Being social and making friends isn’t always easy. Relationships have many subtleties. But people with autism spectrum disorder, or ASD, struggle more than most. For them, communicating with others can be very difficult. Read more »
Sometimes, the pace of modern life barely gives you time to stop and rest. It can make getting a good night’s sleep on a regular basis seem like a dream.
But sleep is as important for good health as diet and exercise. Good sleep improves your brain performance, mood, and health. Read more »
Paying attention to what’s going on right this second can be hard. We often spend more time thinking about what’s coming up in the future. Or dwelling on things in the past we can’t change. We can miss out on experiencing the present. Read more »
Focusing on depression and suicide prevention, Newton resident Sarah Mausner has coordinated the release of Promise Me, one of three comic books to educate teenagers about mental health issues through artwork and illustrations.
The comic is a collaborative effort from artists, writers, mental health experts, and young people in the region who have some experiences with depression and suicide, Mausner said. Read more »
Spending just one hour per week for a month with therapy dogs led to a significant improvement in executive functioning for college students at risk of failing academically. Read more »
One evening in late March, a mom called 911. Her daughter, she said, was threatening to kill herself. EMTs arrived at the home north of Boston, helped calm the 13-year-old, and took her to an emergency room.
Melinda, like a growing number of children during the covid-19 pandemic, had become increasingly anxious and depressed as she spent more time away from in-person contact at school, church and her singing lessons. Read more »
Music classes can serve as a way to help students develop social-emotional learning skills, and activities that build these tools can be introduced into classrooms as early as preschool, according to an Edutopia article by Laura Petillo, early childhood advocate and music educator at the Basie Center for the Arts, and Dr. Kerry Carley Rizzuto, associate professor of early childhood education at Monmouth University. Read more »
In the eyes of the tech industry, mental health treatment is an area ripe for disruption.
In any given year, 1 in 5 adults in the U.S. experience a form of mental illness, according to federal estimates. And research indicates only about half of them receive treatment in a system that is understaffed and ill distributed to meet demand. Read more »
Juneteenth, celebrated June 19, marks the day enslaved Texans learned they were free in June of 1865. While the history of the holiday includes the injustice of enslavement, Juneteenth should also be understood in the context of Black people’s fight for justice and freedom. Read more »
We see images and hear conversations about racial injustice almost every day. As a parent, you might find it easier to be silent or ignore, but it’s important to view these as opportunities to talk with your kids about what they are seeing and hearing.
How do you have those conversations with your kids? For each family, this conversation might look a bit different, depending on your own heritage and experience. Read more »
