by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Sep 7, 2023 | Blog
By Guest Blogger Ronnie Salazar
Children’s mental wellness plays a pivotal role in their overall development and happiness. As young minds navigate the challenges of growing up, it is essential to prioritize their emotional and psychological well-being. A solid foundation of mental wellness not only fosters resilience but also contributes to better academic performance, healthier relationships, and a positive outlook on life.
In today’s digital age, children are exposed to various technological devices and platforms. However, these digital tools can also serve as a powerful medium for nurturing kids’ mental wellness. Digital creativity, encompassing various forms of artistic expression such as digital art, music, storytelling, and video editing, can provide a safe and constructive outlet for children to explore their emotions, build self-esteem, and cope with stress.
The Power of Digital Creativity for Kids
Expressive Outlets for Emotional Release
Digital creativity offers children a unique platform to express their thoughts, feelings, and emotions in a safe and non-judgmental environment. Kids can channel their innermost emotions, allowing them to process complex feelings and experiences. Whether they create digital paintings, compose music or edit videos, these outlets enable children to communicate and cope with emotions they might find challenging to express verbally.
Boosting Self-Esteem and Confidence
As kids witness the results of their creative efforts, whether it’s a captivating piece of digital art or a self-edited video, their sense of achievement grows, boosting their self-esteem and confidence. Positive feedback from peers, family, and teachers further reinforces their belief in their abilities, contributing to a solid and healthy self-image.
Stress-Relief and Relaxation through Creativity
When immersed in creative activities, the mind focuses on the task at hand, diverting attention from daily stressors. Whether it’s composing a soothing piece of music, engaging in digital storytelling, or experimenting with art, these creative pursuits can become a form of mindfulness, promoting a sense of calm and relaxation in young minds.
Exploring Digital Art and Video Editing
Digital Drawing and Painting for Self-Expression
Digital drawing and painting provide an exciting and accessible medium for kids to express themselves artistically. With a wide range of digital tools and software available, children can unleash their creativity through vibrant colors, imaginative compositions, and intricate details. This form of self-expression allows them to communicate their thoughts and emotions visually, enabling a deeper understanding of their inner world. Digital art also encourages experimentation and the freedom to undo and redo, empowering children to explore and refine their ideas without fear of mistakes.
Video Editing as a Creative Outlet
Video editing opens up a world of storytelling possibilities for kids. By piecing together clips, adding effects, and incorporating music, children can create their narratives, documentaries, or artistic pieces. Video editing allows them to explore their storytelling abilities and perspective, giving them a sense of authorship over their creations. Whether they capture real-life events or conjure up fantastical scenarios, video editing provides a means for kids to share their ideas and perspectives with others, fostering a sense of connection and communication through visual storytelling.
Music and Sound Creativity
Digital Music Tools for Kids
From user-friendly apps to virtual instruments, children can explore the world of music composition and production in exciting ways. These digital music tools often offer pre-made loops, easy-to-use interfaces, and interactive tutorials that allow kids to experiment with melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. Engaging with digital music tools empowers children to create their musical pieces, fostering a sense of accomplishment and creativity. You can try Virtual Drumming or Song Smith app.
Benefits of Music for Kids’ Emotional Wellbeing
Music holds a profound impact on children’s emotional well-being. Engaging in music and sound creativity can be a cathartic outlet for emotions, enabling kids to express themselves in ways they might not be able to with words alone. Whether playing an instrument, composing music, or using digital sound effects, children experience a range of emotions, from joy and excitement to introspection and comfort. Music has the power to evoke powerful emotions and memories, offering solace during challenging times and enhancing positive emotions during happier moments.
Interactive Storytelling and Writing
Digital Platforms for Storytelling
Interactive digital platforms now offer immersive and engaging storytelling experiences that go beyond traditional books. These platforms incorporate elements like animations, sound effects, and interactive choices, allowing children to actively participate in the narrative. Through e-books, interactive apps, and online storytelling communities, kids can explore a vast array of stories tailored to their interests, sparking their creativity and curiosity.
Fostering Imagination and Empathy through Stories
As they embark on virtual adventures and make decisions that shape the storyline, children are encouraged to think critically, solve problems, and envision new possibilities. Moreover, exposure to diverse characters and perspectives in stories helps kids develop empathy and understanding of others’ experiences. By immersing themselves in these interactive narratives, children can develop emotional intelligence, empathy, and a profound appreciation for the power of storytelling in connecting hearts and minds.
Overcoming Challenges and Concerns
Addressing Cyberbullying and Online Safety
Parents and educators should educate kids about the importance of responsible online behavior and how to recognize and report cyberbullying incidents. Creating an open and supportive environment where children feel comfortable sharing their online experiences can help identify and address any issues promptly. Implementing parental controls and monitoring tools can also provide an added layer of protection, ensuring kids’ safety while exploring the digital world.
Balancing Screen Time with Offline Activities
While digital creativity offers numerous benefits, excessive screen time can lead to various challenges, such as sleep disturbances and reduced physical activity. Encouraging kids to participate in offline activities, such as sports, reading, or spending time with family and friends, helps foster a well-rounded lifestyle. Setting clear boundaries and designating tech-free periods can promote healthier screen habits and ensure that digital creativity complements, rather than substitutes, other valuable aspects of their lives.
Conclusion
Digital creativity offers children a myriad of benefits, from providing expressive outlets for emotional release through digital art and video editing to fostering self-esteem and confidence. Engaging in music and sound creativity allows children to connect with their emotions and experience the therapeutic effects of creative expression. While navigating the digital landscape, addressing concerns like cyberbullying and balancing screen time is crucial for ensuring a safe and well-rounded experience.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Aug 10, 2023 | Blog
By Guest Blogger Chloe Cohen
As the need for mental health services for youth becomes increasingly necessary, with 21.8% of children diagnosed with one or more of the common mental health conditions, it’s vital to highlight the voices of those being affected: the children. Recent studies and institutionalized changes surrounding the mental wellbeing of children can be largely attributed to the speaking out of young people and normalization of seeking help.
It can be questioned why diagnosis statistics are at a steady incline. It remains true that it may be virtually impossible to pinpoint the exact causal pathway to one rooted issue as mental disorders are largely multifactorial. Despite this, it is important to listen to the children impacted in order to make advancements in our systems and resources.
Combating the Stigma: How Generation Z Views Mental Health
In a study focused on the generational differences in mental health, Deloitte found that in terms of holistic health priorities, the leading concern for Generation Z is mental health with physical health following in second. This is a drastic difference to the older generations who majorly don’t consider mental illness to be a “health” problem – Mental Health America found that only 38% of adults 65 and older believe depression to be a health issue. The stigma surrounding mental health has been a prominent setback towards advancements in treatment for years. Generation Z, myself included in this demographic, has taken this matter into our own hands in consistently spreading awareness and further, advocating for the need for accessible treatment and resources.
Despite more frequent mental health conversations, the gap between prevalence and treatment is still vast so it’s crucial to listen to the youth’s recommendations on what they believe will combat these struggles.
So, What Should Be Done?
New York State has taken notice of the youth’s call to action and began to dig deeper at what can be done for these issues. Governor Hochul invested a striking $1 billion in youth mental health studies to address the CDC instated mental health crisis among youth. The premise of the study was to collect feedback from children all over NYS with a focus on what types of programs and advice youth could envision de-escalating the crisis.
According to the June 2023 published Youth Mental Health Listening Tour Report, here are some key youth recommendations from the study:
● Involving young people in decision making/ mental health program design
● Hiring diverse health professionals that can relate to a variety of students
● Increase amount of youth led programs
● Educate adults on how to support young people, listen without judgment, and establish clear lines of confidentiality
● Invest in social and recreational activities to promote mental wellness
It’s the duty of the professionals and NYS to hear these results and put them into action. Now, where does The Guidance Center fall into this?
The Guidance Center is Here to Help
North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center emphasizes compassion and innovative treatments for children from birth to 24 years old. Our staff across all three locations contains a wide range of diverse individuals with an array of experiences in order to optimize the relatability and relationships between therapist and client, as is an important factor in mental health care according to the report. Additionally, The Guidance Center provides a number of programs and services to support the youth in the way that they need to be supported. Each client is comprehensively evaluated, tailored to an individual treatment plan that may include any combination of individual, family, and group therapy, and if needed, medication management.
As an intern in The Guidance Center, I have had the privilege of learning about our programs and closely working with the staff that make it all happen. I can say with confidence that The Guidance Center not only provides services that accommodate these youth recommendations, but the staff as a whole is truly dedicated to ensuring the mental wellbeing of our youth. Outside of therapy, The Guidance Center offers programs such as the Wilderness Respite Program that hosts children from any mental health facility to come together and participate in adventurous activities as a gateway to mastery of social skills and youth empowerment. The Guidance Center also offers programs such as the LGBTQ+ & Latina Girls Project that bring together clients who may be in need of extra support from those who have similar experiences.
Our staff is specially trained for working with children and their families with no limits or restrictions to provide our clients with the care they need. A major setback to children receiving services is financial limitations. At The Guidance Center, we are dedicated to reaching everybody who needs us. As said by Executive Director/CEO, Kathy Rivera, “We turn no one away for any inability to pay… We are committed to equity in mental health regardless of what your ZIP code is, what your bank account looks like. Everyone deserves to have access to care.” The Guidance Center is a place where youth heal and thrive accessibly and affordably as we stay up to date with changing times and individually molded treatment plans.
If you or your child is in need of support, know that we are here to help! Call us at (516) 626-1971 to learn more about our services or make an appointment today.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Jul 6, 2023 | Blog
Guest Blog By Emily Graham
About 1 in 11 children in the US live with a parent who has a substance addiction problem, reports the National Library of Medicine. This is a worrying statistic – such kids tend to have turbulent lives and many mental health challenges. The addicted parent may demonstrate an extreme spectrum of behavior to the child, ranging from healthy caring to outright abuse, leaving the child feeling confused, anxious, angry, traumatized, and unstable.
Understanding that the erratic behavior is a result of the parent’s substance addiction can help the child come to terms with the situation. It gives them insight into the “why”, that it’s not their fault, and helps them gain more mental peace. Furthermore, if the child is of suitable age, it can help the child practically assist the parent.
Technology can be an invaluable asset in giving the child insight into addiction (and related behavior). Below, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Centerexplains how.
Access to educational resources
First and foremost, technology provides children with easy access to helpful educational resources covering addiction. The child can conveniently read articles, watch videos, and check other resources from their smartphones or computers. Much of this material is explained simply, in a way even young kids would understand. Moreover, children can have pressing questions answered directly by experts. The Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation offers free educational resources for kids.
Support counseling
A parent’s addiction can be hard for the child to witness. Sometimes, if the parent is abusive, it affects them directly. With technology like video conferencing and Chatbots, kids can quickly connect to qualified therapists and other trained mental health professionals. Said experts can help the child make sense of their parent’s behavior and provide emotional and mental support. If you’re a child or young adult looking for such support, reach out to North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center.
Virtual participation in support groups
Support groups provide multiple benefits – an avenue to express your feelings, access to helpful information, access to people in similar situations, increased self-understanding, and anxiety relief. Children can’t always join support groups in the real world, for various reasons. With technology, kids can join virtual support groups (including forums, social media groups, chat groups, and more).
Communicating with parents struggling with addiction
Sometimes the parent struggling with addiction may not be physically present for the child. In such cases, messaging and video conferencing apps allow the parent to communicate with the child remotely. Instead of having the other parent (or a stranger) explain the reasons for the absence, the struggling parent could do so in person, which is better for everyone involved.
Second or third-hand experience
Understanding addiction is easier if you witness the effects personally or hear stories from people who are struggling with a substance abuse disorder. There are several apps out there – like AA Big Book and Sober Grid – that provide kids with second or third-hand experiences from people suffering from addiction or their loved ones. The AA Big Book app, for example, is full of personal stories, prayers, and how-to guides revolving around addiction.
Role reversal: Helping the addicted parent
Sometimes, the child looks after the parent instead of the other way around. This role reversal is, unfortunately, frequent in families where one or both parents suffers from an addiction. Technology can provide the child access to helpful resources on addiction treatment and recovery, not to mention get direct assistance from qualified experts for their parents. For instance, technology can raise awareness of and provides access to addiction recovery facilities that can help beat addiction.
Conclusion
Understanding the problem is an important first step in managing it. When the child understands the parent’s addiction – including the causes and symptoms – they know not to take it personally. It can help them gain more mental peace and inner stability. In many, it can help the child assist the parent in recovering. Technology can both facilitate said understanding and act as useful support when the child wants to help the parent recover.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | May 16, 2023 | In The Media, Press Releases
Roslyn Heights, NY, May 10, 2023—On Thursday, April 28, 2023, a sellout crowd of over 250 participants came together for North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center’s Annual Spring Luncheon. This year’s event, which supports the Guidance Center’s mission to restore and strengthen the emotional well-being of children and their families, garnered a record-breaking $100,000 in donations.
The gathering at Glenn Head Country Club started with a morning session of Mahjong and Canasta accompanied by exclusive shopping experiences from several of Long Island’s most fashionable and philanthropic small businesses including: Ameliora, Chintz Giraffe, Daniella Erin NYC, Dash Accessories, DeCorr & More, Designs that Donate, Eye Candy, Freida Rothman Jewelry, Kostume Klassics, Meryl Roesch Sunglasses, Simply Splendid Accessories, Tall Order, and Transitions.
After an elegant buffet lunch, event co-chair, Alexis Siegel, introduced the day’s speaker, Lisa Friedman Clark. The crowd was moved and enlivened by Ms. Clark’s inspirational story of overcoming considerable personal tragedy to become an advocate for mental health services and co-owner of the apparel company Tall Order.
“Lisa Friedman Clark’s story is remarkably moving,” said Alexis Siegel “Her continued strength, motivation, and resilience in the face of so much adversity is inspirational. Hearing about how the Guidance Center’s dedicated team of professionals played such a critical role in her family’s healing process makes me proud to be a part of this organization.”
The luncheon wouldn’t have been such a triumph without the hard work of the co-chairs, Jan Ashley, Amy Cantor and Alexis Siegel. “I am so grateful to everyone who participated in our Spring Luncheon event,” said Kathy Rivera Executive Director of the Guidance Center. “Together we are making our Long Island communities stronger by raising awareness and supporting our mission.”
The Guidance Center is also grateful for the support of its sponsors. They are: Americana Manhasset,
Amy Cantor, Alexis Siegel, Joan Grant, Klipper Family Foundation, NYU Langone Hospital – Long Island,
United Healthcare, Ruth Fortunoff Cooper, Nancy Lane, South Oaks Hospital and Zucker Hillside Hospital – Northwell Health, Marilyn Albanese, Janice Ashley, Stephanie Ginsberg, Janni and Associates, Andrea Leeds, Fara Copell, Stacy Hoffman, Debbie Klein, Cynthia Rubinberg, Janice Schlesinger, Joanne Silverman and Rachel Zuckerbrot.
Pictured from left: Michele Frankel, Andrea Leeds, Faith Lerner, and Michele Freidus
Feature Photo: pictured from left: Amy Cantor, Kathy Rivera, Alexis Siegel, Lisa Friedman Clark
About Us:
As the preeminent not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island, North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center is dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children (from birth – age 24) and their families. Our highly trained staff of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, vocational rehabilitation counselors and other mental health professionals lead the way in diagnosis, treatment, prevention, training, parent education, research and advocacy. The Guidance Center helps children and families address issues such as depression and anxiety; developmental delays; bullying; teen pregnancy; sexual abuse; teen drug and alcohol abuse; and family crises stemming from illness, death, trauma and divorce. For more than 65 years, the Guidance Center has been a place of hope and healing, providing innovative and compassionate treatment to all who enter our doors, regardless of their ability to pay. For more information about the Guidance Center, visit www.northshorechildguidance.org or call (516) 626-1971.
by North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center | Mar 13, 2023 | CBS News TV, In The Media
