Why does back to school feel so different this year?

In this episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah take on five worries shaping the 2026 school year: classmates missing amid immigration enforcement, the Meta–Instagram settlement and proposed limits on kids' social media use, economic stress and uncertainty about life after high school, measles outbreaks and vaccine misinformation, and climate anxiety. They share how parents can start honest, age-appropriate conversations — asking what kids are noticing, listening without judgment, and being genuine about what they can and can't promise — and why family stories can help build resilience.

Practical guidance for any parent, caregiver, or educator helping kids carry worries they can't always put into words.

Tune in now!

Media List

• How to Help Kids Cope With Situational Anxiety (MGH Clay Center)
• Common Sense Media
• Measles: Choosing Not to Vaccinate (MGH Clay Center)
• Measles Vaccination (CDC)
• Anxiety to Agency: Empowering Kids to Address Climate Change (MGH Clay Center)
• Storm Anxiety: 11 Tips to Help Your Child Cope (MGH Clay Center)
• Climate Anxiety and Kids, featuring Elizabeth Pinsky, MD (Shrinking It Down)
• What to Look for, When to Worry, What to Do (MGH Clay Center)

Episode music by Gene Beresin

Episode produced by Masha Mesyef

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah take a hard look at cyberbullying — how it differs from the schoolyard bullying of decades past, why it's harder to escape, and which kids face the highest risk. They walk through the Clay Center's three W's: what to look for, when to worry, and what to do, covering everything from documenting evidence the right way to rallying "upstanders" instead of bystanders. Practical, direct guidance for any parent, caregiver, or educator raising a kid in today's always-on digital world. Tune in now!

Media List

• Cyberbullying: A Serious, Often Dangerous Form of Harm and Ways to Support Your Teen (MGH Clay Center)
• Teens and Cyberbullying 2022 (Pew Research Center)
• StopBullying.gov
• Common Sense Media
• The Cyberbullying Research Center
• The Bullying Prevention Program (Mass.gov)
• Who Is at Risk for Bullying (StopBullying.gov)
• Cyberbullying: What to Know (MGH Clay Center PDF)
• Cyberbullying: What to Do (MGH Clay Center PDF)
• What to Look for, When to Worry, What to Do (MGH Clay Center)

Episode music by Gene Beresin

Episode produced by Masha Mesyef

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Pride Month episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah are joined by Dr. Alex Keuroghlian for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about supporting LGBTQ+ youth. As Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at MaineHealth and former founding director of the MGH Psychiatry Gender Identity Program, Dr. Keuroghlian draws on nearly a decade leading the National LGBTQIA+ Health Education Center and his own published research to discuss the environments and policy climate that put LGBTQ+ young people at risk, what it actually looks like when a child comes out, and how families can repair when a conversation doesn't go as hoped. Citing research showing that strong family support is the greatest predictor of good mental health, academic performance, and housing security for youth down the road, Dr. Keuroghlian makes a compelling case for the power of family acceptance. This episode explores that power, the value of parents sharing their own stories, and the warning signs caregivers should watch for — offering insight, hope, and practical guidance for anyone who wants the LGBTQ+ kids in their life to feel loved, supported, and free to be who they are. Tune in now!

Media List

• Dr. Alex Keuroghlian (MaineHealth)
• PFLAG (National advocacy group for friends and family of LGBTQIA+ people)
• The Trevor Project
• Human Rights Campaign
• What to Look for, When to Worry, What to Do (MGH Clay Center)

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.