Summer Fun: Heal, Empower, and Rejuvenate Your Kids
Harness the summer to revitalize your kids and family and shake off the blues. KEY POINTS After a difficult year, a rejuvenating summer may help children ward off depression and anxiety. This summer, it may be best to avoid academically-focused classes aimed at catching up or speeding ahead. Summer opportunities may be found at schools,… Read more »
Equine Assisted Therapy: A Unique & Effective Intervention
It’s a well-known fact that animals can provide us with emotional support and companionship. However, most people aren’t aware that our furry friends can help us cope in ways beyond the pet-owner relationship most of us are used to. Horses in particular have seen increasing recognition and integration in the traditional mental health field, as… Read more »
Giving Hope and Setting Goals for Kids and Teens in 2021
Buffering the rise of depression and anxiety in kids amidst social isolation. As we celebrate the new year, children and teenagers continue to be disappointed and frustrated with continued school closures and cancellations of sports and extracurriculars. Online schooling and social isolation continue to weigh our kids down, and the struggle with depression, anxiety, and self-harm amongst our youngest is surging. Despite the… Read more »
Warning Signs: Depression and Anxiety During The Holidays
With Covid-19 on the rise, so is depression, anxiety, and self-harm amongst children and teenagers. With the holidays around the corner, the void of in-person friendships, school parties, family gatherings, and travel, and the ongoing absence of group sports and extracurriculars continue to place our children at significant risk for depression and anxiety. In the past 3 weeks in my practice, I have had a notable… Read more »
Going Back to School in a World of Uncertainty
Coping With Depression, Anxiety, and ADHD Going back to school in a world of uncertainty can wreak havoc on kids and families. Children, adolescents, and family members may be at risk for anxiety and depression in the fluid and unstable environment of the pandemic. It is important that parents, teachers, pediatricians and nurses, and caregivers recognize the signs of depression and anxiety… Read more »
The Silent Pandemic: Depression, Self-Harm, and Suicide
Teens and kids have an increase in mental health struggles since Covid-19 Posted May 21, 2020 The rapid increase in depression, self-harm, and suicide since Covid-19 in children and adolescents is alarming and requires our immediate attention. Children have lost their routines, friends, activities, sports, independence, time in nature, travel, and necessary novel stimulation. The losses children are experiencing in this pandemic are significant;… Read more »
Learning Disabilities In College: Guidelines for Student Success
Can someone with a learning disability go to college? Yes! With the right accommodations, tutors, and strategies, most students with learning differences can pursue higher education. In this article, we consult educational specialist Jennifer Fordham, M.A. on how to increase the chances of success for students with learning disabilities in college. We go over different… Read more »
Aspiring Families Uses a Holistic Approach to Mental Health
Del Mar Times features Dr. Maker, the founding director of Aspiring Families, Center for Mental Health and Wellness: May is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time for recognizing the magnitude of mental health issues in our present-day society. For Dr. Azmaira Maker, the founder of Aspiring Families Center for Mental Health and Wellness, the designation… Read more »
Mindfulness Helps Kids Cope
Mindfulness Helps Kids Cope Tips on mindfulness from a 12-year-old boy. Mindfulness is the conscious process of bringing one’s attention to experiences occurring in the present moment, which one can develop through the practice of meditation and other effective tools. Mindfulness trains you to develop moment-by-moment awareness of mental, emotional, and physical events and states of being. By allowing… Read more »
Helping Children Cope With the Death of a Sibling
Grieving the pregnancy loss of a child is complicated, especially for siblings. As an example, let’s imagine a 4-year-old girl is participating in circle time in preschool. As her turn comes to share her weekend news, she innocently says, “We went to visit my dead brother in the graveyard. He died when he was born…. Read more »