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Jim Mason, Mental Health, Natural Strength Parenting™, Parent Connext™, Parents, Strengths

Parents Embracing Children’s Mental Health, Beech Acres Study Indicates

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A new, national Children’s Mental Health Awareness Study from Beech Acres Parenting Center offers insights into the evolving perceptions and practices of parents regarding the mental health of their children. The study shows that acceptance of mental health as a key factor of overall health is becoming increasingly mainstream among parents. Among the most compelling results of the study is the dramatic generational change in parents’ view of mental health. While 61% of parents said they had no discussion of mental health when they were kids, only 13% of them do not discuss it now as parents. “Many children and families live with mental health concerns or even a mental illness, so it’s extremely encouraging that we are bringing down the veil of stigma for parents on this topic,” said Jim Mason, President, and CEO of Beech Acres Parenting Center. “Parents who are actively engaged with their children’s mental health and well-being can have a huge positive impact, and we’ve seen that to be true over many generations at Beech Acres.” Hope for Parents This changing attitude toward mental health is further reflected by a finding from the study that 91% of parents who have not had to seek treatment for their child would expect to be involved in their child’s mental health treatment, instead of taking a hands-off approach. Even before seeking treatment, 41% of parents in the study said they actively work to support their children’s mental health on a regular basis. Parents are interested in hearing about mental health proactively from sources they trust. About 2/3 of parents who participated in the study think mental health resources should be proactively shared by a child’s school. The same number of parents would like to receive mental health resources from their pediatrician during a well-child visit. “Proactively addressing children’s mental health in a setting in which other needs are already being met has been a successful strategy of ours for several years now through our Parent Connext™ program,” Mason said. “It’s encouraging that parents are validating this approach.” Parent Connext™ meets parents where they are by placing parenting specialists onsite in pediatric care practices. By providing prompt, practical support, we help build parents’ capacity to provide safe and nurturing environments for their children. Mental Health Education As more people realize the importance of mental health, education is increasingly necessary to set aside misconceptions about it. “There is no substitute for personalized care from a mental health professional to help your family address mental health questions,” Mason said. “Misperceptions about mental health stop some families from accessing the best possible care for their children. By educating and supporting parents, Beech Acres reduces fears and increases parents’ confidence in providing their children with whatever mental health care they may need.” The study also discovered other areas of mental health that need clarification. For example, the top three concerns of parents who have never had to seek treatment for their children are Not understanding their child’s condition (42%), Fear of the unknown (42%) and Not knowing where to go for help (38%). Solutions In many cases, the answers to mental health treatment questions may be more attainable than we realize. The study indicated that eight in 10 parents believe there is a strong or moderate connection between building on a child’s strengths and improving their mental health. At Beech Acres, building on a child’s innate strengths is a pillar for its Natural Strength Parenting™ framework. Natural Strength Parenting™ is a distinct approach to parenting that integrates concepts of intentionality and mindfulness to help parents better see and encourage their children’s unique, innate strengths. Beech Acres Parenting Center is the first organization anywhere to recognize the power of combining intentionality, mindfulness, and strengths into one foundational approach to parenting. Sharon James, Senior Parent Educator at Beech Acres Parenting Center, said the Natural Strength Parenting™ approach can give parents easy steps to support their children’s mental health. “For example, listen to them with curiosity to spot a strength they have, and make a point to promote that strength to build their confidence and self-esteem,” James said. “This kind of intentional act of support can make a huge, positive impact in the lives of children.” Methodology Information from the Children’s Mental Health Awareness Study is based on a 2018 survey of 798 parents nationwide who have children aged 18 and under that lived with them in their homes.

Jim Mason, Mental Health, Natural Strength Parenting™, Strengths

Natural Strength Parenting™ Uncovering the Strengths of all Children with a Mindful Framework for Intentional Growth

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Natural Strength Parenting™ (NSP™) is Beech Acres Parenting Center’s distinct approach to parenting. Natural Strength Parenting™ integrates the concepts of intentionality and mindfulness to help parents better see and encourage their children’s unique, innate strengths. Research supports the benefits of each of these three ideas in helping all types of people achieve their goals. However, Beech Acres Parenting Center is the first organization to recognize the power of combining intentionality, mindfulness, and strengths into one foundational approach to parenting. Intentionality. Mindfulness. Strengths. Okay, these are the pillars of NSP™, but how do the three ideas fit together? That question had been on Jim Mason’s mind for quite a while, “What the three practices create together; that’s what’s special to me.” Natural Strength Parenting™ is the culmination of 170 years of parenting experience at Beech Acres Parenting Center. It’s a natural evolution for the organization as we look forward over the next 170 years. “The world is changing rapidly and creating a lot of stress for everyone,” Jim said. “What will the future look like, and how will that affect the family? We need new ways of thinking and relating to each other in order to survive and thrive. Natural Strength Parenting™ provides a blueprint for doing so.” Following are definitions of each pillar and how they fit together: Intentional; Discern your unique purpose, create the life you envision and clarify the values you will teach your children. Natural Strength Parenting™ was founded on the belief that each of us is born with our own unique purpose in life to contribute to the world. Many of us struggle to figure out what that is, some never do. Personal motivation is found when our purpose is discovered. Purposeful living is about making our inner life match our outer self. It’s the energy that moves us joyfully from day to day. Author Steven Covey has made famous the phrase, ‘Start with the end in mind.’ We ask parents to imagine the legacy they want to leave their children and the values they want them to have when they become adults. To be intentional is to live a proactive, purposeful life instead of a reactive life on auto-pilot. Strength-Based; Discover and develop one’s natural gifts to create a sense of mastery, empowerment, and connection with one’s passion. Everyone is born with unique natural gifts. While intentionality provides the vision for the future we want, our natural strengths provide the fuel we need to achieve it. By living from our known strengths, our lives can shift from burdensome to gratifying. Jim explained, “I have seen thousands of vulnerable children in my career, many with very serious internal problems and external obstacles. Yet, every single child had some sort of spark inside, a spark that may have been stifled or diminished by traumatic events. When they discovered their natural gifts, they invariably found hope and blossomed.” “A parent’s most important job is to help her child find his or her unique sparks (strengths) and nurture those sparks to a positive bene t for them and society,” Jim said. “In fact, our life’s purpose often derives from the dynamic relationship between our natural strengths and our environment.” By focusing on natural strengths, parents can promote a life with a deeper sense of meaning, joy, and passion….not just for their children, but themselves as well. Parents who encourage their children’s strengths can help them reach their incredible potential. As we come to understand and practice our natural gifts, we become stronger and more self-confident. This builds the resilience and skills to resist the myriad negative influences surrounding us. Our passions ignite an energy that motivates us to pursue what is truly important and valuable to us. It is the best preventive medicine available! Beech Acres Parenting Center utilizes the VIA Character Strengths Survey to discover each parent and child’s unique mix of strengths. It takes less than 30 minutes to complete on-line but can provide a lifetime of helpful information. “There are many different strengths tools available. We use the VIA because of its universality for everyone,” Jim explained. Mindful; Be present, fully engaged and accepting in the moment. The effort to be intentional and to develop strengths is not simply a theory, nor is it complicated. But, as the saying goes, you must be present to win! The practice of Natural Strength Parenting™ requires that we are present in the moment and paying attention, nonjudgmentally, to what is happening. We can only see our child’s strengths if our minds are open to them and purposely noticing what she/he is doing. Likewise, we can only set a specific intention for the future if we are aware of our current situation. So, mindfulness simply means paying attention, on purpose, in each moment without judgment, to what is happening around me. Mindfulness provides us with the basic ability to be intentional and strength-based. In that way, mindfulness is the glue that holds the whole Natural Strength Parenting™ approach together. Jim informed, “When we are really paying attention in each moment, and not judging who is saying or doing whatever, we have an amazing opportunity to connect with our kids in ways that are truly magical.” Putting it all together. In a recent poll of Greater Cincinnati parents commissioned by Beech Acres, 44% of parents surveyed said, “understanding their kids’ mental health” is “very or extremely important” to me. Those same parents also told us they are interested in “building on my child’s innate strengths”. That’s good news. It is interesting that a high percentage of parents are concerned about their children’s mental health, yet also seem to understand that building on that child’s unique strengths will help increase their coping skills. Natural Strength Parenting™ is designed to help parents do just that. Seeing and nurturing our child’s innate strengths helps build the personal resilience that leads to good mental health and well-being. Natural Strength Parenting™ is at the core of all we do at Beech Acres Parenting Center and is

13 reasons why television series graphic
Mental Health, Screen Time, Social Media, Suicide

13 Things To Know About 13 Reasons Why Season 2

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Netflix recently released season 2 of the popular and controversial series, ’13 Reasons Why’. The show is based on a 2007 young adult novel by Jay Asher. Here are 13 things you need to know about ’13 Reasons Why’. The Show Deals With A Wide Range Of Issues Teens Face Today Bullying, depression, sexual assault, drug and alcohol abuse, academic pressure, self-harm, and other contemporary issues facing teens today are addressed in the show, often with graphic detail. These are real issues that kids are facing every day. While ’13 Reasons Why’ is a work of fiction that dramatizes these situations, it is based on the reality that exists in today’s rapidly changing world. Netflix Provides Resources To Help Watch This Show Netflix has created this site with resources to help viewers unpack the difficult issues addressed in the show. They even include a discussion guide and provide a video if you choose to watch the show with your kids. Many mental health professionals including those at Beech Acres Parenting Center caution parents against letting their children watch this show. There is an excellent online toolkit created by various professional available online to help navigate the issues addressed in the show. After Season 1 There Was a Rise in Google Searches Related To ‘Suicide’ In the 19 days following the release of the first season of the show, Google inquiries for “suicide” increased by nearly 20%. Mature Audiences Only ’13 Reasons Why’ is rated TV-MA. TV-MA is defined as “This program is specifically designed to be viewed by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 17. This program may contain one or more of the following: crude indecent language (L), explicit sexual activity (S), or graphic violence (V).” It’s Trending On Twitter The show received over 11 million tweets after its 2017 debut, making it the most tweeted about show ever. The level of attention and coverage of the show has created curiosity about the show for younger viewers. 1 in 5 Youth Between 13 and 18 Years Old Have or Will Have a Serious Mental Illness. Mental illness is a serious epidemic. Talk to your children. Know the warning signs of depression. These signs can include fatigue, loss of appetite, irritability, persistent sad thoughts, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts. Seek help if you have concerns about yourself or a loved one. Suicide is the 10th Leading Cause of Death in the United States It’s even higher for teens. According to the CDC, suicide is the #3 cause of death for ages 10-24. There Is Stigma Associated With Mental Health Issues Despite recent strides in removing this stigma, there is still much to be done. Organizations like Bring Change To Mind are working to eliminate this stigma. 16% Of Youth Consider Suicide A survey of high school students in the United States yielded some sobering results. 16% of the students surveyed seriously considered suicide and 13% had created a plan. 8% had attempted to take their own life in the previous 12 months. Many Teens Don’t Receive Help Suicide is mostly associated with depression but can be related to a diverse range of other mental health problems. Unfortunately, most teens in the United States with suicidal ideation did not receive any specialized mental health treatment. Reasons for this include a lack of awareness and understanding of the signs and symptoms, the stigma associated with mental illness, and lack of access to treatment resources. There Are Concerns The Show Romanticizes Suicide and Other Serious Issues Since the show deals with very real issues adolescents face, there is concern that vulnerable teens may identify with the characters, powerful storytelling, and sensationalized portrayal of these topics leading them to romanticize the decisions and actions made by characters on the show. Hannah’s Suicide Is Graphic To bring authenticity and elevate the drama portrayed in the show, many of the topics are presented in very graphic scenes. This includes the portrayal of the main character’s (Hannah Baker) suicide in season 1. The scene is detailed and lasts for nearly 4 minutes. Despite the warnings, this scene may come as a shock to young and old alike. Help Is Always Available Talk to someone. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is available 24/7 at 1-800-273-8255. Educators can find guidance on addressing the show in school here. Additional information can be found here.

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