Columnists Articles - page 2

Anxiety has become such a part of our daily language that we can forget that it can have lasting and deep impacts on our lives, even more so on our children’s lives. Typical anxiety can arise before public speaking or during airplane turbulence but goes away after the moment passes. When anxiety starts to dominate […]

Last month, the CDC released a startling report that in 2022, deaths by suicides were at an all-time high, with nearly 50,000 Americans taking their own lives. This number marks a three percent increase from the previous year. Also included in the report is that 90% of Americans believe a real mental health crisis is […]

Back-to-school time can bring feelings of anxiety, excitement, or both for everyone in your household. Changes in routine and the unknown are disruptive. The Child Mind Institute offers several tips for parents and students this time of year. You know your children better than anyone, so you have a good idea of which problems to […]

If you have a loved one who is school-age, back-to-school safety is probably what keeps you up at night. As a mental health provider, clinicians at Youth Villages have had these tough conversations for decades, and they never get any easier. Talking to your children about how to feel safe is so important. You know […]

Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General Advisory published a study on Social Media and Youth Mental Health on the effects of social media on adolescents and children. The study showed no conclusive evidence that social media is safe for youth. What may seem like an innocent TikTok account to post dancing trends or an […]

June is LGBTQIA+ Pride Month, a time to bring attention to the need for inclusion and equality in our communities. In our line of work with families and children, we recognize that LGBTQIA+ youth often deal with more frequent mental health struggles. The American Psychiatric Association stated that LGBTQIA+ individuals are 2.5 times more likely […]

May has long been recognized as Foster Care Awareness Month. Nationwide, more than 390,000 kids need a foster family and in Tennessee, more than 8,000 kids need foster homes with approximately 4,000 homes available. When it comes to fostering, there are all kinds of options for families. Foster families can be single parents, couples with […]

We’re all familiar with meltdowns; they’re self-explanatory and oh-too-common. Frankie Boyette is a clinical supervisor with Intercept, in-home therapeutic services with Youth Villages in Middle Tennessee. She holds a master’s degree in social work and has been working in family preservation for eight years, and with Youth Villages for almost six years.  Frankie works with […]

The CDC recently released a disturbing study showing that 3 in 5 teen girls have felt deeply sad or hopeless in 2021, a 60% increase since 2013. This is on track with growing mental health concerns in the U.S., but the dramatic increase in teen girls is concerning. As parents, coaches, teachers or extended family […]

The state of foster care in Tennessee is in crisis. More children than ever need temporary, safe homes compared to the amount of open foster homes. Nationwide, a child is placed into foster care every two minutes, so the need is great. In Tennessee, more than 8,000 kids are in the foster care system with […]

January can bring in the post-holiday blues with the changes in your sleep, eating and day-to-day routine over the last two months. You, and your kids, have probably had more junk food, screen time and no consistent wellness and workouts for at least a few weeks. Don’t be hard on yourself, just use this time […]

The holiday season can be such a fun, joyful time of year, but it can also be a time for added stress and anxiety, maybe even sadness over the loss of a loved one. As adults, we’re preparing meals, appetizers, cookies for Santa, going to or hosting parties, buying gifts, for everyone from your boss […]