Surfing the Online Mediascape to Find the Best Resources for You and Your Child
One of the major benefits of the 21st century is having unlimited resources at your fingertips, literally, through the use of a smart device. However, one of the pitfalls of the 21st century is the other side of this coin: feeling overwhelmed by the plethora of information that exists in the Insta-verse, and feeling unsure how to locate the resources that best suit you, your child and family.
As with most things, when it comes to mental health, philosophical approaches exist on a very robust spectrum. It is critical that parents seek expert opinions that espouse the values they uphold, and finding the resources that fit a particular parenting style can be like searching for a needle in a haystack. In an effort to ease the process of source vetting, I have compiled a list of videos and podcasts that caregivers and educators can utilize to learn more about the mental health challenge their kiddo is facing.
A caveat: If you haven’t liked what my newsletters have had to say, you may not find these resources useful. If you have enjoyed reading my content, it is likely many of these resources will resonate with whatever challenge you might be facing. Please note, I intentionally excluded written articles so that all of the resources could be available while driving in the car, cooking dinner or folding laundry–the places adults spend their time most!
Keep reading to learn more–and happy clicking!
My FAVORITE videos, accessible through YouTube:
Keys to Unlock Depression: Why Skills Work Better Than Pills
A presentation by Dr. Michael Yapko on what depression is and how a skills-based approach can help to lessen its wrath.
Rethinking Anxiety: Learning to Face Fears
A presentation by Dr. Dawn Huebner discussing how to lessen parental accommodations in the face of anxiety and help our children take steps forward through exposure.
A presentation by Lynn Lyons on making room for our children’s feelings based on the iconic Public Television program.
My top 10 recommended podcast episodes, available through Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts:
1. ADHD with Dr. Ann-Louise Lockart
Source: Mr. Chazz’s Leadership, Parenting and Teaching Podcast
We all know the term “ADHD,” but few of us know what it actually means or the part of the brain that this neurological disorder impacts. This podcast episode offers an insider’s scoop on what ADHD is, how to manage the symptoms in our children and ways in which ADHD can be more like a superpower than an impediment.
2. Understanding Childhood Anxiety
Source: Child Psych Podcast
A two-part podcast episode discussing what anxiety is from a brain-based perspective. The speakers do a bang-up job at outlining easy-to-use and effective tools parents can use to abate the intensity of their young one’s emotions.
3. Helping Your Kids with the Skill of Winning and Losing
Source: Fluster Clux
Playing games is a great way to teach social skills and bond as a family. Having a child who has difficulty managing strong feelings when things don’t go their way makes family game night a chaotic and stressful experience for everyone involved. This podcast episode outlines clearcut and proactive strategies parents can use to help their children manage their emotions when the unexpected occurs during a spirited game of Monopoly or some other game.
4. How to Convince Stubborn Teens
Source: Talking to Teens
Teenagers are stubborn by nature, and they’re supposed to be, based upon the trajectory of their developing brain. This podcast episode includes guest speaker Michael McQueen, author of Mindstuck. Michael explores why outdated persuasive strategies don’t work with Gen-Zers, and outlines a more amicable way to move forward when our kids are stuck in unhelpful patterns of thought.
5. Outsmarting Worry with Dr. Dawn Huebner
Source: Anxious Child Podcast
It is no secret that I absolutely love the guest speaker in this podcast episode. Dr. Huebner is the guru of pediatric anxiety and has written a multitude of books on this topic for children and tweens, and I own every single one of them! Click the link above to learn more about why reducing anxiety is NOT the goal, but rather an approach that grows this sentiment in the long-term.
6. The Relationship between Misophonia, Misokinesia and OCD
Source: Parenting Survival Podcast
Most people have never heard of the term misophonia, let alone misokinesia! Misophonia is known as “sound rage” and misokinesia is the “hatred of movements.” In both, individuals are triggered by repetitive phenomena: specifically, noises or actions. The best approach to managing these conditions is NOT to tell our children to “deal with it,” but rather help them find ways to mitigate the symptoms.
Follow up: Natasha Daniels, the host of this podcast, has created a video for children and teens about misophonia. Click this link to learn more.
8. Parenting Kids Who Are Growing Up in Public
Source: TILT Parenting
If you haven’t already read Devorah Heitner’s book Growing Up in Public: Coming of Age in a Digital World, you absolutely must. Raising kids in 2023 looks drastically different than it did when our parents were doing the same. Without humility, knowledge and insight, we may find ourselves parenting for a time that no longer exists, and it’s not just our own mental health that will suffer, but our relationships with our young ones, too. Click the link above to learn how to mentor, not manage, your special ones in this digital age.
9. How To Stop Riding My Kid’s Emotional Rollercoaster?
Source: The Psychology of Parenting with Dr. Lisa Damour and Reena Ninan
One of the most difficult parts of parenting is maintaining our cool when our kids’ emotions are through the roof. This podcast episode is hosted by Dr. Lisa Damour, the author of Untangled: my go-to book for parenting struggling with raising adolescent girls. Dr. Damour offers parents concrete advice they can use that allow them to observe the rollercoaster of emotions instead of jumping aboard the thrill ride.
10. 2E or Not 2E: The Nuts and Bolts of Twice-Exceptionality
Source: The Neurodiversity Podcast
Twice exceptionality, or 2E, is a term that describes individuals who are both intellectually gifted and demonstrative of a learning or developmental disability. Children who fit this framework often feel invalidated by their others due to the cognitive dissonance that surrounds their experience of being gifted and disabled. Dr. Danika Maddocks delves further into this topic to help listeners learn more about how to support children with twice exceptionality, with a focus on early identification as opposed to late intervention.
My Final Thoughts
Through my experience as a psychotherapist, I have found that while therapy is instrumental in providing parental psychoeducation, advice and tips, most caregivers have to seek additional learning through books, podcasts or both to effectively support their children through whatever struggle they are learning to manage.
The problem is not finding resources; it’s locating the right resources for you and your young one. Nowadays, just about anyone can create a podcast, doctor up a website or author a YouTube account. Parents have to be careful not to bark up the wrong tree: their children are the ones who will suffer the consequences of ill-informed advice, and parents will consequently bear the brunt.
I promise you will not be disappointed that you have made the decision to learn more about supporting your young one’s mental health. This is a lifelong learning path in which every parent must embark, and it is always better to have a reliable guide than an antiquated map.
