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Attention Parents: January & February Are the Worst Months for Teen Suicide 

Parent comforting their teen struggling with suicidal thoughts

First off, Happy New Year. We all wish for a healthy and happy 2023 for our teens. Most people think that the Christmas Season is the worst season for suicide. Actually, it is the beginning of the year. The isolation and sadness created by exacerbated teen depression, unfortunately, begin to move into the most negative of actions […]

Why the New Year Can Bring Mixed Feelings

Teen girl with struggling with mixed feelings about New Year

It can be hard to admit to yourself that New Year’s Eve is not one of your favorite holidays to celebrate. It is supposed to be a time of extravagant parties, cheerful celebrations, a time for reflection, and setting goals for the new year, yet your emotions don’t match the festivities.  While the end of the […]

NPR’s The Spark: What are some of the causes for teen depression and ways to help?

Girl coping with teen depression and sitting alone

Our Founder and President, Elliot Kallen, is featured on NPR’s The Spark todiscuss teen depression and ways to help those experiencing it. Listen to the podcast below and click the forward button to share with family and friends. You can also catch the podcast on NPR’s Podcast Directory and Apple Podcasts. According to HealthDay News, 1 in 10 Americans suffer […]

Anxiety, Stress, and Your Teen: A Christmas Story

‘Tis the season to be merry and not so merry… As parents, we are painfully aware of the flu season, the never-ending Covid season, and the sadness and loneliness adults can feel this time of the year. Did you also know, however, that our teens also rank the winter months as the saddest time of […]

How to Manage Stress: Best Practices, Tips, and Tricks

Teen manages stress

During this time of year, it is normal and common to feel an increased level of stress.  Some things that can contribute to this include the holidays, finals at school, deadlines at work, and traveling to see family. While a low level of stress can be healthy to accomplish tasks, projects, and assignments, high levels of […]

Is Thanksgiving Good For Your Teen’s Well-Being?

Teen Thanksgiving

It’s a wonderful time of the year. Thanksgiving. One of my favorite holidays. It means lots of family around the dinner table. It means terrific food that we only eat once a year.  It means different pies for an unlimited dessert. It means watching the NFL all day. And for teens, it means a long weekend of […]

Changing of Seasons and Mental Health: What’s The Link?

October is now here and we are quickly approaching the end of the year!  With Fall and Winter upon us, the weather is getting colder and the days are getting shorter. While there are many people who love the changing of seasons, there are also those whose mental health is impacted by this change. Seasonal […]

Is Halloween Increasing Stress and Depression in Your Teen?

It’s hard to fathom that dressing up in costumes, asking for candy, or handing out candy can increase the stress level in our teens.  But the shortened daylight hours and longing for one’s younger days when Halloween was innocent and fun can actually cause or increase the level of depression for your teen. Here are […]

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. Don’t Become a Statistic!

I am called a “survivor.”  My son, Jake, took his life at age 19 by jumping in front of an oncoming truck on a Montana Interstate. Absolutely horrible and our lives will never be the same. Was he on drugs or alcohol? No. Was he on anti-depressant medication? No. Did he share his feelings with […]

July 4th: Independence and Your Teen

July 4th teens and family

Let me begin by wishing you a Happy July 4th, the day of the official signing of the Declaration of Independence when we went from a colony to a country.  Millions of Americans have died since 1776 to allow all of us to keep our freedoms and liberties, the greatest experiment in democracy and capitalism […]