How do I talk to my kid?

Written By:  Kin Leung, LMFT | ACS Site Supervisor, Gunn High School Sometimes it can feel that teenagers are some of the most difficult people to understand on the planet. On top of that, being a parent makes it even more challenging to talk to your own teenage children. As a psychotherapist, my job is […]

Read More

Isn’t there an ‘App’ for that?! Real perspective on College Application Anxiety

Written By:  JoAnn Kukulus, MFTI, On-Campus Counseling Program Site Coordinator Cooler weather, changing seasons, shorter days, Autumn holidays…..COLLEGE APPLICATIONS!!! High school students in general are reporting greater stress than ever and with deadlines for submitting college applications. Admission to next fall’s academic term is rapidly approaching, and to be perfectly honest, now is possibly one of […]

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

Back to School Stress Management Tips

Written By: Katie Luce, LMFT, ACS Site Supervisor – La Entrada Middle School  School is back in session, which can create considerable stress for students and their families. The transition from summer vacations, relaxed schedules and no homework to packed schedules can be challenging. Here are some ideas to reduce stress for yourselves and for […]

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

How Parents Can Help Their Underage Kids Resist Alcohol

Reported By: Aimee Cunningham, NPR Health News    “Parental monitoring and warmth are a protective device against kids’ binge drinking.”   While a sense of inevitability often surrounds the topic of teen drinking, adults can play an important role in preventing underage alcohol use. Two recent studies provide guidance for parents. One finds that parents […]

Read More

Rituals in Therapy

Written By: Ann Stillingfleet, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs What comes to mind when you think of rituals? Perhaps you visualize a religious ceremony, a celtic gathering in an oak grove,  a medicine man or sage woman conducting a healing or a centuries old tradition passed down through generations. […]

Read More

Coming out again … and again … and again

Contributed to LGBT Weekly BY LAILA IBRAHIM We talk about coming out as if it’s something you only do once.  In my experience it’s an ongoing part of life. Sometimes it’s easy, and other times it makes my stomach flutter. I first came out as a lesbian 30 years ago when I was still in […]

Read More

Marijuana use and abuse rates decline among US teens

By: Sam Levin, The Guardian  Rates  of adolescent marijuana use and abuse have declined across the US, according to an unprecedented study that casts doubts on one of the central arguments against legalizing weed. Researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St Louis surveyed 216,852 teenagers from all 50 states and found that […]

Read More

LGBTQ Youth Health: What to Talk About During Pride Month

By Justin Toro and Donna Futterman, M.D., US News Health  June is Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/Questioning – or LGBTQ – Pride Month. For many, it’s the colorful and provocative gay pride parades that define the occasion, but beyond the glitter lies a much deeper meaning. LGBTQ Pride acknowledges this community’s violent struggle, pays homage […]

Read More