by Elizabeth Burns Kramer
First published in August 2022
Decoding the Crisis
The first day of school is often as exciting for parents as it is for kids. But this year, there’s a growing shadow hanging over families as our children make their annual migration back into classrooms. A new report by the 2022 KIDS COUNT Data Book backs up a recent declaration by the US Surgeon General that our kids, tweens and teens are in the midst of a mental health crisis. How bad is it? The report shows a 26-percent increase in anxiety and depression for kids ages three to 17 in the US between 2016 and 2020. Some experts are even calling it the ‘next wave of the pandemic.’ This probably isn’t news to the many of you who are seeing the changes in your children - yet have been unable to find psychotherapists, psychologists, and/or psychiatrists with openings. For parents, the situation is frustrating, and perhaps a bit overwhelming. For our our young people; they’re stuck in a cycle of anxiety, sadness and/or debilitating worry —with no clear way out...Continue Reading
