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Tag Archives: teens
Kids don’t want to be seen as “different”
The best possible solutions for including kids with mental illness at church would include those offering potential benefits to all children and families without drawing attention to any particular child, those that help kids to prepare privately for participation in church activities outside the scrutiny of peers and solutions that offer necessary supports without requiring children or families to self-identify in order to receive help. Continue reading
Ten ideas for promoting spiritual growth when kids have ADHD or anxiety
Today, we’ll look at the catalysts to spiritual growth discussed in Reggie Joiner’s book Think Orange, and propose ten strategies that could be useful when kids have ADHD, anxiety, or social communication disorders. Continue reading
Why “snow days” are rough on many kids with disabilities
Unscheduled days off from school provoke dread among families of kids with conditions we frequently see in our practice…kids with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), kids on the autism spectrum and kids with ADHD. Well-meaning school officials who cancel classes in severe winter weather because of concern for the safety of kids waiting outside for extended periods, or the safe transport of kids and teachers to and from school often cause unintentional hardships for families of kids with disabilities. Continue reading
Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Autism, Key Ministry, Mental Health
Tagged ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, children, disabilities, OCD, Snow Day, teens
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Christmas struggles for kids with mental health issues
Kids with common mental health conditions react to the holidays very differently than do adults. Today, we’ll look at three struggles common during Christmas break among the kids and families we serve, and suggest practical strategies for parents to minimize the impact of the holidays upon their children. Continue reading
Posted in ADHD, Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Families, Key Ministry, Resources, Strategies
Tagged anxiety, children, Christmas, executive functioning, holidays, mental health, OCD, parenting, routine, sensory processing disorder, structure, teens
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Understanding traumatic stress responses in children and families…The Twelve Core Concepts
Today, I plan to summarize what we’ve learned in this series about traumatic stress response in children and families by sharing Twelve Core Concepts framed by the National Child Traumatic Stress Network. Continue reading
What do we know about medication in kids with PTSD?
There’s no magic pill to help relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress in children and teens. Continue reading
Posted in Key Ministry, Mental Health, PTSD
Tagged children, guanfacine, Key Ministry, medication, PTSD, sertraline, Stephen Grcevich MD, teens
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Treating the traumatized child or teen
The treatment approach with the most support in the research literature is trauma-focused cognitive-behavioral therapy (TF-CBT). TF-CBT has been demonstrated superior to other non-specific or non-directive therapies in kids from preschool age through adolescence. Continue reading
Posted in Hidden Disabilities, Key Ministry, PTSD
Tagged children, children's ministry, EMDR, Key Ministry, PTSD, teens, TF-CBT, trauma, Trauma Focused CBT, treatment, youth ministry
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The many types of childhood trauma
As we launch into a series on trauma, a good place to start might be to define what exactly constitutes trauma? Continue reading
Posted in Mental Health, PTSD, Resources
Tagged children, church staff, Key Ministry, NCTSR, pastors, PTSD, teens, trauma, volunteers
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When should we question if our child is getting the right treatment?
There’s an opportunity cost to ineffective treatment. If treatment is not helping, it’s probably hurting…if it’s preventing your child from having access to a more effective treatment.
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Posted in Advocacy, Families, Key Ministry, Mental Health
Tagged ineffective treatment, Key Ministry, kids, medication, mental illness, teens, therapy
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