Screens are a normal part of childhood today. Children use tablets for school, to watch shows and movies, play games with friends, and connect with family. The challenge for parents is to help children develop a healthy relationship with technology instead of eliminating it all together.

Setting boundaries around electronics can sometimes lead to arguments, resistance, and frustrations. Fortunately, with clear expectations and consistency, parents can make screen time rules easier for the entire family.

A child’s development involves more than learning to walk, talk, or recognize numbers. Social and emotional development describes how children learn to understand and express emotions, build relationships, interact with others, develop independence, and respond to social situations (Centre for Early Childhood, n.d.).

These skills begin developing in infancy and continue throughout childhood. They are influenced by children’s individual characteristics as well as their relationships and experiences with parents, caregivers, siblings, teachers, and peers. Responsive, back and forth interactions between children and caring adults (sometimes called serve and return interactions) help build foundations for social skills, emotional well-being, and communication (Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University, n.d.).

Daily routines do more than organize a schedule. They give children and teens a reliable framework for practicing life skills, making choices, and gaining confidence! When expectations are clear and repeated, young people spend less energy wondering what comes next and more energy learning and growing. Predictable routines can help children feel secure because they know what to expect. They also support caregivers by making responses and expectations consistent.

Every child experiences big emotions including frustration, sadness, worry, excitement, and anger. This is a normal part of growing up! While we can’t prevent children from facing challenges, we can help them build healthy coping skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Mental health medications are among the most misunderstood treatments in healthcare. Movies, social media, and secondhand stories often shape public opinion more than actual medical evidence. As a result, many people who could benefit from treatment delay getting help because they are afraid, ashamed, or misinformed.‍

The truth is that mental health medications can be life-changing when prescribed appropriately and used alongside professional care. They are not “magic pills,” but they are also not something to fear. The following are common myths and facts behind them.‍

In recent years, the concept of neurodiversity has gained traction across education, workplaces, and public discourse. Neurodiversity is the idea that variations in how people think, learn, and process the world are natural and valuable forms of human diversity, not deficits to be “fixed.”

Have you ever noticed that a single thought can instantly change your mood, and even your behavior? This is part of a psychological concept known as the cognitive triangle, a foundational idea in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

The triangle explains the dynamic relationship between three elements: thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. These three components are constantly influencing each other, even in ways we do not consciously realize!

When people think about their mental health, they often focus on therapy, medication, or lifestyle habits such as sleep and exercise. However, one powerful factor is often overlooked, which is nutrition! What you eat does not just affect your body. It plays a crucial role in how your brain functions, how you feel emotionally, and how resilient you are to stress.

ADHD (attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder) is a neurodevelopmental condition that impacts how the brain manages attention, impulses, and activity levels. It is not about laziness, lack of intelligence, or bad parenting. It is about how the brain is wired. ADHD can affect children and adults, and for many people, it continues throughout life.

Trauma is not just a painful memory, but an entire body and brain experience. Whether caused by a single distressing event or prolonged stress, trauma can reshape how the brain processes fear, memory, safety, and relationships.

Trauma is not just something that happens to us. It can live on in the body, the mind, and the nervous system. When painful or overwhelming experiences are not processed, they do not simply disappear with time. Instead, they tend to resurface in subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) ways that affect our relationships, health, and sense of self. Processing trauma is not about reliving the past for the sake of it. It is about reclaiming your present and future.

Parenting comes with a daily list of choices such as what to say, how to respond, when to step in, and when to let go. One of the most effective and evidence-based tools parents can use is positive reinforcement. Positive reinforcement is about encouraging the behaviors we want to see by noticing, acknowledging, and rewarding them in meaningful ways. Rather than focusing on mistakes, positive reinforcement shifts attention to effort, growth, and success. The impact on children can be profound.

Social media has become a central part of modern life. Social media platforms allow people to connect instantly, share experiences, and access information instantaneously. While these tools offer clear benefits, growing research and personal accounts suggest that social media can also have significant effects on mental health, both positively and negatively. Understanding these impacts is essential, especially as screen time continues to rise across all age groups.  

Talking to children about difficult subjects such as death, illness, violence, divorce, discrimination, or world events, can feel overwhelming. Many adults worry about saying the wrong thing, sharing too much, or causing fear. However, children are often already aware that something is wrong, and silence can leave them feeling confused or alone. The goal is not to have the “perfect” conversation, but to create a safe space where children feel heard, supported, and able to ask questions.

Basic needs such as food, housing, healthcare, and transportation play a critical role in how students are able to participate in daily life. When these needs are unmet, the impact can extend far beyond temporary stress, affecting academic success, mental health, and long-term stability. One meaningful way to advocate for basic needs security is by communicating openly with trusted professionals such as therapists, doctors, or peer recovery coaches. Sharing these challenges allows providers to better understand the full scope of a student’s experience and connect them with appropriate resources. While initiating these conversations can feel difficult, transparency is often the first and most important step toward receiving support and creating lasting change.

The qualities we wish to align our lifestyle with can have a great influence on our well-being as people. A person who cares a lot about their physical appearance may feel less like themselves during a period of time when they spend less time on their personal hygiene. A person who loves nature may feel out of touch with themself after spending a long period indoors. Whatever your core values are, the actions and behaviors you exhibit can complement or negate those values. Leaning into your core values can help you remain in touch with yourself and build resilience towards fatigue and distress in difficult life periods.

December can be hectic and overwhelming. It sometimes has a way of draining our energy when we are supposed to be enjoying the holiday and relaxing. During the holidays, we sometimes forget what it is all about, and even though that is okay, we need to remind ourselves what the holidays are for. The holidays are a time for spending time with loved ones or simply relaxing and enjoying the festivities. This year, it's time to remember what you are thankful for the most. Remembering what you are grateful for can be a gentle and joyful practice to boost your holiday mental health, reduce stress, and help you feel more grounded throughout the season. No matter what you are grateful for, no matter how big or small, it is important to remind yourself of it and cherish it. Try the December Gratitude Challenge, a daily reminder of what you are grateful for.

The holiday season is often painted as the most wonderful time of the year. For many, it is also one of the most stressful and emotionally demanding times. Between financial pressures, family dynamics, social expectations, and memories of lost loved ones, the holidays can take a real toll on mental health. If you have ever felt overwhelmed when everyone else seems cheerful, you are not alone. There are ways to protect your mental well-being and create a holiday season that feels peaceful, genuine, and kind to you.

Many children and teens face traumatic experiences, whether that be abuse, neglect, loss, violence, or other distressing events. When these experiences begin affecting their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, it is important to provide the right support. That is where TF-CBT, or Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, comes in. 

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR) was developed by Francine Shapiro in 1987 to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, which can occur following a traumatic event. EMDR utilizes the body’s natural healing process by mimicking eye movements that naturally occur in REM sleep. The therapist mimics the eye movements occurring in REM sleep by leading the client through a sequence of back-and-forth eye movements, or bilateral stimulation. Other forms of bilateral stimulation include tapping back-and-forth, or audio bouncing from one ear to the other. The sequencing is short, and the client is asked to report back on the experience between each set of bilateral stimulation. With the repeated sets of bilateral stimulation, the traumatic memory tends to neutralize, and the painful impact lessens. EMDR therapy works in themes, therefore associated memories may also heal at the same time. EMDR therapy reprocesses memories quickly, with clients seeing a reduction in their disturbance level in just one or two sessions (British Columbia Trauma Services, n.d.).