Why Childhood Mental Health Is Declining - A Psychotherapist’s Warning

Childhood mental health issues are rising — but what’s really going on beneath the surface?“We’re pathologising kids before we’re listening to them.”In this episode of The True Form Podcast, I sit down with Professor Kosmas Smyrnios — a former child and adolescent psychotherapist turned academic — to unpack what’s really happening with the rise in childhood mental health issues.With over 30 years of experience in psychotherapy, research, and education, Professor Smyrnios brings a rare dual lens: clinical depth and academic insight.We explore:– Why emotional distress in kids is often mislabelled as a disorder– How modern systems are failing both children and parents– What’s changed in diagnosis and treatment across generations– Why safety, connection, and presence matter more than ever– What parents, educators, and practitioners need to rethinkFrom community mental health centres to lecture halls, Professor Smyrnios has guided families, taught students, and mentored over 30 PhD candidates. His work connects therapy, entrepreneurship, and systems thinking, and this conversation might change the way you think about childhood altogether.🎧 Watch or listen now — and share it with someone raising or working with children.Get access to the show notes, studies and documents via the community: https://podcast.trueformpodcast.com/true-form-community Watch me on YouTubehttps://youtu.be/z2V8cy4C2GsSupport the showWant to put what you just heard into practice? I've distilled the biggest lessons from 287 episodes into a free guide, 9 strategies to boost your performance without working overtime. No fluff, no gimmicks. Just the fundamentals that actually work. Grab it at https://www.trueformpodcast.com/true-form-guide Want the quick takeaways? Read the blog post for a full breakdown of the episode. https://www.trueformpodcast.com/blog Take the first step toward better recovery and overall health with Lumaflex.Use code TRUEFORM for 10% off:https://lumaflex.com.au/TRUEFORM Most people don't struggle because they lack motivation. They struggle because they've been given the wrong approach, too much focus on extremes, not enough on sustainability.True Form Coaching is different.This isn't a generic program. It's personal coaching built around you, your schedule, your goals, your life. Together, we work across three areas that drive real, lasting change:Mind - how you think, focus, and manage stressBody - how you train, move, and fuel yourselfIdentity - who you become through the processhttps://www.trueformpodcast.co...