Psychology

Adaptability Is Essential for Mental Health. Here Are 3 Ways to Improve at Home and Work

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

Dr. Pete Loper, MD, MSEd, FAAP, is a triple board-certified physician in pediatrics, psychiatry, and child psychiatry. He is also a professor and executive coach and is dedicated to mental health and wellness advocacy.

What Dr. Loper could say on
Adaptability & Mental Health:

Adaptability Is Important to Mental Health

Life is dynamic and constantly changing. Consequently, human beings have evolved to be dynamic, kinetic creatures, who from the time we are born until we die are in a perpetual state of adaptation and development. We were not the strongest, fastest, or biggest land-dwelling creatures, but we are now the dominant species on earth by virtue of our capacity to develop and adapt. Adaptability is not only important, but it is also vital for mental health and overall well-being.

Continue reading “Adaptability Is Essential for Mental Health. Here Are 3 Ways to Improve at Home and Work”

4 Ways to Improve the Quality of Our Lives

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on
Improving the Quality of Life:

It seems that in our harried busy, busy worlds having a rich, fulfilling life is all too elusive. Dr. Loper breaks it down and gives great advice about how to live a life with more connectedness, love, meaning, and mindfulness.

Continue reading “4 Ways to Improve the Quality of Our Lives”

Taking Must-Needed Social Media Breaks for Well-Being

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on
Social Media:

82% of the US population currently uses social media. However, as a psychiatrist, I have observed first-hand the negative impact of excessive social media use on my patients’ mental health and well-being. I have published my observations on this topic in Medscape and Current Psychiatry (please see links below). These are the talking points that I have found most effective when educating my patients, regardless of age, about the necessity of taking a “social media break”:

Continue reading “Taking Must-Needed Social Media Breaks for Well-Being”

Obesity in Kids Is an Epidemic Problem. Here are 6 Healthy Eating Tips for Parents

Available for Interviews: Dr. Franchell Hamilton

Dr. Franchell Hamilton, MD, FACS, FASMBS, FOMA is the Founder of NeuroSwitch™ Weight Loss. Dr. Hamiltion is also the author of two books; Transformation Is a Mindset: The Journey to Changing Your Input and Your World and And the Best Diet Is . . . .

What Dr. Hamilton can say in an Interview on
Obesity & Kids:

- During the pandemic, the national rate of obesity among kids ages 2 to 19 increased to 22.4% in 2020, up from 19.3% in 2019.
- In the U.S., childhood obesity alone is estimated to cost $14 billion annually in direct health expenses.
- Caused by eating more processed foods and less physical activity, as well as socioeconomic differences.
- Bariatric surgery is becoming more prevalent and a standard in the pediatric population.
- Better nutrition and increased physical activity with parental support remain a must.
- https://stateofchildhoodobesity.org/data/cdc.gov

Continue reading “Obesity in Kids Is an Epidemic Problem. Here are 6 Healthy Eating Tips for Parents”

Arrested Development: Debunking the Myth About What Causes Burnout

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on
Human Development & Burnout:

Whether you are getting into arguments with colleagues, taking 3-hour lunch breaks, regularly calling out sick, or quitting your job, burnout manifests as a series of avoidance, withdrawal, and acting-out behaviors. With this in mind, burnout is simply maldevelopment. If we understand burnout as maldevelopment, then by definition, we can understand that an insufficiency causes burnout in one of the 3 core ingredients required for healthy human development.

Continue reading “Arrested Development: Debunking the Myth About What Causes Burnout”

What’s Your Parenting Style? Why It Matters.

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on the
4 General Parenting Styles and Why It Matters:

It’s very helpful for parents to know where they fall when it comes to parenting styles. Awareness can help parents carry out their parenting responsibilities more effectively and support healthy emotional growth in their children. How parents communicate, relate, and discipline has lasting effects and can influence their behavior not only through their childhoods but also throughout adulthood as well.

While we can separate parenting into four general styles, it’s important to note that parents rarely fall into one specific category. In general, parents may favor one style over the rest. There are generally four main parenting styles per the research:

Continue reading “What’s Your Parenting Style? Why It Matters.”

4 Simple Strategies to Support your Child’s Mental Health

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on
How to Support Your Child’s Mental Health:

On the acute crisis stabilization unit where Dr. Loper works as a pediatrician and a child and adolescent psychiatrist, they have witnessed first-hand the pediatric mental health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Consistent with national trends, over the course of the pandemic their unit has experienced an unrelenting surge in admissions for kids as young as 5 with suicidal ideations, often with accompanying attempts. The demographic most impacted have been adolescents.

Continue reading “4 Simple Strategies to Support your Child’s Mental Health”

Grades and Self-Esteem in School-Aged Children

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on
Grades and Self-Esteem:

Consistent with Carol Dweck’s research on “growth mindset,” struggle is a normal part of development. According to John Bowlby’s Attachment Theory, struggle in the context of the approach and exploration of new experiences is the rate-limiting step to healthy human development. Further, both Bowlby and his successor in Attachment research, Mary Ainsworth, identified the relationship between a child and their “experienced others” (parents, teachers) as the fundamental ingredient required to support continued approach and exploration in the context of struggle. Put simply, outcomes such as grades are a manifestation of the process, and your child’s willingness and motivation to engage in the process, i.e. to try, try again (growth mindset) is informed by a child’s interactions with parents and teachers.

Continue reading “Grades and Self-Esteem in School-Aged Children”

Top 6 Tips to Spring Clean Your Mind and Live Your Best Life

Interview Dr. Andrea Nazarenko

Dr. Andrea Nazarenko is a research psychologist with the Obesity Research Team and Social Development Research Group at the University of South Carolina. She also works as a community psychologist, providing consultation services to multiple governmental and educational organizations.

What Dr. Andrea’s can say in an interview on
How to Renew Health & Wellness:

We typically use the changing season to clean up the world around us, but this year let’s also spring clean the world inside of us, too!

Our minds are filled with toxic thoughts and negative emotions. Let’s use this season to throw out the clutter in our mind.

Is Your Teenager Depressed? 5 Red Flags

Available for Interviews: Dr. Pete Loper

What Dr. Loper could say on
Determining Your Teen’s Possible Depression:

As a pediatrician, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and the parent of a teenager, I believe that the best strategy to support our teenagers’ well-being is to engage in a consistent practice of meaningful interaction. Being intentional with dedicating a few minutes a day to “check-in” with your adolescent can go a long way. But even with a consistent and open dialogue regarding their mental health, teenagers may not always be forthcoming in telling you how they feel. Life gets busy, and there are more distractions today than ever. Given their independence and reluctance to fully express themselves, especially to mom or dad, it is important to be on the lookout for “red flags” that may indicate that they may be experiencing depression. Below are 5 “red flags” that may indicate that your teenager is experiencing a depressive episode. To determine if your adolescent might be at risk for depression ask the following questions:

Continue reading “Is Your Teenager Depressed? 5 Red Flags”