... WHAT ARE THEY?

In October 2019, JUUL pulled most of its flavor pods off the market in response to the growing concern of teen vaping. Unfortunately, by then, adolescents had moved on to the next big thing: Puff Bars. Similar to the JUUL, Puff Bars are e-cigarettes designed for one-time use. These disposable “pod mods” began to emerge on college campuses in 2019 and have now emigrated to the high school population. According to the CDC, during 2019-2020, DISPOSABLE VAPE USE WENT UP 1000% among high schoolers who vape (Wang et al, 2020). Teens like them because they taste similar to the JUUL, last longer than a JUUL pod, and have a good “hit” like the JUUL. They come in a variety of sizes measured by the amount of ‘puffs’. A medium sized bar has about 400 puffs and can contain as much nicotine as 2-3 packs of cigarettes. One of the problems with these Puff Bars is that teens often inhale more deeply and consequently are getting higher levels of nicotine in their lungs.

ADVICE FOR CONCERNED PARENTS

Approach softly, don’t confront

Teens generally respond better in conversation form rather than scare tactics or direct confrontation. The conversation might start with a general question such as, “I’ve been reading about vaping and how much nicotine is in the products, what have you heard?” Share information with them by engaging them in conversation. Teens can be very curious and are open to information even though they may pretend they’re not interested. Most teens want to talk to their parents about important things. During the conversation it’s possible that their use may come out, if it does let them know you’re concerned and would like them to get help.

Know what’s out there

Stay educated about the latest products, the world of vaping is changing constantly and quickly. One organization, Parents Against Vaping E-cigarettes (PAVe) is a national advocacy and education organization that is dedicated to protecting children “from the dangers of e-cigarettes and the predatory behavior of Big Tobacco”. PAVe can be found online at: https://www.parentsagainstvaping.org/. Refillable cartridges are also available online and can be easily purchased from websites that are not really age-protected. Puff Bars and cartridges can be very addictive, it’s important to talk with kids about the risks and concerns of vaping.

Finding help

Help is available for kids that have become addicted to nicotine. There are a number of online resources such as:

My Life, My Quit™ is a “free and confidential way to quit smoking or vaping. Text "Start My Quit" to 36072 or click to chat with a Coach.”
https://mylifemyquit.org
Truth Initiative is America’s largest nonprofit public health organization dedicated to a future where tobacco and nicotine addiction are things of the past. Their mission is “to achieve a culture where young people reject smoking, vaping, and nicotine.”
https://truthinitiative.org/who-we-are/our-mission

o Teens and young adults can join for free by texting DITCHVAPE to 88709.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Healt h provides outpatient and group therapy for youth needing education or clinical services related to vaping and substance use. Often youth turn to vaping to help them relax, to feel included by peers, or to satisfy a curiosity. They may not be aware of or think through the long term effects of nicotine use and then find themselves addicted and unsure what to do. Parents can be unaware of the latest trends and devices that their kids are exposed to. If you feel you need help for your child, please contact Karita Nussbaum PhD, LISW, LICDC at 330-433-6075 x217 with questions or concerns or schedule an appointment for an assessment with the intake department.

RESPECT AND ACCEPTANCE OF PRIDE MONTH

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 03:44:20 GMT

The month of June brings many thoughts and ideas to mind – the year is nearly half over; school is out; warm weather and sunshine are here. However, June also signifies Pride Month, where a community of individuals are still fighting for acceptance.

WHAT IS PRIDE MONTH? THE HISTORY BEHIND THIS MONTH AND ITS IMPORTANCE?

Pride month is meant to increase the visibility of those who were previously shamed, ostracized and stigmatized for being themselves. It is held in the month of June because the “flash” point for fighting for LGBTQ rights in the United States, The Stonewall Riots, began on June 28, 1969.

After years of police harassment, patrons and neighborhood residents of Greenwich Village, N.Y., a predominately LGBTQ neighborhood, reached a boiling point during yet another raid at the Stonewall Club, and they fought back by throwing objects at the arresting officers and police vehicles becoming a full-blown riot. A year later, community members marched through local streets in commemoration of the event and honoring the fight and those they lost, dubbing it “Christopher Street Liberation Day,” which eventually became “Gay Pride” and later, “Pride” to include all under the LBGTQ community.

This month is important, so no one feels the need to hide who they are. So many individuals have fought for the rights that many in the LGBTQ community have today. For those who struggle with their sexuality or gender, it shows them they are not alone, they are not “wrong” or “a sin,” but simply people who want to be accepted and loved for themselves. There is also still much to be done to protect the rights of the LGBQT community and to educate those that continue to look down on them or judge them.

WHAT DO THE COLORS OF THE FLAG REPRESENT?

Gilbert Baker, the designer of the rainbow Pride Flag, was encouraged by the California’s first openly gay politician, Harvey Milk, to create a symbol to unify the gay community and later, to include the transgender community. (The first openly gay elected official in the USA was Kathy Kozachenko in Ann Arbor, MI, in 1974, for Ann Arbor City Council).

The flag has changed a bit over the years, but each color has its own meaning. Baker’s original design included “hot pink,” which was meant to celebrate the joy of sex and turquoise represents art, but both colors were difficult to obtain, and it was decided they were included in other areas of the flag. The more common Pride flags are now more aligned with the actual rainbow presentation: red is for life, orange is for healing, yellow is sunlight, green is nature, blue/indigo is harmony and violet are for spirit. More recent versions also included triangles that represent Transgender people and people of color.

MISCONCEPTIONS AND CHALLENGES THE LBGTQ COMMUNITY FACES:

Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions in the community regarding the LBGQT community. One of the biggest and most ridiculous is that this is all about sex, which it is not. People in the LGBTQ community want to live the same life as those outside the LGBTQ community do – they want love, acceptance, family, a sense of belonging and to feel safe.

Another misconception is this community is putting their personal business in our faces or they are trying to “recruit” people or being around or raised by LGBTQ people will “turn you” into being a person of this community. If straight people can show public signs of affection, then everyone who is not straight should be able to as well. If you are not on the spectrum of gay/bi/trans, there is nothing that can ‘turn you” if it was not already IN you to begin with. It is biology, not virology.

There are some challenges in this community, the biggest challenge being discrimination. This often makes it difficult for members of this community to find housing, start/raise a family or adopt children. Hatred and violence against LGBTQ people are another obstacle. Many fears going out in public with their partners, much less show any affection towards them, for fear of physical violence. Members of this community do not want special treatment or attention but rather they want to be accepted and viewed as any other human being. Today, public policies are being changed so that those in the LGBTQ community do not have to have their existence debated in a court and have the same liberties, rights and protections under the laws as straight and cisgender people.

STIGMA FACING TEENS IN THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY

Teens today are dealing with some stigma around the LGBTQ community. However, there is a driving force for inclusivity in high schools, but there is still a lot of push back from parents and even some school staff. Some schools have been trying to provide support by forming LGBTQ groups or Gay Straight Alliance (GSA) clubs. In Stark County, the following high schools have organizations – Alliance, GlenOak, North Canton Hoover, Jackson and Northwest. This is a start, but more work needs to be done about the harassment or intolerance by students and teachers.

Today, there is significance progress with increasing visibility of LBGTQ youth in the community. These young adults still face obstacles with family members who disagree with who they are and still face enormous amounts of discrimination.

Youth who are struggling with their identity should not have to “come out” anymore. Young people should be free to love whom they love and for families to be ok with who they choose to date as they do with non-LGBTQ youth. If youth are struggling, they should speak with a counselor, a trusted friend or a trusted adult. Help is available nationally with the Trevor Project Helpline at 1.866.488.7386 or locally call StarkHelpCentral at 330.455.6644 or Coleman Crisis Center at 330.455.6000.

Pride month is more than just displaying a flag, which is a nonverbal and visible way for member of the LGBTQ community to feel welcome. This is also about seeing representation of themselves in a space and in their community. Everyone can be inclusive in their space highlighting straight, cisgender couples and families. Seeing families that have same sex couples or transgender couples needs to be normalized. Above all else, listen to the individual and use the names, pronouns and identifiers they ask you to use.

If you or someone you know is struggling with gender identification, please call C&A at 330.433.6075.

C&A’s clinical supervisor Linda Clark provided the content for this blog post. Linda has been a staff member for three years and is knowledgeable in the LGBQT community. She has 10 years of clinical experience and is trained as an LGBTQ+ Affirming Therapist through the Azalea Institute in Akron in 2018.

PUFF BARS: THE NEW ERA OF DISPOSABLE VAPING

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 03:39:16 GMT

WHAT IS JUNETEENTH?

Although it has been celebrated for over 150 years, many people are still not familiar with the holiday of Juneteenth. The name is a contraction that is short for “June nineteenth.” June 19, 1865 was the day that enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, learned that the Civil War had ended and that they were free.

A LITTLE MORE HISTORY:

If you paid attention in history class you might be thinking, “That can’t be right; the Emancipation Proclamation freed the slaves in 1863.” That’s true, sort of. While the Emancipation Proclamation did decree that all enslaved people in states in rebellion against the Union “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free,” the proclamation only applied in places under Confederate control and not to slave-holding border states nor to rebel areas that were already under Union control. Furthermore, the proclamation was very difficult to enforce, especially in areas that remained under the control of the Confederacy. Many living in Confederate states did not recognize President Lincoln’s authority and simply ignored it. Others fled west to states like Texas where the proclamation was less likely to be enforced.

FROM TEXAS TO THE REST OF THE U.S.

After the conclusion of the Civil War, celebrations of emancipation for formerly enslaved people began to take place throughout the country. In fact, the town of Gallipolis, in southern Ohio, held one of the earliest of these celebrations in September 1863. Each state held its own commemoration marking the day that it recognized emancipation. Some of the largest celebrations were in Texas, particularly in Galveston, where formerly enslaved people and their descendants continued to return year after year to participate in the celebration.

As might be expected, there are some reports of white landowners interrupting the celebrations to demand that laborers return to their work. However, historical records indicate that most allowed workers to take time off for the occasion and some even donated food or money for the festivities. The celebrations flourished for decades within the African American community but were given little attention by other groups. Observance declined sharply during the Great Depression as people had less resources to contribute for the occasion and employers were less inclined to give people time off. Juneteenth celebration gained popularity again starting in the 1960’s as a result of the Civil Rights movement. In 1980 Texas became the first state to officially recognize an emancipation celebration by declaring Juneteenth to be a state holiday. Other states followed suit. Today Juneteenth is recognized as a state holiday or public observance in 47 states and the District of Columbia. There also is a growing movement to recognize Juneteenth as a national holiday

WHY JUNETEENTH MATTERS TODAY

For people whose ancestors were owned as property and counted as only three-fifths of a human being, the fight to be recognized as full citizens, fully human, and deserving of equal respect has been long and difficult. And it is not finished. Emancipation from enslavement was a major step forward. Over time Juneteenth has come to represent more than just emancipation. It now also is a celebration of African American achievement, history, and culture. Celebrations today often aim to encourage continuous self-development and respect for all cultures.

HOW JUNETEENTH IS CELEBRATED?

Traditionally Juneteenth celebrations took place in rural locations and on church grounds because these were places readily available. Today celebrations are often held at private residences, at churches and community centers, and in parks. Outdoor activities such as rodeos, fishing, barbecuing, and baseball games are frequently parts of Juneteenth festivities. Food plays a central role in most Juneteenth celebrations. In the past the abundance and high quality of the food available at the celebrations was seen as a reflection of the importance of the occasion. People prepared special dishes and splurged to buy meats that they could not afford to have for everyday meals. In addition to continuing the tradition of barbecuing, modern celebration often include red foods (symbolizing the blood that has been shed in the struggle for freedom and the resilience of the African American people) such as strawberry soda, watermelon, and red velvet cake.

Juneteenth celebrations almost always include a component of education and self-improvement. Notable community figures are invited to give speeches and elders are invited to share the stories of past events. Prayer services are also included in many Juneteenth events.

Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has over twenty years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

PLANTING THE SEEDS OF SELF-CARE IN CHILDREN

Tue, 25 May 2021 04:39:55 GMT

As is often the case when we are talking about children, self-care for children begins with their parents. To have the resources that they will need to properly care for their children, parents must remember to take care of their own needs and business. As the old adage goes, you can’t serve from an empty pitcher.

What do children do when difficult things happen in their lives? They look to the adults around them for clues about how to feel and what to do. If their parents show signs of distress, the children will too. If their parents are calm and appear to have things under control, the children will feel comforted.

Children watch, listen and learn. Whether parents are aware of it or not, children notice what their parents do and say and feel. The best way to help children learn healthy and effective coping skills is to let them see their parents using healthy and effective coping skills. Be a good role model.

As children are growing up, parents do a good job of teaching them the basics of physical self-care. They teach them to eat healthy, to exercise and to get enough sleep. Parents make sure that their children learn basic hygiene routines, like washing their hands and brushing their teeth.

It is important to also teach children to practice basic mental self-care. This starts with teaching children to have realistic expectations for themselves. No one is perfect. It’s Okay to make mistakes. Nurturing a growth mindset leads to healthy mental habits that will last a lifetime. Components of a growth mindset include belief that hard work can lead to improvement, viewing mistakes as opportunities to learn, and willingness to persist even when things are difficult.

Children need to learn emotional self-care. This begins by teaching children to recognize what they are feeling and to know the names of those feelings. As children build their emotional vocabulary, feelings become less mysterious and overwhelming. Instead of telling them invalidating messages like “stop crying” or “don’t be mad” parents should help children to understand that all feelings are valid and serve a purpose. Emotional self-care also involves learning safe and healthy ways to express those emotions.

Social self-care is another valuable skill that parents can instill in their children. Children need to know that they are loveable. They need to experience relationships that are dependable, that have a nourishing quality, and that make the child feel special. As they mature and interact with more people and in a variety of contexts, children need to learn to distinguish between healthy relationships and exploitive or destructive ones. They need to develop confidence in the knowledge that they deserve to be treated with respect. Social self-care also involves being able to enjoy others’ successes and achievements, without feeling diminished by comparison.

Self-esteem is essential for self-care. Whenever the topic of teaching children to value themselves comes up, there are always concerns raised from parents who don’t want their child to get an over-inflated ego. Teaching children that they are valuable is not the same as teaching them that they are better than others. Self-esteem is rooted in the belief that, at your core, you are a good person. It develops through appreciating your own abilities, strengths and characteristics. People with good self-esteem don’t have to be good at everything to feel good about themselves. While they may strive for self-improvement, they also know that they are already enough as they are. Healthy self-esteem holds a balance of awareness of what makes you special and unique as well as the ability to fit in with others.

This concludes Part 3 of our series on Self-Care Tips. Mary M. Kreitz , LPC, CDCA has over twenty years of experience working in the field of behavioral health. She is currently the lead therapist for the Trauma Program at Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health , is a member of the Stark County Trauma and Resiliency Committee, and is a member of the Unity Coalition to Dismantle Racism in Stark County.

SELF-CARE TIPS FOR TEENS

Tue, 11 May 2021 03:34:08 GMT

When you’re little adults are supposed to take most of the responsibility for taking care of you. As you get older the responsibility shifts so that you are supposed to do more to care for yourself. Here are some important concepts that will be useful as you develop healthy self-care habits.

Enough – Giving 110% effort is not a real thing. Lots of people will ask it of you, especially if you are involved in sports, performance arts, or sales. If your expectations for yourself are unrealistic you are going to disappoint yourself. That leads to a lot of negative feelings including inadequacy, frustration, exhaustion, and burnout. It is important to know what is good enough .

How do you know that it’s time to settle for good enough instead of striving for perfection? When you already have several items on your To Do list, you have to be able to budget your time and energy. Sure you could spend hours and hours crafting that 3 page essay into a work of literary excellence, but is that necessary? Could you instead write something that is good enough to get the grade you need, even though it may not be your best work, and also leave yourself time to get to the other tasks on your list?

The flip side of enough is making sure you don’t aim too low either. Feeling tired? Did you get enough sleep? Just as your phone starts acting wonky when the battery gets too low, you can’t expect to perform at your best when you haven’t recharged your battery with enough sleep. Didn’t do well on a test? Did you study enough beforehand? Glancing at your notes for the first time right before the test may not be sufficient to prepare you to earn the grade you want. Big assignment due tomorrow? Did you leave yourself enough time to do a good job on it? Quality work takes time. Waiting until the last minute makes it harder on yourself.

Real – Don’t get fooled into believing everything you see. The images that are out there on TV, the internet, social media, and in movies are not real. If you are comparing your life to those images, of course it is not going to measure up. You don’t have a team of makeup and hair experts, lighting techs, and dialogue writers following you around to help you curate an ideal image. You aren’t being short changed if you don’t have the kind of room, car, school or experiences that you see “other people” your age having. They might not be having them either. Some of the people who look happiest in their social media profiles are miserable in real life. They present a façade, a false image, of their life, their relationships and even their appearance, because that’s what they want you to believe (often because they are trying to sell you something).

Friend – Lots of relationships get labeled as “friends” these days, and some are not very friendly at all. It takes more than just being able to recognize a person’s name, face, or online persona to be a friend. A friend always has your best interest at heart. A friend would never encourage you to do something that isn’t good for you, nor would they stand by and allow you to do something harmful to yourself. A friend knows you well enough to see past the façade you may be putting up for others. A friend has your back when you need it, builds you up when you’re feeling low, and is honest enough to let you know when your outfit really does make you look fat. Friends disagree. They get mad at each other. They get on each other’s nerves. And when you really need them, all that conflict wouldn’t stop them from being there for you. Real friends know you need to have other people in your life too. Friends enjoy seeing you succeed. Most importantly, friendship is never a one-way interaction – you have to be a friend in order to have friends.

Self-Talk – Self-talk is all of the things you think and say to yourself. Our own inner dialogue is constant, automatic, unfiltered, and often goes unexamined. This can be dangerous because many of us are our own worst bully. Do you beat yourself up for every mistake that you make? Do you find it hard to forgive yourself for failing to meet your own impossible standards? When other people criticize us or put us down, we’re likely to argue back that the person is wrong and shouldn’t speak to us that way! When we criticize ourselves and put ourselves down, we accept the message as the gospel truth. Pay attention to the messages you send to yourself. Make sure they’re accurate. It can be healthy to recognize what you could be doing better and ways you could improve, but only if you also recognize and celebrate the things you’ve done well and what is already wonderful about you.

Happy – You might be thinking, “Wait. I already know that one.” Yes, when we are little we learn about happiness in terms of smiles, sunshine, rainbows and fun. Now that you’re older, it’s time for a more sophisticated understanding of the feeling. Many people make the mistake of thinking happiness is something that can be achieved.

They think things like, “When I finish this degree/ get this job/ fall in love with the right person/ look the right way/ __(fill in the blank) , then I will be happy.” Happiness doesn’t work that way. It isn’t something you achieve and then it lasts for the rest of your life. Instead, it comes in temporary bursts that are wonderful, but do not last. And just because this moment of happiness ended, it doesn’t mean there won’t be another around the corner.

Savor – When you savor something, you delight in the experience of it. Good things happen every day. The world is full of beauty and kindness. Too often we are distracted by the things that make us unhappy, the things we want to fix, and the things we want but don’t have, and we miss opportunities to enjoy the best parts of life. Make it a priority to take the time to enjoy beauty when you see it, to breathe deeply when there is something good to smell, to appreciate a delightful sound, and to linger over the taste of something delicious.

Gratitude – Gratitude is the ability to recognize and appreciate what is good in one’s life. It involves taking time to notice and savor what is good about yourself and about the world. By acknowledging the importance of little things as well as big ones, you bring joy into your life.

This is the first in a series of three blog posts on Self-Care. The second post in the series will focus on teenager self-care.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Program Mary Kreitz, LPC, CDCA, is the author of this blog. Mary is an expert in her field with 18 years of experience. If your child or adolescent is struggling with a mental health issue, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH WEEK IS BACK!

Thu, 29 Apr 2021 03:28:52 GMT

What an eventful school year it has been! As students anxiously anticipate the relaxing summer months ahead, we want to pause and celebrate the mental health journey each student, teacher and parent has taken this past year— Happy Stark County Schools Mental Health Week!

This year, C&A has some exciting new additions for the third annual Stark County Schools Mental Health Week taking place May 3-7 . Canton Local, Jackson Local and Louisville City schools have joined the mental health celebration with past participants Alliance City, Canton City, Lake Local, Marlington Local, Massillon City, Plain Local, Sandy Valley Local and Tuslaw Local schools.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

For each elementary school, students can expect to see beautiful new posters around the schools. They will also receive a small post-it note for sending an encouraging messages to themselves or a friend. Lines like “You make me smile!” or “I am smart, I am brave, I am strong!” will help these kids remember how special they are and how much they matter to those around them. C&A wants to ensure each child knows how much they are cared for, so elementary students will also hear a positive morning announcement every day of Mental Health Week.

MIDDLE AND INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

In addition to posters, the middle and intermediate schools will each receive a color-changing pencil with the message “You Matter” on it. These pencils can be used in a similar way to the elementary post-it notes. Students can use them to write positive notes to friends or draw something that makes them feel happy. It’s important that these youth understand different ways of expressing themselves in constructive ways.

HIGH SCHOOLS

The most exciting updates to Stark County Schools Mental Health Week will occur for the high school students. This year, C&A asked all participating high schools to select *students to represent their district in a unity video. C&A wants to help teens understand there are many resources available to them—that they are not alone in their mental health journey. In addition to the unity video, these selected students will appear on new posters in each high school and will be featured in another set of videos to discuss ways to handle the mental strain caused by COVID-19. Check out C&A’s YouTube channel for the full playlist of videos.

*Student mental health champions volunteered to be part of this important initiative and are not clients of C&A.

PARTNERS AND SPONSORS

This week would not be possible without the generosity of our sponsors and partners. AultCare’s marketing staff designed and provided all the posters, pencils and notepads for students. C&A is also very grateful to StarkMHAR for their continued support and partnership throughout this event.

Thank you to the school administrators, staff, and students who participated in the video and poster endeavors and to other teachers and staff for sharing in these activities with their students.

At the end of the week, C&A will be partnering with Q92 to appear at their Sobriety Week event at Lake High School and bring a day of activities and resources to the students. High school students with a competitive streak may enjoy a round of Giant Jenga where the blocks will feature positive mental health messages and self-care tips. Other students can create mini mindfulness jars with colorful glitter and stickers. Additionally, markers will be provided so students can add their own positive message to a banner that will hang in the school following the event.

For more information regarding C&A’s mission to raise mental health awareness with school-aged kids, please contact Melissa Coultas at 330-454-7917, ext. 117 or email mcoultas@childandadolescent.org .

SELF-CARE THAT REALLY WORKS FOR YOU!

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 03:23:25 GMT

We’ve all seen them, the articles urging us to improve our lives by practicing good self-care. There are countless books, blogs, videos, and workshops designed to teach us simple strategies to make our lives better. The suggestions typically involve everything from indulging ourselves with bubble baths and sugary deserts, to spending time in nature, to getting away for a vacation. While all of these are great ideas and can feel really good in the moment, they may not be enough to make a lasting improvement in the quality of our day to day lives. The reason is they’re not addressing the real problem.

Everyone deserves care. People who spend their days caring for others sometimes need reminders to take care of themselves so that they can continue taking care of others. It’s true that you can’t pour from an empty pitcher and you should secure your own oxygen mask before attempting to help others. When you actually make time to engage in self-care, it is important to make sure you are doing a form of self-care that really works.

How do you know if your self-care is working? A really good sign that your self-care attempts aren’t hitting the target is that you keep needing to do them. Sure, it feels great to savor a cup of your favorite beverage, but the sense of peace and relaxation you achieve is brief, and then the reality of life returns.

True self-care isn’t about escaping from your life for a while. True self-care is about making a life that you don’t need to escape from.

In The Unspoken Complexity of “Self-Care,” Deanna Zandt[1] explains the difference between self-care and self-soothing. Self-soothing, Zandt explains, includes “activities that provide distraction and/or comfort in difficult times.” Examples of self-soothing include taking a deep breath, binge-watching a show, enjoying a favorite food or beverage, relaxing in a bath, or taking time off from responsibilities.

Self-soothing is very important, especially when we are making our way through difficult times. We should regularly practice self-soothing, but it might not be enough. We might also need to practice self-care , which Zandt defines as “activities that help you find meaning, and that support your growth and groundedness.”

So how can we do self-care that actually works to make a lasting improvement? It’s not easy and it’s going to take time. But it’s worth it. You’re worth it. Here are some ways to do it.

Deal with your stuff. We all have stuff. What that stuff is is different for every person so there isn’t one magic way to deal with it. Most of us have more than one kind of stuff, so there’s a lot of work to be done here. It might mean going to therapy to deal with your depression, your anxiety or the awful things you’ve been through in your life. It might mean getting your finances in order. It might mean taking care of your physical health by seeing a doctor about that medical problem you’ve been trying to ignore or treat on your own, by eating healthy (not going on a fad diet), and by exercising regularly (not just buying a gym membership that you never use).

Feel your emotions. Our culture sends us all kinds of unhealthy messages about emotions. Don’t get mad! Cheer up; don’t be sad! Don’t worry; be happy! Smile! Emotions are a natural part of human life. Emotions tell us important information about our experiences. It is important to allow ourselves to feel our feelings – not just the ones that feel good, all of them.

Many of us find emotions to be inconvenient (they come up at the worst times) and embarrassing (what if someone sees me crying?) so we hide them away in our emotional junk closets. Trying to hold those feelings in causes stress that is damaging to our emotional, cognitive and physical well-being. Releasing those emotions, feeling them, may not feel good – in fact sometimes it really hurts! – but it’s so worth it. It’s like putting down a heavy bundle that we’ve been carrying around for a long time.

Examine your self-talk. Are you your own worst bully? Do you beat yourself up for every mistake that you make? Have you forgiven yourself for failing to meet your own impossible standards? When other people criticize us or put us down, we’re likely to argue back that the person is wrong and shouldn’t speak to us that way!

When we criticize ourselves and put ourselves down, we accept that message as the gospel truth. Pay attention to the messages you send to yourself. Make sure they’re accurate. It can be healthy to recognize what you could be doing better and ways you could improve, but only if you also recognize and celebrate the things you’ve done well and what is already wonderful about you.

Examine your support system. Are the people around you giving you what you need? Relationships are complex, powerful and necessary. It isn’t healthy to surround yourself with people who tear you down, making you feel bad about yourself and your life. Nor is it healthy to surround yourself with people who keep you tied to unhealthy habits and situations. Are you the one taking care of everyone else? Who takes care of you?

Who makes you feel special? Who lifts you up when you’re down? Who lends you a hand when you’re struggling? Who makes your day a little brighter?

Get involved . Sometimes the problems in our lives aren’t our own creations. The struggles that weigh you down and drain your energy may be community or institutional problems. The list is endless but some of the big ones include racial inequity and injustice, the environment, healthcare and COVID-19, lack of access to quality affordable childcare and elder care, difficulty earning a living wage, gender and sexual orientation inequity and injustice, economic disparity, and educational inequality. We can’t just wait for someone else to fix these problems for us. Taking an active role in working to overcome these larger societal problems is necessary. Knowing that you are contributing to the creation of a better world feeds the soul and gives a sense of purpose to life.

* This is the first in a series of three blog posts on Self-Care. The second post in the series will focus on teenager self-care.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Program Mary Kreitz, LPC, CDCA , is the author of this blog. Mary is an expert in her field with 18 years of experience. If your child or adolescent is struggling with a mental health issue, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

[1] Zandt, D. (2019). The Unspoken Complexity of Self-Care. https://www.deannazandt.com/portfolio_page/the-unspoken-complexity-of-self-care/

ACKNOWLEDGING AND WORKING THROUGH GRIEF AND LOSS DURING THE PANDEMIC

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 04:50:16 GMT

We are a nation in mourning. In February, we passed the landmark of 500,000 deaths in the U.S. due to the effects of COVID-19. That’s half a million people who died. Add to that the nearly three million people who died of other causes over the past year. Those are staggering statistics, but they aren’t the whole picture. In addition to our grief for loved ones who have died, we are grieving for a way of life. We grieve for the ability to gather with groups of friends, family or even strangers to collectively celebrate special occasions, to console each other, to be entertained, to be educate, and to just enjoy being together. We grieve for the traditions we could not practice or that were changed so much they were barely recognizable. We grieve for the sense of safety and ease with which we used to be able to move about in our daily lives and in our communities. We grieve for the lives that were taken because of the color of their skin. We grieve for the loss of our national self-image as a democracy sustained through the peaceful transition of power. We grieve for the failure of daily life to measure up to our expectations of how it should be.

Just as loss is a part of life, grief is a part of life – but the grief we are experiencing now is not ordinary grief. It is complex, compounded by the multiple layers of loss we have experienced over the past year. Our grief has been de-legitimized by political and cultural leaders who tell us that its causes are a hoax, that COVID-19 is no worse than “a bad flu” and restrictions unnecessary. Our grief is simultaneously intensified and de-legitimized every time that a review board or jury determines makes an official decision that the use of deadly violence was “justifiable.” It is prolonged grief as we don’t yet know when the losses will stop.

Those of us who have not experienced a “big” loss such as the death of a loved one or having to close down a business that couldn’t sustain itself, might feel a little shame at times for how upset we were over not being able to take the trip we wanted or to throw a big party. These disappointments seem trivial by comparison but are nonetheless losses. The cumulative effect of all the cancellations, indefinite postponements, and other disappointments weighs us down with a heavy sense of weariness.

Grief experts tell us that the first task of mourning is to accept the reality of the loss. In normal times, we have cultural traditions, such as funerals, that help us to confront the reality of a loss. But these aren’t normal times. For the past year, many of us have not been able to participate in these rituals. Due to health-related restrictions, funerals have been restricted to only the closest friends and family. Other losses that we’ve experienced don’t readily come with a ritual or ceremony for recognizing the loss.

It is not unusual for a person in the early stages of mourning to experience a sense of non-reality about the loss. We might have thoughts that there must have been a mistake, it couldn’t be true that this happened. The non-reality shows up in those brief lapses of memory when we go to share our good news with our loved one before remembering that we can’t because they aren’t here anymore. It sometimes tricks us into seeing random strangers on the street and thinking we recognize them as our loved one who died. This same sense of non-reality, coupled with the relative invisibility of the virus itself, is what leads us to a false sense that maybe the risk isn’t as bad as the officials say it is.

We must accept the reality of the losses that we’ve suffered and allow ourselves to grieve for those losses. By recognizing that we are in mourning, we help ourselves to have a context for understanding what we are experiencing and to have compassion for those around us who are mourning their own losses.

Every day you hear people talking about their eagerness and impatience to “get back to normal.” This is another common grief reaction. It is natural to want to feel normal again. Change pushes us out of our comfort zones. Some changes (ones that are wanted or ones that come in small enough doses) are relatively easy to adapt to; others are more jolting.

As more people get vaccinated, as restrictions are lifted, and as schools and businesses reopen, we need to recognize that we won’t be returning to life exactly as it used to be. We can’t just pick up where we left off before COVID-19 came into our lives. Loved ones who died are not going to come back.

ACKNOWLEDGE AND ACCEPT THE LOSS(ES)

We must start by recognizing that a loss has occurred and that the loss is permanent. This sounds a whole lot simpler than it is. Some of the losses are more obvious than others. Some of the losses don’t feel as real because we haven’t experienced the full impact of the change yet. Acceptance can wax and wane over time; that’s normal.

RECOGNIZE THAT ALL LOSSES ARE THE SAME AND EVERYONE DOESN'T GRIEVE IN SAME WAY

Because there have been so many losses over the past year, it is likely that you are not the only person you know who is mourning. Many people have experienced multiple losses. It is neither healthy nor helpful to compare grief. Just because someone is not reacting the same way as you or doing the same things as you to cope, doesn’t mean they aren’t doing it right. What helps for one person may not help for another. If someone you know needs to tell you about a loss they’ve experienced, listen. Don’t assume you know what they’re going through just because you’ve been through a similar loss.

ALLOW YOURSELF TO FEEL WHATEVER YOU ARE FEELING

If you need to cry, cry. If you don’t, don’t. Whatever emotional reaction you have is legitimate and okay to express. It is not healthy to “put up a good front” and bottle up feelings. Emotions are not a sign of weakness, they’re a reflection of love. Jamie Anderson, the author of Doctor Who, wrote “Grief, I’ve learned, is really just love. It’s all the love you want to give but cannot. All of that unspent love gathers up in the corners of your eyes, the lump in your throat and in that hollow part of your chest. Grief is just love with no place to go.”

LEARN TO ADJUST TO A NEW REALITY

A lot has changed over the past year and we need to figure out ways to adjust to the new circumstances of our lives. That may mean a lot of different things. It may mean we need to develop new skills so that we can be better prepared to take on the tasks that lie ahead for us. It may mean that we must seek out new relationships or find different ways of interacting in order to maintain relationships. It may mean that we need to think about ourselves or the world in ways that we never have before. These changes can be very difficult and will take time.

ALLOW YOURSELF THE TIME YOU NEED

Grief is not something that can be resolved in a weekend. Often the reality of the situation doesn’t even begin to sink in for quite some time. For many people, it takes a full cycle of all four seasons and all the holidays before all aspects of the loss are evident. Don’t allow anyone to pressure you to speed things up (e.g., “Aren’t you over that yet?”) if you’re not ready. Similarly, don’t let anyone hold you back when you are ready to move on.

FIND WAYS TO REMEMBER THE PAST WHILE ENGAGING WITH THE PRESENT AND FINDING HOPE FOR THE FUTURE

It is important to find ways of honoring those who have died (or are no longer actively part of our lives for other reasons). They don’t stop mattering to us or having an impact on us. We are challenged to honor their memory and the life they led without sacrificing the ability to move forward in our own lives. Our deceased loved ones would want us to be the best possible versions of ourselves and to lead healthy, fulfilling lives. If your grief is not for a person but for a way of life, the loss of a dream, the loss of a personal identity, or another form of loss, this task is still applicable. Starting a new chapter of your life does not negate the relevance of the chapters that came before. The challenge for you is to incorporate some element of those past ways, identities and dreams into your newly evolving reality. There are countless ways to do this – taking up a cause that positively impacts others, making time to pause and remember, doing something that the person would have done or in the way they would have liked, contributing to a charity or social program. It means continuing to love, to grow, to learn, to laugh and to live.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Program Mary Kreitz, LPC, CDCA, is the author of this blog. Mary is an expert in the her field with 18 years of experience. If your child or adolescent is experiencing grief and your family needs coping strategies, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

COLLEGE STUDENTS STRUGGLE THROUGH UNUSUAL LEARNING AND LIVING EXPERIENCE

Tue, 16 Mar 2021 03:17:56 GMT

For many students attending college during 2020 and 2021, the college experience hasn’t been at all what they were expecting. Many colleges and universities shut down in the spring of 2020 as a response to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Although most have since re-opened with heavy reliance on online learning and social distancing, everyone would agree that attending college is not the same as it was in past years.

A DIFFERENT EDUCATIONAL EXPEREIENCE

Online learning is very different from attending class in person. Many college students find themselves disappointed with the quality of the academic instruction they receive via online lectures. Some students report that they have very little direct instruction from professors, relying instead on reading material, pre-recorded lectures and written assignments. While this may work for some learners, others find it much harder to understand and retain the information. One college student commented, “I’m not learning nearly as much as I would have if classes were held in person.” Common complaints include that the only way to ask a question is to email a professor and hope to receive a response, that recorded lectures and printed texts pale in comparison to the rich communication that comes from live face-to-face interaction, and that online content, often prepared by professors who were never trained to work in this format, is boring. So called “Zoom Fatigue” is a real problem. It can be mentally draining to be focused on computer screens for extended periods of time. A college student who was interviewed for this article stated, “There’s a reason I didn’t apply to an online university. I wanted to take classes on campus.”

Some subjects just don’t translate easily into online experiences. Labs and other performance-based courses require a more hands-on, in person format. As a compromise, some colleges and universities have offered in-person classes with limited class size, schedules that are a hybrid of in-person and online instruction or courses that have been condensed to run for fewer weeks. Again, these formats may work for some students, but many others struggle with them.

THE RESOURCE GAP

COVID-19 has highlighted inequity in access to the types of resources that make a huge difference in a student’s ability to successfully engage in remote learning. Do you have access to a reliable, high-speed internet connection? Do you have the software to run the programs you need? Do you have a quiet space to be able to attend online classes or focus on online assignments without interruptions? Whether you have access to a high-end computer, or a more basic model can make a big difference in the quality of your academic experience.

LIVING ARRANGEMENTS

When universities shut down, many students who were living in on-campus housing lost their place to stay with short notice to make other arrangements. Some were able to move back home with family. Others did not have a safe or supportive home to move back to. Those who moved back home may have found themselves facing increased responsibility to care for siblings or sick relatives. Many had to take on more responsibility for contributing financially to the household, especially if parents or other family members lost employment, had their hours cut or were unable to work due to illness or a physical condition. One student who chose to stay in her dorm reported that so many others left or never moved in, that she found herself living in an eerily empty building which served as a constant reminder of how alone she was. That leads us to the next topic . . .

SOCIAL ISOLATION

One of the most common concerns among college students, and many other groups throughout the country, is the sense of disconnection from others. For many students, college is a time to meet new people from a variety of backgrounds and to make connections that could help them move on to the next phase of their life. Even the brief interactions that occur as students find their seats in lecture halls or pass each other on campus can be the start of life-long friendships.

Those types of interactions don’t happen as easily in virtual classrooms or when wearing masks and maintaining safe social distances.

In addition to isolation from peers and social acquaintances, the pandemic has also resulted in a reduction of interactions that foster professional development. There have been less chances to get involved with mentors and with the types of role models who can provide academic and professional support. Internship and summer job opportunities are not as readily available as they have been in the past and the quality of those experiences is not what it used to be.

Many people struggle with mental health problems during their college years. Trying to juggle school, work, extracurricular activities, friends and family while also trying to figure out the direction of the rest of your life is an enormous challenge – and it has gotten worse over the past year . A 2018-2019 survey of college students found that approximately 18.4% reported experiencing depression and 23.6% reported experiencing anxiety.

Over the past year, the National Institute of Health Statistics (NIHS) partnered with the Census Bureau to conduct Household Pulse Surveys to capture an impression of the impact of COVID-19 in the US. According to their results, rates of depression have risen to more than 43% and anxiety to more than 51% of persons ages 18-29 years old.

WHAT CAN YOU DO?

Give yourself credit for what you are doing . This is not a normal year. If you are feeling unsettled, stressed and overwhelmed, it isn’t just you. Things really are harder this year. Take a moment to list and recognize all that you actually do in a typical day. Give yourself credit for doing as well as you are under difficult circumstances.

Set realistic expectations . Perfection is not a realistic goal. Mistakes will happen. Look at mistakes as opportunities to learn, rather than as evidence that you are a failure. Keep in mind that taking on too much at once just means that you’re doing more things less well.

Communicate . Whether it seems like it or not, professors want students to succeed. If you are struggling with your academic work or something is getting in the way of your ability to meet deadlines, communicate with your professors about it. Let them know what’s going on. Ask for an extension. Ask for the resources you need. Talk with your friends and family. Let them know how much they matter to you, even if you aren’t as available as you have been in the past. Let them know what you need from them. People often do want to help. They may not know that you need help, and they may not know the best way to help, so you must guide them. If you’re worried about being a burden, think about how willing you would be to help if it was one of your friends reaching out to you.

Don’t be ashamed to reach out for professional help . If you are struggling, know that you don’t have to go through it alone. Help is available. There is no shame in seeking professional help. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re human and you’re going through a lot. Help is available. Most colleges and universities have on campus counseling services for students who need them. Both college- and community-based services are available in person or through telehealth. If you or someone you know is in distress, you can call the National Suicide Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255, or text “HELP” to 741-741.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Program Manager Mary Kreitz , LPC, CDCA, is the author of this blog post. Mary is an expert in her field with 18 years of experience. If your child is struggling because of receiving microaggressions, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

ACKNOWLEDGING YOUR CHILD’S FEELINGS WILL LEAD TO RESILIENT KIDS

Tue, 02 Mar 2021 03:11:09 GMT

“One of the most important tasks of parenthood is helping children learn to deal with their emotions. All children experience periods of stress in their lives and need the emotional skills to deal with it. Children’s emotional resilience, or ability to cope with their feelings is important to their long-term happiness, wellbeing and success in life. Emotional resilience involves six key skills: recognizing and accepting feelings, expressing feelings appropriately, having a positive outlook, developing effective ways of coping, being able to deal with negative feelings, and being able to manage stressful life events.” – Triple P: Positive Parenting Program, Raising Resilient Children Seminar Series

RECOGNIZING AND ACCEPTING FEELINGS

Throughout a child’s development they are receiving messages and information from the world around them, shaping the way they acknowledge and understand feelings. Some simple ways to help children enhance this development follow.

Accept different emotions – Often children receive the unwritten message that the only acceptable emotion is happy, do your best to acknowledge and accept more than just happy.

Accept all emotions; the good, the bad and the ugly. Letting children know it is okay to feel the tough and challenging emotions of mad, sad, disappointed, frustrated and more.

Talk about feelings –Talk about them regularly. Pointing out how a character on their favorite show or in their favorite book are simple ways to start these conversations.

Share your own feelings - It is okay to express our own emotions at times, modeling that we too feel sad, upset and even angry from time to time.

Help your child recognize emotions – When your child is expressing an emotion, label it. Tell them what you are seeing or hearing them do that leads you to believe they are feeling a specific emotion.

EXPRESS FEELINGS APPROPRIATELY

Children learn by watching, this is no different when learning how to handle, express and cope with feelings. They are constantly watching us, the adults, when we are expressing and responding to small and big emotions. It is important to do our best and modeling socially appropriate ways to express and manage emotions. Acceptable ways of expressing emotions are related to cultural and family expectations. It is important for children to learn about culture through rituals and traditions relating to emotions. Weddings, funerals and festivals teach children how their family and culture deal with celebration and loss.

Help your child talk about feelings – Avoid telling children how to feel, rather encourage them to share with you what they are thinking and feeling about the events happening around them or to them. When they start to talk to you about their feelings, stop what you are doing and give them your undivided attention. You can summarize what they share with the classic sentence starter “It sounds like you feel…”.

Reward appropriate expression of feelings – Give positive feedback and praise to children when they do express their emotions in a developmentally appropriate way. For example, “I think you handled your anger well. I saw you get very upset, take a deep breath and walk away. Wow!”

Deal with inappropriate expression of feelings – Decide how you plan to handle the inappropriate expression of feelings like being hurtful, disrespectful, yelling, swearing or hitting others. Consistent consequences that help children learn more acceptable ways of expressing their feelings are best.

Acknowledge the negative emotion and problem first.
Tell them specifically and clearly what to stop doing. Short, sweet and to the point.
Implement a logical consequence like quiet time to encourage self-regulation.

BUILDING A POSITIVE OUTLOOK

Feelings are related to what children are thinking about and telling themselves. They can only pull from the experiences they have had so far. Parents can help children develop a positive sense of self through optimism.

Encourage Optimism – Looking on the bright side of situations and finding the positive is a skill, one that can be taught and encourages. We must model this optimism. Encourage children to set realistic goals and their use of creativity and initiative to meet them. Helping children find clubs or activities they are interested in and can find success after hard work helps teach this skill.

Encourage Curiosity – Curiosity can truly become a challenge to us as parents; the questions of “why”, taking things apart or getting into things we wish they would not. Going back to the above statement, have optimism, looking at this curiosity as a strength. Curiosity is how children learn about and become interested in the world around them. Encourage this by supporting their interests in new activities, let them explore and learn about the world around them. Be available when they are excited to show you something, ask questions and teach them how to find more information about it.

Encourage Contentment – Helping children have contentment involves teaching them to be accepting, tolerant and appreciative of what they have. Model being appreciative and grateful. Talk to children about the highlight of their day. Encourage empathy and discussing other people’s point of view. Discussing acceptance of the things we cannot control or change. Boredom is an acceptable feeling to have.

DEVELOPING COPING SKILLS

Coping skills are the tools we use to help us regulate our emotions and solve the problems that may be causing or influencing negative emotions.

Help Your Child Become a Problem Solver – Sometimes we as parents fall into the trap of solving all our children’s problems. We do not like to see them upset and sometimes it is just easier to do things ourselves. You are encouraged to allow children to be in the “yuck” for a bit. Ask them questions that will help them develop skills to solve problems on their own. Encourage them to solve the problem lets them know you believe in them and develops their ability to solve problems independently one day.

State the problem clearly.
Come up with some possible solutions.
Think about the good points and bad points of the possible solutions.
Decide on the best solution or plan.
Try it out by putting the plan in to action.
Review how the solution worked and make any necessary changes.

Encourage Positive Thinking – Encouraging again that positive thinking and self-talk is helpful here too. Encouraging children to think about the same thing in a different way to effect how they feel about it. Play games that prompt your child to imagine what someone might be thinking or feeling. Point out helpful and unhelpful ways of thinking about a situation.

Help Your Child Learn to Relax – many of our days are go, go, go. The skill of relaxation is something that must be taught. Provide a good role model of how to manage stress by looking after yourself and taking time to relax. There are many tools, apps and websites that can help with teaching yoga, belly breathing, muscle relaxation and more.

Help Your Child Look for Support – Discuss with children that everyone needs to talk about their feelings, especially when they become overwhelming. Finding safe people to talk to is important. Help them find a trusted family member, friend, teacher or counselor.

DEALING WITH NEGATIVE FEELINGS

Negative emotions are part of everyday life, we need to help children not let them become overwhelming by teaching them how to manage them. Common negative emotions include anger, anxiety, boredom, disappointment, distress, guilt, jealousy, loneliness, loss, rejection and sadness. It is not our job to protect our children from these emotions, but rather help them work through them by prompting problem solving.

Help Your Child Manage Negative Emotions – Notice when your child is upset and pay attention. Asking them what is wrong and listening to what they say. Label their feelings and help coach them through ways to solve the problem and feel better. Sometimes they simply want us to listen and sit in the yuck with them.

Help Your Child Learn to Cope on Their Own – Help your children deal with these negative emotions on their own by setting a good example of remaining calm. Talking with them about their anxious feelings and giving them small things to try when they want to feel better. Remember to praise them when they try new things and face their fears, reminding them when they were successful and overcoming a challenge. Simply saying, “I believe in you”, sends a positive message that you believe in them.

COPING WITH STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS

When children are stressed by uncertainty due to a specific event ensure them of their safety and be available to help them through their emotions when needed. Allow them to be upset and encourage them to talk about it when they are ready. Encourage them to use the skills you have been working on to enhance their resiliency and check in with them often. Often in times of stress we can all struggle to remember how to solve a problem or cope. Seek professional advice if the stressful event is causing more long-term effects on you or your child.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Early and Middle Childhood Program Manager Larissa Haring (LPC, OCPC, ECMHC) is an expert in the field of early childhood development with 20 years of experience. Larissa is the facilitator of the Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) , which engages parents in topics parents are struggling with to be better parents. If you are looking for help to be a better parent, call C&A at 330-433-6075 or text @triplepca to 81010.

KIDS STAYING CONNECTED TO CLASSMATES WHILE LEARNING VIRTUALLY

Wed, 17 Feb 2021 03:03:20 GMT

Social and emotional learning is an important element of development across all school aged children and adolescents. Many social and emotional skills are learned naturally throughout a school day when in person; listening, following directions, problem solving, waiting, taking turns, regulating emotions and interacting with peers. With many students learning remotely from a computer screen, questions and concerns about social development have been asked. How do we teach or promote social and emotional development remotely?

Fortunately, we do have technology to help us out with this. Using video chat options provides all of us an option to still be present in each other’s lives and remain safe from the comfort of our homes. Student’s learning remotely are still in need of this social and emotional instruction, we can use the tools available to us and get creative.

Social and emotional development is taught in a classroom both directly and indirectly. Lessons can be directly and actively taught to support this development. Indirect teaching occurs when we comment or praise students for being prosocial and supportive to one another. We can still provide these lessons and support virtually.

Start by setting up your virtual classroom for success

Establish clear and positive expectations/rules for behavior both online and when working independently
Examples while online
Be on time
Camera on (let parents know a quiet work space without interruptions is encouraged)
Be muted when not talking
Listen to others when they’re talking/presenting
Be ready to learn (dressed, finished eating, remain seated, etc)

Provide a predictable daily and/or weekly routine.
Provide time management tools; checklists, calendars, weekly planner, etc. Visual cues are important for younger students and helpful for all.
Set up routine whole class meetings, small group meetings and one on one check in times that are available and/or expected weekly.
It is important to have virtual face to face contact with all students 3-5 times a week. Students are more likely to participate and share in smaller groups both in the classroom and virtually. Providing this small group will help encourage the natural development of peer-to-peer relationships. One on one check ins help maintain teacher-student relationships which are important at all ages, however critical for younger students.

Develop, create, establish and encourage the building of healthy peer to peer relationships and teacher-student relationships. Positive healthy relationships are critical to academic success and even more so when remote. We learn from those we feel safe with, for students, teachers need to feel safe and the first step to achieving that is by building a relationship. Relationships can be built by listening to each other, discovering each other’s interests and finding common ground. Students will need more direct help facilitating these conversations, interactions and relationships when remote. Most get to know you activities and ice breakers can be adapted for an online component. Directly calling on students by name is more helpful than waiting for volunteers. This technique will also help with time management.

Other ideas to help address social emotional development in an online format are:

One on one emotional check ins between teacher and students
Incorporate social emotional learning into stories and language arts lessons. Labeling and identifying the emotions of a character in a story help enhance reading comprehension by bringing the character to life.

Journal prompts about social situations, what if’s or emotions can be voluntarily shared during small group sessions. Students are more likely to share during smaller group sessions than in the large group.
What emoji are you today?
If you were a snack, what kind of snack would you be?
What music genre or song are you relating to today?
What would be your theme song and why?
Art projects to help identify and share how they are feeling allows students to express themselves in a safe way using drawing, singing, dancing, sculpting, through a collage, poem, slideshow and so may more ways. Allowing them to creatively express themselves helps them reflect on their own feelings and received positive emotional support from peers. Be sure to create a safe place for sharing these thoughts and ideas by setting up clear rules and expectations for the projects and peer’s responses.
Using more project-based learning in small groups or with partners will help facilitate peer to peer relationships and enhance learning.
Host a weekly social event online where the purpose is to socialize and have fun with each other.
BINGO
Scavenger hunts
20 questions
Pictionary
Scategories
Charades
Virtual tours
Learn a dance together and so much more.

Uncertain times are stressful Get creative and have some fun together. Providing students with clear expectations, routine, structure, relationships and some fun will help give them a sense of safety, consistency and trust which allows them to learn and grow.

Child and Adolescent Behavior Health's Early and Middle Childhood Program Manager Larissa Haring is the author of this blog post. Haring is an expert in the field of early/middle childhood mental health with 20 years of experience and leads our Triple P programs. If your child is struggling learning virtually, please call C&A at 330-433-6075.

DO YOU USE MICROAGGRESSIONS? ARE YOU AWARE OF THE HARM THIS MAY CAUSE?

Wed, 03 Feb 2021 04:25:09 GMT

Microaggressions are everyday slights, indignities, put-downs, and insults that people of color, women, the LGBTQ+ population and other marginalized people deal with every day. These interactions might be comments, questions or actions that send denigrating messages to people because they belong to a minority group. Microaggressions are rooted in stereotypes and reflect deeply ingrained biases that people may not be aware of having.

One of the things that makes microaggressions disconcerting is how easily they fly under the radar. Microaggressions happen casually, frequently and often without any intention of harm. In fact, the person making the comment may not even realize they are committing a microaggression.

If microaggressions are so subtle and unintentional, how do we know if we are doing them? Start by learning the forms that microaggressions can take so that you will be better able to recognize them when they happen.

Psychologist Derald Wing Sue of Columbia University has identified three types of microaggressions:

MICROINSULTS

Microinsults are messages that insult someone’s personal identity or their heritage. These can be subtle snubs, such as ignoring a black customer and serving the white customers first even though they arrived later. Another form of microinsult might actually sound like a compliment on the surface, but contain a hidden insult about a group of people. An example might be telling someone “You’re pretty for a heavy girl” or “You’re so articulate. You don’t even sound black on the phone.”

MICROASSAULTS

Microassaults are comments or actions that are intentionally discriminatory or intrusive. Touching a pregnant woman’s belly without permission is an example of a microassaultive behavior. Making fun of names that are unfamiliar to you or difficult for you to pronounce because they are not from your cultural background is an example of a verbal microassault.

MICROINVALIDATIONS

Microinvalidations are messages that invalidate or nullify the experience of another person. This is what is happening if someone tells you that they were insulted or offended by something Brian said and you respond, “That can’t be true. I know Brian. He’s a nice guy. I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way.” Similarly, comments like “I don’t see color” or “all lives matter” send messages that the person’s struggle as a member of a marginalized group isn’t real or that it isn’t something you care about.

An important note about the prefix “micro” needs to be made. Micro can be used to mean tiny but that’s not the meaning that applies here. Microaggressions are not tiny aggressions. Instead think of micro in the way that is used when talking about economics – we aren’t talking about things that are happening at a societal or institutional level (the “macro” level), they take place in interactions between individual persons (the “micro” level).

One of the biggest dangers of microaggression lies in its ability to be denied. A person can easily say, “that’s not what I meant” or “I was just joking.” Often the target of the microaggression gets criticized for “taking it too personally” or “being too sensitive.” The anger a person feels as a result of microaggressions might be used as evidence confirming negative stereotypes, such as “the angry black woman.” In recent years the label “snowflake” has become popular as a derogatory way to accuse someone of being overly sensitive, fragile and unable to deal with opposing opinions. It is important to recognize that intent is irrelevant in determining whether or not language or behavior is offensive. Just because you don’t intend harm when you say something doesn’t mean someone else isn’t harmed by hearing what you said.

Microaggressions do real harm. In her TEDx Oakland talk on this topic, Tiffany Alvoid explained:

“Microaggressions wound people. If we were to compare it to getting a paper cut, one paper cut is manageable but paper cuts all over your body is something quite different. And it’s the accumulation of offensive comments in social settings and professional settings that begin to take a toll on a person’s spirit.”

Research shows that microaggressions lead to lower self-esteem and higher levels stress, anger and depression in members of marginalized groups, and to uncomfortable and less productive work and educational environments.

WHAT CAN WE DO TO AVOID MAKING MICROAGGRESSIONS?

What can we do to avoid making microaggressions?There are some very basic things people can do to avoid microaggressions.

Before you speak or act, take a moment to think, especially if you are commenting on someone’s identity.
What could be the possible impact of what you’re about to say or do?
How might this person react?
Is it necessary to say this?
Listen when people explain why certain remarks or behaviors offend them.
Don’t be afraid to admit it when you’ve made a mistake. A single statement or behavior is not a reflection of a whole person. It is possible to make a racist comment without being a One factor that determines the difference is willingness to recognize that you’ve offended someone, apologize for the offense and learn from the experience so that the offense is not repeated.
Make an ongoing commitment to learning.
Seek out opportunities to learn about and interact with people who differ from you.
Learn the meaning and history behind commonly used phrases and jokes that may be offensive.
Strive to be aware of your own biases, the stereotypes that influence your thinking and the assumptions you make about others.

Anyone can be guilty of committing a microaggression. It doesn’t mean you are a bad person. It does mean you have some learning to do. Microaggressions are more than just insults, insensitive comments or general rude behavior. The damage they cause is real and has long-lasting effects. That’s why it is imperative that we all do our part to recognize what microaggressions are and make a conscious effort not to engage in them and not to allow them to go unchecked when we notice them happening.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Program Manager Mary Kreitz is the author of this blog post. If your child is struggling because of receiving microaggressions, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

CONFLICTING RESOLUTION ADVICE

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 02:57:51 GMT

There are times in all of our lives when we have to deal with difficult people. Maybe someone is upset and yelling at you, even though you didn’t cause the situation that upset them. Maybe they’re being rude and demanding. Whatever the case, it is always useful to have some strategies in mind to help with handling these situations.

CHECK IN WITH YOURSELF

Before you do anything or say anything, check in with yourself.

Did you do something wrong or offensive? If so, perhaps an apology is in order.
Are you being triggered by something in the situation? We all have our baggage from past experiences. Make sure you aren’t bringing your own baggage into someone else’s crisis.
Are you taking it too personally? Most of the time, other people’s crises aren’t about you; you just happen to be the person convenient enough and safe enough to take it out on at the moment.
Take a slow deep breath. Slow deep breaths calm the body and clear the mind. It helps you be better prepared to deal with whatever is happening.

LISTEN

People want to be heard. It costs you nothing to allow the person to say whatever they feel a need to say. Don’t assume that you already know what they’re going to say. Listen carefully for details about what happened and what the person might need.

ACKNOWLEDGE THE PERSON'S FEELINGS

When a person is upset, strong emotions are stirred up and overpower the ability to process rationally. When a person’s feelings aren’t acknowledged they tend to feel like you aren’t fully understanding what they’re going through and they will increase the intensity of their yelling, their demanding, or their protest, just to show how intense those feelings are. By acknowledging a person’s feelings, you are meeting that person where they are in the moment and communicating your understanding of what the person is experiencing. This will help you to be seen as an ally rather than an opponent.

CLARIFY RELEVANT LIMITS, EXPECTATIONS

Calmly and simply state the relevant limits, expectations or rules. For example, it might be that the person they wish to speak to is not available. There might be paperwork that must be completed or a deadline that is not negotiable.

ASSIST WITH PROBLEM-SOLVING

If you’ve done all of the above, you are ready to begin problem-solving. Start by asking, if they haven’t already told you, what the person thinks needs to be done. Often the person has a solution in mind. Another starting point might be to ask what the person has already tried. If they’ve already taken steps to try to solve their problem and it hasn’t worked, they’re only going to feel more frustrated when you suggest the same strategies. Explain options that are available and suggest possible next steps. Remember that people don’t like being bossed around. Instead, people prefer to feel like they have some control over their lives and some choice in what they are going to do.

END THINGS ON A POSITIVE NOTE

Final impressions are just as important as first impressions. Make sure the person walks away from your interaction feeling good. Acknowledge the effort they put into resolving the situation. Thank them for their patience (even if they weren’t patient). Wish them a good rest of their day. You probably won’t know the entirety of what that person is dealing with; having a pleasant interaction with you might be the best things that has happened for them today. In any case, you are demonstrating that there are some nice people in the world.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Program Manager Mary Kreitz is the author of this blog post. If you are struggling with conflict managment/resolution, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

DRINKING WHILE PREGNANT WILL LEAD TO BIRTH DEFECTS AND LIFELONG ISSUES

Tue, 05 Jan 2021 04:18:58 GMT

The holiday season just ended with fewer social gatherings and parties and increased isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic may lead some people to seek comfort in having an adult beverage. But if you are pregnant or perhaps are not even aware you are pregnant, one glass of wine today, could lead to a whole host of problems later.

Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is the result of a pregnant woman having one or more drinks during pregnancy. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's FASD Clinic Supervisor Dr. Marysa Williams wrote, “No amount of alcohol has been proven safe at any time during pregnancy. You should not drink alcohol if you are pregnant, trying to get pregnant or think you may be pregnant. There’s really no safe time to drink alcohol during pregnancy. Alcohol can cause problems for your baby. Many women are not even aware they are pregnant in the first six weeks.”

Of course, alcohol is not the only substance that can cause an issue for women during pregnancy. Any substance consumed during pregnancy plays a role in a child’s development. “Studies show that using drugs – legal or illegal – during pregnancy has a direct and potentially negative impact on the baby,” wrote Dr. Williams. “However, the only known cause of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) is prenatal alcohol exposure. Alcohol is a teratogen that crosses the placenta and can damage the central nervous system (including the brain) and other organs of the developing baby. Other substances when taken during pregnancy increases the chances of birth defects, premature babies, low birth weight and miscarriage.”

WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF FASD?

Prenatal alcohol exposure can cause a number of birth defects, including microcephaly, a condition in which the baby’s head and brain are significantly smaller than expected, abnormal facial development in the lip, mid-face, eyes and structural brain defects.

A child with FASD may have:

Low body weight
Poor coordination
Hyperactive behavior

Difficulty with attention
Poor memory
Difficulty in school (especially math)
Learning disabilities
Speech and language delays
Intellectual disability or low IQ
Poor reasoning and judgement skills
Sleep and sucking problems as a baby
Vision or hearing problems
Problems with heart, kidneys or bones
Shorter-than-average-height
Small head size

Abnormal facial features, such as a smooth ridge between the nose and upper lip (this ridge is called the philtrum)

HOW IS CHILD DIAGNOSED WITH FASD?

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health is one of the three FASD clinics in the state of Ohio and the only clinic in Northeastern Ohio. The other two clinics are located in Toledo and Cincinnati.

C&A’s Belden Office facilitates the FASD Clinic. Dr. Williams explained how a child is diagnosed with FASD at C&A, “FASD is diagnosed by a team of interdisciplinary professionals, gathering information and assessments in four specific areas: growth, facial features, brain function and structure, and prenatal alcohol history.”

If a child is diagnosed with FASD, they may be classified under one of the four umbrella terms.

FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) - People with FAS have the most severe central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction, the presence of the classic characteristic facial features, significant growth deficiency and confirmed severe prenatal alcohol exposure.
PFAS (Partial Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) - The term “Partial FAS” is used when a person’s characteristic features are very close to the classic features of FAS and the alcohol history strongly suggests that alcohol exposure during pregnancy was at high level and likely to have played a role in person’s difficulties.
ARND (Alcohol Related Neurobehavioral Disorder) - This is the most common diagnosis on the spectrum. People with ARND have some but not all of the characteristic growth deficiency, characteristic facial features, and CNS damage/ dysfunction, but a number of other factors could be contributing to the present issues. Present issues may be genetic background, other potential exposures or problems during gestation, and various experiences since birth.
ARBD (Alcohol Related Birth Defects) - This is the least common diagnosis on the spectrum. These individuals have the growth deficiency and/or facial characteristics that to some extent are compatible to FAS, but do not have clear evidence of cognitive or behavioral problems that strongly suggest CNS damage/ dysfunction.

If a child falls under one of the umbrella terms, is there a treatment for each one? Dr. Williams said, “FASD conditions are life-long. There is no cure for FASD, but research shows that early intervention treatment services can improve a child’s development. There are many types of treatment options, including medication to help with some symptoms, behavior and education therapy, parent training and other alternative approaches. No one treatment is right for every child. Each child with FASDs have unique strengths and challenges, but they all share the same basic needs and desires we all do: to be cared about, to be heard and understood, to make a difference, and to contribute to their families and communities. Helping a person to live successfully with FASD means recognizing strengths and focusing on ability over disability. Good treatment plans will include close monitoring/supervision, follow-ups, flexibility/changes as needed along the way, and needing to frequently repeat and rehearse skills.”

As previously mentioned, FASD may affect a child’s performance in school. Some common challenges for educators who teach students with FASD include hyperactivity, impulsivity, attention and memory deficits, difficulties with completing tasks, disruptive behaviors, difficulties with social skills, and the need for constant supervision and close monitoring.

Successful strategies for educating children with FASD include using concrete, hands-on learning methods, establishing structured routines, keeping instructions short and simple, providing consistent and specific directions, frequently repeating instructions and rehearsing tasks, and providing constant supervision.

Once strategies and coping skills are mastered, the next step is helping a person to live successfully with FASD. As mentioned previously, this means recognizing strengths and abilities of the person, rather than overly focusing on deficits and challenges. The focus should be on competencies, relationship mutuality and working with, rather than talking at the teen/ young adult. We all require help from others in varying degrees and most of us live interdependently in our communities. The focus for individuals with FASD should be on interdependence to support success.

PERCENTAGES OF CHILDREN AFFECTED FASD?

Each year, there is an estimated 40,000 babies born that are affected by FAS (Fetal Alcohol Syndrome) or FASD, with damage ranging from major to subtle.

One in 100 babies have FASD, nearly the same as autism. FASD is more prevalent than Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, SIDS, Cystic Fibrosis and Spina Bifida combined. Alcohol use during pregnancy is the leading preventable cause of birth defects, developmental disabilities and learning disabilities.

If you live in Stark County, there are available resources. Those resources are Stark County Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Committee, Stark County Board of Developmental Disabilities and this website – https://www.nofas.org .

HOW DOES A PARENT GET AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CLINIC?

The waiting period before a first appointment is offered is variable, especially as the clinic only serves one client per month. Additionally, it is important to note that prior to becoming eligible for a first appointment, families must complete all necessary paperwork and obtain all necessary previous treatment records. Currently, we have several clients interested in services, but have not completed all necessary paperwork, and thus there may be immediate openings.

If you are interested in the assessment services provided by the FASD clinic, please talk to your provider at C&A about making a referral. If you are a new client, and do not have a C&A provider, please contact Meredith Skotschir, R.N., B.C., at 330-433-6075 ext. 227.

Psychology Doctoral Internship Program Manager Dr. Marysa Williams does testing and evaluation for the FASD Clinic, which is funded by the United Way. Dr. Williams is a licensed psychologist and one of C&A’s expert clinicians with over 4 years of experience. For more information about any of C&A’s services, call 330-433-6075.

PARENTING TIPS TO BALANCE WORK AND THE HOLIDAYS

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 02:51:24 GMT

RELIEVING HOLIDAY STRESS

During a normal year, parents start to feel tension and stress surrounding the holiday season. Presents need to be purchased, activities planned, Christmas cards sent and holiday gatherings need to be organized. And this year, families are dealing with added anxiety – should we get together with family due to the pandemic? If we do get together, how many should gather?

The most enjoyable season of the year sometimes turns into a miserable experience – much of that misery is brought on by the expectations our kids, families and ourselves place on celebrating so many seasons at once – Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s. After all, every movie, commercial and song tell us to be happy.

Can we achieve happiness and enjoy the holidays? Yes, we may just need reminders or new tools to help us through. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health is offering four, one-on-one half hour sessions where parents can pick the topic to discuss a specific concern with our clinical experts. These sessions are FREE and available to any family in Stark County with a child age 2-12. These sessions and they can be done in-person in your home or through Zoom.

WORK-FAMILY BALANCE STRATEGIES

A work/family balance has been a struggle for parents long before a pandemic added extra pressure and stresses into the mix.

Today, parents are working from home; children are learning virtually and need extra help with homework; scheduling zoom gatherings with family and friends; and monitoring the overall mental health of kids.

Taking a break to care for yourself and family is increasing by difficult during these times. The road ahead the next few months may be even tougher. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health is offering four, one-on-one half hour sessions where parents can pick the topic to discuss a specific concern with our clinical experts. These sessions are FREE and available to any family in Stark County with a child age 2-12. These sessions can be done in-person, in your home or through Zoom.

To learn more about how C&A’s expert clinical staff can help you through juggling all your responsibilities and holiday stress, call 330-433-6075 and ask for Larissa Haring ; email Larissa at lharing@childandadolescent.org or use the Remind App, text @triplepca to 81010.

UNDERSTANDING INAPPROPRIATE SEXUAL BEHAVIOR IN TEENAGERS

Tue, 01 Dec 2020 04:07:36 GMT

As a parent, after a long day at work, the kid’s homework is complete and they are in bed, you sit down to watch television. Grabbing your child’s phone, you do a check of text messages, apps and their internet browser. You are caught off guard when you see a sexually explicit image sent from the phone to another person.

Panic suddenly sets in. Do you wake your child up and yell at them? Do you sit on the information until you can think clearly? Upon further investigation on the phone, you discover this is a deeper problem than you first thought.

Help is available at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) . C&A offers a Healthy Sexuality Group for kids who struggle with sending inappropriate messages. But as a parent, who maybe grew up in the ‘80s or ‘90s, what is considered inappropriate today.

WHAT IS INAPPROPRIATE BEHAVIOR?

Sexually Inappropriate Behavioral Remediation (SIBR) Program Manager Dr. Seandra Walker discussed what is considered inappropriate behavior.

Dr. Walker said, “Inappropriate sexual behavior may include sending or receiving nude photos (including sexting and sextortion), inappropriate or excessive pornography use, inappropriate masturbatory behavior or highly sexualized behavior that may make a youth at risk for human trafficking.

“Teenagers are extremely tech-savvy and use electronics to communicate with their peers every day. However, many teenagers do not fully understand some of the legal ramifications of their online behaviors. For example, many teenagers do not know that sending and receiving nude photos from a same-aged peer is a crime in the state of Ohio. Lack of information regarding state and federal laws, as well as sexual beliefs or attitudes based on misinformation are common reasons why a youth is referred to the Healthy Sexuality program.”

HOW IS SOMEONE REFERRED TO THIS GROUP?

Dr. Walker provided different scenarios for an adolescent to be placed in this group. The first way, if a client is already a C&A client, their primary provider can submit a referral form. If the adolescent is not already a C&A client, an intake assessment would need to be completed and Healthy Sexuality services would be requested. A parent could call in and indicate their child needs this service.

WHAT DOES HEALTH SEXUALITY GROUP SESSIONS LOOK LIKE?

The initial session for this group is a parent/legal guardian-only session. The clinician leading the group will have:

Group introduction and review curriculum content/modules
Provide handouts and information related to improving safety measures at home regarding sexual boundaries, privacy and internet use
Group rules, expectations and attendance policy
Review and sign behavioral health service plan, detailing program goals/objectives

Additional services available/offered
Contact information given for parents to use if they would like to engage in additional meetings with the therapist regarding the program or their child
Question and answer

Healthy Sexuality is an eight-week group program. Sessions are 90 minutes long and are held once a week at the Belden office.

WHAT TAKES PLACE IN THESE SESSIONS?

Adolescents in these sessions are ages 13 to 18. Group sessions are by gender – a boy’s group and a girl’s group, which helps youth feel more comfortable in exploring topics such as puberty and dating.

Dr. Walker said, “Initially, many of the youth are feeling nervous about attending group because they do not know what to expect. Additionally, the topics being taught may be uncomfortable for some youth to discuss.

“This is not therapy, which means the youth are not sharing or processing their own personal stories/experiences. The group is more psychoeducation in nature (similar to the classroom), so youth are not asked to disclose why they are attending group. The youth are expected to participate in discussions regarding the topics being addressed but are not asked to share personal information about themselves.”

Each session is lead by a group facilitator based on a set curriculum. The topics discussed include developing and maintaining healthy relationships, dating, communication skills, boundaries, sexual education, laws of consent and electronic sexual behavior, human trafficking, effects of pornography and victim impact.

Dr. Walker explained in between the one-week sessions, if the youth has another provider (therapist, peer advocate or community psychiatric support treatment), the provider can check in with the youth regarding their thoughts and feelings about group, and discuss how the information being discussed relates specifically to the youth.

THE END GOAL –

“The end goal is for the youth to have a better understanding of how to develop and maintain healthy relationships moving forward,” said Dr. Walker. “The youth are administered a pre-test and post-test regarding some of the information that is being addressed in group. Another goal is that the youth show improvement on their post-test compared to the pre-test.”

At the end of the group, if the adolescent is stills struggling with inappropriate sexual behavior, it is usually recommended that they work with one of the SIBR therapists in individual/family therapy to address specific concerns.

Dr. Walker said a new group usually starts every two months. As a parent, if you think your child is having issues with appropriate healthy sexual behavior, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075 .

C&A’s Sexually Inappropriate Behavior Remediation Program Manager Dr. Seandra Walker provided the content for this blog post. Dr. Walker is one of C&A’s expert clinicians with more than seven years of clinical experience

NAVIGATING THE UNEXPECTED: THE EFFECTS OF COVID-19 ON MY SENIOR YEAR OF COLLEGE

Tue, 17 Nov 2020 02:44:57 GMT

“Don’t stop! You’re almost to the end!”

My wonderful friends and family have been chanting these words to me for the past 12 weeks. I can honestly attest: senioritis is real- especially now. My senior year is turning out to be very different from how I envisioned it. I was supposed to take a few trips, all of which have been canceled. I was supposed to intern at a hospital, but now they can’t let me. I was supposed to sing with my university’s choir for Homecoming weekend, graduation and Christmas. Instead, I’m sitting at home most days working on homework or watching a class over zoom trying to navigate through this unexpected twist of life.

With the new teaching method my university has adopted, the typical student will have a few classes entirely online and a few that only meet in person once a week. In some ways, this method works well for me as a commuter student. I don’t have to drive to school as often or sit in the library for nearly as long between classes. But, even in a typical school year, commuting can feel isolating at times when I don’t have floor mates and roommates to eat lunch with or I miss out on evening events because I don’t want to drive home late at night. Now, COVID-19 restrictions have limited these social experiences I used to take for granted, and I am beginning to feel more lonely than normal.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

It’s true; I have made many friends over the past three years through my involvement with various groups on campus, but it makes me sad to think about the freshman students who are stuck in their dorms or homes with nothing social to do. How any of the freshman students are still going strong is amazing to me. Adjusting to a new school environment is hard enough, let alone the fact that most events and classes are online and everyone wears a mask that hides their facial expressions.

I cannot express my deep longing to see people’s smile again!

It’s no wonder so many people are feeling the anxiety and depression set in. For me, dealing with the stress and anxiety brought on by loads of homework, having an internship and working part time hasn’t been easy. Human interaction, on some in-person level, is so necessary and beneficial in helping me not feel alone.

But more than ever, I am so thankful for the beautiful choirs I sing in and the wonderful faculty and staff who have made it possible for me and my fellow choristers to continue rehearsing this year. My fondest memories of college all come from the past two years of my involvement with the choir.

We have a philosophy in choir called “Ubuntu.” It’s an old African phrase that means “I am who I am because of whom we all are together.” This philosophy greatly impacts not only how we rehearse but how we connect outside of practices as well. If one of us is struggling emotionally or physically, someone else in choir will notice and ask if you are ok. We are each others’ biggest cheerleaders and support group. I strongly believe I would have dropped out of college by now if not for the support of so many amazing choral friends. Even now, it’s the choir that keeps me going. The beauty created by singing in the chapel with fifty-five other men and women leaves me feeling blissfully wonderful.

If there is anything I’ve learned from 2020 it would be this:

You never know what tomorrow could bring. What matters most is using the time you have to its fullest potential.
No matter what happens, stick close to those you love and reach out to those around you who are struggling. We are all part of a world that is so much bigger than just ourselves.

Something beautiful will always come from tough times. Create beautiful moments out of even the toughest circumstances.
Don’t forget to take time for yourself. Sometimes you need to ignore what’s happening in the world to focus on getting rid of the anxious feelings inside. For me, practicing piano, singing or listening to music does the trick.
Seek help if you are struggling. Every university has a mental health or counseling office you can go to for help.

If your child is experiencing any of the affects I experienced as a college student - loneliness , struggles with online learning and challenges of in-person classes this semester, please call 330-433.6075 .

Brenna Walker is senior at the University of Mount Union and is interning this semester in Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Mission Advancement Office.

REFILLING A TEEN’S RESILIENCY

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 02:40:00 GMT

In a recent blog post, C&A provided tips on how parents and teachers can build resiliency skills in younger children. But resiliency reaches far beyond just children. Teens who have been through traumatizing situations need help from parents and teachers as well, but in a slightly different way.

WORN OUT

For parents of younger children, the goal is to begin building their child’s resiliency suitcase by carefully packing lessons and skills learned from past life experiences into a resource for later use. But as time goes on, those skills learned early in life become worn out like dirty clothes half way through a trip. Teens may encounter new situations but lack the correct skills to deal with the problem on their own. When circumstances like these arise, a teen’s coping ability can be stretched to its limits, causing the teen to shut down both emotionally and physically. It is important to teach teens how to refill their suitcase when it becomes depleted.

Mary Kreitz , the trauma program manager at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), offers many suggestions for parents trying to help their struggling teenager.

Advise your teen to consult a professional for assistance in developing new strategies for coping or adjusting old strategies to make them more effective.
Help them find new resources and make use of those resources to further the resiliency training.
Encourage them to build new relationships with people who can support, encourage and empathize.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

But what about teens who have never had a traumatizing circumstance or have never learned how to be resilient? Can they still learn? The answer is an absolute yes!

Although the process of learning resiliency is different for everyone depending on what they have experienced and how old they are, teaching teens is great because they tend to have more control over their own lives.

Teens are less physically vulnerable and tend to have better verbal skills which allow them to talk more clearly about how situations affect them. On the other hand, they have had more time to internalize societal messages that can lead to feelings of guilt, shame or humiliation

Teens may want to be more independent, but they might not be emotionally prepared for everything that comes their way. This makes it especially important for parents to be involved in a teen’s resiliency journey as they can provide the teen with wisdom and advice from their own past experiences.

When trauma occurs, teens may seek refuge in their parents’ help for a sense of safety and in some cases may delay their own natural progression toward adulthood and independence. However, they may also head in the exact opposite direction, becoming very reluctant to reach out for help and comfort from their parents and wanting to exert their independence by handling things on their own.

Kreitz offers some suggestions to parents in these circumstances as well.

Offer support, patience, understanding and encouragement. Providing these things is the best way to build a strong and trusting bond between you and your teen.
Set reasonable expectations . Having some expectation is good because it encourages teens to work hard. However, expecting a teen to be completely self-sufficient is going to overwhelm and stress them.

STARTING FROM SCRATCH

Start conversations . Let your teen know what your reasonable expectations are and help them know that you are a safe and trustworthy person to talk to.
Remember you don’t know everything . It is always better to admit that you don’t have all the answers than to give the wrong information. You may not be able to fix all their problems, but that is why professionals and C&A clinicians exist. Simply being able to listen without judgment and empathize with their struggle is enough.

If you child is struggling with resiliency skills, please call C&A’s offices at 330-433-6075.

Mary Kreitz is C&A’s Trauma Program Manager. Kreitz has over 20 years of experience in clinical mental health counseling and is an expert in the field.

STARK COUNTY COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITIES UNITE FOR MENTAL HEALTH

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 02:34:49 GMT

It’s been pushed time and time again. Words like COVID-19, lockdown, masks, pandemic and social distancing has been floating around on the internet and in the news for months. No wonder that amidst all of 2020’s craziness, depression and anxiety cases are rising significantly according to some newer studies.

To help young people all across Stark County combat the challenges facing society these days, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) will be sponsoring their second annual Collegiate Fair about Self Care and Mental Health at colleges and universities across Stark County over the next few weeks. The goal is to bring increased awareness regarding mental health practices to college students and to help them combat the anxiety and depression they may be feeling.

PARTNERSHIPS

Many organizations and schools have come together to help C&A in their mission.

The Coleman Crisis Center will work to provide in-person and virtual presentations at the partnering schools on their services for students who are struggling emotionally who may be considering harming themselves. Stark Help Central will provide information on suicide prevention to the students. Amy Starkey from Yoga-2-Go in South Carolina has also provided C&A with educational mindfulness exercise video s to share with the students. C&A’s Stark County Youth Led Prevention team will also be providing handouts on living a substance free lifestyle. Additionally, the University of Mount Union, the newest school to participate in Collegiate Week with C&A, has offered their radio station WRMU as a way to reach UMU students with mental health messaging through public service announcements (PSA). These PSA’s will be available for other partner schools to share on social media channels.

Each school is coming together to create a unity video to share on social media platforms regarding what is mental health and what does mental health look and feel like.

Sponsors for these campus events include Stark Mental Health and Addiction Recovery (StarkMHAR) and the Ohio Program for College Safety and Mental Health provided a grant.

COLLEGIATE PARTNERS

Partnering schools for this important effort include Kent State Stark, Malone University, Walsh University, the University of Mount Union and Stark State College. Each participating school will be hosting C&A for three hours on a different day throughout October and November to bring mindfulness back to the campus.

A self-care kit with a journal, bubbles, tea, hand sanitizing wipes and motivational message cards will be available for every student that stops by the C&A booth on campus. The kits remind students of small, everyday tangible things they can do to help reduce their stress and anxiety while also practicing today’s new safety protocols.

Students who wish to participate will also have access to Amy Starkey’s mindfulness videos, Motivational Messages cards and Tips and Tricks info sheets that cover many topics from time management and ways to reduce stress to maintaining positive mental health while socially distancing and healthy eating and exercise practices.

* For more information on the services C&A offers, please call 330-433-6075.

RAISING RESILIENT CHILDREN

Tue, 29 Sep 2020 02:26:55 GMT

You are about to embark on an incredibly complex but rewarding adventure- helping your child through the long journey of life. This journey you share together will shape the way your child thinks, behaves and interacts with the world around them, and it is crucial for them to be set up with the proper tools or skills to tackle whatever challenges may come their way.

Since we’re using the “journey of life” analogy, let’s think about it this way. If you were going on a trip, you would pack a suitcase with all the items you would need for the journey. Each item would be carefully thought about depending on where you planned to go, and over time your suitcase would fill up with the items you needed.

During the early stages of life, children have an empty suitcase just like you, except they don’t know how or what to pack because no one has taught them. Young children must be taught many things like what actions are wrong or right. Until someone shows or teaches them, children don’t realize that it’s wrong to pull a classmate’s hair or that sitting still and listening to the teacher is expected. Children also need to be taught how to deal with stressful situations when a parent or trusted guardian isn’t beside them.

EXPERT ADVICE

Larissa Haring , the early and middle childhood program manager at C&A, says there are many things that can cause a child, or an adult, to become overwhelmed and anxious. It’s how we deal with these situations that determine if we are resilient or not. Haring says, “We have all been through difficult times, some misfortune and tragedies. We have all also experienced change which isn’t always negative, change can be good, but there is still an adjustment to things that are different and uncertain. We must outweigh the stress caused by misfortune and change with positive self-care, support and/or connections with others.”

Here are some things Haring recommends parents do to help their younger child learn to be more resilient.

Don’t overreact - Children learn by watching those around them. This means they will often mimic the behaviors they see in their parents, teachers or playmates. So when you encounter change or a stressful situation, do not panic. Instead, remain calm around your child and assess the situation calmly before you respond.
Label and understand emotions - Before we can expect children to do something about their feelings, we must help them understand what those feelings are. Label what you see and hear your child doing by using a feeling word to describe it. Then say to your child, “I hear you yelling. I wonder if you’re feeling mad about something.”
Create a safe line of communication - For children, talking about their feelings can be difficult. They don’t want to feel judged or get in trouble for expressing those feelings. Set up a way for you and your child to talk about those feelings and situations that make them upset. This can be done daily at the dinner table, in the car on the way home from school, or in a journal that you pass back and forth. Just be creative and listen to what they are telling you.

WHY RESILIENCY?

Resiliency skills are essential for children of all ages to develop. Parent and teachers must encourage the development of protective factors, such as initiative, self-regulation and attachments to safe peers and adults. Reinforcing and building upon past skills year after year builds children’s coping skills so they are better prepared to handle challenging situations in a positive manner. As you help a child master the art of Resiliency, not only do you build their confidence but you also provide them with the tools to overcome whatever challenges come their way.

For more information about Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s services and clinicians, visit our website or call 330-433-6075.

This is Part I of a two-part series on Resiliency skills. Part II will look at resiliency skills for high school kids. C&A’s Early and Middle Childhood Program Manager, Larissa Haring, provided the information for this blog post. Haring also runs C&A’s Positive Parenting Program (Triple P) which provides parent with tips on speaking to their children about feelings and boundaries.

CELEBRATING CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH AT SCHOOL AND AT HOME

Sun, 13 Sep 2020 02:22:52 GMT

New challenges are arising for students and parents as schools reopen this fall. With the challenges of COVID-19 still facing our world, mental health is a growing concern. In the past year, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) has seen a 33% increase in clientele. This number is expected to grow this year as youth learn to deal with stress, anxiety and depression due to COVID-19 and systemic racism. Will children be allowed to interact with each other? Will they still feel lonely or excluded?

To continue to raise awareness around mental health among children and youth across Stark County during these unfamiliar times, C&A is excited to bring the second annual Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week from Sept. 14 to 18 to all of their partner schools.

Partnerships

Local community organizations AultCare and StarkMHAR are sponsoring the week to help bring attention to positive mental health practices for school-age kids. C&A will also partner with eight different school districts in Stark County – Alliance City, Canton City and Massillon City Schools and Lake, Marlington, Plain, Sandy Valley and Tuslaw local schools and North Canton City Schools asked to participate- to support and participate in this important week.

At School

Throughout the week, a brief age-appropriate morning announcement will be read to younger students in each elementary, intermediate and middle school building reinforcing a positive mental health message for the day. The younger students will also receive post-it notes to write a positive message for themselves. Older students in high school will receive positive affirmation messages through their email or by text message to build and reinforce resiliency skills.

In every school, age-appropriate posters with the message “You Matter” will feature diverse groups of students and will be posted along the hallways in each participating school.

At Home

In addition to these efforts by C&A, there are things parents can do at home to help their children too. Socialization with friends may be difficult right now, but asking and doing these simple things with your child will help them feel more stable.

Asking your child, “How was your day?” is a simple way to get them to connect with you.
Making family meals a priority can go a long way into helping them feel less alone.
Spending time outside playing or exercising is another way to boost their mood and probably your mood too.
Encourage your child to eat nutritious, healthy snacks such as fruit, vegetables or nuts with you. This will help both of your bodies feel stronger and aid in immune support.
Just like exercise, listening to your favorite music can have a relaxing, calming effect on your mental health.
If you’re feeling really upset, try combining all these things by having a mini outdoor family dance party.

At School and Home:

Amy Starkey of Yoga-2-Go partnered with C&A to create age-appropriate mindfulness videos for teachers to use as relaxation breaks in the classroom throughout the day. These videos are also applicable for parents with students doing virtual learning.

To learn more about the services C&A provides, check out our other blog posts on our website or contact us as 330-433-6075 .

PREVENTING SELF-HARM

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 03:57:52 GMT

In an ideal world, a teenager will grow up living with their biological parents, is happy, self-regulated and living a care-free, stress-free lifestyle. But, as everyone knows, the world is not ideal. What pushes a child from being care-free and happy to self-harming and contemplating completing suicide?

For parents, legal guardians and caregivers, there are often warning signs indicating your child may be entering into a dangerous situation. If your child has a change in clothing styles, friends, music or experiences mood swings or possibly noticing the child with a cut on their arm here and there may indicate the child is considering harming themselves.

‘There are a number of things that contribute to a client getting to the point that they are engaging in high risk behaviors such as self-harm and suicidal behaviors,” wrote Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) Program Manager Stacey Pancher Rippey. “Such behaviors are most commonly the result of feelings of sadness/depression, distress, anxiety or confusion. Teenagers have unique challenges that stem from the teen culture and the increasing stressors associated with social media. In recent months, there has also been a huge shift in their lives with the rise of the COVID pandemic which has resulted in increased isolation and constant uncertainties, which is further effecting the social and emotional health of youth.”

For parents who are noticing these tendencies in their child, help is available through C&A’s DBT Group sessions.

Pancher Rippey said clients are usually referred to the DBT Group through their C&A provider. We also welcome referrals from outside our agency. “If a referral is made from outside the agency, the client must receive an intake assessment with a C&A assessor, which would provide background about the client’s symptoms as well as document medical necessity for the service. The C&A assessor then refers the client to DBT group. The client must be working with an individual therapist to be referred to and participate in DBT group as this is a vital part of the treatment model.”

A typical DBT Group consists of no more than eight participants. The DBT group runs three days a week for three hours each day and generally runs for four weeks. Youth ages 13 and up are appropriate for the group, with the oldest group members being around age 20. Groups sessions are run at C&A’s Plain office and the agency is seeking to start a group at our Alliance location.

WHAT DOES A DBT GROUP SESSION LOOK AND FEEL LIKE?

If your child is placed in a DBT Group, what will the experience be like? Every group session is different based on the age of the participants, the number of participants and if participants are male or female, but what doesn’t change is the skills that are learned and emotions that are shared. Pancher Rippey provided insight on a session.

Participants are encouraged to focus on their strengths and to identify areas with which they struggle.
Participants are discouraged from sharing any intense emotional experiences that would include cutting and suicide attempts to prevent members of the group from being overwhelmed or traumatized.
Participants sharing suicidal tendencies may trigger other groups members who are struggling with urges to self-harm or attempt suicide themselves.
Group members who have a desire to discuss such incidents of self-harm or suicidal behaviors are encouraged to discuss this with their individual clinician.
The DBT Group lead will maintain contact with client’s individual therapist to make sure that any such needs or concerns are addressed in individual treatment.

WHAT SKILLS WILL YOUR TEENAGER LEARN?

If your child is part of a DBT group, what skills will he/she learn to help them foster resiliency skills to help cope with life’s challenges? Participants in the group report having few, if any close or trusting relationships, they often feel alone and misunderstood by others and feel that they have no support as a result of their inability to appropriately manage their emotions. The child’s difficulty with appropriately communicating with others and often acting out these emotions often leads to further feelings of isolation and distress.

Participants will learn about distress tolerance and mindfulness to encourage more healthy ways of coping with intense emotions and to encourage more positive ways of outwardly responding to the world around them as a result of such intense emotions.
Participants in group allow group members to feel connected and understood as the group offers the opportunity for these clients to come together and see that others are having similar experiences.
Participants like the experience of being able to meet and share struggles with others like themselves and indicate that it decreases feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Participants are encouraged to share how they are using their DBT skills outside of group sessions and how they are experiencing success in doing so.
Participants are also able to engage in processing with the group around difficulties they are having with using these skills as well as to problem solve with fellow group members around how to overcome these difficulties.
Participants can provide meaningful encouragement and also serve as role models in demonstrating positive change based on their use of learned skills.

The client’s individual therapist will follow up with the client regarding skills they are learning in DBT group. The role of the individual therapist is to encourage and reinforce the continued use of these skills throughout the clients group experience and beyond.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE END OF THE GROUP SESSION?

At the completion of group, each group member is to have the tools that they need to be to successfully manage emotions in a way that is safe as well as in ways that are socially acceptable, including the ability to communicate in an effective way with others to get their needs met.

Pancher Rippey said due to the intensity of the group itself and the amount of material that is covered as well as the severity of symptoms being treated, some group members who continue to struggle with symptoms, are encouraged to return for a second round of DBT Group. Group members who are able to repeat the group a second time, demonstrate a better mastery of the skills and are able to more thoroughly absorb material that they may not have fully grasped the first time around.

A PARENT’S ROLE?

Parents are encouraged to communicate with the group leader about any concerns that they or the client may have as the client is attending group. Parents are encouraged to attend the final group session to get a snapshot of what their child has learned during their participation in DBT Group and so that they can actively encourage skill utilization at home and become more active in their child’s treatment.

If you suspect your child is experiencing self-harming or suicidal ideations, please contact C&A’s Stacey Pancher Rippey at 330-470-4061. C&A’s DBT Group is run by staff member Jordan Kester and Kayla Johnson.

PEER ADVOCATES HELP TEENAGERS TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD

Wed, 12 Aug 2020 02:18:16 GMT

Many factors determine a teenager’s path to adulthood. Their own family choices will help chart the course. By law, at the age of 18, adolescents are considered adults and many parents entrust their children at this age to pay for all of life’s necessities by living in their own apartment, buying clothes, holding down a job and having transportation.

Depending on the family dynamics and upbringing, some teenagers are not ready for the challenge or responsibility. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) provides services to help teenagers transition to adulthood, which is tough under the right circumstances.

C&A’s Peer Advocate Program serves teens in a non-traditional way. The Peer’s role is to provide support in any area that a client is in need of help to assist and eliminate barriers, providing support to better manage stressors, build Independent living skills, increase knowledge of community resources and to promote self-care. What makes the Peer’s services unique is that they possess lived experiences, either in dealing with mental illness or having been in recovery for substance abuse issues, as part of a requirement of their job. The Peer, having successfully worked through such lived experiences, can serve as supports for those who are currently trying to manage the struggles of such issues and can add an element of support and hope that only someone who has battled these issues themselves can provide.

Peers typically see clients between the ages of 14 to 19 and in some cases up to the age of 24. Appropriate clients for the Peer Program will be those who would benefit from the assistance or support of someone that they feel knows first-hand what some of their barriers are and can assist them with overcoming these barriers to successfully become independent, healthy functioning individuals. These clients may need assistance with things such as finding resources, getting a job, enrolling in an education program, learning to ride the bus, cooking meals, budgeting and paying bills, opening and managing a bank account, helping the establish a support network, development of leadership skills, coping effectively with stressors, knowing how to ask for help and who to ask, and communicating effectively with family or peers to name just some of the roles of a Peer Advocate.

C&A offers the only Peer Advocate Program in this area. There are other Peer Programs, but they function more as mentors who have some experience in an area that allows them to be of help to a client. Peer Advocates not only have lived experience, but also have to have 40 hours of specified training as well as 3,000 hours of Peer support experience to become state certified. They serve as a bridge between a client and service providers to facilitate the medical and psychosocial care of the client.

The Peer program was created as outreach of C&A’s Transitional Program. The peer program is funded through Stark Mental Health and Recovery (StarkMHAR) and United Way. C&A started out with one Peer Advocate and has grown to include two Peer Advocates – Jonny Rice and Max Doll.

Clients who receive Peer services are not limited in the amount of Peer services they receive and they receive services based on their level of need. Most client’s have weekly or bi-weekly sessions with their Peer Advocate, but sessions can be more frequent if needed.

C&A is looking to improve and expand its offering by adding a weekly peer group. Doll, who previously worked at StarkMHAR and helped with peer advocacy, brings valuable expertise to this area. This group will assist Peer clients with skill building as well as networking with other peers who can also provide validation and support. In the past, this group was offered by StarkMHAR and our Peer Advocates assisted with running this group.

If you or someone you know could benefit from a peer advocate, please contact Program Manager Stacey Pancher Rippey at 330.470.4061 .

LONG ANTICIPATED LYLS ONLINE AUCTION IS HERE

Mon, 27 Jul 2020 03:48:09 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) long-awaited and much-anticipated Let Your Light Shine Online Auction is Aug. 3 to 14 featuring an array of items to bid on to suite everyone’s taste.

C&A’s auction will feature items to pamper and treat yourself or help you get an early start on Christmas shopping, providing you can find hiding places.

The 15th annual Let Your Light Shine fundraiser is C&A’s biggest fundraiser of the year to support ongoing programming and services the agency provides to the 4,400 clients we serve each year. This annual event was started in 2006 by then board member Nancy Pryce and has grown each year. This year’s event is going online for the first time allowing you to view in real time bid amounts on each item and if a competitor ups the ante on your bid.

To participate in this year’s auction, visit www.childandadolescent.org and click on the auction button. From there, you will be prompted to create a profile including a username and password. Once you have completed that, the fun of the virtual auction starts. To kick off this year’s auction, C&A CEO Joe French, board member and Let Your Light Shine Chairperson Monica Gwin and event Emcee Mike Gallina will draw the winning ticket in our Grand Raffle Ticket drawing live on Facebook. The winning ticket receives $2,500.

What items are available to bid on? Are you looking for personal items, sports and entertainment, kid’s items or home goods? We have items in all categories to satisfy your shopping pallet. Below is a sampling of items to bid on:

Spring, summer or fall, every lady needs a purse or wristlet to mark that special occasion with an eye-catching design when making an entrance. You can bid on a Sierra Satchel purse by Coach, a Kate Spade or Michael Kors purse. And to really catch everyone’s attention and be the talk of the evening, a special Kate Spade Rose Gold Bow Bangle Bracelet is available.

Looking for an item to spruce up your home? This auction offers a beautiful, homemade flower arrangement in a rustic tin to liven up any room.
Sports on your mind? Plenty of memorabilia to bid on including an autographed Cleveland Indians hat by starters from every decade dating back to the 1980s – Rick Manning, Carlos Barrega, Paul Shuey and more. Not a baseball fan, the auction has an autographed Columbus Blue Jackets picture and puck from Josh Anderson. Other sports items include a Callaway driver, golf bag and many gift certificates to area golf courses.
Concerts and the arts right now are at a stand still but this will all be twice the fun in 2021. Our auction features two packages to Country Fest, June 17-20 at Clay’s Park resort. Additionally, we have tickets to bid on for the Players Guild, the Akron Zoo and more.
Have a young child to shop for? You are covered. For little kids, we have a Pewi Ybike riding and walking toy. As the child grows, so does the imagination with the My Fairy Garden Unicorn Paradise and Shimmer ‘n Sparkle Unicorn Rock Art Kit.
For the Adventurous, there is a three-month social membership to Glenmoor Country Club. Looking to take a road trip, for 300 miles, Cain BMW will give the winning bidder a car for the weekend.

A TYPICAL BON FIRE MAY BE A TEENAGERS COVER UP FOR SUBSTANCE USE

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 02:12:45 GMT

CAMPFIRES

Now that it’s summer time, that means no school, warmer weather, bonfires and hangouts. Who doesn’t love a good campfire with s’mores, music, and friends? Some pre-teens and teenagers use bonfires as an excuse to get together and experiment with drinking and using different substances (vaping, marijuana and opioids to mention a few). Bonfires are the perfect time for teens to use substances because it is so easy to tell parents “I’m heading over to a friend’s house to hangout by the fire.”

WHERE AND WHEN?

Campfires can be held anywhere, any time. Usually these happen at a friend’s house or remote distances from their house. As the sun starts setting and the stars start to appear, that’s when the substances tend to come out. It is harder to see what is going on because of how dark it gets, making it easier to experiment or use substances. Because it is summer time, teenagers have all the freedom in the world to have these hangouts and bonfires any day of the week.

WHAT SUBSUBSTANCES ARE BEING USED AND HOW DO I KNOW IF MY TEEN IS INVOLVED?

Think of these summer night bonfires the same way you think of parties. The most common party favors are alcohol and marijuana. However, other substances can be involved. There are a vast variety of signs your teen can show if they’ve been using.

Behavioral changes: Teens may be quieter or act differently around family members.
They may be chewing gum or spraying perfume more often to cover up smells.
You may notice they may become sneakier.
Teens tend to pack an extra change of clothes to change into to eliminate any smells that could linger home.
They may be coming home later than usual or staying the night at friend’s house more often.

WHAT SHOULD I SAY/ASK MY TEEN IF I KNOW?

Communication is key. First, talk with your partner; make sure you both know what is happening. Having a group conversation is better than your teen having to listen to the same conversation multiple times. Make sure there is evidence and you know for certain there are substances being used before you talk to them. Your teen may argue and say that they have done nothing wrong, that they’ve never done drugs or have had alcohol.

Be kind and patient with your child. Ask direct questions. Arguing and yelling will not help the confrontation. It may make your teen more likely to want to use substances as a way to cope with the anger/frustration. Educate them about the effects these substances have and what could happen if it is abused.

Even if your teenager hasn’t used any substances, you can still have the talk with them. Educate them about the negative effects and the trouble that they can get into. Teens who abuse drugs and alcohol at a young age may have a greater risk of addiction in later years. Let them know they don’t need substances to fit in or to be “cool.” Perhaps, and hopefully, it can help persuade them not to use drugs and alcohol and how you don’t need substances to have a good time.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) Gemini Program helps teens who are struggling with substance issues. Two groups within the program – Alternatives and Decisions – provide different levels of assistance. Alternatives is an education-based program aimed at young adults who are experimenting with substances. Decisions is a more intensive-based form of help that includes individual and group sessions.

If you suspect your young adult is using substances, please call C&A at 330-433-6075. C&A’s Gemini Program Manager Dr. Karita Nussbaum provided some of the content for this post.

C&A IS SEEING CLIENTS THROUGH TELEHEALTH

Tue, 23 Jun 2020 02:08:54 GMT

Whether you are new to professional mental health support or have been in treatment before, help is here. Telehealth provides video and/or telephone counseling support due to increased worry, stress, loneliness and other factors. Intake, assessments and treatment can be done safely from the comfort of your home, and all the important things like privacy, confidentiality and the ability to get services regardless of your financial situation still apply. So if you’ve noticed significant changes in your mood; if you’re involved in behaviors that concern you; or if for any other reason you think you could benefit from talking with a counselor, you’re not alone. Anyone can find a trusted, local provider today at StarkMHAR.org/care-network.

WHAT KIND OF TECHNOLOGY DO I NEED TO HAVE A TELEHEALTH APPOINTMENT?

The technology for a telehealth visit can vary by the type of appointment, individual organization and insurance provider. It is encouraged that you check with your healthcare provider and insurance provider to determine what is required prior to your appointment.

Typically, you will need capability to use audio and visual technology, such as a computer or cell phone with a camera and microphone- most smartphones have these capabilities built in. You may wish to use headphones to help limit the information that others around you may hear. You will also need to have an internet, WiFi or cellular data connection. As part of Telehealth, providers are required to utilize a private platform, providers should not utilize anything public such as Facebook Live or another social media application.

IF MY COUNSELOR’S OFFICE IS OPEN, CAN I STILL DO TELEHEALTH INSTEAD IF I PREFER THAT?

Healthcare providers and insurance providers may have different requirements for completing an appointment. It is recommended that you contact your healthcare provider and insurance provider prior to your appointment to determine if the session is allowed and will be covered as Telehealth appointment.

WILL I GET THE SAME RESULTS AS GOING IN PERSON?

Taking care of your behavioral and mental health is extremely important to overall wellbeing and coping and should not be delayed. With new laws and regulations, healthcare providers are able to provide Telehealth services even if you are a new patient, so your first and following appointments may all be able to be provided by Telehealth, as long as the healthcare provider and insurance provider both allow. It is encouraged to contact both the healthcare provider and insurance provider to determine coverage.

There are few services that must be performed in person, these are typically more intensive services that require a patient to stay overnight, which may include inpatient psychiatric services or crisis stabilization, and medically monitored detoxification services or residential services. If you are in need of these services, providers are taking all required and recommended health precautions to ensure patients health and safety and minimize risk of exposure to COVID-19.

Remember, mental health is health, and treatment providers are open and ready to help.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is currently offering telehealth services. To receive telehelath services provided by C&A, please call 330-433-6075.

Stark County Mental Health & Addiction Recovery's Allison Esber (MSSA, LISW, OCPSA) provided the content for this blog post. Allison is the Systems Initiative Manager at StarkMHAR.

START A CONVERSATION ON RACE AND RACISM WITH YOUR CHILDREN

Wed, 10 Jun 2020 03:41:22 GMT

It’s all over the news and social media. Tens of thousands of people have shown up to protest over the killing of George Floyd, over numerous incidents of police brutality and over the systemic racism that is pervasive in this country. There are growing demands to have racism recognized as a public health emergency. Hatred, bigotry and violence are happening on a massive scale.

If you’re not already talking to your children about race and racism, you should. Start now. It’s not too late. It is that important.

There are a lot of reasons parents don’t talk to their children about this. Some believe that by not talking about it, they are protecting their children from exposure to hurtful and ugly ideas. Some are so troubled by their own past experiences and discomfort that they cannot bring themselves to talk about it with anyone. Many want to say something but just don’t know what to say or how to start talking about it. Others worry that they will be opening a Pandora’s box that they aren’t prepared to deal with.

Keep this in mind – if your children aren’t learning about this from you, they will learn about it from someone else, and when they do, you have no control over what they will hear. When you start the conversation, you take the reins in teaching your children your values, your perspective on what is right and wrong and your expectations on how to respond when they encounter racism in other parts of their lives (which eventually they will).

At all age levels, the best way to start the discussion is by listening. Listen to your children when they are talking with members of the family, when they interact with friends and neighbors and when they are playing. What are they saying? How do they respond to or talk about people who are different?

The next step is to ask them what they’ve heard. What have they heard about what has been happening in the world? What have they heard from their friends? What have they seen or heard on TV, on the internet or on social media? What have they seen happening to people around them? What have they experienced firsthand?

All children need to learn to be proud of who they are and who they will become. They need to learn that all people are deserving of respect and kindness. They need to experience the truth that it is not ok for others to insult, humiliate or degrade them. They need to know that different doesn’t mean better or worse, just different.

At every age there are things we can do as parents to raise children who are respectful, open minded and willing to stand up to injustice. These conversations may not be comfortable, but they are necessary.

EARLY CHILDHOOD

In the early years of their children’s lives, parents must lay the groundwork for who their children will become and how they learn to think about and interact with others. Children are not born with hate in their hearts. They aren’t born racist, but they aren’t born color-blind either. It is important to acknowledge differences and to do so with respect, curiosity and acceptance rather than with valuations that one group is better than another.

Children need to be exposed to diversity. Seek out opportunities to interact with people who don’t look

or live like the members of your family. Explore different cultures together by eating the foods, listening to the music and reading the stories. Talk about ways that groups of people are the same and ways they are different.

Young children don’t need a formal “talk” or lecture about racism. They will learn more from the example set by the words and actions of their parents and the other people in their daily lives. When racism comes up, parents need to be prepared to talk openly and matter-of-factly about it. Name it for what it is. Call it out as inappropriate. Clarify how you would prefer your child to act. For example, you might say something like, “It’s not okay to do that. That hurts people. We use our words to solve problems.”

Don’t try to hide your emotions from your children. Chances are if you’re distressed, worried, angry or feeling other strong emotions your child will notice. Think about how scary it is for a young child to see mommy or daddy upset, maybe acting different than usual, staring at their phones and no one is telling them why. If you don’t explain, young children are likely to conclude that they are the cause of your distress. Show your child that you have strong feelings and show the healthy strategies that you are using to cope.

SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN

Throughout this phase of life children are acutely attuned to what is fair and what is not fair. It is possible to have meaningful conversations with school-age children about injustice and people being treated differently because of their appearance or their background.

Let your child’s questions and comments be your guide. Answer their questions as honestly and straightforward as you can. Encourage your child to describe his or her feelings and help to find accurate names for those feelings. Ask your child how he understands what he’s hearing or seeing.

Resist the urge to downplay and minimize. Sometimes it feels easier or safer to reassure a child that “things like that could never happen here.” Racism is everywhere. Violence can happen anywhere. Instead, validate the feelings that your child is expressing and offer reassurance that there are some people who are safe and trustworthy and are working hard to make things better.

School-age children sometimes misunderstand what has happened. Often they get partial information and fill in the blanks for themselves, but they don’t always make accurate assumptions when they do this. Sometimes they hear misinformation from their friends or other unreliable resources. It is important to clarify things by providing children with accurate information. If you don’t know about something, it is okay to admit that you don’t know. Look for information together and demonstrate how to carefully choose reliable sources from which to get your facts.

TEENS

One of the main tasks of adolescence is to begin distinguishing one’s identity and values from those of one’s parents. As a part of this process, teens will try on a variety of styles of dress, manners of behavior and types of speech. If you notice your child using biased speech or stereotypes in person or online, talk to them about it. Encourage them to explain their views and beliefs to you. Then take a turn explaining your beliefs to them. Let them know that you are not in agreement and let them know why.

Remember that teens often fail to see the full complexity of things. As a parent, your job is to help your child to complicate her thinking. Help her to see nuances and complexities that she’s not appreciating. Present facts that she might have overlooked.

Taking action offers a sense of control. When confronted with injustice and discrimination, teens may feel compelled to do something about it. Help your child to find appropriate ways to make a stand. Some possible ways to do this include:

Making a point to do something kind for another person every day.
Contacting legislators and public officials about making or changing laws to be fair and to correct injustice.
Participate in a peaceful protest.
Be an ally by standing up to people who use racist behavior or words in front of you. Let them know that you don’t agree and that their words/behavior is unacceptable.
Educate yourself about racism, privilege and how to be an ally.

If you or your teen is struggling with thinking of ideas for what to do, consider this question: what would you want someone to do if it was you or someone you love being degraded, beaten and killed? - That’s what you should do.

The most important thing parents can do in raising their children is to be the kind of people they want their children to become. “Do as I say, not as I do” doesn’t fly. It doesn’t work. Children need to witness their parents acting and speaking with respect, compassion and understanding toward all. They also need to see their parents speaking up when someone else is speaking or behaving in a racist manner.

It is not enough to passively disapprove of racism. We must be active participants in fighting the continuance of racism, a stance known as anti-racist. We must confront people when they repeat a racist stereotype, correct them when they use offensive language and call them out when they tell a racist joke. Deciding to “let it go” when someone engages in racist language or behavior in front of us allows the racism to continue. We must always be mindful of the words we use, the assumptions we make and the impact we have on those around us.

It may be tempting to think, “I didn’t start this. It isn’t my fault.” While that may be true, you can be part of the solution. By starting now, with every child, teen and adult, we can turn the tide toward building a more respectful, inclusive and safer community for everyone.

This blog post is written by C&A's Trauma Program Manager Mary Kreitz . If your child is experiencing stress and anxiety during the protests relating to race relations or if you as a parent are struggling with how to help your child, please call 330-433-6075.

TEENAGE SUBSTANCE USE STRUGGLES DURING COVID-19

Thu, 28 May 2020 02:03:14 GMT

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) offers two programs/services to Stark County teenagers in regards to substance use. The first program is a prevention program - Stark County Youth Led Prevention. The second program offers help for kids who have substance use problems – our Gemini program. Within the Gemini program are two levels of treatment based on client needs. Alternatives is an education group and Decisions is the intensive outpatient program group.

During a typical school year, children are attending in-person classes from August through May. This year, students of all ages are closing out the year at home, learning online and in many instances, one or both parents/legal guardians are working at home as well. The state of Ohio is slowly easing the stay-at-home restrictions in regards to shopping and eating out at restaurants.

In a normal circumstance, C&A knows from statistics compiled through Stark County Youth Led Prevention, 86 percent of Stark County Youths do not use any type of substance. During social isolation, loneliness, anxiety and depression can set in. Social isolation from friends and loneliness/depression may cause teenagers to experiment or use drugs.

STARK COUNTY YOUTH LED PREVENTION

Stark County Youth Led Prevention (SCYLP) is a program run by Stark County teenagers that is guided by adult leadership. This group was created to empower students to impact their schools, neighborhoods and communities. A majority of the students in this program do not use alcohol and other drugs. SCYLP members encourage fellow teenagers to make positive choices regarding substance use. SCYLP is a safe place for youth to come together and encourage their peers to make healthy decisions through planning and implementing various prevention and leadership developmental activities.

For younger children, the state of Ohio provides terrific conversation starters for parents to speak to their children to remain substance free at www.starttalking.ohio.gov . Three points are highlighted on the website to help parents and care givers encourage a drug/substance free life:
Start talking is a first step to building a substance-free future.
Children of parents who talk to their children about drugs are 50 percent less likely to use.
A majority of substance-free adolescents credit their parents for the decision not to use illegal substances.

SUBSTANCE USE

Dr. Karita Nussbaum, Gemini program manager, responded to what her clients are telling her in regards to substance use.

“It appears there are two trends emerging in response to adolescent substance use during the COVID-19 shutdown. Substance use seems to be largely based on their parents view of the shelter in place.”

According to Dr. Nussbaum, parents who have taken the shutdown very seriously and are not allowing ANY physical interaction, use has declined. She said, “These kids have stopped or slowed down their use because they haven’t been able spend time with friends. For that group of kids, whose only connection with substance use is through social interaction, the use has declined However, some of these kids either through sheer boredom or desperation have tried others ways to get high. Some have turned to sneaking the alcohol in the home or sneaking off to make connections. Their behavior is a bit riskier and the likelihood of getting caught has increased, especially if parents are watching.”

Dr. Nussbaum said, “The other groups of kids whose parents may not have held the sheltering guidelines as strictly, continue to make connections with friends or dealers. She said this group may be permitted to snap chat their dealer and then “run to the store” and make the buy. These kids may continue to hang out with limited friends and use drugs together or buy, sell or share.

“To me, the corona virus guidelines shed some light on the role of supervision and accountability. When I ask kids how they are getting their substances during this time, the most common responses are through older siblings, friends or social media arranged connections.

“Substance use is complicated because it serves a variety of needs. Some kids use substances because they are curious and experimenting, sheltering in place has eliminated that opportunity. Some kids use substances to cope with problems, perhaps problems at home or with friends. If the problems are at home, then the cravings to use would increase. If the problems are more social and friend related, then the need may decrease. For kids that are bored and have little resources for entertainment, their need would increase. It’s complicated because there are many variables that influence why a young person take that first hit or drink. Yes, COVID-19 has affected adolescent substance us but so do parents, friends and life experiences.”

For young adults who are addicted to a substance, C&A offers two treatment groups – Alternatives and Decisions. Alternatives is recommended for young people using vape pens, drug paraphernalia, minor drugs or alcohol. As previously mentioned, this is more of an education group. This treatment is to provide education and is a six-session long program, with each session lasting one hour. In this treatment program, adolescents are given facts, tools and support and are taught strategies for taking personal responsibility and making positive, long-lasting behavioral changes.

Decisions group is part the Intense Outpatient Program for an adolescent who has substance use, abuse and or dependency concerns. This program lasts for six to eight weeks and times vary based on the issues being addressed and the adolescent’s response to treatment.

If you suspect your child is using a substance, please contact C&A’s Dr. Nussbaum at 330.433.6075.

The information for this blog post was provided by C&A’s Gemini Program Manager Dr. Karita Nussbaum.
For more information on Stark County Youth Led Prevention, please contact Sarah Hough at shough@childandadolescent.org

A 2020 GRADUATE PROVIDES HONEST, RAW EMOTIONS OF LOST SENIOR YEAR

Mon, 11 May 2020 01:55:28 GMT

2020 has already been a rollercoaster ride for everyone, however, as a senior in college, I assumed this ride would look a lot different. When I would daydream about this year, I saw myself spending my last semester hanging out with friends, spending long nights in the library, talking to my professors face-to-face about my future and having a job laid out. In reality, this hasn’t been the case. Instead, I went on spring break, and returned to my campus just to be sent home later that week. Granted, I was lucky, I spent an extra week with my roommates while some of my fellow classmates didn’t even return from spring break. Finding out that classes were moving online for the rest of the semester was a big disappointment. Not being able to physically finish with my friends was a hard fact to process and accept.

MOVING HOME

Once I was home, I only had two days to adjust to being with my family again. This included claiming my room back from the storage my parents had turned it into. My mom and sister are also currently working from home, which can lead to distractions.

My home is also located in an area where we are prone to power outages during minor storms. This had led to me not being able to do my school work after a storm. It has also caused my computer’s battery to die, and I couldn’t do much of my work while I waited for a replacement to come in the mail.

Then there was the adjustment to online classes. As someone who has spent almost four years in a college classroom, this was a difficult change. With it my motivation was lost, and my anxiety skyrocketed. For everyone, this is an anxious time. However, for seniors, we have no idea what will happen next. My college gave students an extra two days of spring break for professors to prepare for online classes. For all students, we had no idea what online school would look like. For one of my classes this includes daily discussion posts, while another one is held on Zoom. As students are adjusting to this change, professors have been extremely understanding when it comes to classwork. Professors are struggling just like the students, and are trying to be as flexible as they can during this time.

One of the most important events in a student’s life is graduation. For a lot of seniors across the USA this has been postponed. This also goes for my college; our graduation has been postponed without a clear date. This means that for some of us, we might not get a chance to actually walk on stage and receive our diploma. Thankfully all diplomas will be mailed to us at home, but it has lost the effect. As a first-year college student, I had dreamed of walking on to that stage and receiving my diploma with my family in the audience. Now that might not happen. The school has promised that we will have a proper graduation, once it is allowed. However, there is a chance that by then the seniors would have moved on.

ANXIETY ISSUES SET IN

For everyone this is an anxious time. For me, my situation has made my depression worse. Being stuck in the house without a change of environment can really effect a person’s mental health. My university has set up off campus advisors for each student. These advisors get in touch with their assigned student every week or so, and check in on how they are doing. My advisor got in touch with me about two weeks after everything changed.

Just this interaction every week or so, honestly has helped me gain my motivation back. During this time, it is really important to stay in touch with friends. I’ve found this to be extremely helpful for my mental health. I also Zoom call my roommate to study together. This allows us to catch up, and stay motivated. Because my advisor is familiar with my mental health struggles, she also provided me a few tips to help improve my state in this struggling time. These tips included setting an alarm so that I’m taking my medication on time, trying yoga to help ease anxiety, studying near a window, and to stay on a schedule during the week. She also made sure to inform me about how the mental health center on campus now takes Zoom appointments, and has open Zoom hours for students to pop in.

This is an extremely hard time for everyone. As current events progress, check in and keep the seniors of 2020 in your mind. This goes for any level of school. High school seniors are missing out on just as much as college seniors. For college seniors, we are missing out on events like Scholar Day and Honors Convocation. Thankfully these events were still held online, so that the students still were able to be recognized. However, this doesn’t change the fact that they weren’t able to properly present their projects to an audience. We also miss out on our last day of classes, and saying goodbye to teachers and classmates. It makes a sad and stressful time even more escalated.

Keila Martinez is a senior communications major and soon-to-be graduate of the University of Mount Union. Keila interned with Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health during the 2019 fall semester.

C&A is open and seeing new and current clients in person and through telehealth. If you are in need of C&A's services, please contact C&A at 330.433.6075 .

ACKNOWLEDGE THE EMOTIONAL LOSS OF THEIR SENIOR YEAR AND CREATE ALTERNATIVE CELEBRATION

Tue, 28 Apr 2020 01:49:04 GMT

You’ve been looking forward to this since the day your child walked through the door for his or her first day of Kindergarten. Maybe it was earlier than that, maybe it began when they started preschool or maybe you started imagining it while you were still waiting for your child to be born. In any case, it is a major milestone that every parent looks forward to – hearing your child’s name called, seeing your child walk across the stage in cap and gown, seeing the diploma be presented.

Things aren’t turning out as anyone expected this year. Thanks to COVID-19, students aren’t in school; they’re at home, doing classes on their computers. Large gatherings of people have been prohibited and no one knows when it is going to be safe to lift that restriction. In the meantime, that means no graduation ceremonies.

Students who are seniors this year have been affected by a long list of losses. Competitions of all sorts (sports, robotics, speech and debate, academic challenge, just to name a few) have been cancelled as have band, choir and play performances. Standardized tests, college admission exams and military qualifying exams have been cancelled. No prom. No spirit week. No senior ditch day. All those events that make senior year special aren’t going to happen.

SO WHAT YOU CAN, AS A PARENT, DO TO SUPPORT YOUR HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR?

Don’t minimize what your child is going through . It may be tempting to say that, compared to people dying, these losses are trivial. Even if you’re thinking it, don’t say it out loud! Your child’s losses are real. If they think it matters, it matters. This may actually be the worst thing that ever happened to them and it is totally appropriate to grieve for the losses. Acknowledge the losses by saying something like, “I know how important that was to you” or “I know you were really looking forward to that.”

Let your child know it is Okay to express how they’re feeling . Some young people don’t want to say anything because they’re afraid of seeming selfish or they’re aware how much stress their parents are under and don’t want to add to the load. Validate their disappointment, anger, hurt, frustration, sadness or whatever they’re feeling. Remember that all feelings are valid and it is healthier to express them than to hold them in or to try to pretend they don’t exist.
Don’t say you know what they’re going through . Unless you are a high school senior in 2020, you don’t know what it’s like. This has never happened before. When you say you know what they’re going through, it feels to them like you aren’t willing to listen to them because you think you already know. Every adolescent wants to feel special. Let them tell you what it is like.
Don’t say that big events like prom or graduation are overrated . In your experience this may be true but it doesn’t bring comfort to anyone else. Instead it implies that they were naïve or foolish for looking forward to them in the first place. And again, it shows you just don’t understand.
Reassure that future plans have not been destroyed . Your child’s school isn’t the only one that closed. Schools all over this country and in countries all over the world have closed down to limit the spread of the virus. Universities, the military, training programs and employers are going to be familiar with what happened and are going to be willing to work with them when they eventually start to open back up. This is a major bump in the road but not the end of the road.

Encourage your child to socialize with peers online. That’s right. After years of trying to limit screen time, you’re going to do a total 180 and encourage more of it. High school seniors are supposed to be transitioning to needing their parents less and their outside relationships more. Don’t try to fight this. It’s healthy and developmentally appropriate.

Collaborate with your child to plan some sort of ritual for celebrating graduation. The truth is graduating from high school is a big deal. It marks the culmination of years of hard work. For many people it is the symbolic transition into adulthood. We need to mark important events in our lives with celebratory rituals. So maybe the traditional rituals have been cancelled (or postponed to some indefinite future date). Create something else. Acknowledge that it’s not the same and is probably going to be a pale substitute, but it is something. Let them know that you are proud of what they’ve accomplished and of the person they’re becoming, and that you want to celebrate that with them.

Mary Kreitz is the Trauma Program Manager at Child and Adolesecent Behavioral Health . If your child is struggling with the loss of his/her senior year, please reach out to C&A at 330-433-6075.

DAY TREATMENT STUDENTS MOVE TO ONLINE LEARNING AND THERAPY

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 01:33:46 GMT

The COVID-19 Pandemic has forced all Stark County children in grades K-12 to move to online learning. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A’s) Trauma Informed Day Treatment students and teachers have had to adapt as well.

The students attending C&A’s Day Treatment program , kindergarten through 12th grade, deal with emotional and behavioral challenges that most students do not face. The students attending school at C&A have experienced trauma that does not allow the child to participate in the classroom in their home school district. For these students, routine is an important aspect of their treatment and during this time, C&A teachers and therapist are working hard to keep the kids engaged through online learning as well as meet their mental and behavioral health needs through teletherapy or in person.

C&A TRANSITIONS TO ONLINE LEARNING:

“Our teachers and students are adjusting impressively well,” said Dan Metzgar, Day Treatment program manager. “The teachers are working hard to continue to educate the students even though the students are not in the school building.”

Metzgar said students and teachers are meeting through Zoom. He also said if students prefer, they are able to receive one-on-one instruction while practicing personal distancing when the students come in to meet with their therapist. At that point, students are receiving work from home bags.

For traditional students, maintaining attention span may be difficult when reading material on a school-issued electronic device or staring at a screen. For students who have trauma issues, the challenges sometimes increase.

“Overall, things have been going well,” said Metzgar. “The kids have been adjusting well to the circumstances. A few of the students have struggled not having the structure and routine they were use to but they are starting to make the adjustments that are necessary in this situation.”

EVERY STUDENT LEARNS DIFFERENTLY EVEN UNDER USUAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

The students who attend our Day Treatment program also receive individual and group therapy as part of the school experience. The groups are still meeting via Zoom.

Part of their daily structure in the program is participating in therapeutic groups. “We have set up therapeutic groups through Zoom,” said Metzgar.

“It is still a work in progress as we try to get more clients to participate consistently but the ones that have participated have seemed to enjoy the experience and being able to see their classmates.”

“We have had a few parents that preferred the in-person learning,” said Metzgar. “The teachers are following the social distancing guidelines during these meetings. They are either sitting at the end of the table or working on the board while the student is sitting at a desk or table. Some parents have waited and other parents have dropped off their child and picked them up at scheduled times. We have left it up to the family and what works best for them. We are doing everything we can to work around the preference of the family to keep the students working with their teachers and therapists.”

In addition, teachers have gone out of their way to keep student’s on track, including dropping and picking up material at their houses.

“Yes, the teachers have been dropping off and picking up work from the student’s homes (front porch),” said Metzgar. “So far, it has been going well. A lot of our students have been working hard. Anything we can do to continue to provide education for our students and continue the progress they have made will do.”

Metzgar said the positive in this situation is seeing all of the Day Treatment staff work together and find ways to continue to support the clients in this challenging situation.

MAKING THE BEST OF THIS SITUATION

In many of Stark County’s school districts including the student’s home district, the school will provide one-to-one technology for kids in grades three through 12. Unfortunately, C&A cannot do this.

“Unfortunately, we do not have the resources available to provide the students with devices,” said Metzgar. “The students are using technology in the form of phones and computers they have at home.”

“Overall, I have been impressed with the progress we are making. The students and staff are working hard and I am so proud of them. I believe we will continue to make progress academically and therapeutically as everyone continues to adjust in this challenging situation.”

When the stay-at-home orders are released, and students return to the classroom, Metzgar feels students will not lose much academically because the staff has worked hard to maintain a feeling of connection and structure during this time.

“I believe as long as the students continue to work with their teacher and therapist, they will maintain their progress,” said Metzgar. “Our staff is working incredibly hard to ensure that nobody falls behind.”

For more information on C&A’s T rauma Informed Day Treatment Program, please contact Dan Metzga r at dmetzgar@childandadolescent.org .

C&A is open and seeing new and current clients. If you are in need of our services, please call 330-433-6075 .

POSITIVE CHILDHOOD EXPERIENCES

Fri, 03 Apr 2020 01:29:09 GMT

For years now, we have all been hearing about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE’s) and the detrimental effects they can have for the rest of a person’s life. Have you heard about Positive Childhood Experiences (PCE)? Research comparing adults who reported high numbers of PCEs with those who reported low or no PCEs found that adults reporting more PCEs showed 72 percent lower levels of adult depression and/or poor mental health and were 3.5 times more likely to get the social and emotional support they need as an adult (Bethell, et al, 2019).

Other research has found that, when their parents were able to share ideas and talk about things that matter with their child, the child had a 1,200 percent greater chance of flourishing compared to those who did not have this type of communication (Bethell, Gombojav & Whitaker, 2019).

WHAT ARE PCE'S?

What are PCE? Christina Bethell of Johns Hopkins University, one of the major researchers on PCEs, defined a positive childhood experience as “feeling safe in our families to talk about emotions and things that are hard and feeling supported during hard times.” Examples of PCEs include:

Being able to talk openly to a family member or as a family about feelings and feel heard, accepted and supported.
Belief that family stood by them during difficult times.
Feeling safe and protected by an adult in the home.

Not every child comes from a family that is warm, supportive and accepting. Some children live in homes where they don’t feel emotionally and physically safe. The good news is that friends and communities can be sources of PCEs as well. Examples of non-family PCEs include:

Feeling supported by friends.
Having a sense of belonging and connection with a larger group who has “got your back” (e.g. school, church, clubs, neighborhood, etc.).
Enjoyment of participation in community traditions.
Relationship with at least one non-parent adult who takes genuine interest in you.

The types of experiences that have the most healing effects are not things that can be bought or that necessarily cost a lot of money. They are the experiences that help children learn to trust others even when life is uncertain, difficult or frightening. They happen when we are willing to talk honestly about things that are hard to understand, scary, embarrassing or painful. When adults are willing to have these types of conversations with the children, the result is that children feel reassured that they are not alone in their struggles and they are better able to find meaning or purpose in their struggles.

TIPS FOR NUTURING PCE'S

Some tips for nurturing PCEs with a child you know:

Don’t assume that a child is doing fine just because he or she is not showing obvious signs of distress. Check in. Ask the child to share their thoughts, feelings and concerns about what is going on. If the child gives a superficial response like “I’m fine” share some of your own thoughts, feelings and concerns to show that it is acceptable to talk openly about these things.
Listen carefully. Put the electronics down. Give your full attention.

Some children and most teenagers aren’t comfortable maintaining eye contact when talking about their innermost fears and hurts. They’re more likely to bring these things up at times when they don’t have to look directly at you, like when riding in the car. Don’t dismiss the topic because it is not a good time. Make time, even if it means you have to drive extra laps around the block while you do.
Offer compassionate empathy rather than solutions. Many of us are uncomfortable hearing another person’s fears, especially if we don’t know how to fix the situation that is causing them. Showing that the child’s emotions aren’t too frightening for you to handle helps the child to feel safer, less out of control and genuinely connected.
Breathing in the same room is not the same as connecting. Do something together – play a game, do a craft or look at pictures and share memories.
Let the child’s questions guide you. Children will let you know what is on their mind and what concerns them most through the questions they ask. A great way to start a conversation with the child is to ask, “What questions do you have about what is happening?”
As much as possible, keep your traditions and rituals going. This can be elaborate and formal as decorating for and making traditional foods for a holiday. It can be as simple and informal as greeting each other with a certain phrase or making up a secret handshake.
Say the words. Don’t assume they know you care. Every human being needs to hear that he or she is loved. Everyone deserves to hear it when they do a good job. It won’t give them a swelled head if you tell them that you proud of them. It helps them feel connected and appreciated.

This blog post is written by Mary Kreitz . Mary C&A's Trauma Therapist Program Manager. If you are in need of C&A's services, please call 330-433-6075.

COVID-19 TEACHING COLLEGIATE SKILLS INDEPENDENT LIFE SKILLS

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 01:25:10 GMT

At the outbreak of the pandemic COVID 19 virus, The Ohio State University was the first university in Ohio to shut down in-person learning and move to online learning for the rest of the school year. Soon, one-by-one, big and small colleges and universities in Ohio followed in their footsteps.

Upon closing their doors to in-person learning, soon thereafter, students were asked to move out of their dorm rooms and move home the rest of the semester. Many collegiate-age students either where they were attending school or commuting, soon began to be laid off from their jobs thereafter.

Suddenly, students went from living with their friends and having great freedom, to back at home and under parent’s rules and restrictions. For a certain percentage of the collegiate age population, there was no home to go back home to.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) Peer Counselor Bianca Hooten provides insight to help collegiate-age kids through this tough transitional period, which is different than being home during traditional breaks and under the governor’s stay-at-home restrictions.

HOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES

“Youth that have come home from college, this does not have to be a bad thing,” wrote Hooten. “I think it is first a mindset, and shifting the mindset that this pandemic is only temporary can be helpful to start. Time at home can be a reset from college stress, talk with hometown friends and mentors to recharge. Most importantly is family. Family time is important especially because youth have been away from their loved ones and close relatives.”

For students who are transient and do not have a home to come home to, Hooten offered this advice. “When students are in that transition of developing independent living skills getting connected to community resources is huge!,” wrote Hooten. “Know the community and networking is big. Peer mentors help will this all the time. … but as for one who has had these experiences and lost them due to this time where they are living now, this could be a time to rewrite goals and aspirations for future trials and tribulations. This could also be a time to look at finances closer and money management. Youth don’t always take advantage of saving money so utilizing certain skills helps in times like now.”

Individuals at all age levels, but particularly this age group, should practice mindfulness and pro-social activities.

“I often give feedback on engaging healthy coping and positive interventions besides what we are used to doing – such as going to shopping centers, beaches and social places,” wrote Hooten. “Walking is awesome and healthy, but working on projects that you want to finish but never have the time because you’re too busy is a good idea. Hanging with close friends – keeping social/personal distancing in mind – is a form of coping I use myself.”

LIFE SKILL LESSONS TO LEARN

Two important life skill lessons for collegiate-age students to learn are money management and time management.

Hooten said money management is important during this time frame. Like no time before, kids need to spend money more wisely and more efficiently. Again, many collegiate students have found themselves temporarily laid off for the first time, so being prudent is essential.

As for time management, Hooten offered this advice. “Our higher officials have placed community orders on all of us; use your time throughout the day effectively,” wrote Hooten. “Consider what your agenda is for each day. Wake up with mindfulness - should I go to the grocery store this day? How can I use my time productively? What are some things that I haven’t put a lot of energy into that matters?

RESILIENCY SKILLS THESE YOUNG ADULTS WILL LEARN

By definition, resiliency is defined as the ability of a substance or object to spring back into shape; elasticity.

Hooten said resiliency is a powerful word! What I constantly tell the youth is that they have strengths and talents already. Sometimes it takes times like these to notice and have mentors pull these gifts out of them. I am a busy body myself, and lately I’ve been in my “creative bag” to say the least. There is something I’ll share that a lot of people don’t know about me – I have been partaking in cooking to strengthen this gift I have. Lately, because all of our social lives here have been slowed down, I have been able to sit down and see what I could develop that I actually like to do.”

Hooten continued by saying she comes from a family of women who love to cook. Since Hooten, like everyone else, is unable to go to her social spots and she is mostly in her house, she is honing her cooking skills.

Hooten summed up what all college kids should be doing right now but rarely take the time to do. Her advice is to take time to know yourself. What are you good at? What are you afraid of? A lot of having strengths and weaknesses has to do with your identity. When you sit down, take time to meditate. Ask yourself some questions. Encourage yourself to face trails and tributions which also help with anxiety! What I’ve learned also that helps with anxiety is having a plan! Plan your day. It will help with that feeling of anxiousness because now you have step-by-step things to accomplish through the day. No one likes feeling overwhelmed!

All four C&A locations are open during the COVID-19 pandemic. C&A is seeing new and current clients in-person or through telehealth. For more information on these services, call 330-433-6075 .

* C&A’s Bianca Hooten works with adolescent and young adults as a peer counselor helping kids transition from youth to adulthood learning independent life skills.

RECKLESS YOUTH ATTITUDE: I WILL NOT GET COVID-19

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 01:21:05 GMT

You’ve probably seen the pictures, teens and young adults crowding the beaches in Florida, completely ignoring the warnings about contagion and recommendations for social distancing. What are they thinking?

There isn’t a simple explanation. Teens and young adults aren’t a homogenous group. They don’t all think alike and they don’t all have the same reasons for doing what they do. There are a number of factors and perspectives that contributed to young people behaving the way they do.

Underestimated Risk – Many young people have a hard time comprehending the reality of the risk posed by COVID-19/coronavirus. They’ve never experienced anything like it. It’s only a virus they argue. In their experience, viruses are a temporary inconvenience but not life threatening, so what’s the big deal?
I’m Not at Risk – Here is the logic involved in this perspective: The elderly and people with compromised immune systems are the ones dying from this. If I am young and healthy, I must not be at risk. Sure, there’s all that stuff about being a carrier who spreads the virus without showing symptoms, but if I’m mostly around other healthy young people, even if I have it I’m not spreading it to anyone who is going to die from it.
No Accountability – Many young people have a long history of not being held accountable for their behavior. If they get bad grades it is because the teacher didn’t teach them right. When they blunder their parents have always been there to fix the situation for them. They haven’t been held responsible when they break the rules. Instead they are actually praised for thinking outside the box, marching to the beat of their own drum, or making their own rules.
The Fundamental Attribution Error – The fundamental attribution error is the tendency to recognize the context that influences our own behavior but to assume that other people’s behavior is a reflection of who they are as a person. In other words, if I get sick it was inevitable and there was nothing I could do to prevent it. If you get sick, you deserve it because you were careless and lazy.
Entitlement to Go Out and Have Fun – This is what people my age are supposed to be doing! Everyone else is doing it. If I’m not part of it I’m missing out (fear of missing out, FOMO).

YOLO - You only live once! This is supposed to be the best part of their lives. If that’s true, then it’s all downhill from here so they have to make the most of every situation before it’s too late.
Sense of Foreshortened Future – Some young people don’t expect to have a long life. This is especially common among young people who have experienced feeling that their life was in danger. If you’re going to die anyway, why not try to cram as much fun as possible into the time you’ve got left?

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO TO HELP THEIR TEENAGE AND COLLEGE AGE CHILDREN MAKE SMART CHOICES?

The human brain isn’t fully developed until a person is in their mid- to late- 20’s. That means teens and young adults still need a lot of guidance from their parents. They need you to help them slow down and think things all the way through.

Young people need to know the limits and need to have consequences when they break the rules.

This means their parents have to be willing to be the bad guys and say No when their children want to make poor choices.

It is important to provide teens and young adults with accurate information so that they can make good choices. They may act like they already know everything but they don’t. It is impossible to avoid hearing about the pandemic. Parents need to make sure their children are getting information from credible sources and talk about it together to make sure the young person understands fully.

Young people need guidance to help them empathize with others and recognize the impact that their actions have on others. Humans are naturally self-centered when they are young. They are only aware of their own thoughts, feelings and needs. The capacity to understand things from another person’s perspective develops slowly over time. In times of high stress people tend to regress to more immature, self-centered thinking. They need to be reminded to empathize.

Breaking the rules is a power move. It is a way of taking control in a situation when you feel like you have very little power. Parents can help to remove the need for this by helping their children to recognize what they can control about their lives.

Remember, denial is a coping skill. When feeling confused, afraid and powerless sometimes people who don’t know what else to do will choose to act like the problem doesn’t exist at all, or at least not in any way relevant to their lives. This behavior is an attempt to escape from situations they don’t know how to handle. Parents who recognize this will be better prepared to respond to their children with patience and compassion.

If you or if you know of anyone who struggling with a mental health issue, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075. Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Trauma Therapy Program Mary Kreitz is the author of this post.

THE IMPACT OF COVID-19 ON HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS

Fri, 20 Mar 2020 01:15:44 GMT

Reactions to the novel coronavirus/COVID-19 have caused a great many changes to daily life in recent days. One group particularly affected by these changes is high school students. They are facing challenges this year that have never happened before on this scale.

HOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED BY SCHOOL CLOSURES

School provides structure and routine to the lives of students. Following the routine of getting up at a certain time, going to classes at specific times and coming home at a certain time provides a sense of normalcy in their lives. The predictability of knowing that third period math class follows second period history class allows students’ brains to focus on academic content. Expectations for behavior and academic performance are known and familiar.

When schools closed earlier this month students lost this structure and routine. Many were sent home with packets of assignments to complete but it is up to them to decide when and in what order they will do the assignments. At first, this greater amount of freedom and choice feels good – “Finally I get to decide what I want to do!” In short time though, it is easy to fall behind, to be distracted by other more desirable options (Netflix, video games, social media), or to become bored.

For most students school isn’t just about academics, it is also about social interactions. Many friendships started by sitting next to each other in class. The highlight of a student’s day might be walking down a certain hallway between fifth and sixth period because that’s when she can reliably expect to see the person she has a crush on. Groups of friends eat lunch together every day. Through their interactions with teachers and other school personnel young people learn to interact with non-family authority figures. In the hallways and classrooms of their school, young people are exposed to a variety of different cultures, perspectives and ways of living that may be different than their own.

Extracurricular activities were also affected by school closures. Many students enjoy participating in sports, music, school plays, robotics and a variety of other activities. Participation in these activities helps students to be more attractive applicants to colleges, universities and future employers. More importantly though, participation in these activities is an important part of students’ identities. They provide a “tribe” of others with whom a common interest and skill set is shared.

PARTICULAR STRESSORS FOR HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS

Senior year is typically the high point of a student’s high school career. Seniors this year are worried about being able to graduate. They’re worried about being able to qualify and be fully prepared for college admission. They’re aware that many colleges and universities that have shut down and wonder how this will affect their own future plans.

If schools remain closed for the rest of the spring, students in their senior year will likely forfeit their last shot at a championship sports season, miss their last chance to perform with the choir or never get to perform in the play they’ve been rehearsing for so long.

Seniors also face the possibility of missing out on milestone experiences including attending the senior prom and walking across the stage at commencement ceremonies.

HOW HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE AFFECTED BY OTHER CLOSURES

Many adolescents have jobs at local restaurants, stores, movie theaters, gyms or other businesses that have closed, reduced the services being offered or reduced their hours of operation. The young people working at these establishments count on their pay checks to help with household expenses, to pay for things that are important to themselves (e.g. clothes, music, activities), to provide for transportation (e.g. gas, car insurance, car payments), or to save for college or other future endeavors. If their parent(s) or other members of their family have lost jobs or income due to closures, the student may feel even more stress over losing their ability to contribute to the family’s financial situation.

FEAR AND ANXIETY REACTIONS

One the most stressful aspects of the current situation is not knowing. We don’t know who has been or will be infected. We don’t know who might be a carrier, spreading the virus to others without even knowing it. We don’t know when schools and businesses will re-open. We don’t know what the long-term effects of this pandemic will be.

Facing so many unknowns heightens anxiety. Some amount of fear and worry is a normal reaction to this abnormal situation. If a person’s anxiety is so intense that it is disrupting the person’s ability to concentrate on other things, interferes with the person’s ability to sleep at night or causes the person to avoid engaging in the things that he or she needs to do, it may be necessary to seek help.

MORE FAMILY TIME

The first thing everyone should do, regardless of age, is to maintain good self-care.

Eat good food . Sure it’s nice to indulge in a treat once in a while, but keep in mind that human bodies and minds work better and feel better when they’re being fuelled by healthy, nutritious meals.

Get enough sleep . When we’re tired we are more vulnerable to irritants, anxiety and depression. It is hard to learn, listen, concentrate and solve problems when we’re sleep deprived. Without enough sleep, we are likely to have problems with memory, coordination and patience. It becomes harder to regulate our bodies, our attention and our emotions. Human bodies naturally prefer to operate on a regular, stable cycle of sleeping and being awake. That’s why it is important to set and stick to regular bed and wake up times. According to The National Sleep Foundation, research has shown that teenagers need 8-10 hours of sleep a night.

Exercise . There are lots of options for staying active while following guidelines for social distancing. It isn’t hard to find online videos for traditional workout routines as well as yoga, dancing and martial arts. Going for a short walk or run outside provides a change of scenery and fresh air as well as exercise. A way to make exercising fun is to turn on whatever music you enjoy and dance around for a few minutes.

Be a smart consumer of information. There is no shortage of information available online, on TV, on social media and on the radio. Make sure you are getting your information from credible sources. Take everything else with a good dose of caution and skepticism.

The need for social connection is fundamental for humans. In times of stress we need support and interaction with friends and family.

Technology like texting, messaging apps, email and phones allow us to keep in touch with others without having to be face-to-face. Teens are already familiar with these forms of communication and have been using them for some time.
Make a point to reach out to others who may be isolated or unsupported in their current environment.
Parents, this is not a good time to ground teens from their phones and/or computers for more than one day at a time. It is completely appropriate to set limits on how much time your teen spends on their devices. It is also appropriate to restrict use of technology for social purposes to certain times of the day or to require that a certain amount of academic work be completed before technology may be used for social purposes. It is also good to model the types of self-control you wish to see from your teen.
Pay attention to the effect social interactions have on you. If you notice that your interactions with someone leave you feeling more anxious, angry, worried, frightened or bad about yourself, consider limiting or suspending your interactions with that person.

Actively look for positives in every day

Pay attention to stories about people being kind, helpful or supportive to each other. These things are happening and news about them is out there.
Identify something that you enjoyed or found to be beautiful.
Practice gratitude. In times like these, it is easy to get worn down by all the things that we are missing out on or can’t do. A powerful way to counter this is by intentionally taking time to appreciate the things, people, abilities and opportunities that we do have.

Avoid jumping to conclusions. There is so much that isn’t known and we all have to wait to see what happens.

Teens who are feeling healthy and energetic may assume that they have not been exposed to the virus. They also may have heard that the virus is unlikely to be deadly to people their age. This doesn’t mean it is Okay to ignore safety precautions. It is possible to be infected and not show any symptoms. If you are one of these people, you won’t know it but you could spread it to others. That’s why it is important to take precautions like washing hands, disinfecting surfaces, and social distancing even if you don’t think you are infected.
This situation is affecting the whole country. Colleges, universities and employers are going to be aware and understand.
You don’t have to figure out how to solve this situation. School administrators are working on plans to help students complete their education and be able to graduate. We don’t know yet what form it will take, but rest assured that they will figure something out.

If you or if you know of anyone experiencing anxiety during this health situation, please call C&A at 330-433-6075. C&A's Trauma Therapy Program Manager Mary Kreitz is the author of this post.

C&A PROVIDES TIPS FOR FAMILIES DURING THE COVID-19

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 01:09:16 GMT

The Corona Virus is presenting challenges Americans have not faced at any other time in our country. Certainly, there have been viruses - the chicken pox and polio - and economic challenges. Americans have faced other challenges in the form of war, the stock market crash and 9/11.

The challenges today are different, yet the same as fear and anxiety of the unknown is a difficult task. In addition, routines are changing for households as children are learning from home for at least the next three weeks. Parents may be working remotely and all citizens are being asked to practice social distancing.

C&A’s Early and Middle Childhood program manager Larissa Haring understands these challenges and has provided the tips below for families. Routines are important to maintain for elementary and middle school kids:

Haring wrote schedules are important for everyone’s physical and mental health. She said it is ok to ease up a little on bedtime if you know the child will be getting the recommended amount of sleep through the night. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends:

Children ages three to five get 10 to 13 hours of sleep including naps
Children ages six to 12 get 9 to 12 hours of sleep
Adolescents ages 13 to 18 get 8 to 10 hours of sleep

Anxieties and challenging behaviors increase when children do not get enough sleep. Mealtimes also need to remain predictable.

PARENTS WORKING FROM HOME:

Many companies are requiring employees to work from home. This presents challenges for parents and young children who have not experienced this environment.

Haring wrote working from home is more challenging when you have an audience of little ones demanding your time and attention.

Haring suggests having a conversation with your children to let them know what the expectations are during this time. Make sure they have an interesting activity to keep them busy and let them know you will check on them shortly while you get some things done. Smaller doses of work time are more realistic with frequent breaks to give kiddos attention and guidance. The younger the child, the more frequent opportunities of your attention are needed.

THE CHALLENGES OF STUDENTS LEARNING ONLINE:

This will be new and challenging times for all of us – parents and students. Having realistic expectations is important wrote Haring. To help with routines and expectations, set aside specific times for school work. Working on tasks daily will eliminate stress of having too much to do all at once. Like all other things in life, moderation and consistency is the key. If the topic or work becomes frustrating, validate these feelings and help them problem solve ways they can find help. They may need to take a quick break or take a deep breath and try again. First/then and when/then statements are helpful during these times as well. “First you get this worksheet done, then we’ll go for a walk,” or you could say “when this assignment is complete, then we will start the movie.”

Remember that school staff is still readily available to help guide and support their students. C&A encourages you to reach out to them for assistance if needed.

BUSY KIDS WHO NOW HAVE DOWN TIME:

Many children at all age levels are used to having busy schedules either with sports activities, dance, theater and the list goes on. Haring again emphasized schedules and routines continue to be important; screen time and physical activity included. Screen time has risks and benefits to child development. Too much screen time can negatively impact child’s brain development and their mental health while increasing challenging behavioral. The benefits to technology during this time is the connection and remote access to learning; online museum tours; webinar dance practice; group projects; research; and more. Once again, teaching children to practice moderation is key. Keeping the weekly routines are still possible by encouraging no less than recommended one hour a day of physical activity according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Younger children can use their screen time to look up gonoodle.com for physical activity videos or you host a living room dance party. Older children are still able to use many of their conditioning routines at home, this may take some creativity. Perhaps reaching out to their coaches (but not high school coaches who are in a no contact period) and instructors for guidance to at-home conditioning tips. Last but not least, we can all still go outside: run, walk, swing, jump, skip and more.

MORE FAMILY TIME

Building the family bond and parent/child relationships is on the best protective factors against future risky behavior or mental health concerns. We have a great opportunity to enhance these relationships over the next few weeks. These conversations and activities will vary depending on the age of the children and family dynamics. We encourage this to be a time of open ended and child directed play or conversation. Let them take the lead and teach you how to play.

This could be Barbies, Legos, video games TikToks or new make up trend. Allowing them to teach you about what interests them sends the message that they are important and you believe in their abilities.

Family or group activities with multiple ages can be challenging to meet all their needs/interests. Ask them for ideas/suggestions. Here are some simple no cost/low cost ideas: family sleepover in the living room, movie night, cooking together, baking together, puzzles, charades, story time, game night, go for a walk, family yoga and hide and seek.

RELIEVING THE STRESS OF THIS UNUSUAL SITUATION

Haring said this is stressful time for all of us, grown-ups and children. Anxieties and worries are heightened with information and our day-to-day lives changing quickly. Be good consumers of information, knowing if the information you’re reading is from a creditable source. Take care of your own mental health, take frequent breaks to practice positive thinking and gratitude. Practice using your own screen time, social media and new limits to help decrease feelings of being overwhelmed and anxious. Know the facts and what is best for you and your children.

Children will follow our lead. They don’t know how to respond to any of this until they watch others around them. We do need to talk to them calmly, explaining within reason what is happening.

The goal is to not tell them too much to scare them, just enough to educate them. Answer the questions the best you can and remember it is okay not to know the answers sometimes. Reassure them that you are the grown up and will make sure you are doing everything to make sure they are safe and taken care of.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, stress during an infectious disease outbreak can include:

Fear and worry about your own health and the health of loved ones
Changes in sleep and eating patterns
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Worsening of chronic health problems
Increase use of alcohol, tobacco or other drugs
Excessive crying or irritation in younger children
Returning to behaviors they have outgrown
Excessive worry or sadness
Irritability and “acting out” behaviors in teens
Unexplained headaches or body aches
Avoidance of activities they have enjoyed in the past

According to Starr Organization, other tips parents can use to keep the household calm.

Parents need to remain calm themselves
Answer questions in a calm, direct way
Provide facts in a developmentally appropriate way
Remind kids to wash their hands more often and staying away from others
The likelihood of us getting this virus are not high if we follow the recommendations of doctors
It is rare to die from the virus unless you are very old and or already sick
It is ok and normal to be worried and scared but we are doing everything we can to keep you safe

Information for this blog were C&A’s Early and Middle Childhood program manager Larissa Haring , the Starr Organization and the CDC website. If you are feeling or seeing any of these symptoms or feeling overwhelmed, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075 .

RAISING PROBLEM SOLVERS WHO THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX

Mon, 16 Mar 2020 01:03:01 GMT

This can be a scary and challenging world sometimes. Do you want children to feel confident they can handle most conflicts and be good problem-solvers?

Do you want children to be able to think quickly and clearly in a crisis?

Do you want children to have healthy coping strategies when they are in stressful situations?

Raising resilient children requires us as caregivers to walk next to them, guide, encourage and teach. We all learn from those who make us feel safe. Think of your safe person. What do they do that makes you feel safe… they are patient and available, will listen and validate, help generate possible solutions when we are unable to. Children need these exact same things from us as caregivers. We learn from those who make us feel safe and secure. In order to teach children how to master the above questions we must believe in them and that they are capable of solving problems. We must STOP solving all of their problems too quickly and encourage them to think of solutions.

HOW DO WE DO THIS?

We ask questions, more specifically open-ended questions. There are two types of questions, closed and open. Closed questions are those that are answered with one word. What color is your car? What city do you live in? These questions do not require much thinking and can be answered quickly. Open ended questions are questions that have more than a one-word answer and require thought to answer.

What do you like about your job? What’s another way to do that? These open-ended questions, also called inquiries, help teach children to handle conflicts, solve problems, think quickly and create healthy problem solving. When children are encouraged to think about different ways to solve problems and know we believe in them to find an answer, then the magic happens.

I had the privilege of working with some children in a preschool classroom after they created an amazing town and car track for matchbox cars out of a large flattened appliance box. The road was drawn with crayons and other shapes to represent houses, stores and other buildings. There were paper towel tube trees attached and tissue paper grass. Very creative. A few boys were excitedly playing, “driving” the cars to school, home, the park then then of course… up the paper towel tube tree and down inside the tube. The boys quickly looked at me and said “uh oh” (the car was stuck inside the tube). I then replied, “wow, looks like you have a problem, what can you do to fix it?”. One of the boys tried to reach down inside, they quickly confirmed their hands were too big to fit. I then asked, “what might be another way”, thinking wheels turning the other boys’ eyes light up and he goes to get something. He comes back with a hand claw toy, (where you squeeze with your hand and on the other end about a foot away a pincer claw opens and closes) praising him for his thinking, he then tries…. and it also won’t fit. Giving them some more time, sitting there with them, thinking and trying their ideas …. until they talk with each other and decide to turn the cardboard over to let the car fall out. This worked! They did it! They solved the problem on their own with some guidance and reassurance that they are on the right track. Now I could have told them how to solve that problem when the car first went into the tube, but all the learning would’ve been lost. They were so proud of themselves, they learned at that moment that there are many ways to solve one problem and sometimes it works and sometimes not. They learned initiative and persistence, increasing their ability to be resilient.

Some great open-ended questions to ask that help generate problem solving thinking are;

How do you think we can fix this?”
“What could we do instead?”
“Is there another way?”
“How can we make this easier?”
“What else could we do to get us there?”
“What is a friendly way you could..?”
“What are we going to do to make this work?”
“How could we make this fun?”

Sometimes these questions become overwhelming when children are overwhelmed by emotions. When this occurs, we must consider how we can continue to support our children and teach problem solving skills. You can offer suggestions or even two acceptable choices. Children benefit from us helping them generate a list or menu of possible solutions. If after all attempts to help them problem-solve they become upset or are struggling to move on, you may need to work on labeling feelings and coping skills.

This concludes C&A’s Larissa Haring’s series of blog posts on raising resilient children. Haring is C&A’s Early and Middle Childhood program manager. For more information on any of C&A’s services, please call 330-433-6075.

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE FUNDRAISER

Thu, 05 Mar 2020 00:58:12 GMT

Bright, dazzling lights filling the room. Vivid brilliant colors draping every inch. Aerial artists dropping from the Great Court ceiling. Jugglers walking around performing. A dazzling array of other performances will highlight Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) 15th annual Let Your Light Shine (LYLS) fundraiser on April 4, with all proceeds benefiting the agency. This year’s theme is Cirque de Lumiere.

WHAT’S NEW?

This year’s event will feature new twists to the traditional event. Previous LYLS events had a casino or gaming table theme. This year’s one-of-a-kind unique event will feature a spectacular cirque performance from Down To Earth Aerials, a Raleigh-based theatrical cirque company. Down to Earth Aerials is a well-known cirque troupe performing all over Virginia and North Carolina including The Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, The North Carolina State Fair, North Carolina Museum of History, KFC Canada and Watkins Glen International Speedway.

Dazzling cirque performances will include a stilt walker, jugglers, a contortionist, aerialists and a cyr wheel artist. This amazing, vibrant, colorful performance promises to leave those in attendance in awe. Floor performances will take place all evening before the main performance.

HONORING OUR PAST

2020 marks 15 anniversary of this inspiring event spotlighting the services C&A is able to provide children ages 0 to 24 who are experiencing behavioral and emotional mental health issues. On Feb. 20, C&A honored our past chairpersons of this event which spotlights our children and programming that enables youth and adolescents the chance at health, hope and happiness. The first chairperson and originator of this event was Nancy Pryce. Pryce started this event to raise awareness and funds for C&A’s services. The initial LYLS had a unique concept of hanging a wooden painted rainbow on the side of the Central Trust building at the corner of Market Avenue North and Tuscarawas Street.

On the rainbow were numbered light bulbs. The last light bulb to burn out was the grand prize winner. Unfortunately, a light bulb can burn for a year or longer, so the display came down after a couple of months. Other past chairpersons include Robin Clark, Holly Davies, Lisa Warburton Gregory, Stephanie Green, Danielle Higgins, Ann McCabe, Dr. Michael McCabe, Melissa Pitinii, Karen Smetana, Mark Spano, Tim Voros and Derek Williams. This year’s chair is Monica Gwin.

TRADITIONAL AND NON-TRADITIONAL WAYS TO PARTICIPATE

C&A will have the traditional live and silent auction. Some enticing and unique auction items include a one-week trip to Cancun, Cleveland Whiskey Tour and Tasting for 25 people, Country Fest basket (includes two tickets), Tickets to a Cirque performance in Cleveland with a hotel stay, a Calloway Driver and Stand Bag and Down To Earth Aerials is donating a cirque performance to one lucky winner.

New to this year’s event is a Grand Raffle $2,500 Money Tree, where the winner needs not be present to win. A limited number of $25 tickets are for sale from committee members. Raffle tickets may be purchased on our LYLS shine page .

No donation is too small. Young professionals and community members can make a small donation which appears to be a small act but this will have a big impact. Community members can make a token donation of $1, $5 or $10 through PayPal , which will have a significant impact on services and programming C&A is able to provide to more than 4,400 children each year.

HOW DO I PURCHASE TICKETS?

Tickets are currently on sale by clicking on this link - https://childandadolescent.org/let-your-light-shine-2020-cirque-de-lumiere/ If you have any questions, please call Melissa Coultas at 330-454-7917, ext. 117 or email mcoultas@childandadolescent.org .

LOVING LIMITS

Wed, 19 Feb 2020 03:27:20 GMT

Loving limits help surround our children with a sense of safety, consistently and trust. Why are these things so important?

We all need to know the rules, the boundaries and the expectations. When we know what the expectations are, we are able to function and succeed. When the expectations are unclear or change often, fear and anxiety set in.

When you need to travel somewhere new or unknown, your own anxiety can be triggered. How do I get there? What is the address? What is the speed limit, where are the signs? There are supposed to be signs! This can be very stressful. Being provided the limits or expectations helps us remain calm and able to function.

My sister recently got pulled over for going 82 mph in a 65 mph zone, she got a ticket. Her response was while she was frustrated, the reality was she knew the rules or limits, and also the consequence she was risking. She can be upset, but she’s upset with herself. The speed limit signs are up frequently reminding you of the speed limit. We have been taught the clear expectations or limits and understand the consequences if we break the rules… a ticket.

If the rules changed and were not posted or the consequence wasn’t the same; then the reaction would be very different. Imagine if a police officer said “well today we decided that the limit is lower, we didn’t have time to change the signs, and the consequence is taking your license for the month,” then you would be very angry and rightfully so, the expectations changed and you didn’t know.

FAMILY RULES

Children need to have clear expectations. We need to provide them with clear, loving limits. This is done in many ways. First setting house rules, remembering that these are house rules and everyone in the house will follow them. We can’t state a house rule of bed at 8 p.m. or eat all your vegetables unless you plan on also being held accountable to these rules. The rules need to be simple in their wording and explain what to do rather than what not to do, with a maximum of five.

Common house rules are:

Listen the first time
Be kind
Use helping hands

It is helpful to have a family meeting to talk about these rules together, write them down (picture cues are also very helpful for younger children), and display them in a common area. Sharing these rules and expectations is similar to when we were in driving school. Remembering we still need to be reminded of these rules…. cue the speed limit signs. So, it is important to have these displayed and to talk about them frequently to remind everyone kindly of the behavior you expect in your house.

Our rules and expectations when we leave the house or do something new will change. Sharing these rules with our children is helpful each time. Staying with the driving analogy… enter a construction zone… the rules change. When you go out to eat, the rules change. Sharing and reviewing these rules or expectations before entering the restaurant will be helpful. Saying, “when inside the restaurant we stay seated, use manners and inside voices.” Stating our expectations helps our kiddos be successful in a new setting.

CONSEQUENCES

When these rules are broken the most effective consequences are natural and logical consequences. Natural consequences are those that happen without anyone imposing them. For example, when my kiddo did not put their bike away it was stolen, that was a natural consequence. Logical consequences are those that relate to the behavior that is being corrected and are imposed by someone. These are best when they are immediate and consistent. If I was the one who found the bike not put away then a logical consequence could be losing the privilege to ride the bike the rest of the day. Keeping these consequences quick and immediate enhance the effectiveness.

Examples of Natural

Child argues about wearing gloves in winter to play outside; provided frostbite is not an issue “the gloves will be here if you change your mind.”
Child argues there is no homework tonight; the next day they will have to face the teacher and peers.
Child spends allowance foolishly; there is no money for the newly released video game.
Child cheats in playing with friends; friends will start to stay away.
Child is bossy with friends; friends will start to stay away.
Child wants to put too much stuff in the backpack; they have to carry it.
Child refuses raincoat or umbrella when raining; they will get wet.

Examples of Logical Consequences

Leaves toys all over—toys get a timeout
No dinner, no dessert (or late-night snacks for that matter).
Ride bike outside area permitted--bike gets grounded
Does not wear bike helmet--bike gets grounded
Stays out beyond curfew hours--curfew time becomes earlier
Destroys property--pays for it out of allowance, work, etc.
Sneaks out of house--grounding for reasonable period of time
If clothes do not get to the hamper—they do not get washed.

Providing these loving limits and consistent consequences enhance our children’s sense of safety, consistency and trust within us. They are able to better relax and rest assured that we as their parents have everything under control.

C&A ’s Larissa Haring’s final blog post in this series will be on problem solving and coping skills. Haring is C&A’s Early and Middle Childhood program manager. For more information on any of C&A’s services, please call 330-433-6075.

TEACHING AND VALIDATING YOUR CHILD’S FEELINGS

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 03:11:50 GMT

Calm down, you’re okay! What does that really mean? If I would have told my three-year-old that in the middle of Target while she was screaming and melting down…. would she have known what I meant?

When you are having a really bad day, someone looks at you and says, “Smile”, you instantly feel like your problems are solved, right? So wrong. You feel like telling that person where to go, rolling your eyes or perhaps even using an unkind gesture.

The reality is being told to calm down or to smile is not validating or helpful in those moments. We are trying to be helpful telling a child to calm down or that it will be okay. Parents are saying this from a very kind and gentle place, just as the person telling us to “Smile” is. However, it is not always received as kindness. To that upset screaming three-year-old, it is very much not okay, and you certainly do not want to smile.

The trick is to show empathy and understanding of the other person's feelings. Showing a child empathy is the first step in helping them learn how to have and show empathy for other people. This comes from the idea of being able to honor a child sized problem. This could be having to stop the tablet in the middle of a show or animal crackers falling on the floor. Have you ever had your food drop to the floor? I once had a Thanksgiving pie fall on the floor as I pulled it out of the oven…. yes I cried! When we as caregivers can express to children our empathy for their feelings, we help them learn and grow from these challenging experiences. Labeling these emotions and what we see or hear as result helps teach children about feelings.

WHY ARE FEELINGS SO IMPORTANT?

We must be able to identify and label emotions before being expected to do something about their feelings. Many children are versed in three feelings - happy, mad and sad. If these are the only feelings they know, then these are the only feelings they can choose from when becoming unregulated. By broadening this “menu” of feelings they are then able to choose and identify with different emotions. If you ask a small child what they want from their favorite restaurant, a common response may be chicken nuggets, French fries and root beer. We can help our children expand this menu by letting them know there are more choices - yogurt, apples or carrots. Once they know there are more options, then they start to make new choices. The same is true for feelings. Once a child is able to expand their option menu or vocabulary, the child can start to feel emotions beyond happy, mad and sad.

HOW DO WE TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT FEELINGS?

There are many ways to teach feelings. Start by being open to talking about feelings. Talk about all feelings - the good and the “icky.” I never refer to any feeling or emotion as “bad” because it is okay to feel all of them. It is what the child does with the negative emotions that parents have concerns with for their child. Start by making a list of feeling words and then use them daily with children and yourself. Remember that part of working to help our children is also taking a look at ourselves. We are all constantly learning and growing. Some of my favorite feeling words to expand the list are:

Excited (this is extra happy)
Worried (thinking about something yucky that might happen)
Frustrated (when you keep trying and trying and it just isn’t working)
Curious (asking why and sometimes getting into things were not supposed to, wondering)

How many more can you and your child(ren) come up with?

Once you have this menu of new feeling choices, use them. It might sound something like this, “Sammie, I hear you crying, it sounds like you might be frustrated” or “Belle, I see you jumping up and down, it looks like you might be feeling excited.” This feels weird at first, but I promise you…. it works! Remember labeling what a child is feeling with what you are seeing and/or hearing as a result is the first step to helping with empathy and also assist with calming a challenging behavior.

HOW DO WE TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT FEELINGS?

There are many resources that can help with teaching children about feelings.

Books there is a great list for young children at http://csefel.vanderbilt.edu/documents/booklist.pdf
As you watch a movie or read a book together talk about how the characters were feeling, this increases comprehension
Feeling journals - draw or write about feelings
PBS kids has many resources that help explore feelings
Sesame Street tool kits - there is one about resiliency and other special topics
Feeling bingo
Feeling matching game
Watching videos about feelings
And so many more…

Larissa Haring is Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Early and Middle Childhood program manager. For more information on C&A, call 330-433-6075.

The third of our four part blog posts on Preventing the Meltdowns by Keeping Your Cool is on Loving limits.

PREVENT THE MELTDOWNS BY KEEPING YOUR COOL

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 00:13:30 GMT

Why is my child acting like this? The tantrums or meltdowns that come from nowhere, being afraid to say no or change plans. Thinking to ourselves “why can't we just have a good day?” “I know I love my child, why is it so hard?”

Symptoms of SAD

Feeling like you keep talking, saying the same things over and over… then wondering…

Am I speaking a different language? Do they understand me?

The truth is sometimes our children are the ones using a different language, their first language, behavior. From the moment we are born, we use behavior to get our needs met. We cry to get fed, coo and laugh to get reactions and throw our food on the floor to hear the ultimate “uh oh.” As children grow and develop they continue to use this behavior to communicate.

Now, as children grow older, their behaviors do change. We see an increase in unwanted behavior when children feel stressed and uncertain of the world around them. Meltdowns can include hitting, kicking, throwing things, talking back, falling to the floor in a store, screaming and crying. These are all things I have not only been told about but have experienced firsthand. I have many titles including therapist, Early Childhood Consultant, Parenting Specialist and more, but my most prized title is mom. I, myself, have been the parent standing in Target watching my child fall to the ground kicking, screaming, crying… a complete MELTDOWN. Being forced to pick her up and place her in the cart and continue my shopping. Pushing my screaming three- year-old in the cart, a one-year-old on my hip and a five-year-old walking next to me; feeling overwhelmed and embarrassed seeing all the eyes of other shoppers staring at me. As if that wasn’t enough, then having a bold soul, a stranger says, “you should really take them home, they're the worst children I’ve ever seen and they are ruining my shopping experience.” Ouch! Walking away with tears in my eyes; questioning my ability to parent did not only get me on a personal level, it hurt on a professional level, because I knew I was doing everything I would have told another parent to do. The reality is, parenting is hard.

THIS BRINGS US TO THE WHY – WHY DO CHILDREN BEHAVE LIKE THIS?

Three of the most common functions of these behaviors are: needing more skills to know how to better handle a situation; seeking attention and connection with another person; and avoidance of an unwanted task or situation. This is the moment we become the translator. Learning to translate a child’s behavior into figuring out what they’re trying to tell you is going on or what they need. Asking ourselves, “what are they trying to tell me?” We, as parents, need to have a sense of understanding of what they may be feeling in the moment and doing our best to show empathy for the child sized problem.

When children, and even ourselves, feel stressed, we are more challenged to keep our reactions under control. The stress or risk factors children are facing intensify these meltdowns or unwanted behaviors. Stress for children is similar to that of adults; however, children do not have the skills or experience of knowing how to handle it.

Some Common Stressors:

Health challenges
Sensory overload
Taking medication/side effects
Tired and/or difficulty with sleep
Hungry and/or poor diet
Lack of speech
Change in routine
Grief/loss/separation from a caregiver
Divorce
Fighting at home
Blended families
Military deployment
New sibling and many more.

Again, behavior is a child’s way of expressing themselves and communicating. The challenge for children is that they don’t cognitively know what they need in those moments. They know something isn’t right; feeling off; and need someone to help them fix it with understanding and compassion. Their behavior is truly our children saying, “help me.”

My child, melting down in the middle of Target, was trying to tell me many things; she was tired, hungry and just done (me too!). She didn’t have the skills at three to be able to talk to me about how she was feeling or the skills to regulate her emotions. Remaining calm and coaching her through these big emotions is what all of our children need when they are having those tantrums and meltdowns, telling you “help me.”

Unwanted behaviors are common and typical throughout childhood. When these behaviors occur in excess and challenge you and/or your child’s ability to function within the world on a regular basis, you may benefit from a consultation with a specialist.

For more information on Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's Early Childhood and Prevention programming, please call 330-433-6075.

*The second post in this four-part series will be on Feelings.

WINTER AFFECTING YOUR MOOD IS ‘SAD’

Mon, 06 Jan 2020 00:08:09 GMT

The bright lights, glitter and glamour of the holiday season has faded into the backdrop for another year. Darkness surrounds Northeastern Ohioans when they wake up and when they leave work. Oftentimes, the daylight hours are gray. As winter trudges forward, we start to gain a minute of daylight each day.

For many people, children and adults alike, the winter is often a depressing time of the year.

Psychologist have a definition for the feelings people are experiencing – seasonal affective disorder (SAD). Individuals with SAD find themselves in a mild to severe depression. This tends to be more common in women and in families where other members suffer from SAD. Today, SAD can affect people of all ages include men, children and teenagers.

The symptoms associated with SAD often appear in the winter months, then disappear as days grow longer and brighter coming into spring states Ken Duckworth, M.D., for the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI). It is estimated that six percent of all Americans suffer from seasonal depression.

Symptoms of SAD

According to the Depression Center at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, here are the symptoms of SAD:

Weight gain - cravings for sweet and starchy foods – comfort foods.
Daytime fatigue - people are more tired and have less energy during the day. People find themselves sleeping a lot, but getting no relief from their fatigue.

Increased irritability and anxiety - people tend to worry more than others about everyday events. They also have trouble concentrating.
Social withdrawal - these people prefer to be alone. They shun the company of family and friends and don’t participate in activities they normally enjoy
Physical discomfort - some people experience headaches and a heavy feeling in their arms and legs.
Oversleeping - people tend to sleep more than what’s normal for them yet they still feel tired and have little energy. And in the summer months, people will have the opposite problem and experience insomnia.
Thoughts of self-harm - some people can be so depressed that they have frequent thoughts of death or suicide.

How to overcome SAD

For children and adults, here are three good tips to overcoming SAD: light, exercise and nutrition.

Light

SAD is believed by many to be connected to limited light exposure. Therefore, make sure that your children spend time outdoors during winter daylight hours. Yes, it could be cold, but bundle them up properly and the sun exposure will do them good. Encourage them to get light exposure directly into their eyes.

Getting the right light is important. Blue light from computers, cell phones, television, e-readers and anything else that contains blue light is not helpful in the winter. Light from the sun, predominantly red or orange light, is a beneficial thing, especially during the short, darker days of winter. Most people notice a mood shift after spending time outside in the sunshine. This is due to the red and orange light waves that come from the sun.

Exercise

Depending on the temperature and how much snow has fallen or parents work schedules, it can be difficult for children to play outside in the winter; however the activity and sunlight will be extremely beneficial. Exercise and physical activity are a great way to fight depression. Parents should consider providing a space in their house for their children to be physically active. For example, a small basketball hoop in a room or partially finished basement would encourage activity.

Nutrition

Eating a proper diet is important in the treatment of SAD. As with any depression, children should eat limited amounts of sweets and simple carbs. Instead, children should eat healthy, whole-food diet, low in processed food and artificial ingredients to help address nutrient deficiencies that may be exacerbating SAD symptoms. Consuming foods rich in Vitamin D and DHA is helpful. Vitamin D produces easily in our bodies during the summer but is limited in the winter due to the angle of the sun. Food high in Vitamin D include fish and other types of seafood, dairy products, eggs and mushrooms.

If you experiencing any symptoms related to SAD, please contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

HOLIDAYS AND THE DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 00:02:17 GMT

The holidays are just around the corner. Most kids are excited about getting time off, and to celebrate the holidays. However, for a lot of the children in Children and Adolescent Behavior Health’s (C&A) Day Treatment the holidays are stressful. Our Day treatment program is for students that are suffering from trauma that is affecting their everyday function.

Like every other school, Day Treatment doesn’t have class for two weeks over the holidays. This means the students are thrown off their normal schedules and aren’t receiving their regular therapy appointments. For each student, this break always affects them differently.

For example if a student is suffering from trauma because of the lost of a love one, the holidays are extremely hard for them. The holidays are a time for family, so all that is on their mind is the feeling of lost.

C&A’s Day Treatment program has students meet during the week with a therapist. This is important leading up to and after the holidays. Before the holidays they have their usual one-on-one meeting to address the upcoming holidays. In other cases they have family sessions before the holidays to help ensure that the holidays go well. The program is also designed to help build the students coping mechanisms, and problem solving techniques.

TEACHERS' AND THERAPISTS' VIEW POINT

When it comes to the teachers’ point of view of the holidays, Program Manager Dan Metzgar states a big concern is how well the students are retaining information. When is comes to the holidays, and a two week break it is easy for students to forget what they learned. To see how well students are retaining information, after the break they give out tests. Depending on the results of the test, they start to focus on what was lost during break or planning for an extended school year.

When it comes to the therapists’ point of view of the holidays, their main concern for the students is that they have a lack of supervision, consistency, and structure. They found that students struggle the most with their routine changing and with having a lack of structure during their breaks. It is important for these kids to have a structured schedule, because of that the therapists remind the students to keep to their normal routines.

For example, they suggest that the student goes to bed and wake up at their usual time. The therapists also help the students prepare for the holiday by helping them rehearse and discuss coping skills. These skills are important for each student to build. Every student and situation is different, so the students need to use what works the best for them. When the kids return to school after break the therapist help them by easing them back into their routine. They also work with students to process and discuss any issues that came up during the break.

The holidays create a big inconsistency in students’ daily routine, and can cause them more anxiety. It is hard for most students to adjust to change, but students that experienced trauma have a harder time adjusting to change. Even when there is just one day off, the week starts off on a rough foot. When returning back to school from a two week holiday it is important for the students to find consistency, and to slowly get students back on track. In the Day Treatment Program the relationship built between the student, teacher and therapist is just as important. This relationship helps students readjust back to school, and to open up about how their time away. C&A works to help the students in the program at every step of the way.

To learn more about C&A , please call 330-433-6075.

DIVERSITY IN C&A’S DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM

Sun, 15 Dec 2019 23:56:39 GMT

WHAT IS C&A'S DAY TREATMENT PROGRAM?

With the holidays just around the corner most schools are addressing the importance of understanding the differences in cultures and customs. C&A is not only located in eight school districts, but we also offer a Trauma Informed Day Treatment program (TIDTX). TIDTX is comprised of students ranging from K-12th grade. These students have experienced some type of trauma that has affected their behavior at school. TIDTX gives students two and a half hours of group therapy every day, at least once a week they get one-on-one therapy, and at least once a month they get family therapy. This unique program helps the students learn their triggers, coping skills, and how to self-regulate so that they can integrate back into public school.

DIVERSITY IN TIDTX

Despite having smaller class sizes, TIDTX gives the students a more diverse environment. The class room is more diverse because the students are from across Stark County. Through the standard academic courses, students learn about different cultures at the appropriate time. However, each student in TDIX suffers from different traumas and has different backgrounds. During group treatment the student’s background differences often come up, this allows the students to discuss their differences.

Group therapy gives students a space to learn and work on coping skills, which in fact also gives students a space where they can discuss everyone’s background, and touch on people’s traditions. According to Program Manager Dan Metzgar, it is important for the students to understand everyone’s customs, beliefs and history.

This discussion can be hard because the students are not all at the same level. Say in a given class you have two sixth graders, one student might be at the level of a sixth grader, while the other is at the level of a second grader. On top of this, all students are mentally in different places, some students are more apathetic, and some are more empathetic, but all are hurting in some way.

FALL FEAST

When approaching different topics, the TIDTX’s top priority is making sure that students are comfortable. For example, in November they have a Fall Feast. For the Fall Feast, each class makes a dish. The class decides together on what dish they make.

For example, if multiple students always ate Mac-an-cheese for Thanksgiving, then the class will make Mac-an-cheese for the Fall Feast. This may bring the students some comfort, while at the same time other classes’ contribution would bring diversity to the Feast. Dan stated that having students create a dish helps them learn life skills, work on math with measurements, social skills, and improve team work.

The staff and students pull all the tables into the hallway and eat together, sharing the meal, family traditions, and something each person is grateful for. This way the students are building on skills while doing an engaging activity.

The success of such a project changes from day to day to year to year. Every student is in a different stage of their trauma, so they react differently to different situations. However, having in-depth discussions about everyone’s beliefs, and customs help the student become more comfortable in their environment.

For more information about Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health , call 330-433-6075.

RECOVERY: THE JOURNEY TO SOBRIETY

Sun, 01 Dec 2019 23:48:37 GMT

Sobriety is a journey … not a destination.

The abuse or dependency on a substance is a difficult journey for an adolescent that is often filled with pitfalls and setbacks on the windy road to recovery.

SETBACKS

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s Substance Use Disorder Lead Dr. Karita Nussbaum said if a user experiences a slip up in recovery and uses, the user will feel guilt and shame. If a user does use again, this is a life lesson. “Sometimes we do have failure and must learn from this.”

Dr. Nussbaum added that the recovery process is difficult, especially when the brain can convince a person that if they use the substance one more time, it is okay. The person underestimates the power of the substance as it can be deceiving.

The emotional process and the changes the body undergoes in recovery is tougher than the average person realizes. Dr. Nussbaum said the brain adapts to whatever a person puts in the body. The reason the addiction started in the first place is the user typically does not know how to deal with their emotions. During recovery, there is anger and a lot of sadness as the user learns how to manage emotions they don’t like. The substance provided an escape but now the user is learning how to live life.

STAGES OF RECOVERY

Dr. Nussbaum described a treatment therapists use with substance users in recovery. Motivational Interviewing is a methodology that helps people resolve ambivalent feelings and insecurities to find the internal motivation they need to change their behavior.

Dr. Nussbaum used an example of a substance user being addicted to marijuana.

Stage 1 – In the beginning, the user does not see a problem at all with using the substance of choice, in this case marijuana.
Stage 2 – They are contemplating that something is amiss. They see that there needs to be a change. They have tried to quit and cannot.
Stage 3 – This is the action stage. Here, the substance user is making changes. Some changes the marijuana user is making might be getting rid of all devices they used to smoke marijuana; deleting phone numbers of his/her dealers; and starting to attend meetings - Alcohol Anonymous (AA) if alcohol is the substance and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) if narcotics is the substance. The substance user will set a quit date.
Stage 4 – Is the maintenance stage. In this stage, users are sober and working toward the life they desired.

STAYING SUBSTANCE FREE

Once the substance user has made a strong commitment to being substance free, Dr. Nussbaum said there are strategies to stay substance free.

Dr. Nussbaum said the maintenance stage is a key stage in recovery. “I often have clients take a look back in time during this stage and compare their life before and now. What did life look like three months ago and what does life look now that you are now longer using a substance.”

Dr. Nussbaum went on to say the eyes of time help substance users look at the old versus new and to look forward. She said now the recovering substance user has different choices. Dr. Nussbaum used a current client as an example of what different choices look like. She said they examined how much money the user spent on supplies for the substance; the purchase of the substance; coming to therapy sessions; etc. The grand total was more than $4,000. Dr. Nussbaum asked the client what the client would do with the $4,000 had the client not been addicted to a substance? The teenager responded he’d “buy a better car.”

Dr. Nussbaum said continued therapy is required in after care. She said this includes lining up the supports in the client’s life, attending either a weekly group meeting, one-on-one counseling therapy or both. Then the client needs to understand the triggers, cravings and urges that come with withdrawal and recovery and lean on the support people in their life. Oftentimes, the support person is not a parent or family member unless that person has been through a substance use issue and recovered.

HANDLING THE TRIGGERS

The triggers for an addict in recovery are the pitfalls that can lead to a relapse. For example, for a person that was addicted to alcohol, the holidays or a Super Bowl party or any social gathering where alcohol will be prevalent could be that trigger.

For an adolescent or teenager, spring break may be the trigger. The question the person in recovery will wrestle with is “Where should I go?” “Where should I not go?” For example, if the teenager is recovering from a substance and is invited to a party, the teen can walk through strategies for attending the gathering. Those strategies would be:

Who can come with me to the social-gathering?

Who can I call if I get in trouble – counselor, support-person?

Sober supports – AA or NA sponsors

For substance users in recovery, they will often receive a coin to mark sobriety celebrations. Dr. Nussbaum said the tokens are symbolic and represent an accomplishment. AA uses coins and NA tends to use key chains. The coins or key chains represent work and sacrifice the person in recovery has made. These coins represent surviving one step at a time, one hour at a time and one day at a time.

RECOGNIZE AND CELEBRATE THE CHANGE

Dr. Nussbaum said in the end, the person who recovered should recognize the change and progress they have made and look forward to the future.

“The person who recovered should recognize the change,” said Dr. Nussbaum. “Here is where I am. I know how to handle myself. I can recognize my own growth. They need to compliment themselves.”

If you suspect your child or a teenager who might be addicted to a substance, please call C&A at 330.433.6075 .

This concludes on our series on addiction with C&A’s Dr. Karita Nussbaum. Below are links to read previous posts.

https://childandadolescent.org/start-talking-gives-parents-tips-to-speaking-to-their-kids-about-drug-use/

https://childandadolescent.org/the-first-signs-of-addiction/

https://childandadolescent.org/is-your-child-using-a-substance/

https://childandadolescent.org/use-abuse-dependency/

USE, ABUSE, & DEPENDENCY

Sun, 17 Nov 2019 23:42:20 GMT

For many adolescent and teenagers who are feeling a little stress or anxious in a social situation, they may surrender to peer pressure by experimenting with vaping or having an alcoholic beverage to relax their anxiety and fit in with their friends. Is one puff or alcoholic beverage a cause for concern? Perhaps not for many teens, but the concerns arise when use can turn into abuse and in a worse-case scenario, dependency.

In Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) past two blog posts, we have examined why a teen may use; signs a teen is using; and how a parent’s reaction can make a difference. This post will look at teenage use, abuse and dependency – how that affects the person using and treatment options.

USE

What would a common person consider use of a substance? By simple terms, use would be taking a vape or alcoholic beverage one time, testing out the situation and doing this maybe for social reasons. For many teenagers, they are satisfying their curiosity. But when a person is using a substance, most likely they will not experience withdrawal symptoms.

If a parent suspects their child is using, the best solution is to have a calm conversation with your child. If the child is being upfront and honest regarding the use, a parent can ask the questions – Why did you try this substance? How did this make you feel? Did you like what you tested out? Here could be the repercussions of your action (present facts).

C&A’s Substance Use Lead Dr. Karita Nussbaum said according to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) the best form of treatment or early intervention for someone that “used or is experimenting” is education. That education for a child can come from a parent, counselor or even found online – although information is not always accurate.

Led by Dr. Nussbaum, C&A is working with area high schools and offering an Alternatives Group at the middle and high schools. Dr. Nussbaum said this group is an educational group where no one judges or condemns. In this group, facts are presented to educate and challenge the users to make changes and to see what changes are needed. To have a group, Dr. Nussbaum said the group must have four people in the group and the group meets for six sessions. The group will meet for three days after school, for two weeks. The schools are using this group as an alternative to suspension or other consequences.

ABUSE

Abuse of a substance starts to look and feel a little bit different than use. Some of the criteria for abuse of a substance according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is:

Taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than you’re meant to
Wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but not managing to
Spending a lot of time getting, using or recovering from the use of the substance
Cravings and urges to use the substance
Not managing to do what you should do at work, home or school because of the use
Continuing to use, even when it causes problems in relationships
Giving up important social, occupational or recreational activities
Using substances again and again, even when it puts you in danger
Continuing to use, even when you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance
Needing more of the substance to get the effect you want (tolerance)
Development of withdrawal symptoms, which are relieved by taking more of the substance

If a parent suspects their child is using but not sure if they have gone beyond the boundaries to abuse, here are some indicators. At this stage, the child is becoming sneakier; not as forthright with information; maybe even withdrawing from the family. A parent could recommend a drug test but if the child is of legal age, the child does not have to submit.

Dr. Nussbaum said at this stage, the family needs to have their child assessed through a facility or agency (like C&A) to see what stage the situation is in – if there is a pattern to use; are they experiencing withdrawal symptoms and the child’s thought process, opinions and attitudes. The teenager’s attitude toward using a substance may indicate their likelihood to use. If they see a substance as not a big deal, the use may be more frequent because they are ignoring the dangers of the substance.

According to the ASAM levels of care, abusing is not addiction. But at this point, there is a higher level of care needed. Usually, the care is outpatient. At this point, the questions are do you want to change? And how does change look? If they cannot change, most likely the child has moved to the dependency or addictive stage.

DEPENDENCY

ASAM’s definition of addiction is: Addiction is characterized by the inability to consistently abstain, impairment in behavioral control, craving, diminished recognition of significant problems with one’s behaviours and interpersonal relationships, and a dysfunctional emotional response. Like other chronic diseases, addiction often involves cycles of relapse and remission. Without treatment and engagement in recovery activities, addiction is progressive and can result in disability or premature death.

Dependency can be described as the severe reactions to withdrawal symptoms or patterns that are taking shape. For instance, if a person is an alcoholic, they may wake up in the morning to the shakes. The only way to relieve the shakes is to have a drink.

If a child is dependent on a substance, a more intensive outpatient program is needed. Decisions is a group run by C&A’s Dr. Karita Nussbaum. This group meets three times a week, for a minimum of six hours a week. This group’s goal is to maintain the client’s sobriety. This group examines what are the triggers; how can I live my life without this substance; how can I stop and stay stopped? The group looks at causes, changes and offers support.

Dr. Nussbaum said when someone is looking to stay sober, they need one person when they are thinking of using a substance again; they can turn to someone who is non-judgmental and offer that support. She said if they happen to relapse, the user needs a calm person to ask, “What happened?” Oftentimes, that is a counselor. Dr. Nussbaum said addicts recovering will often have a relapse or two.

If a client is at the highest level of dependency, Dr. Nussbaum said the user will need to go to an inpatient residential treatment facility. The kids that are referred to this program really struggle and have no coping skills or support system at home. Following their in-treatment stay, upon release, the child will move back to an intensive outpatient program such as Decisions.

If you suspect your child is using or abusing a substance, please call C&A at 330-433-6075 .

*The final post in this four-part series on substance use will focus on recovery.

IS YOUR CHILD USING A SUBSTANCE?

Sun, 03 Nov 2019 23:30:51 GMT

Growing up brings about a lot of changes and challenges for children. Children move from the sweet, innocent stages of elementary school to middle and on to high school. These change range from raging teenage hormones to children trying to fit in to discovering and forging who they want to become in life.

Throughout all these multiple changes, children will probably sleep a little more; have mood swings; test the limits with responsibility and the consequences of not doing chores; get new friends; and even let homework slide here or there.

For parents and children, these stages often turn into battlegrounds. But if parents notice excessive change in sleeping patterns, a different set of friends, clothing style change and even different musical taste, curiosity should be piqued enough to start asking some probing questions. The changes in your child could be normal growth periods or could indicate your child is starting to use substances.

The questions parents should ask:

I noticed that Johnny isn’t coming around as often and you seem to be hanging out with a new group of friends. Can I meet them?
I noticed that you have changed your taste in music. Any particular reason?
I noticed a change in your appearance. Any reason you are preferring this type of clothing?
I noticed you have been staying up later and not getting up as easily for school. Anything to that?Depending on how your child responds to these questions may provide a clue if your child is using a substance. If your child seems evasive or vague; you believe he is answering questions dishonestly; or if they act secretive, your child may be using a substance.

For children in middle school, the substance of choice is marijuana. Child and Adolescent’s Substance Use Disorder Lead Dr. Karita Nussbaum said at this age marijuana is easily and readily available for adolescents. Some signs a child is using marijuana include coughing and a gravely voice. Physical signs may include:

An increased thirst
Acne
Nose bleeds
Pneumonia
A cut back on caffeine
Weight gain. Marijuana typically makes individuals have the “munchies.” Adolescent’s using marijuana typically have a lack of interest in activities and don’t socialize – they are loners.

Dr. Nussbaum said it is important for parents to know their children. Each child has their own pattern. The change in your child would not be a logical change for him or her.

Many adolescents at this age are starting to experiment because they are trying to cope with life’s challenges such as death and divorce are one end of an extreme but there are other challenges that prompt young people to experiment. For middle school children, they experiment with marijuana is to try the substance and “fit in.”

“Many kids feel pressured to fit in; fitting is important at this age,” said Dr. Nussbaum. “Everyone is doing it. No one wants to be made fun of for not doing it.”

As teens get older, freshman and sophomores often experiment with more dangerous substance such as may try something bigger ecstasy and MDMA. These are the party drugs. Teens report that these drugs enhance the party experience and make the music and lights more fun. High school students may use marijuana during the week and the harder drugs on weekends. By time kids are juniors and seniors, they begin to feel more comfortable with themselves and who they will eventually want to be.

In middle school, marijuana vape and dab pens are popular because for boys they can be hidden in baggy pants and for girls in oversized shirts. Today, Dr. Nussbaum indicated kids are starting to experiment as early as fifth or sixth grade.

WHAT IS A PARENT TO DO IF THE CHILD IS USING SUBSTANCES?

Dr. Nussbaum offered tips to parents if/when they discover their child is using a substance. Dr. Nussbaum said there is a two-step process she recommends parents follow.

Before getting to Step one, Dr. Nussbaum recommends parents try to remain as calm as possible when their child admits to using a substance. She indicated while showing that you are visibly upset or coming down harshly is a common reaction, this will not help the situation. Parents can let their anger out privately after the conversation.

Step 1

Dr. Nussbaum said Step 1 is asking questions and getting the child to provide straight answers. Some good starter questions might be – “How much are you using?” “When did you start using?” “How did or are you getting it?” Do you know the risks?” “Can we talk more?” If the child shuts down or provides no answers, then you would move to Step 2. But if the child is open to a discussion, here are tips to continuing the conversation.

“Be objective and calm,” said Dr. Nussbaum. “Start the dialogue discussing the risks and dangers.”

Dr. Nussbaum said trust that your child is listening and being attentive. She said if the child is cooperating, hopefully this will solve itself.

In Step 1, Dr. Nussbaum indicated that you as a parent are exploring what is taking place. You are trying to address the problem. Readjust rules of the household. And hold the child to some accountability. If you discover this is a significantly bigger problem, you can see if your child can quit on their own. If not, you can suggest drug testing. If these options do not seem to be working, then the parent should move to Step 2.

Step 2

Dr. Nussbaum said Step 2 is when we see that the child is addicted to the substance of their choice. At this point, the family is seeking to get a professional opinion. A chemical dependency counselor will do an assessment and can make recommendations for treatment.

General facts

It is important to note that the brain is still developing to the age of 26. Substance abuse does affect a teenager’s decision-making skills.
Also, everybody’s body and chemical make up is different. The dopamine chemical released in everyone’s body gives a different response.
Alcohol and marijuana are teenager’s substance of choice but meth is making a comeback.
In Ohio, on Oct. 16, the law changed to anyone under the age of 21 cannot purchase tobacco products (vaping included).

To learn more about how C&A can help your child or your family through this difficult time, call 330-433-6075.

Part three of this blog series on Substance Abuse will examine the different levels of addiction – use, abuse and dependency.

THE FIRST SIGNS OF ADDICTION

Sun, 20 Oct 2019 17:12:01 GMT

The United States has had a conflicted past regarding the use and effects of drugs and alcohol consumption. Prohibition in the Roaring 1920s led to bootlegging and then to changing the drinking laws from age 18 to 21 in the late 1980s.

The Golden Age of Hollywood in the 1950s romanticized the use of tobacco showing wildly popular movie star icons smoking in movies. Oftentimes television programs showed the father figure coming home from a day at work and having a drink of whiskey or bourbon.

This led to immensely popular teen rebellion movies – Rebel Without A Cause, Footloose, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller’s Day Off and Dead Poet’s Society.

Aside from scenarios played out on the television or big screen, adolescent’s throughout time have experimented and often pushed the limits in regards to alcohol and tobacco use.

REASONS FOR EXPERIMENTATION

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Counselor Dr. Karita Nussbaum provided a number of reasons teenagers in particular experiment:

Most teenagers see this as goofing around; just testing and satisfying their curiosity
Teenagers do not correlate their curiosity and playing around with understanding the risks and dangers that can be involved – the attitude “I’ll stop and nothing will happen to me.”
Teenagers wonder what all the fuss is about. It is not unusual for them to minimize substance use, assuming that “everyone’s doing it.”
Teenagers tend to push the limits
Kids that struggle with managing their emotions – stress, anger and sadness might use substances to help them control or avoid these emotions
Experimentation may start with a tragedy in the family, which could be a death or a divorce
Some teens use substances to relax, fall asleep or to be more social

Dr. Nussbaum provided some examples of the dangers of adolescents piquing curiosity. She said she had a client, about age 12, whose friends kept asking him to try a substance. The client kept saying “no” until finally he gave in to get his friends off his back. He believed innocently there would be no harm, but he ended up in the hospital because of what was in the substance.

PARENTS – SIGNS TO BE AWARE OF

Today, parents and schools have conversations with kids about the potential pitfalls of experimenting with drugs and alcohol. In spite of the lectures, kids will experiment. For parents, here could be some indicators your child is at risk or using. But the key indicator Dr. Nussbaum said is “knowing your child.”

Does your child naturally push the limits? If so, this might be an indicator the child will experiment to see what happens.
Does your child ask a lot of questions? Is he curious? An inquisitive child is curious about what other kids are doing and trying.
Other indicators could be – does the child spend a lot of alone time? Does the child never have any money from an allowance or their job? If you are in their room, do you notice pieces and parts of unusual things you are not sure of?
Changes in music taste – liking songs with artists or references to drugs.
Who is your child hanging out with – have their friends changed? Have you met their new friends?
Go through your child’s phone – are their numbers you do not recognize?

Dr. Nussbaum said many adolescents experimenting may be an anxious or shy child; have anger issues; and may vape because there is a psychological comfort in doing this. Marijuana has a calming effect for many adolescents diagnosed with ADHD. There are other factors that can play into the experimental phase for kids that lead to addiction – such as family history. Strangely, men tend to misuse alcohol and women tend to misuse pills (opioids).

For kids, as well as adults, triggers to use substances are everywhere. For example, the number appearing on the phone of a using friend, going down a certain street, seeing a particular house or viewing people at the house of where the use is taking place. Sometimes it’s a certain place in the house, like the bedroom or garage.

TRIGGERS AND ADMISSION TO EXPERIMENTING

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Counselor Dr. Karita Nussbaum provided a number of reasons teenagers in particular experiment:

If parents see the warning signs, Dr. Nussbaum recommends “be nosey – look at their phone; talk to their friends;” suggest if the child is willing to get drug tested. And finally, if confronting your child and they admit that they have experimented, Dr. Nussbaum recommends this tip.

“If your child admits experimenting, do not judge,” said Dr. Nussbaum. “Ask questions, talk about what led them to try it? Ask if they liked it (which might be really hard to listen to or accept).

Lastly, if kids see parents drinking excessively or experimenting with drugs, they will think it can’t be that bad. The reality is, once you cross one barrier, it becomes a little bit easier to keep pushing the limits to experiment with a different substance. Soon, the pattern has led to addiction.

If you suspect your child is using or addicted to a substance, please call C&A at 330.433.6075 . We have counselors on staff ready and willing to help your child.

COLLEGIATE SELF-CARE FAIR 2019

Sun, 13 Oct 2019 16:48:09 GMT

Adjusting to the change that comes with college is physically, emotionally and mentally hard on students. College students are the biggest group of students that get missed by mental health services.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is partnering with Stark County colleges and universities Oct. 21 to 25 to bring mental health awareness to students at Kent State University-Stark Campus, Malone University, Stark State College and Walsh University

MENTALLY AND EMOTIONALLY CHALLENGING

College students face a wide range of emotions. For students living on a residential campus, being away from home for the first time for an extended period of time can be stressful. Suddenly, mom and dad are no longer there to help advocate when situations arise. Oftentimes, mid-October can be emotional as mid-terms approach, students return to campus after fall break weekend and the changing of the season signals the start of holidays - Halloween, Thanksgiving and then home for the holidays. As the stress of the semester builds, C&A is working with higher education institution's mental health departments to provide strategies for students to have positive mental health.

C&A received a grant from the Ohio Program for Campus Safety and Mental Health to provide a range of programs on each campus. Each day, each campus will have a different event. The week will start off for every college and university with a Social Media Kick Off promoting the events on campus each week.

C&A will have their peer-to-peer counselors, Bianca Hooten and Jonny Rice, on campus to speak to students for an hour each about life experiences, and how to overcome the challenges college throws at you. For example, they will discuss how to balance a job and school at the same time. For students at commuter schools, they can help students in applying to rent an apartment or get utilities for their apartment. Our counselors will be at Kent State Stark on Oct. 22, Stark State College Oct. 21, and Malone University Oct. 23.

Angie Haze, from The Angie Haze Project, will be a guest speaker. Haze, who was sexually abused as a teenager by a family member, used music to help her deal with her trauma. Haze has written 36 pieces of music. She will be sharing her story of abuse and how she overcame the situation to live a productive life. Haze will speak at Malone University on Oct. 22, Kent State Stark on Oct 24, and Stark State College Oct. 31.

C&A will provide a D’Stress lounge on all four campuses. The D’Stress lounge will provide a few different activities for students. The lounge will be a place that allows student to relax through calming music. C&A will provide tips on the importance of sleep, exercise, and nutrition. There will be a make and take for students and healthy snacks for students. The D’Stress lounge will be available at Kent State Stark on Oct. 22, Stark State College and Malone University on Oct. 23 and Walsh University on Oct. 24.

INSTAGRAM CONTEST

This week will end with an Instagram contest, where students will post a picture of themselves doing a positive mental health activity. When the photo is posted it should tag C&A’s Instagram, @childadoescenthealth and the hashtage #SelfCareSelfie.

HELP IS AVAILABLE

Each college and university will have their own mental health counselor available at the event. Students are welcome to meet with them, and learn more about what their college offers. We will also have clings provided throughout each college and university that bring awareness to the National Suicide Prevention Hotline 1-800-273-TALK, and the Crisis Text Line 741741.

START TALKING GIVES PARENTS TIPS TO SPEAKING TO THEIR KIDS ABOUT DRUG USE

Mon, 30 Sep 2019 23:36:51 GMT

When your child is born and enters the world, parents have so many hopes, dreams and expectations. Oftentimes, looking into their tiny, innocent faces, you can’t imagine the child growing up, thinking for themselves and making their own decisions.

Those decisions may include experimenting with drugs, some of which may be in your home, and/or alcohol or both. And the toughest conversation a parent can have is speaking with their child regarding the dangers of substance abuse. For many parents, just starting the conversation is the stumbling block.

Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A ) Hannah Cowie and Deanna Hilliard will be doing an interactive presentation “Start Talking” at the Stark County District Library’s Plain Branch on Oct. 16 at 6:30 p.m. This program is part of the One Book, One Community series based on David Sheff’s book Beautiful Boy, which tells the story of one father’s journey through drug (meth) addiction.

Starting the conversation

The best tips to start an open conversation are showing genuine interest in your child’s interests. For example, if your child enjoys playing a sport or going on walks; begin the conversation shooting baskets, playing catch, going for a walk or hanging out at the mall. Know your facts about drug addiction before the conversation and listen and be respectful of what your child is saying. Then continue talking to your child adding additional information in follow-up talks. The conversations should always take place in a safe environment for both the parent and child.

Start Talking is a state of Ohio initiative and resource that parents can access at www.starttalking.ohio.gov . There is a video on the website as an introduction for families to view. The YouTube video is raw, genuine, direct and speaks openly to the opioid epidemic. The opioid epidemic is based on prescription pain medication that is found in many households. Start Talking: Parents 360Rx provides a tool kit to share information on the opioids plague. It also provides two monthly tips for ongoing talking points. This kit educates parents and kids about the real dangers of medicine abuse.

Kids are always watching

The website also offers age appropriate conversations to have beginning as young as the age of 2 up to teenagers and into young adulthood. At age 2, kids are curious about medicines they see parents taking and provides talking points for what a parent’s response should be. Parents can talk about the difference between real life and make believe.

Oftentimes, kids will imitate the behavior their parents are modeling. When having a discussion with your child, it would be the parent’s discretion to share if they experimented in their youth and perhaps the consequences. If the parents did experiment, this would add validity to the conversation.

“Kids are in-tune to what their parents are doing,” said Cowie. “Parents should be modeling healthy behavior. Parents need to emphasis their kids should be legal, responsible and respecting the law and their bodies. Our brains are still developing to age 25.”

If kids are in a situation where parents are modeling bad behavior and need help; kids should reach out to their community to provide safe places – neighbors, grandparents, counselors and teachers.

Parents need to be prepared during these conversations to hear that their child may have already experimented with substance abuse – alcohol, vaping or opioids. Cowie said if kids say they have experimented then parents need to try to keep their cool when addressing this. “You want your child to feel comfortable and know they can talk to you about anything; now or in the future.” Research suggest parents try to find out the reasoning behind the experimentation or use.

Oftentimes that experimentation comes from curiosity but also peer pressure. Parents need to pay attention and see if their child is hanging out with a different crowd. At that point, a parent can acknowledge disapproval; ask questions; and turn the negative into a positive and redirect.

Taking the pledge

The Start Talking program offers a pledge for kids to talk about not using alcohol, tobacco or other drugs.

Cowie and Hilliard’s presentation will be an interactive presentation. They will show a video, present facts, take questions and present real-life scenarios and ask the audience how they would handle the situation.

C&A offers services for children who are addicted to substance use. For more information, contact C&A at 330-433-6075.

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C&A is Stark County’s premiere mental health agency providing a single point of contact to families seeking social, emotional and behavioral services for the past 44 years. C&A’s expert psychiatrists and clinicians focus exclusively on children’s behavioral and emotional well-being and serve children ages 0 to 24. C&A has four locations – Alliance, Belden, Canton and the Plain Community Campus and has convenient day or evening hour appointments. C&A also provides school-based counseling in eight Stark County school districts totaling 50 schools. C&A successfully assesses children’s needs and provides appropriate prevention and treatment, and has a 98 percent client satisfaction rating.

REACHING THE END GOAL – DISCHARGE

Sun, 15 Sep 2019 16:24:32 GMT

The initial phone call was placed to Child and Adolescent Behavior Health (C&A) for clinical services for your child. After going through the Intake and Assessment process, your child was placed with a clinician (school-based or office) for services.

In the initial meeting with the therapist, the clinician and your child developed a service plan. The service plan outlines goals and objectives that would be covered while your child received treatment. During clinical sessions, your child and the clinician are working on steps to meet the service plan.

Working towards the end goal -discharge

In a case study, for example, your child came to C&A with anxiety issues. The client and the therapist would work on ways to reduce the anxiety your child experiences. The clinician would help the client establish three coping skills. In this case, those skills may include deep breathing, mediation and guided imaging. But just as important as the coping skills, the client and therapist will talk about what triggers the anxiety.

The service plan is being reviewed throughout the entire treatment process to ensure progress is being made toward the recovery goal each client establishes.

C&A’s Assistant Clinical Officer Jodi Santillo said once the client learns the triggers to their issue and is confident in the coping strategies to manage their situation, the case is closed and the patient is discharged.

Depending on the circumstances of each client and the pace the client progresses, treatment may vary from three months to one year.

What does the final session look like?

The final session is a review of the progress that has been made during the duration of therapy sessions. In the final session, the parent/guardian may be in the session and the individual discharge plan is reviewed. The discharge plan will include support for the child – the family and community support if necessary. At this point, we celebrate the success the child has made.

The family will complete some paperwork including an outcome report. Going back to our example of a child with anxiety, the provider may ask the child where they are now in dealing with anxiety on a scale of 1 to 10.

Santillo noted that confidentially continues after the child is discharged. A therapist cannot mention to anyone, even if seeing a child in public, that a clinician treated a child at C&A.

To learn more about the services C&A offers, call 330-433-6075 .

WHAT DOES CLINICAL SESSION FEEL LIKE?

Mon, 02 Sep 2019 16:14:54 GMT

The initial steps that lead to a therapy session for many families at Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) are several - first receiving a referral from the school or the family realizing on their own there may be an issue; making the call; going through the Intake Process and the Assessment; and receiving a diagnosis. When those steps are completed, and if therapy is recommended your family is then matched up with a clinician to begin the difficult work of starting the healing process in clinical sessions.

What does a clinical office appointment look like?

A clinical appointment starts out similar to any other scheduled doctor’s appointment. Walking into one of C&A’s four office locations, you will let the front-desk receptionist know who you are here to see and give the receptionist your clinician’s name.

The receptionist will let the therapist know you are here. Your therapist, dressed casual or business casual, will come out and get you to go back to his/her office to start the one-hour session. If the session is just the child and the therapist, the therapist may ask the parent discreetly if anything new has happened since the last appointment in the office waiting room before taking the child back. If so, the clinician will make sure to meet with the parent/guardian. Otherwise, if this is a family appointment, the family will go back as one unit.

C&A clinician offices are decorated age appropriately. All offices are painted in bright, pastel colors – light blue, orange, mint green, purple and yellow. Clinicians seeing children age six and under may have stuffed animals, play toys and doll houses in their office. Clinicians seeing clients older than age 10 will have comfortable furniture, perhaps a table, chair or even a small couch.

What does a session consist of?

The session will usually start with a follow up to the previous session. For example, in a previous session, a clinician may have asked the client to work on a particular skill for that week. That skill will be reviewed. Questions around the skill may be asked. For example - how often did you practice that skill? Did you have the chance to use that skill this week? If so, when? And did this skill help?

The session will continue with the therapist asking if any new issues or concerns came up this week. Depending on the age of the client, a counseling session could include interactive play or media. This may include a workbook, video, craft or CD.

All therapy sessions are private. The clinician’s office door will be closed and oftentimes a machine evoking waves sounding like the ocean will be outside the office door as a second self-guard to prevent other people from accidentally hearing what is being said.

Group sessions:

All clients will have individualized sessions with a specific therapist but some clients will also participate in group therapy sessions. A group session typically will last two hours. Group sessions average eight kids per group, offer a snack and last for four to six weeks.

Clients participating in group sessions are expected to participate each week. In group sessions, clients are working on skills in a peer-to-peer setting.

School-based Consultation:

C&A has contracts with eight Stark County School Districts to offer school-based consultation. In this case, a C&A clinician is at the school to see the client for 45 minutes, the duration of a class. Typically, the student is not pulled out of a core class and most often the session is done during lunch or study hall. School-based therapy oftentimes works better for a family’s schedule.

To learn more about C&A and the services we offer, please contact 330.433.6075 .

ASSESSMENT PROCESS

Mon, 19 Aug 2019 15:04:56 GMT

Following the intake process, your child and all family members present, will meet with one of Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health’s (C&A) assessors for an assessment. This assessment is meant to gain a broader perspective of the issues your child is facing. This is an in-depth discussion that will help determine which services will best provide help and guidance for your child. During this time, you will learn more about the types of treatments and programs we provide. The entire assessment will take approximately 90 minutes. At the end of the assessment, the assessor will work to place your child with an ongoing provider that will be the best fit for your child based on their mental health needs. It is our goal to schedule your first appointment with your ongoing provider when the assessment is finished.

During the assessment, the assessor will engage the parents and the child in discussion about their needs. The assessor explain confidentiality to the child, parents and family members present. All members will have the opportunity to ask questions about confidentiality, what it means and its limitations.

During the assessment, the assessor will speak privately with the child to understand and get to know them. Then, the parents will be brought in to privately discuss any concerns. Finally, all members will come back together to review the situation and add any necessary details.

The assessment is meant for the assessor to gain different perspectives of the situation in order to make an initial diagnosis and recommendations for ongoing services. Even if you have a child who is refusing to talk, bring them in.

The following topics will be addressed during the assessment:

Present concerns that brings the family in for services
Behavioral concerns
Emotional concerns
School and family concerns
Screening for self-harm, suicidal thinking and substance use

The C&A assessment process is designed to ensure that you child receives an appropriate diagnosis, treatment recommendations and that they are placed with a provider who is a good fit for their mental health needs and personality.

We see kids from all walks of life dealing with issues ranging from stress, anxiety and depression to trauma. Above all else, our therapists are here to give your family the tools to help meet life’s challenges.

For more information, call 330-433-6075 .

INTAKE PROCESS

Mon, 05 Aug 2019 14:55:40 GMT

When calling into Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A), we understand that your family may be going through a difficult experience. If your child is suffering from depression, anxiety or stress, we can help find the right treatment to support those needs. As a parent/legal guardian, you will be involved with the intake process every step of the way.

Once the family takes the first step to call into one of our four offices (Shipley in Canton, Belden, Alliance and Plain Community), the intake person will gather initial information about your family and discuss the specific issue your child/family is experiencing. During this time, an appointment will also be scheduled. At the time of the appointment, basic information needs to be supplied:

Child’s name
Social security card
Birth certificate
Proof of your family’s household income

Depending on the household income, the agency may be able to find financial assistance to help with treatment expenses. We can also help if transportation is an issue. If you forget to bring the child’s social security card or birth certificate, we will continue with the assessment appointment but each must be delivered during the next visit. Also, if applicable, custody papers must be provided. C&A permits one visit and then we need to see documentation. At the first visit, a legal guardian must sign a permission form for C&A to treat the child.

After the necessary paperwork and information is provided, an assessor will lead the assessment. The assessment will take approximately 90 minutes and will include the child and their legal guardian. At the appointment, you will learn more about the types of treatments and programs we provide. Depending on family circumstances, your child will be placed with a permanent clinician within 14 days.

For more information, call 330-433-6075.

WHY CALL C&A?

Tue, 23 Jul 2019 14:48:36 GMT

Today’s generation of kids are responding differently to child rearing techniques used in previous generations. Decades ago, parents were unfamiliar with certain emotional and behavioral challenges that kids are facing today. Parents used phrases such as “toughen up,” “you’ll get through it,” “this will be a good learning experience,” and “if it was good enough for me, it is good enough for you,” which are not resonating with today’s generation. Whether this is because of the rise of helicopter parenting, social media or a number of other factors, the needs of the new generational youth can be hard to grasp by today’s adults.

Navigating school, making friends and hormonal changes have always been difficult for kids and parents handle – the rise in a child’s independence. Some of the current stressors kids and young adults are facing existed a generation ago -the pressure to produce high grades; participate in community service activities to enter college; and working part-time in high school. Today, additional stressors include state-mandated testing, social media, electronic devices and children moving between households can take their toll on youth and families. Factor in trying to balance social and extracurricular activities; life can be a lot to handle. You need to ask yourself if the problems your child is facing are indications of a deeper issue.

A couple common anxieties

Test anxiety is a common struggle for children today. Test anxiety can be experienced in a variety of ways – from physical symptoms which includes sweating, shaking, rapid heartbeat, dry mouth, fainting and nausea to behavioral issues such as fidgeting or outright avoidance of testing situations. When experiencing repeatedly or over prolonged periods of time, this can lead to depression, anger and low self-esteem.

Nail biting is an often-overlooked manifestation of anxiety. For some kids, nail biting is a way to relieve stress. For other kids, it might signal nervousness or a sign of boredom. In some cases, the need to engage in this behavior (and the discomfort felt when unable to do so) is so strong that it can be interpreted as a symptom of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Emotional changes:

It is normal for every child to experience unpleasant feelings such as sadness, loss, disappointment, frustration and anger. Emotions may be experienced more intensely or may change more dramatically during certain developmental stages – such as the “terrible twos” or adolescence – as kids strive to figure out their personalities, the limits of their abilities and their roles in the world. Unpleasant emotions may also be triggered by difficult life events such as death of a grandparent or other loved one, the introduction of a new child into the family or moving from one housing situation to another.

Divorce and parental separation can be distressing experiences for children. Regardless of age, gender or culture, these changes have a deep and long-lasting impact on children. Younger children may wonder if mom and dad can stop loving each other, could they stop loving me too? Children of any age can feel rejected or abandoned and wonder if they are in some way responsible for the break up. They may exhibit anger, irritability, challenges to authority, withdrawal from close relationships or even panic attacks. As adolescents begin dating, they may be reluctant to trust or may doubt the possibility having love that lasts long-term. Studies have found that depression and anxiety occur at higher rates among children from divorced households.

Behavioral changes:

Sudden or dramatic changes in a child’s behavior may be signs of a bigger underlying problem. Changes in sleep, eating or hygiene habits can be indications that the child is feeling stressed, depressed or anxious. Unexplained weight loss or weight gain can also be linked to distress. Changes in social functioning such as withdrawal from friends and family, sudden lack of interest in activities that the child used to enjoy or suddenly hanging out with a whole different group of friends can be signs that the child is struggling.

Some behaviors, such as the inability to sit still, difficulty concentrating, increased irritability and forgetfulness are often interpreted as symptoms of ADHD. While it might be that the child has ADHD, this is not the only explanation for these behaviors. These might also be symptoms of anxiety or even attempts to cope with a traumatic experience.

How to find answers?

The simple solution is to see a mental health provider. Unfortunately, there is a lot of stigma associated with mental health care. Many parents are uncomfortable seeking mental health services because they are afraid they will be told there is something terribly wrong with their child or that they have failed as a parent. The reality is when a child is coughing and sneezing, parents do not hesitate to contact a pediatrician or visit a stat care. Parents should feel the same comfort in seeking professional care for their child’s mental health.

Here are a couple steps to consider before calling C&A:

The first step is to speak with your child. Describe what you have noticed. Explain that you are concerned because you care. Ask the child to tell you what he/she has been experiencing and find out if he/she has a different explanation for those behaviors.
Contact a few of their closest friends and see if they have noticed a change or can verify child’s explanation.
Contact a teacher/school official to find out if they have noticed similar behaviors or had similar concerns at school.

C&A has many therapists and case managers who provide school-based services, which means they are able to work with children and adolescents at their schools. This can be particularly helpful if the child is having problems that interfere with academic functioning or experiencing difficulty in their interactions with peers or teachers. Additionally, many families find it convenient to have access to mental health services right there in their child’s school.

C&A also offers traditional office-based services at several locations throughout Stark County. Some children who are functioning well at school may not need to be seen at school. Some parents prefer to keep their child’s mental health services separate from school. For some issues, such as trauma, involve dealing with very uncomfortable experiences or intense feelings and it might be preferable not to do this at school.

If your child is seen at one of our offices, this experience will be a similar to a pediatrician (minus the long table) or dentist office (without the long relaxing chair) - where the child speaks freely revealing symptoms and the clinician/therapist provides techniques or skills to resolve the issue.

C&A is ready to assist your child and family in building lives filled with health, hope and happiness. C&A is simply a phone call away. We are here to assist resolving a child and/or family’s issues with convenient day and evening appointments. For more information, call 330-454-7917 or 330-433-6075.

TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESS IN COLLEGE

Sun, 07 Jul 2019 18:34:08 GMT

COLLEGE EXPERIENCE

The beginning of each new semester brought me feelings of stress and anxiety. I have been a working student since I was 15-years-old. Working and going to school wasn’t going to change when entering college. Whether it was serving food at a nursing home, organizing clothes in retail or selling the newest electronics, jobs became a package deal with my college experience. During my junior year, I was working 40 hours a week on top of a 15 credit hour course schedule. Turns out I am in good company: according to a Georgetown University report, roughly 40 percent of undergraduates work at least 30 hours per week while attending school.

The financial responsibility to always afford new textbooks and pay towards tuition added a large amount of stress to my life. I dreaded looking over a professor’s syllabus only to see the class required a $200 textbook. I often took out loans and applied to scholarships to keep up with fees but those only apply to tuition. Typically I was still on the hook for necessities like food, gas, housing and textbooks.

When I first began my college career, I questioned how I could make friends or attend campus events while working and completing homework. Many times I felt like I was doing college the wrong way. Well-meaning academic advisers would tell me to work less and focus on school more. They showed a lack of understanding for the working learner. Often I would see friends going to parties on social media and feel alone or left out. At the end of each semester, I would be filled with a sense of foreboding because I wasn’t sure if I could keep attending college.

YOU AREN'T ALONE

According to the Stress in America report by the American Psychological Association (October 2018, p.5) "Money and work consistently top the list of stressors for adults overall, and both are common stressors for Gen Z as well. More than 8 in 10 (81 percent) of Gen Zs between the ages of 18 and 21 report money as a source of significant stress, with nearly as many (77 percent) saying the same about work."

Often times I would feel frustrated, get headaches and my heart would beat faster when thinking about the list of projects, exams and the number of hours I needed to work during the week. Sometimes I would avoid all my responsibilities because I felt a lack of control. I started to feel like I would never finish my degree no matter how hard I worked. These are often symptoms of anxiety or stress. Each symptom can be experienced with differing degrees of intensity.

Physical effects of anxiety – trembling or shaking, headaches, sweating, pounding heart or accelerated heart rate, chest pain, chills or heat sensations, nausea or abdominal distress
Cognitive symptoms of anxiety – racing thoughts, difficulty controlling feelings of worry, mind going blank, difficulty organizing thoughts
Physical effects of stress – grinding teeth, neck or back pain, sweating, dry mouth, stomach pain
Cognitive symptoms of stress – poor judgment, seeing only the negative, inability to concentrate

HOW TO CONQUER WORKING WHILE IN COLLEGE

Splitting my attention between the demands of a job and a college education was an experience I learned to balance over time. Today, work experience has become an asset that a student carries with them as they enter the full-time job market. Over the past four years I have learned that working a job and attending college requires motivation and dedication to keep moving forward. At this time, I have successfully balanced a full-time job and earned a bachelor’s degree in applied communications and a minor in public relations. Here are a few tips that help me manage my stress and anxiety.

Sleep and Rest

Getting a good night’s sleep can make all the difference amidst your day to day responsibilities. Brains need sleep to help consolidate all of the information they've taken in during the day. Also, during sleep that information gets organized and transferred to long term memory so that it can be retrieved later when it is needed. Sleep is vital for our bodies to heal cuts or bruises and to fight off illness and infection. I usually go to bed and wake up at the same time every-day. Lack of sleep makes it harder for me to be productive and present. Getting a solid 7 to 8 hours every night allows me to focus on daily tasks. During the day, I schedule 1-3 hours of my time to decompress by reading a book or watching a movie.

Prioritize Organization

Utilize your calendar, set phone reminders and keep a planner. I use all of the above to stay on top of work, school and my social life. It’s impossible to remember everything, so I help myself out by writing everything down. On extremely busy days I divide up my tasks by the hour, making it easier to manage my life. In addition, I lay out my clothes and pack my lunch the evening before. This allows my future self to start the day off strong.

Ask for help

When struggling academically, I learned that reaching out to a tutor or going to a study lab is an invaluable tool. Instead of wasting time struggling over material I didn’t understand, I asked for help. After using these on-campus resources, I began to understand the concepts and materials from class. When struggling emotionally, I went to the on-campus guidance counselor to talk about effective ways for me to deal with my constant worrying and anxiety. During that time, I felt secure in the safe space of the counselor's office. I left the counseling sessions feeling like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I started off my final semester of college optimistically.

Celebrate small victories

Graduating college and earning a degree is a huge accomplishment, but it’s equally important to focus on the string of small victories. I like to celebrate turning a paper in on time, getting an ‘A’ on a test or pushing through a rough week. It feels good to pat myself on the back after completing another task on my list. Typically I like to celebrate my victories by eating ice-cream, going bowling or taking an entire day off from homework. When I set the bar too high on my expectations and don’t meet them, I feel disappointed in myself. I’ve realized that celebrating those small wins throughout the month make me feel confident and accomplished.

Remember the long term goals

When I would have an extremely stressful week, I reminded myself that this lifestyle isn’t going to last forever. I consistently told myself that one day I would look back at all my sacrifices and remember how hard I worked to achieve a goal. Putting life into a bigger perspective helped me push through each week. I’ve learned if you don’t have a destination in mind, choosing a path is not important. Setting long term goals is the best way to ensure that you’ll get where you need to go.

TRAUMATIC CHILD EXPERIENCE

Sun, 23 Jun 2019 18:17:32 GMT

What defines a traumatic experience for a child? Is that experience or event different for every adolescent? And does every child who experiences a traumatic event need to be in a trauma program?

Many children live through very difficult life experiences. Some, but not all, of those children will be traumatized by those experiences. Not every child who has been through trauma will be diagnosed with a trauma-related disorder. Not every client who has experienced trauma needs to be in the trauma program.

C&A SCREENS FOR TRAUMA

As part of the intake process, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C & A) screens all clients for trauma using the Life Events Survey, which asks questions regarding adverse childhood experiences and other potentially traumatizing childhood experiences such as physical or sexual abuse, living with a parent who has mental health or substance abuse problems, or being the target of bullying.

At any one time C&A averages approximately 300 clients in the trauma program. These are clients who are experiencing significant trauma-related symptomatology and impairment in their social, emotional and/or academic functioning as a result of their traumatic experiences. These clients range in age from preschoolers to young adults. They receive evidence-based trauma-focused services to help them process what they’ve been through, learn effective ways to cope, and build a healthy life moving forward.

In addition to providing services to C&A clients, our trauma program also provides support for the Stark County Community. C & A’s team participates in Canton City School’s Crisis Intervention team. Our staff makes ourselves available to go out to schools and provide support to staff, students and families following a suicide, sudden death or other difficult situation. Our staff will also be in schools when students complete the NOYHS to provide support and screening as needed.

C&A'S CLINICIANS ARE EXPERTS IN TRAUMA

C & A has been ahead of the curve in implementing trauma-informed services. Our staff members are highly regarded throughout the state and are seen as experts in regards to trauma. As part of ongoing education to the Stark County community regarding suicide, C & A’s staff has made presentations on suicide awareness and prevention presentations at local churches, schools and community agencies. We have participated in panel discussions after performances of the musical Next to Normal at Malone University and the film Resilience at the Palace Theatre. We have also made presentations about toxic stress and self-care for United Way.

Educating our community leaders through forming various partnerships remains the best way to prevent further traumatization to our youth. These trainings have included:

Suicide, trauma and secondary traumatic stress for staff and administrators of Plain Local Schools
Trauma-informed care training for Alliance City Schools administrators.
Trauma training for early childhood providers through Ohio Child Care Resource & Referral Association (OCCRA)
Trauma training in youth and young adults for Stark County Sheriff’s Crisis Intervention Team
Question, Persuade and Refer (QPR) training for The Legacy Project’s mentors and volunteers

Mary Kreitz is C & A’s trauma program manager. If you know of a youth who would benefit from the C & A’s trauma program, please call 330-454-7917 or text 4hope to 741-741.

MANDATED REPORTING

Sun, 09 Jun 2019 18:10:55 GMT

“We are all mandated reporters,” said Mary Kreitz, trauma program manager and group services director for Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health, speaking during at a training session.

What does a mandated reporter mean and how does this apply to me?

If you as a clinician suspect that a child has been abused or is being abused or neglected, you as a clinician are legally required to report the abuse.

When reporting an abusive situation, what information does the clinician need to have when answering the questions over the phone?

Kreitz said Child Protective Services is likely to ask for this information:

The name and address of the child you suspect is being abused or neglected
Age of the child
Name and address of the parents or caretakers
Name of the person you suspect is abusing or neglecting the child and the address if available;
Reason you suspect the child is being abused and neglected
Any other information which may be helpful to the investigation

Kreitz said, “Even if the abuse took place a year ago, you should still call and make sure the abuse was actually reported and the details you heard have been reported. You may be presenting new facts to the case. Then document that you made the report.”

After a clinician has filed a report, what is the next step?

Following a report that is made, a caseworker from Jobs and Family Services (JFS) and/or a local law enforcement officer will be assigned to investigate the report. From there, the child may be referred to The Children’s Network, which is Stark County’s Child Advocacy Center. They have a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of professionals working together in one location to help children and their families cope with abuse, witnessing violence or human trafficking.

The Children’s Network of Stark County is a Child Advocacy Center. Partners working through the network include: Stark County Prosecutor’s Office; County-wide law enforcement; Stark County Family Court; National Children’s Alliance & Ohio Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers; Akron Children’s Hospital CARE Center; Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health; Lighthouse Family Center; and Stark County Jobs & Family Services.

Family Advocate

When a family comes to The Children’s Network after a report has been made, a family advocate will be assigned to the family. The Family Advocate stays with the family throughout the whole investigation and legal process. The Family Advocate will make sure families understand every step of the process and connect the family with resources they need for recovery. Even after the JFS case is closed, the advocate is allowed to maintain contact.

Forensic Interview

The purpose of the forensic interview is to create a safe space for a specifically trained interviewer to address abuse allegations in a neutral, fact-finding, developmentally appropriate manner. These interviews are legally sound, non-duplicative and non-leading. The forensic interviewer conducts each interview using a nationally recognized protocol. The only two people in the room are the child and the interviewer. All interviews are video and audio recorded so the child does not have to repeat this in court. MDT members observe the interview from another room.

The Medical Exam

A specialized nurse practitioner from Akron Children’s Hospital CARE Center may conduct a medical exam. This exam is similar to a having a routine check-up. Any bruises or marks on the body are photographed and documented. Physical conditions or injuries will be treated.

Trauma or Sexual Abuse Evaluation

This evaluation may be referred if the child is not able to give a clear disclosure due to fear, anxiety, developmental level, inability to understand questions or vague communication style. This assessment is more in-depth and will take place in two to three sessions.

Prosecuting the Case

The assistant prosecutors meet regularly with MDT to determine whether the case is appropriate for prosecution. Some cases are handled informally and some cases are not strong enough for prosecution. The prosecutor also helps prepare the child and/or parents if testifying in court is necessary.

There are protocols for clinicians to take on what you can and should do after a report of suspected abuse or neglect has been made.

What not to do:

Do not question the child about the abuse or probe for more details about what happened.
Do not coach the child on what to say.
Do not ask siblings or other children in the home if they were abused too

Here is what you can do:

If the client wants to tell you what happened; listen supportively
Validate the client’s bravery for telling someone about what happened
Help the client feel safe
If the client is nervous about the forensic interview or abuse evaluation, reassure that the interviewer/assessor is a safe person; reassure the client they are not in trouble; that this will not hurt; and to be honest
If the client wants you to come along as support when they go for an interview/evaluation, model being pleasant and cooperative with other professionals; if you seem uncomfortable talking, the client will likely follow your lead; if possible, it would be best to get a release for Children’s Network; and remember that you can speak to other health care professionals working with our clients.
Reassure the client the abuse is not their fault; that experiencing abuse does not make you bad or weird; validate that there are many reactions to abuse, none are “wrong” and validate the client’s feelings.

For clinicians who are doing Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy do not start processing the client’s narrative until all parts of the investigation (forensic interview, medical exam, trauma and sex abuse evaluations) are completed. You are able to work on other parts of the model – psychoeducation, relaxation skills, affect regulation skills and cognitive coping skills.

The final message is don’t stop working with client if they are sent to Children’s Network. This is an important piece for investigating what happened. We are in a much better position to meet the needs of the client when we are all working together.

To report an incident, call 330-455-KIDS (5437) .

DBT ASSISTS ADOLESCENTS WITH EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES

Tue, 28 May 2019 02:46:12 GMT

THE CULTURE OF VAPING

Sun, 12 May 2019 17:48:43 GMT

Vaping isn’t a just an alternative to smoking cigarettes – it has emerged into more of a culture. As such, the vaping cultures have grown to include trade shows, fairs and conventions/expos. These trade shows offer an array of products, vendors, seminars, social interactions with other vapers, parties, gifts, vaping contests and other activities. These conventions present a unique opportunity for vape enthusiasts to mingle and network with other vapers and vape manufacturers.

The products available to buy include phone covers, headphones and earbuds, shirts, hoodies and hats, car holders, backpacks, skateboards, posters, lanyards and much more!

Today, because of smoking laws in numerous states, special bars and vape shops, similar to coffee shops, have been created where people gather to vape. There are also online forums to share ideas.

Vaping as an art

Back in the 1950s and early 1960s, movies presented a puff or ring of smoke as sophisticated and cool. Today, adolescent and young adults like to do vape tricks.

One of the reasons people do vape tricks is because they like to play and create. Vape tricks create a sense of excitement and adventure to life. Tricks range from blowing the biggest plume (cloud chasing) to finite smoke-filled bubbles.

One of the tricks, “The Dragon,” is impressive and has been said to make the vaper feel ferocious. The vaper blows out streams of steam from both sides of the mouth and nose – like a breathing dragon.

How do vapors get the biggest cloud? Vapors use highly powerful vape mods to produce the biggest, thickest and baddest plumes of vapor. Cloud chasing, now a competitive sport, has gone professional supported by sponsors.

Technology as art

Aspiring engineers spend their time wrapping coils, calculating resistances and finding new ways to combine the raw components into more powerful circuitry. Artists create paintings on vaping and the device. Traditional art then leads to decals, T-shirt screenings and other merchandising opportunities to promote the vaping industry.

Marketing

Any new product on the market begins by advertising - traditional and digitally. Young people are vulnerable to e-cigarette ads. In general, youth are exposed to advertising from multiple sources. What do those advertising numbers look like?

8 million youths are exposed through magazines or newspapers
6 million youths are exposed through television or the movies
5 million youths are exposed through internet
4 million youths are exposed at retail stores

E-cigarettes and vaping appeal particularly to millennia’s, males, people who tend to be angry, individuals without a strong sense of identity, artists, thrill seekers and people that like to impress. Typical ads built around the themes of sex, independence, and rebellion are used to attract an audience.

Manufacturers market to young adults (18 to 24-year-olds) with candy and fruit flavored e-liquids. This age group is more likely to use flavored tobacco products. Here is a sampling of e-liquid flavors: coffee, bubblegum, white chocolate, peanut butter cookie, peach ice cream, cinnamon spice, and strawberry pound cake to mention a few. There are over 7,000 flavors to choose from!

Who are these 18- to 24-year-olds?

Vape shops target the natural markets. Natural markets are a segment of people with a common interest such as goths, tech geeks, social cause and charity junkies, sports freaks and lovers, natural food and health conscious people, bikers, military, gym rats, same sex partners, foreigners from any land and former and recovering persons with addictions. In other words, anyone from all walks and backgrounds in life.

Vape shops have been found to take advantage of the adolescent population because of their lack of knowledge by selling them over-priced equipment or worse, a product that will make them sick.

Vaping has widely been promoted on social media platforms such as You Tube, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. Many teens are vaping to boost their social image.

Effects on one’s health

According to the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report, e-cigarette use has become a public health concern for youth and young adults. The e-cigarette exposes users to harmful chemicals that can have adverse health effects. Nicotine exposure during adolescence can cause addiction and harm the developing adolescent brain.

E-juice is approved by the FDA as Generally Recognized as Safe for consumption. However, other chemicals found in e-cigarette liquid, flavorings and aerosols are not safe such as acetaldehyde, acrolein, formaldehyde and diacetyl.

Acetaldehyde is a colorless liquid that manufacturers use the chemical to make a range of products, including vinegar, perfume and flavorings. This chemical is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.

Diacetyl, a buttery flavored chemical often found in microwave popcorn has been linked with Popcorn Lung. Symptoms can include shortness of breath and coughing similar to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD).

Metal Toxins may leak from the heating coil element. Researchers at John Hopkins found these metals -lead, nickel, manganese, chromium and arsenic.

Health risks associated with vaping include the increase risks of developing cancer and heart disease, wound that won’t heal and ‘smoker’s cough’ in teens. Other side effects may include dry mouth, dry lips and sore throat; headaches, nausea or racing pulse; muscle pain, cramps and aches; allergic reaction to propylene glycol; weakened immune system; and damaged blood vessels.

The effects of nicotine can harm parts of the brain that control attention and learning. The behavioral risks associated with too much exposure to nicotine include increased risk of mood and attention problems.

The bottom line is, one puff of an e-cigarette is likely less toxic than a traditional cigarette, however no one really knows how many puffs the typical e-cigarette user is taking. Studies show that people are four times more likely to start smoking cigarettes if they vape and the act of vaping has been found by many to be addictive.

The Law

It is against the law to sell, purchase or use e-cigarettes and e-liquid for someone under age 18. Many Ohio colleges and universities are smoke-free campuses including Cleveland State, Ohio State, Kent State, Akron and Ohio to mention at few. E-cigarettes are prohibited on the premise of state buildings.

Many cities and states are raising the age to purchase tobacco to 21. In Ohio, these cities include Akron, Cleveland, Columbus and Euclid to mention a few.

A 2015 statistic by the Center of Disease Control found an astounding 75 percent of adult’s favor raising the tobacco age to 21 and 65 percent of those were aged 18 to 24.

Treatment Strategies

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy helps identify self-defeating and destructive thoughts and behaviors which often drive addiction to help identify triggers – people, places and things and teaches relapse-prevention skills and effective coping strategies.

Motivational interviewing helps clients explore and resolve their ambivalence about quitting or cutting back and enhance their motivation to make healthy changes.

Mindfulness-based smoking cessation treatments, clients learn to increase awareness of and detachment from sensations, thoughts and cravings that may lead to relapse. Patients learn techniques that help them tolerate negative emotions – including stress and cravings.

Teenagers have a variety of options to stop vaping. The options include calling toll free numbers 800-QUIT-NOW (800-784-8669); by visiting www.thisisquiting.com or text QUIT to 202-804-9884. Teens may also use the quitSTART app who want to stop smoking.

If your teenager is struggling with vaping or substance abuse, please call C&A at 330-454-7917.

CELEBRATING CHILDREN’S MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK

Sun, 05 May 2019 17:27:59 GMT

May is National Mental Health Awareness month. Nationally, more attention is being focused on the mental health crisis that is taking place across the country. Television shows such as A Million Little Things and soap operas such as General Hospital are increasing awareness to this topic.

C&A PARTNERS WITH TD'S TAILGATE

Locally, Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health (C&A) is spotlighting the month by partnering with TD’s Tailgate Restaurant, 1645 N. Main St., North Canton. Throughout the month of May, for every person eating at TDs, servers will be asking clients to add $1, $5 or $10 to their bill, with the proceeds going to C&A. C&A board members Heather Pennington and Mike Gallina are guest bartending on May 20 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at TDs North Canton to raise awareness around mental health for children and youth across Stark County, and to help increase visibility of C&A’s mission.

AWARENESS

To bring continued awareness and to remove the stigma that youth and adolescence may feel, C&A is proclaiming Stark County Children’s Mental Health Awareness Week May 6 to 10. To highlight the week, C&A is providing posters to the seven school districts in Stark County who they partner with on a daily basis – Alliance, Canton and Massillon city school district and Marlington, Plain, Sandy Valley and Tuslaw local school districts. Beginning in August, at the start of the 2019-2020 school year, C&A will provide school-based consultation at Lake Local Schools. Two different posters were created to spotlight children in elementary schools vs. middle/high school. The elementary school posters feature kids laughing with a message of Be Happy, Be Honest, Be Kind . The high school message features pictures of kids sitting alone who are facing anxiety and depression to a happy group of teenagers laughing. The teenage message is “Right now is … Not your forever.”

Each day, C&A is providing age appropriate morning announcements tailored to elementary age kids to intermediate/middle school/high school age students.

Through a Plain Local Schools partnership, this outreach has expanded to include placing posters at Malone University and the Stark County Library’s 10 branch locations.

Bringing awareness and removing the stigma is vital to having healthy communities. A few startling statistics:

By the age of 16, two-thirds of all kids will have experienced one traumatic event
Twenty to 25 percent of all children have a mental or behavioral health issue before the age of 16
Approximately 20 percent of adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder
Between 50 and 75 percent of adolescents with anxiety disorders and impulse control disorders develop these during adolescence

The positive side of these unfortunate issues facing teenagers today is 85 percent of the children improve with treatment from C&A. Sixty-eight percent of C&A’s clients in our middle childhood program report positive change within three months of service.

To learn more about the services C&A provides, please call 330-454-7917 .

THIS IS OUR FIRST BLOG – VAPING

Sun, 28 Apr 2019 16:54:41 GMT

Welcome to Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health's blog. Below is our first blog post. We will be making a blog post on an every other week basis. We hope you enjoy and share our content.

THE HISTORY OF VAPING

In the 1950s and 1960s, viewing a celebrity or average citizens on the street with a cigar or cigarette was common place, accepted by society. That view point changed as medical personnel discovered the harmful effects of smoking.

Cigarettes having been slowly fading from society as many cities and states have been smoking inside public buildings. Today, teenagers are experimenting with vaping – a far more dangerous habit that smoking yet viewed as “in” and “cool” by adolescents.

HOW DOES A VAPING DEVICE WORK?

Vaping is the use of electronic cigarettes to inhale vapors nicotine, marijuana (THC oil, leaves) or general flavorings. To vape is to inhale vapor created from a liquid heated up inside a device.

With a cigarette, one uses a lighter to light the cigarette and puffs on the other end of the cigarette. An e-cigarette has been touted as a safer way to quit or cut down on smoking but doctors say the battery-powered devices sometimes explode causing injuries. A vaping device has an LED light that glows on some devices when the user inhales. There is a battery in the device. A switch activates the heating element on some devices. There is a microprocessor slightly above the switch that is attached to a heating element. This heating element changes the “juice” into a vapor that is inhaled. A cartridge holds the solution of dissolved nicotine and propylene glycol called “juice.” The user then inhales through the mouthpiece.

HISTORY OF VAPING

Evidence of vaping has been recorded as early as 425 BC. Greek Historian Herodotus wrote about the Scythians vaporizing hemp seeds – “immediately it smokes, and gives out such a vapor as no Grecian vapour-bath can exceed; the Scyths, delighted, shout for joy, and this vapour serves them instead of water-bath.”

1927 - Joseph Robinson invented a device that resembled an e-cigarette. The idea was to create an easy to use device to vaporize medicinal compounds instead of burning them.
1963 – Herbert Gilbert built a prototype of the smokeless non-tobacco cigarette. Inhaling combusted material can’t be good for anyone’s health. In the December 1965 edition of the magazine Popular Mechanics it said the battered-powered “cigarette” uses no tobacco and produces no smoke. A replacement tip moistened with harmless, warmed chemicals could stimulate the flavor of anything from root beer to rum. Gilbert never commercialized his e-cigarette and the patent expired.
1979-1980 – Phil Ray commercialized a version of the e-cigarette that relied on evaporation of nicotine. This failed too. The verb “vape” is introduced to language
1990 – “Eagle” Bill Amato, a Cherokee medicine man, born in Cleveland invented the cannabis vaporizer, in Amsterdam. He is known for popularizing of the vaporizer, which he termed a “safe and effective alternative to smoking.”
1998 – Phillip Morris begins selling Accord, a battery-powered “heat not burn” device as a cigarette substitute
2003 – Hon Lik, a Chinese pharmacist and small-time medical researcher made the first modern e-cigarette. His invention was motivated by his own smoking addiction and the death of his father to lung cancer.
2004 – The first commercial e-cigarette is introduced in China
2006 – E-cigarettes are introduced to Europe first, then the United States
2008 – In a study funded by Ruyan, a detailed quantitative analysis concludes that, overall the product tested was deemed a “safe alternative to smoking.”

Beginning in 2009, regulatory battles begin on e-cigarettes. In 2009, Amazon prohibits the sale of electronic tobacco products on its website. In 2011, the Department of Transportation seeks unsuccessfully to lift the ban of e-cigarettes on aircrafts. In 2013, Italy lifts the public ban on vaping while Punjab, India, declares e-cigarettes illegal. In 2010, actress Katherine Heigel appears on David Letterman and discusses the smokebot electronic cigarette.

At this point, sales take off for e-cigarettes. In 2009, the industry made $39 million. Four years later, in August of 2013, the industry was selling $1.5 billion worth of product. In 2014, 13.1 million middle and high school students were aware of e-cigarettes. That same year, “vape” is made the word of the year by Oxford English Dictionary.

Pop culture perpetuated by Hollywood continued to influence the country. At the 2016 Academy Awards, a top of the line e-cigarette is included in the nominees’ goody bag. In 2017, a National Institute of Drug Addiction (NIDA) study found 6.3 percent of 14-year-olds and 9.3 percent of 16-year-olds are vaping.

THE VAPING DEVICE

There are more than 460 different types of e-cigarette brands on the market. There are e-pipes, e-cigars, large size, medium size, rechargeable and disposable. These devices go by many different names – vape pen, pod mods, tanks, electronic nicotine delivery devices, e-hookahs, e-cigarettes and vaporizers.

Pod systems are equipped with cartridges that contain the coil, wick and e-juice. These are fairly cheap at $30.

Juul: the iPhone of e-cigs. The name Juul was chosen because it evoked both a precious stone and the amount of energy required to produce one watt of power for one second. Kids can purchase Juuls in bulk on eBay and Amazon with prepaid debit cards. These pods look like USB drives and can be charged via USB port. In a previous post on their website, a Juul pod contains 40 mg of nicotine, which is similar to “the nicotine yield of a pack of cigarettes.”

Cannabis vaporizers and pens are quickly becoming one of the most popular consumption methods. A dab pen is a vaporized pen specifically designed to vape cannabis concentrates such as dry plants, oils or wax. The Pax 3 comes with a mobile app, cost $249 and has a 10-year limited warranty.

Vap Mods is short for modification. Mod can refer to any number of adjustments that make the device more powerful or functional in some way.

Today, adults and kids can build a custom mod. A custom mod is a one-of-kind mod that reflects personality and often times uses of graphic designer to create a custom design. Vape skins are designs that are customizable. It is the same term used for the visual personae that video-game players can select to represent their gaming characters. Some people use a stealth vape, which could look like a pen, sharpie or pencil. Vapers have been very creative as they design sneaky ways to vape undetected.

Another popular device, Sourin, is discrete and easy to operate. The device is quiet and does not generate a cloud. Most do not include a bright LED.

E-LIQUIDS

E-juice is the liquid (e-liquid, vape juice, cartridges, pods or oil) that is converted into vapor by an electronic cigarette device. The Center for Disease Control estimates there are 7,700 unique flavors.

The basic ingredients are vegetable glycerin, propylene glycol and concentrated flavors. Most e-liquids contain nicotine. To save money, many people make their own juices allowing them to control the amount of nicotine.

To get the biggest nicotine hit from each puff, some vapers take the outside cover off of their e-cigarette and use an eyedropper to “drip” the liquid directly into the coil’s device. It is “recommended” that one has a minimum of six months vaping experience, and one month of training from experienced dripper before partaking.

Dripping liquids reach higher temperatures when dripped directly on a coil, the superhot liquid transforms the harmless chemicals in the e-liquid into toxic ones, creating bigger clouds and bigger throat hit.

Most devices include a puff counter to let consumers know when to stop.

One in every four teens vapors said he/she has tried dripping. Most teens who dripped said they had hoped it would let them make thicker clouds or give the vapor a stronger taste.

If you know someone vaping who needs help to break their addiction, please contact C&A at 330-454-7917.

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THE EQUAL WORTH OF EVERY HUMAN LIFE: A MORAL REFLECTION

Every human life has equal worth.

The Problem: Distorted Perceptions of Worth

Humanity: The Moral Contradiction

A difficult question emerges:

Dignity: Kant’s Unshakeable Principle

The Social Contract: When Societies Fail

We Are Not Objects: Existentialist Insight

Power and Worth: How Hierarchies Distort Humanity

Virtue: Humanity as a Practice

The Truth We Must Reclaim

References

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ANNOUNCES STRATEGIC AFFILIATION WITH GOODWILL INDUSTRIES TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ACROSS STARK COUNTY

ABOUT GOODWILL INDUSTRIES OF GREATER CLEVELAND AND EAST CENTRAL OHIO:

About Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Media Contacts

TALKING TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS ABOUT VIOLENCE

Do we have to talk about it?

Start by asking what they’ve heard.

Ask what questions they have.

Ask what worries them about the event.

Could this happen to me?

Whose fault is it?

What if talking about this upsets my child?

How can I help?

SAME MISSION, NEW PLACES: EMPOWERING STARK COUNTY’S YOUTH FOR THE NEXT 50 YEARS

CHILD AND ADOLESCENT BEHAVIORAL HEALTH AWARDED THREE GRANTS TO STRENGTHEN YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES

About Child and Adolescent Behavioral Health

Media Contact:

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER

Signs and symptoms

Who gets SAD?

What causes SAD?

What helps?

ELECTION ANXIETY

Why are people feeling so much anxiety?

Are children and adolescents feeling it too?

What can we do to help children and adolescents with their election anxiety?

TRUSTED ADULT

When and how to talk to a trusted adult?

Why is it important to have a trusted adult?

What is the responsibility of a trusted adult?

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

WHY PRIDE MATTERS FROM A BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PERSPECTIVE

References

HOPE AND HOPELESSNESS

References

988 IS LIFELINE IN A MENTAL HEALTH CRISIS

What is 988?

What happens when I call 988?

What happens if I text 988?

What happens when I chat via 988?

Does reaching out to 988 help?

Will I be hospitalized if I contact the 988 Lifeline?

Is 988 Lifeline a free service?

How long will I wait before talking to a counselor?

Does everyone have the same access to services provided by 988?

STARK COUNTY SCHOOLS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS

High School

Middle School

Student-led initiatives for positive mental health

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY: CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS’ EXPERIENCES

UNDERSTANDING RACE IN SOCIETY AND THERAPY

References:

THE DANGERS OF MARIJUANA USE

Troubling Findings

Targeting Youth or Turning a Blind Eye?

More Marijuana Means More Problems

LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE – SOUTHERN NIGHTS: ILLUMINATING HOPE AND MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS FOR THE YOUNGER GENERATION

GROWING WITH YOUR CHILD AS A PARENT

Learned behaviors?

But so much of what I have learned centers around the next three phrases, communication, intentionality and trusted adult.

WHAT DID YOU DID THIS SUMMER?

FROM DARKNESS TO DISCOVERY: MY COLLEGE JOURNEY OF SELF-TRANSFORMATION

THIS IS WHY WE CELEBATE

Enjoyment of Participation in Community Events

Enjoyment of Participation in Community Events

WHY WOULD A STRAIGHT PERSON GO TO PRIDE? THE IMPORTANCE OF ALLYSHIP

REFERENCES