Supporting Teens on Social Media

Written By: Michael Burks, Clinical Trainee at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program TECHNOLOGYand social media play complex roles in the lives of teenagers. Teens are at a developmental stage where social relationships have foremost importance in their lives. Social relationships and group memberships contribute to identity formation and self-esteem. Social media has tremendous value to teens. […]

Read More

Supporting Adolescents Through Grief

Written By: Melissa Boutsy, Clinical Trainee at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program adolescentsexperiencing grief may be at their most vulnerable point in their lives as they work through adolescent challenges and bereavement challenges. The grieving process in adolescents is similar to adults, but we must be mindful of the difference of expression that may show through […]

Read More

Video Games: Harmful or Helpful?

Written By: Kayla Hernandez, Clinical Trainee at ACS, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program more and moreAmericans are playing video games every year, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. About two thirds of adults and three quarters of children and teens reported regularly gaming, with reported use going up by six percent within the past year, according […]

Read More

Finding Strength: An ACS Newsletter – Issue 3

Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) has started a new weekly newsletter as a resource for young people and parents through shelter-in-place. Articles include content written by our clinicians and young clients. Please click below to view or print!

Read More

Parenting Teens: Some Secrets to Staying (Somewhat) Sane

Written By:  Charlotte Villemoes, LMFT, Site Supervisor, ACS On-Campus Counseling Program The cuteness is gone, and so is the desire to hold your hand on the way to school and cuddle up at bedtime. The kid who used to look to you for answers for anything from “Why does the earth spin?” to “Why do […]

Read More

Tech-Positive Parenting

Written By:  Deborah Sloss, LCSW, ACS Site Supervisor, On-Campus Counseling Program   Teenagers today are constantly “plugged in”– gaming, texting, tweeting, or posting on Snapchat and Instagram.  As parents, we worry that our kids are addicted, detached, and distracted by their digital devices.  We struggle with how to set appropriate limits and how to keep […]

Read More

Technology and Teen Dating

Written By:  Sarah McLaughlin, LMFT, Site Supervisor, ACS On-Campus Counseling Program Teen relationships can often seem mysterious in this digital age. It’s not always easy for a parent to ascertain the nature of their child’s relationships or to keep track of the ups and downs that take place during these romantic relationships. How are teens […]

Read More

Nature and Mental Health

Written By: Marlina Selva, LMFT, ACS Site Supervisor, On-Campus Counseling Program The demands of school and daily routines can be a source of mental fatigue for students as well as for parents.  Fortunately, there are ways of alleviating mental stress.  One such way is through encounters with nature.  Outdoor activities can help relax and restore […]

Read More

Do sports protect teens from abusing painkillers or enable it?

Reported By: Alexandria Hein, FoxNews.com Health As communities nationwide battle a growing opioid and heroin use epidemic, researchers and public health officials are scrambling to identify how abuse may begin. One of those sources, research suggests, could be high school athletics. But studies conducted thus far have produced conflicting results regarding whether participation in sports encourage […]

Read More

Talking to Teens about Violence and Tragedies

Written By: Ann Stillingfleet, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs Every week the news brings stories of seemingly senseless and random acts of violence — either globally or locally.  How do we talk to our children, especially our teens, about these events when the source of much of what they […]

Read More