Author Archives: Dr. G

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About Dr. G

Dr. Stephen Grcevich serves as President and Founder of Key Ministry, a non-profit organization providing free training, consultation, resources and support to help churches serve families of children with disabilities. Dr. Grcevich is a graduate of Northeastern Ohio Medical University (NEOMED), trained in General Psychiatry at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation and in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at University Hospitals of Cleveland/Case Western Reserve University. He is a faculty member in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at two medical schools, leads a group practice in suburban Cleveland (Family Center by the Falls), and continues to be involved in research evaluating the safety and effectiveness of medications prescribed to children for ADHD, anxiety and depression. He is a past recipient of the Exemplary Psychiatrist Award from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Dr. Grcevich was recently recognized by Sharecare as one of the top ten online influencers in children’s mental health. His blog for Key Ministry, www.church4everychild.org was ranked fourth among the top 100 children's ministry blogs in 2015 by Ministry to Children.

ADHD…DSM-5 criteria validate what’s being done in practice

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Dr. G

The most important revisions in the diagnostic criteria take into account the reality that symptoms of ADHD persist into adulthood for many with the disorder, and that the functional impairment associated with ADHD may not be readily apparent for many kids prior to the teen years. Continue reading →

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Upcoming Presentation…Ten Questions Parents Often Ask About Kids and Medication

Posted on May 27, 2013 by Dr. G

Here are the questions related to kids and medication I’m planning to discuss…
Continue reading →

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Mental illness is not who I am…Guest Blogger Chelsea Kowal

Posted on May 25, 2013 by Dr. G

God can use anything in His power to heal people with mental illness, including medications and therapy. People with mental illness should always be encouraged to get the help that they need in order to function. I was fortunate enough to have pastors who helped me seek the correct help. Continue reading →

Posted in Key Ministry, Mental Health | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

First impressions of the DSM-5

Posted on May 22, 2013 by Dr. G

The weakness is its lack of validity. Unlike our definitions of ischemic heart disease, lymphoma, or AIDS, the DSM diagnoses are based on a consensus about clusters of clinical symptoms, not any objective laboratory measure. In the rest of medicine, this would be equivalent to creating diagnostic systems based on the nature of chest pain or the quality of fever. Indeed, symptom-based diagnosis, once common in other areas of medicine, has been largely replaced in the past half century as we have understood that symptoms alone rarely indicate the best choice of treatment. Continue reading →

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Review: Troubled Minds…A much needed catalyst for conversation

Posted on May 19, 2013 by Dr. G

Troubled Minds: Mental Health and the Church’s Mission. Authored by Amy Simpson. Foreword by Marshall Shelley. Published by InterVarsity Press. Available at Amazon. Amy Simpson’s new book is a much needed catalyst to a long overdue discussion on the topic … Continue reading →

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Resources for kids with disruptive behavior…Carrie Lupoli

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Dr. G

One of the BEST resources I almost always recommend to families is called “123 Magic, Effective Discipline for Children Ages 2-12.” There is a Christian version as well which I love to present to churches. A practical, simple method for curbing behaviors while developing positive relationship with your children, I have NEVER not seen it work, when parents implement it correctly. Continue reading →

Posted in Families, Hidden Disabilities, Inclusion, Key Ministry, Resources | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

The “Chief Mum” joins the Key Ministry team…Interview with Carrie Lupoli

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Dr. G

What an eye opening experience it was for me to witness what was happening to kids with hidden disabilities around the world. Continue reading →

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A Call to the Church…Guest Blogger Amy Simpson

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Dr. G

I wrote my new book, Troubled Minds: Mental Illness and the Church’s Mission, to help the church better understand the needs of people affected by mental illness. I also wrote it to challenge the church­—that’s everyone who follows Christ—to see this as part of our mission in this life.
Continue reading →

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One mother’s journey…adoption and psychotropic medication

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Dr. G

For my family, psychotropic medication provided a critical tool on the road to get her to where she is today, at a time when we desperately needed it, but it was neither a simple nor problem-free tool to use. Continue reading →

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A different way of thinking about kids with mental illness

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Dr. G

Let’s think about church for a minute and consider the reality that folks with mental illnesses have disabilities that cause them difficulty in some environments but not others. There are lots of things about the environments in which we “do church” that pose major barriers for a parent or child struggling with common mental health disorders.
Continue reading →

Posted in ADHD, Advocacy, Anxiety Disorders, Families, Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, Mental Health, Strategies | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment