Latest / Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast / How to Strengthen Your Family's Mental Health This School Year

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How to Strengthen Your Family's Mental Health This School Year · Your Hope-Filled Perspective with Dr. Michelle Bengtson podcast

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  Speaker 1: Life Audio. What if the most important thing you prepare
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  Speaker 1: your child for this school year isn't academic success, but
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  Speaker 1: emotional resilience? While parents are busy buying school supplies, organizing schedules,
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  Speaker 1: and preparing for the first day of class, many children
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  Speaker 1: are quietly carrying anxiety, stress, loneliness, pressure, and fear into
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  Speaker 1: the new school year. And if we're honest, many parents
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  Speaker 1: are carrying those same burdens. The truth is that a
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  Speaker 1: child's mental health affects everything from learning and memory to relationships, confidence,
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  Speaker 1: and spiritual well-being. So before the homework starts piling up
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  Speaker 1: and the calendar fills to overflowing, let's talk about how
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  Speaker 1: to create a home where every member of the family
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  Speaker 1: can thrive emotionally, mentally, and spiritually throughout the school year.
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  Speaker 1: Welcome back to your hope-filled perspective, where it's always our
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  Speaker 1: goal to restore hope, renew minds, and empower listeners to
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  Speaker 1: live in your God-given identity. I'm your host, Dr. Michelle Bankson,
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  Speaker 1: a board-certified clinical neuropsychologist, author, speaker, and your companion in
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  Speaker 1: the journey of faith, mental, emotional, and spiritual wellness. As always,
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  Speaker 1: I want you to know that regardless of what you're
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  Speaker 1: facing today, there is hope. Hope for healing, hope for restoration,
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  Speaker 1: hope for peace, and hope because God is still working,
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  Speaker 1: even in the situations that often seem overwhelming. Today, we're
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  Speaker 1: talking about something that affects nearly every family this time
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  Speaker 1: of year. How to strengthen your family's mental health this
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  Speaker 1: school year. Whether your children are heading to preschool, elementary school,
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  Speaker 1: middle school, high school, or college, or perhaps you're a
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  Speaker 1: grandparent supporting your grandchildren through another school year, this conversation
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  Speaker 1: is for you. The beginning of a school year often
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  Speaker 1: comes with a lot of mixed emotions. There can be excitement, anticipation,
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  Speaker 1: and fresh opportunities, but there can also be anxiety, stress, pressure, overwhelm,
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  Speaker 1: and uncertainty. Many parents focus on school supplies, schedule, transportation,
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  Speaker 1: and all the extracurricular activities. And friends, those things matter.
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  Speaker 1: But what often gets overlooked is preparing our children and
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  Speaker 1: ourselves emotionally, mentally, and spiritually for the year ahead. Today,
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  Speaker 1: I want to share practical strategies, neuroscience insights, biblical encouragement,
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  Speaker 1: and simple habits that can help you strengthen your family's
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  Speaker 1: mental health throughout the school year. We'll dive into this
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  Speaker 1: conversation right after a brief word from our sponsor. So
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  Speaker 1: grab your coffee, settle in, and let's talk about creating
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  Speaker 1: a mentally healthy home this school year. Welcome back. Today,
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  Speaker 1: we're talking about how to strengthen your family's mental health
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  Speaker 1: this school year. Let's start off the conversation by talking
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  Speaker 1: about why mental health matters during the school year. So
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  Speaker 1: let's begin by acknowledging something really important. The school year
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  Speaker 1: places unique demands on every member of the family. Children
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  Speaker 1: base academic expectations, social challenges, peer pressure, extracurricular demands, and
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  Speaker 1: sometimes the negatives of bullying or feelings of inadequacy or fear. Parents,
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  Speaker 1: on the other hand, face busy schedules, homework battles, transportation, logistics,
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  Speaker 1: financial pressures. and the emotional burden of helping their children
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  Speaker 1: navigate life's challenges. For sure, everyone's schedule is packed. And
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  Speaker 1: according to research, anxiety among children and adolescents has risen
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  Speaker 1: significantly over this last decade. What many people don't realize
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  Speaker 1: is that stress affects more than emotions. Stress impacts attention.
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  Speaker 1: It affects memory. It definitely influences learning. Stress changes sleep.
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  Speaker 1: It alters relationships and it can even affect physical health.
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  Speaker 1: As a neuropsychologist, I often explain that the brain functions
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  Speaker 1: best when it feels safe. When children live in a
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  Speaker 1: constant state of stress, their brains devote more resources to
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  Speaker 1: survival and fewer resources to learning, problem solving, and emotional regulation.
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  Speaker 1: That's why strengthening mental health isn't an optional add-on. It's
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  Speaker 1: foundational to helping children thrive academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.
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  Speaker 1: So let's turn the conversation to discuss practical tips for
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  Speaker 1: how to strengthen your family's mental health this school year.
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  Speaker 1: Tip number one, as a parent, start with your own
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  Speaker 1: mental health. One of the most important things that parents
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  Speaker 1: can do for their children is is to care for
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  Speaker 1: their own mental health. I know that may sound surprising.
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  Speaker 1: Many parents believe being a good parent means focusing exclusively
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  Speaker 1: on their children, but children often absorb the emotional atmosphere
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  Speaker 1: of the home. What that means is that if parents
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  Speaker 1: are chronically overwhelmed, anxious, irritable, exhausted, or emotionally depleted, children
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  Speaker 1: tend to feel it. And not only do they feel it,
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  Speaker 1: they often feel Replicate it. Neuroscience teaches us about emotional contagion.
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  Speaker 1: Our nervous system influences one another. And specifically, children often
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  Speaker 1: borrow emotional cues from the adults around them. When parents
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  Speaker 1: remain calm during stressful situations, children learn calmness. When parents
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  Speaker 1: model healthy coping skills, children learn resilience. When parents prioritize
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  Speaker 1: emotional health, children learn that mental health matters. So before
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  Speaker 1: focusing exclusively on your child's well-being, ask yourself, how am
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  Speaker 1: I doing emotionally? Am I getting adequate rest? Am I
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  Speaker 1: managing stress in healthy ways? Am I still spending time
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  Speaker 1: with God? Am I carrying burdens I was never meant
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  Speaker 1: to carry alone? Parents often give. from an empty cup.
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  Speaker 1: But God never intended us to live that way. Jesus
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  Speaker 1: himself regularly withdrew to spend time with the Father. So
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  Speaker 1: if the Son of God needed time for restoration, surely
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  Speaker 1: we do too. Tip number two, create predictable rhythms. One
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  Speaker 1: of the greatest gifts that you can give your family
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  Speaker 1: is predictability. Our brains love predictability because predictability is creates safety.
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  Speaker 1: When life feels chaotic, the brain remains on high alert.
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  Speaker 1: When life feels structured, the brain can relax a bit.
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  Speaker 1: That doesn't mean every moment needs to be scheduled, but
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  Speaker 1: healthy routines help children know what to expect. Consider establishing
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  Speaker 1: consistent wake-up times, consistent bedtimes, family meals, homework routine, technology boundaries.
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  Speaker 1: family devotional times. Predictable rhythms reduce anxiety because children know
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  Speaker 1: what comes next. And here's something fascinating. Children often complain
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  Speaker 1: about rules and routines, but neurologically, they actually benefit from them.
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  Speaker 1: Structure provides emotional security. It's one way we communicate to
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  Speaker 1: our children, you're safe, we've got this, and you don't
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  Speaker 1: have to carry adult responsibilities. Tip number three, protect sleep
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  Speaker 1: at all costs. If I could give families one neuroscience-based recommendation,
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  Speaker 1: it would be this. Protect sleep. Sleep is not a luxury.
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  Speaker 1: Sleep is a necessity. During sleep, the brain consolidates memories.
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  Speaker 1: It processes emotions. It restores energy. It detoxifies the unhealthy
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  Speaker 1: things in our system. It strengthens attention and learning. But
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  Speaker 1: lack of sleep can increase anxiety, depression, irritability, impulsivity, and
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  Speaker 1: emotional reactivity. Many children begin the school year already sleep deprived.
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  Speaker 1: Parents get lax with bedtimes and wake up times. We
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  Speaker 1: let them stay up late because the sun is out longer.
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  Speaker 1: But the problem is our brains and our children's brains
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  Speaker 1: need that regular sleep then. Enter in extracurricular activities, homework,
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  Speaker 1: social media, and busy schedules. It just makes everything worse.
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  Speaker 1: As parents, we need to treat sleep as a priority
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  Speaker 1: rather than an afterthought. It might mean we don't go
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  Speaker 1: to those extracurricular activities. We don't do extra things during
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  Speaker 1: the school year, during the week. As parents, we need
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  Speaker 1: to treat sleep as a priority. So consider establishing a
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  Speaker 1: calming bedtime routine. Reduce screen exposure before bed. Encourage consistent
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  Speaker 1: sleep schedules. And remember, parents, you need sleep too. Sometimes
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  Speaker 1: the healthiest thing you can do for your family is
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  Speaker 1: to go to bed earlier. Tip number four, teach children
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  Speaker 1: to talk about emotions. Many children struggle not because they
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  Speaker 1: have emotions, but because they don't know what to do
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  Speaker 1: with them. One of the most valuable skills we can
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  Speaker 1: teach children is emotional awareness. Help them identify what they're feeling.
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  Speaker 1: Instead of saying, I'm fine, teach them to recognize I'm nervous,
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  Speaker 1: I'm disappointed, I'm embarrassed, I'm frustrated, I'm lonely, or I'm overwhelmed.
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  Speaker 1: Research consistently shows that naming emotions helps reduce emotional intensity.
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  Speaker 1: And when children can identify their feelings, they become better
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  Speaker 1: equipped to manage them. So create opportunities for conversation. Ask
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  Speaker 1: questions like, what was the best part of your day?
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  Speaker 1: What was the hardest part? What made you smile today?
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  Speaker 1: What felt stressful and what do you need right now?
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  Speaker 1: Sometimes children don't need solutions. Sometimes they simply need a
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  Speaker 1: safe place to process. Tip number five, limit the comparison trap.
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  Speaker 1: One of the greatest threats to mental health today is comparison.
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  Speaker 1: Children compare grades, athletic performance, friendships, appearance, popularity, achievements. And unfortunately,
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  Speaker 1: social media amplifies comparison like never before. Comparison often leads
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  Speaker 1: to anxiety, insecurity, jealousy, discouragement, and self-doubt. As parents, we
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  Speaker 1: must consistently remind our children that their core value comes
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  Speaker 1: from who they are and not what they achieve. God
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  Speaker 1: never intended your child to become someone else's child. He
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  Speaker 1: created them uniquely, purposefully, intentionally. And when we help children
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  Speaker 1: focus on growth rather than comparison, we nurture healthier self-esteem.
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  Speaker 1: So parents, remind them often, you don't have to be
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  Speaker 1: the best. You simply need to be faithful with what
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  Speaker 1: God has entrusted to you. Tip number six. Watch for
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  Speaker 1: warning signs. As parents, we need to remain attentive to
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  Speaker 1: changes in behavior. Mental health struggles often reveal themselves through
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  Speaker 1: behavior before children have words to explain what they're experiencing.
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  Speaker 1: So watch for these things. Changes in sleep, changes in appetite,
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  Speaker 1: withdrawal from friends, loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities,
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  Speaker 1: frequent headaches or stomach aches, declining grades, excessive worry, irritability,
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  Speaker 1: persistent sadness, perfectionism, or even avoidance behaviors. One difficult day
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  Speaker 1: doesn't necessarily indicate a problem, but persistent changes deserve and
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  Speaker 1: require attention. Trust your instincts. God often gives parents discernment
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  Speaker 1: for a reason. And remember, seeking support is not a
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  Speaker 1: sign of failure. It's a sign of wisdom. Friends, we'll
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  Speaker 1: continue our discussion regarding practical tips for how to strengthen
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  Speaker 1: your family's mental health this school year, right after this
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  Speaker 1: brief word from our sponsor. Welcome back. Before the break,
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  Speaker 1: we were talking about practical tips for how to strengthen
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  Speaker 1: your family's mental health this school year. So let's continue.
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  Speaker 1: Number seven, build resilience, not perfection. Many parents want to
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  Speaker 1: protect their children from every hardship, and I understand that instinct,
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  Speaker 1: but resilience develops when children learn they can survive challenges.
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  Speaker 1: The goal isn't a stress-free life. Jesus told us we
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  Speaker 1: wouldn't have one, but the goal is learning how to
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  Speaker 1: navigate stress in healthy ways. Children build resilience when they
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  Speaker 1: solve problems, learn from mistakes, experience disappointment, recover from setbacks,
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  Speaker 1: develop coping skills, and face challenges with support. If we
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  Speaker 1: remove every obstacle, we unintentionally communicate that we think they
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  Speaker 1: can't handle difficulty. So instead, we can say things like,
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  Speaker 1: this is hard, or I believe you can get through it,
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  Speaker 1: or I'm here to support you. What do you need?
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  Speaker 1: Those messages strengthen confidence and resilience. Tip number eight, Cultivate
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  Speaker 1: family connection. One of the strongest protective factors for mental
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  Speaker 1: health is connection to others. Children thrive when they feel known, loved, valued,
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  Speaker 1: and connected. They don't require extravagant vacations. It often happens
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  Speaker 1: through ordinary moments like family dinners, bedtime conversations, car rides,
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  Speaker 1: board games, walks together, shared laughter, consistently shows that strong
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  Speaker 1: family relationships reduce the risk of anxiety, depression, substance abuse,
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  Speaker 1: or other mental health concerns. Connection doesn't require perfection. It
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  Speaker 1: requires presence. And friends, children spell love. T-I-M-E. Tip number nine,
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  Speaker 1: create healthy technology boundaries. Technology is neither entirely good nor
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  Speaker 1: entirely bad, but without boundaries, it can negatively impact mental health.
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  Speaker 1: Excess screen use has been associated with increased anxiety, decreased
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  Speaker 1: sleep quality, reduced attention, and social difficulties. So consider creating
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  Speaker 1: technology-free zones, technology-free meals. technology-free bedrooms, technology-free family time. The
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  Speaker 1: goal isn't about punishment. The goal is about protecting what
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  Speaker 1: matters most. Healthy relationships will always nourish mental health more
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  Speaker 1: than endless scrolling. Tip number 10, make faith part of
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  Speaker 1: everyday life. One of the greatest gifts we can give
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  Speaker 1: our children is teaching them where to turn when life
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  Speaker 1: feels overwhelming. The world teaches self-reliance. But scripture teaches God reliance.
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  Speaker 1: When children experience anxiety, help them pray. When they face disappointment,
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  Speaker 1: help them seek God's perspective. When they're afraid, remind them
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  Speaker 1: of God's promises. Faith is not merely something we practice
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  Speaker 1: on Sundays. It's a source of strength for every day.
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  Speaker 1: Children need to see faith lived out in real time.
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  Speaker 1: They need to see us pray when we're worried. Trust
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  Speaker 1: God when we're uncertain. Seek wisdom when we're confused. depend
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  Speaker 1: on him when we're overwhelmed. Faith becomes contagious when it's authentic.
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  Speaker 1: Tip number 11, teach children healthy coping skills. Every child
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  Speaker 1: needs a toolbox for managing stress. And that toolbox may
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  Speaker 1: include prayer, scripture meditation, physical activity, journaling, creative expression. Maybe
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  Speaker 1: it includes deep breathing, worship music, talking with trusted adults,
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  Speaker 1: time outdoors, gratitude practices. These habits help regulate emotions and
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  Speaker 1: strengthen resilience. The earlier children learn healthy coping skills, the
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  Speaker 1: more equipped they'll be to navigate future challenges. Tip number 12,
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  Speaker 1: give grace during transitions. Transitions are stressful on everyone, even
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  Speaker 1: positive transitions. A new grade, new teachers, new friendships, new schedules,
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  Speaker 1: new expectations. Children often need time to adjust and parents
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  Speaker 1: do too. If your family feels a little off during
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  Speaker 1: the first several weeks of school, that doesn't mean you're
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  Speaker 1: doing anything wrong. It means you're adjusting. So give yourself grace.
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  Speaker 1: Give your children grace. Allow room for imperfection. Remember, great
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  Speaker 1: growth takes time. Adjustment takes time. Healing takes time. And
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  Speaker 1: learning takes time. But God works in the process. Friends,
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  Speaker 1: before we close, I want to speak directly to the
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  Speaker 1: parent who feels overwhelmed. Maybe you're worried about your child's anxiety.
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  Speaker 1: Maybe you're navigating learning differences. Maybe your child has struggled
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  Speaker 1: emotionally before. Maybe you're carrying fears about the year ahead. Friend,
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  Speaker 1: you don't have to carry these burdens alone. God loves
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  Speaker 1: your children even more than you do. He sees every challenge,
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  Speaker 1: every tear, every fear, and every struggle. And he is
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  Speaker 1: present in every moment. Remember, you are not called to
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  Speaker 1: be a perfect parent. You are called to be a
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  Speaker 1: faithful one. A parent who loves. A parent who listens.
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  Speaker 1: A parent who points their children towards Christ. A parent
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  Speaker 1: who keeps showing up. That is enough. Because God's grace
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  Speaker 1: fills the gaps. where our strength ends. Would you let
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  Speaker 1: me pray for you? Father God, thank you for every
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  Speaker 1: family member listening today. Thank you for every parent, grandparent, caregiver, teacher,
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  Speaker 1: and child preparing for this upcoming school year. Lord, we
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  Speaker 1: ask your protection over our children. Guard their hearts and minds.
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  Speaker 1: Give them courage when they feel afraid, peace when they
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  Speaker 1: feel anxious, wisdom when they face challenges. Help them remember
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  Speaker 1: that their identity is found in you, not in grades, achievements, popularity,
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  Speaker 1: or performance. Father, I pray that you'll strengthen these families
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  Speaker 1: this year. Help parents model emotional health, resistance, resilience, and faith.
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  Speaker 1: Give us discernment to recognize when our children are struggling.
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  Speaker 1: Give us compassion to listen well. Give us wisdom to
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  Speaker 1: respond appropriately. And remind us daily. that you are with us.
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  Speaker 1: Make our homes be places of peace, grace, connection, and hope. Father,
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  Speaker 1: we trust our children to your love and care. In Jesus'
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  Speaker 1: name I pray. Amen. Friends, thank you for joining me
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  Speaker 1: today on Your Hope-Filled Perspective. If today's episode has encouraged you,
• 19:28
  Speaker 1: would you take a moment to subscribe, leave a review,
• 19:31
  Speaker 1: and share this episode with a friend who may need it?
• 19:34
  Speaker 1: We all know somebody who's got kiddos starting back to
• 19:37
  Speaker 1: this school year. Encourage them with your hope-filled perspective. And remember,
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  Speaker 1: circumstances may feel uncertain, challenges may arise, and life may
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  Speaker 1: not unfold exactly as planned. but our hope is never
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  Speaker 1: in our circumstances our hope is anchored in christ until
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  Speaker 1: next time friends keep renewing your mind embracing god's truth
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  Speaker 1: and living with a hope-filled perspective until next week it's
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  Speaker 1: my prayer for you that you have a hope-filled week
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  Speaker 1: bye friends.
• 20:11
  Speaker 2: It is now known that depression is our greatest epidemic worldwide.
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  Speaker 2: It is greater than heart disease, cancer, and AIDS all
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  Speaker 2: put together. Unfortunately, there is a scarcity of biblically-based resources
• 20:26
  Speaker 2: which identify the spiritual component that will help individuals cope
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  Speaker 2: with depression, or resources for their loved ones who are
• 20:34
  Speaker 2: trying to support them. During Dr. Bankston's 30-year career, she
• 20:38
  Speaker 2: has treated thousands of individuals with depression and has also
• 20:41
  Speaker 2: suffered with it herself. Because of her suffering, she has
• 20:45
  Speaker 2: come to understand the compelling need to address the spiritual
• 20:48
  Speaker 2: dimension of depression, along with the physiological and emotional components.
• 20:53
  Speaker 2: In her award-winning book, Hope Prevails, Insights from a Doctor's
• 20:57
  Speaker 2: Personal Journey Through Depression, she shares with us her experiences.
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  Speaker 2: She combines her decades of professional expertise and mental health
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  Speaker 2: with her personal insights to help you overcome depression's grip.
• 21:10
  Speaker 2: Jan Silvius, author of Foolproofing Your Life and Same Life,
• 21:14
  Speaker 2: New Story, said this about Dr. Bankson in her award-winning book,
• 21:19
  Speaker 2: Hope Prevails, Insights from a Doctor's Personal Journey Through Depression.
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  Speaker 2: It is a unique position to be both the doctor
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  Speaker 2: and the depressed patient. Those dual experiences offer rare insight
• 21:30
  Speaker 2: into the nuances of a very difficult journey. Dr. Michelle
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  Speaker 2: Bankson has written a wonderful, hope-filled book for those who
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  Speaker 2: suffer from depression and for those who love them. Because
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  Speaker 2: she's been in the place of the patient, her compassion abounds.
• 21:45
  Speaker 2: Because she has been in the place of the doctor,
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  Speaker 2: her knowledge is spot on. Because she is a lover
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  Speaker 2: of God, her book offers practical, spiritual hope for anyone
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  Speaker 2: who is searching. I encourage you to read it. It
• 21:57
  Speaker 2: will make you better, no matter your situation. Hope Prevails
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  Speaker 2: is available at Amazon.com and other fine online book retailers
• 22:05
  Speaker 2: or through her website at DrMichelleB.com. Obtain your copy today
• 22:11
  Speaker 2: and begin your healing from depression. Do you appreciate the biblically-based,
• 22:18
  Speaker 2: hope-filled perspective offered each week by Dr. Bankson? Why don't
• 22:23
  Speaker 2: you join the conversation? Take a moment and leave us
• 22:25
  Speaker 2: a review. It's easy. Just scroll down on whatever app
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  Speaker 2: you're listening on, click on review, and tell us who
• 22:31
  Speaker 2: you are, what you love about the program, and let
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  Speaker 2: us get to know you a little bit too. And
• 22:36
  Speaker 2: while you're at it, why not hit subscribe so you'll
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  Speaker 2: is aired.
• 22:44
  Speaker 1: I'd like to take just a second to thank the
• 22:46
  Speaker 1: team at Life Audio for their partnership with us on
• 22:49
  Speaker 1: this podcast. If you go to lifeaudio.com, you'll find dozens
• 22:53
  Speaker 1: of other faith-centered podcasts in their network. They've got shows
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  Speaker 1: about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more.