Children's Mental Health

Many of us are familiar with the concept of gratitude and thankfulness. Science says that feelings of gratefulness have many positive effects – from physical to psychological – making it the most popular topic for daily journals. At Nexus Family Healing, we see many youth and families who are going through difficult times and struggle to see the good in every day. That’s why we champion the practice of keeping a “joy journal.”

Based on what I am reading and learning about on the internet, I believe my 14-year-old daughter is showing signs of bipolar disorder. She has major mood swings. She will be really depressed one day and then hyper the next. How do I get her diagnosed so I can get her the help she needs?

Conversation starters to get past the generic “I’m fine” response and learn more about how your family is feeling.

A four-week journal to share positive notes with your family each day.

A 31-day calendar with daily activities for strengthening family well-being.

A resource sheet explaining warning signs to watch for and 10 steps to supporting your child’s mental health.

We all have good and bad mental health days. When our mental health suffers, it affects our ability to think, feel, and act. Any one of us can experience a mental health crisis and crises can be triggered by certain events such as job loss, school pressures, or a break-up; death of a loved one; financial insecurity; medication changes; physical, sexual, or verbal abuse; or trauma.

My 12-year-old son is insatiable about wanting things. He has so many interests, he wants everything, and he asks for items nonstop. No matter how many times we talk about this, he continues to want, want, want. This level of want doesn’t seem normal. I worry about his ability to control himself and how it will affect him when he is older. What can I do to reign this in?

This school year has been unlike any other with all of the unexpected challenges and unknowns. It is normal for your child to feel unexpected increased anxiety about school. Here are five steps to help your child feel more confident and in control when heading back to school.

I am pregnant, and the baby is due in June. We have a 3-year-old that is the center of our family’s universe and gets lots of attention. To put it frankly, she is quite spoiled with love and devotion by all, including her grandparents, aunts and uncles. I am worried the arrival of a new baby will affect her and wondering what I should do to prepare? We have not told her yet that the baby is coming. We are not trying to hide it from her, we just don’t think she will understand what it means.