103. Children's Mental Health with Dr. Donna Lane

I learned from Dr. Donna Lane that : “According to a 2016 study published by Whitney and Peterson, one in six kids between 6 and 17 have a mental health diagnosis. This was, of course, pre-COVID. A recent study in Psychiatric Times indicated that isolation and loneliness increase the risk of depression up to 9 years after the event, and the duration vs. the intensity of loneliness was more likely to cause long-term mental health issues.” No wonder our children’s mental health is one of the main concerns of many moms I talk with. But there are so many stigmas around mental health and fear of diagnosis that it can be difficult to navigate the world of mental health for ourselves, let alone our children. We’ve talked about adult mental health topics here on the podcast before, but today we’re turning our focus to children’s mental health. It’s a timely topic for all families right now as we navigate the events of the world. Dr. Donna Lane is here with us to share the basics plus deeper insights. We talk about why/when/how people seek mental health help for their children…and then goes on to explain in clear terms what  mental health resources are available to children (what a psychiatrist is, psychologist, counselor, family therapist, and social workers) and then what therapy/counseling sessions look like both online and in-person. Dr. Donna’s messages are for moms of younger kids as well as moms of teens who are concerned about the isolation from peer relationships and how that’s affecting their kids, signs to look for, and how to reach out. There are some thorough and helpful links to resources in the show notes. Donna’s Bio: Drs. David and Donna Lane are a husband-wife counseling duo who specialize in trauma, grief, and loss as well as family relationships. While qualified by education, their life experience shapes much of their current-day work, as they have experienced first-hand the horrific death of their own son, who had a neurological disorder throughout his 17 years on earth. The Lanes are professors, counselors, consultants and award-winning authors; their research and writing on trauma and grief has been used extensively throughout the world in the aftermath of tragedies including the Sandy Hook shootings, Haiti earthquakes, Rwandan genocide and others. The Lanes live in the Atlanta area and have been married to each other for more than 40 years. FULL SHOW NOTES AVAILABLE AT: WWW.ELEVATINGMOTHERHOOD.COM  Elevating Motherhood Links:  Website: www.elevatingmotherhood.com Patreon: www.patreon.com/elevatingmotherhood Instagram: @loribethauldridge Bookshop.org: www.bookshop.org/shop/loribeth