Shows / Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
"Shrinking It Down" highlights the fact that youth mental health is anything but simple! Child & adolescent psychiatrists Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins help parents and other caring adults to navigate tough questions about child and teen mental health. From depression and learning disorders, to digital media and societal concerns, Shrinking It Down covers it all.
Tune in the THIRD Thursday of every month. Subscribe wherever you stream.
About Us: The Clay Center for Young…
Episodes
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleLonely Kids, Screens and the Power of Secure Attachment
Gen Z now reports higher rates of loneliness than any other generation, and parents are more worried than ever about social media. So what actually protects…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleBack to School in 2026: Why This Year is Different
Why does back to school feel so different this year? In this episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah take on five worries…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleCyberbullying: Where There's No Place to Hide
In this episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah take a hard look at cyberbullying — how it differs from the schoolyard…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleParent and Caregiver Support of LGBTQ+ Youth
In this Pride Month episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah are joined by Dr. Alex Keuroghlian for a wide-ranging, candid…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleCommunity, Connection, and the Mental Health of Young Black Men
How can parents, mentors, and communities help young Black men feel safe, seen, and supported in today’s world? In this powerful episode of Shrinking it Down…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleADHD Stimulant Medication Shortage
ADHD stimulant medication shortages are affecting more people than ever. In this episode of, Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleTalking with Your Kids about the War in Iran
When the world feels uncertain and headlines hit close to home, how can parents help their children feel safe? In this episode, of Shrinking it Down: Mental…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleTeen Romance in the Digital Era
In this Valetine's Day special of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah explore how teen romance is being reshaped in the digital age. From texting and social…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleAnxiety in the Family: Helping One Child Without Leaving Others Behind
In this special episode of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah explore how parents can talk openly with children about a sibling’s…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleFinding Gratitude in a Time of Fear, Anger, and Uncertainty
Thanksgiving is approaching fast; a time of gratitude, reflection, and gathering. But this year feels different. With fear, anger, and uncertainty dominating…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleExploring the World of AI Therapy
Artificial intelligence (AI) is slowly becoming a major part of our society. Everday more and more people begin to rely on AI for a variety of tasks in their…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleFacing the Loss of a Child to Suicide - A Father's Account
Today is World Suicide Prevention Day: a time to bring global attention to the urgent public health crisis of suicide and to reaffirm our collective commitment…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleADHD: The Transition to Adulthood
Welcome back to a new season of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple! For our back-to-school season opener, we are joined by Dr. Tony Rostain for a…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleChasing Sunshine: Teen Loneliness & Tips for Beating the Summer Blues
While the summer is usually painted as time of fun, freedom, and relaxation, for many teens it can feel like the exact opposite — disconnected, isolating, and…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleThe Vital Role and Methods of Mental Health Advocacy
Why are our young people struggling so much? In this special episode for Mental Health Awareness Month, Gene and Khadijah dive into the growing youth mental…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleMore Than Just a Picky Eater - ARFID
Almost everyone knows a picky eater, either from their own childhood or from their child's experiences. But sometimes picky eating goes beyond a simple…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleTeen Nicotine Use
In 2024, the CDC reported that 1 in 29 middle school and 1 in 13 high school students vaped in the past month. This statistic is especially troubling, given…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleAddressing Your Family's Anxieties about California Wildfires
The Palisades Fire has been devastating California since the start of the year, destroying over 23,000 acres and nearly 5,000 structures. In this special…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleShrinking it Down will return in January
Shrinking it Down will return on January 23rd for a special episode on teen nicotine misuse. Happy Holidays and we hope you have a great New Year! Hosted on…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleParents Under Pressure
In the recent Advisory, Parents Under Pressure, the US Surgeon General noted that parents are currently more stressed, burned out, and lonely than ever before…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleSupporting Youth in a World Riddled by Conflict
Let's be honest, we're all stressed. We're stressed about climate change, world crises, the upcoming election, or even just the common stressors of everyday…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleNavigating Special Education in Schools Part 2: Working with the Team and Your Child
The Special Education system in school can be confusing, especially if you haven’t been through the process with a child before. In part 2 of this series, Gene…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleNavigating Special Education in Schools Part 1: Legal and Practical Tips
Welcome back to a new season of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health Made Simple! For our season premiere, Gene and Khadijah are joined by two special guests who…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleStories for Children's Mental Health
Stories matter, especially when it comes to children's mental health and wellbeing. For our season finale, Gene and Khadijah are joined by two special guests…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleBoys, Body Image + Eating Disorders, feat. Jason Nagata, MD, MSc
When you hear the term “eating disorders” what do you think of? Probably not boys and men. Yet, adolescent boys struggle with body image and disordered eating…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleThe Role of Roleplay in Therapy
If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know we often reference the benefits of casual roleplay games - from dress up to Dungeons & Dragons - for healthy child…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleAlcohol & Drugs - Why Do Teens Use?
The teen years can be a time for experimenting with alcohol and other drugs. But a recent CDC study found the reason why teens use substances today isn’t just…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleEquine Therapy. How Does It Work?
Many of us have heard of dog therapy and pet therapy. But what exactly is equine therapy? Special guest Janice Gilman of BINA Farm Center joins Gene and…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
What Can States Do to Support Youth Mental Health? feat. Senator John C. Velis
To address the youth mental health crisis, we need to approach it from different angles – including access, education, and legislation. So, what are states…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Next Week: Senator John Velis of Massachusetts
Very special guest Senator John C. Velis of Massachusetts joins Gene and Khadijah to discuss legislative opportunities to address the youth mental health…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Stimulants! feat. Anthony Rostain, MD, MA
What role should prescription stimulant medication play in a child’s ADHD treatment plan? Today, Gene and Khadijah are joined by Tony Rostain, MD, MA, chair of…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Tune in Dec. 21! Ritalin, Adderall & ADHD
Special guest Anthony Rostain, MD, MA joins us this month to discuss all things stimulants - myths, misconceptions, and managing the shortage. If you have a…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Lonely College Students
Recent national surveys show that a significant proportion of college students report having felt overwhelmed, anxious, and lonely during college. If college…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Fears and Phobias in Kids and Teens, feat. Susan Sprich, PhD
All of us have fears – kids and adults alike. Many of us even enjoy a good scare now and again (there’s a reason why horror movies do so well). Most fears –…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Shrinking It Down returns on October 19!
Transcript: Hi, this is Gene Beresin, co-host of Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple. We’ll have all new episodes for you beginning next month – on…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Coping With Gun Violence, Together - feat. Gretchen Felopulos, PhD
With increasing gun violence and constant media coverage, many kids are scared to go to concerts, to malls, to school. Many adults are feeling the same. Today…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
ASD: Making the Transition to College, feat. Chris Keary, MD
The transition to college can be huge for all kids, but for young people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) there's even more to consider in making it a…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Digital Vigilance and Our Kids
We’ve reached a point in time where most of our kids have grown up with digital media as a way of life. Social media, instant viral news, e-learning, digital…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
How Should We Respond to Anxiety in Our Kids? feat. Kevin Simon, MD
Anxiety. It's rising in our kids and teens. What can we do to help? Today, Gene and Khadijah are joined by very special guest Dr. Kevin Simon, Chief Behavioral…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Understanding Obesity Stigma, feat. Angela Fitch, MD, FACP, FOMA
We often hear about how stigma can prevent treatment for mental disorders and promote feelings of shame or low self-worth among those struggling. Did you know…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Dr. Gene and Dr. Khadijah Answer Your Questions
From challenges with hair pulling to supporting a child through a regression in toilet training, Dr. Gene Beresin and Dr. Khadijah Booth Watkins answer real…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Our next special guest is... YOU.
We're kicking off 2023 with a special episode of Shrinking It Down featuring *you* our listeners. What questions do you have about the mental health of a child…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
BONUS: How Do Social Justice and Youth Sports Intersect?
How do social issues intersect with youth sports? Tune in to this bonus episode of Shrinking It Down, featuring Dr. Jonathan Jenkins of the Sport Psychology…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Young People, Sports, and Mental Health ft. Dr. Jonathan Jenkins, Psy.D, CMPC
Sports can be such a positive space for young people to let off steam, learn important life skills, and build long lasting relationships. There are times…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Self-Harm In Teens ft. Dr. Blaise Aguirre, MD
*Content Warning: This episode contains segments of discussion that may be difficult for some audience members to hear. Content such as descriptions of…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
The Benefits of Music Therapy ft. Marisabelle Díaz-Falcón, MT-BC
As Dr. Gene Beresin always says, music is a universal language. To kick off our new podcast season, and in honor of Gene’s new book, Music, today we’ll look…
Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made SimpleGet Ready for a New Season
It's nearly time for a new season of Shrinking It Down! Co-hosts Gene Beresin, MD, MA and Khadijah Booth Watkins, MD, MPH have some great mental health topics…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
How do I talk to my kids about gender and sexuality? Ft. Dr. Marshall Forstein, MD, DLFAPA
*Content warning: Some of the conversation today includes topics that some listeners may find sensitive including sexuality, gender identity, and violence…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
How Does Schizophrenia Affect a Young Person and Their Caregivers?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Leading up to this month, we received questions from our Instagram followers. In this podcast miniseries, Dr. Gene…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
How Do You Find Out If Your Teen Has Undiagnosed ASD?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Leading up to this month, we received questions from our Instagram followers. In this podcast miniseries, Dr. Gene…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
The Power of Peer Support ft. Valerie Grison-Alsop & Julia Esposito
We all know that parents and other adults tend to be the last people teenagers want to talk to about their problems. At this stage of life teens are more…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
How Do You Find a Therapist for School-Age Kids?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Leading up to this month, we received several mental health questions from our Instagram followers. In this podcast…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
How Do I Fall Asleep When I'm Anxious?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month! Leading up to this month, we received several mental health questions from our Instagram followers. In this podcast…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
A Teen's Take On the Pandemic
The COVID pandemic is like nothing most of us have ever lived through. This is especially true for kids and teens who are still developing mentally and…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Young Athlete Mental Health, featuring Mai Uchida, MD
At what point are we pushing our young athletes too hard? We all watched 15-year-old Russian Olympic skater, Kamila Valieva, exit the ice in tears after a…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Self-Esteem: How do we build our kids up?
Low self-esteem gets all of us down at one point or another. For kids, the goal is to help build them back up. Lots of things can lower our kids’ self-esteem…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Ukraine: What Do We Tell Our Kids?
The crisis in Ukraine feels to many like the straw that broke the camel’s back. Between the COVID pandemic, police brutality, the climate crisis, and now the…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Body Image and Young People, featuring Holly Peek, MD, MPH
Turning on TV, opening a magazine, or going on our phones these days, kids are overwhelmed with images showing us what we should look like. Even on “reality”…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Bonus: Alcohol Conversation Starters
Our recent conversation with Dr. John Kelly of the MGH Recovery Research Institute reinforced even more how important it is to start talking with young people…
- Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple
Alcohol & Adolescents, featuring John F. Kelly, PhD, ABPP
Did you know that 3 out of 4 addiction cases in the U.S. are alcohol addictions, and that kids who start drinking before age 15 are significantly more likely…