Every young person goes through trials when growing up. During difficult times of change, some issues may become so overwhelming that they require help from experienced professionals. Whether a young person struggles with mental health concerns, substance abuse, the pressures imposed by chronic illness, or other challenges, getting care is vital. The right treatment helps youths develop the coping skills to navigate comp...

Nature holds inside of it tremendous healing power. Every moment of each day, the cycles and systems of nature are constantly self-renewing. Nature arises in full beauty and power even after the harshest winter. Likewise, each person has the ability to rise up after life’s setbacks. We are all part of nature, but it’s easy to forget just how much potential nature has to help us heal and move forward from difficulty. Merely...

About 15 million people every year suffer from depression in the United States. It is one of the most complex psychological issues anyone can face and affects all age groups: From adolescents to elders, depression captures sufferers in a seemingly inescapable cage of sadness. Depression is a web of many factors. We know, for example, that brain chemistry plays a role. Recent research has pointed to other biological factors, includ...

According to research funded by the Environmental Protection Agency, most Americans spend about 93% of their lives indoors, including 6% inside a vehicle. Not only does that foster all kinds of unhealthy habits, but it disconnects people – especially young people – from the mental and physical benefits of spending time outside. Without knowing what the outdoors has to offer, children and teens are more likely to become adu...

Anger is one of the basic emotions hardwired into the human brain. Anger can sometimes be scary – for both the person experiencing it and people around him or her – but there is nothing wrong or shameful about feeling angry now and then. Anger is natural, and it can even be helpful. For example, anger can alert you to unfair treatment or to behavior that goes against your sense of right and wrong. However, some people fal...

Wilderness therapy is often the last option loved ones think of when an adolescent or teen is in trouble – but it is one of the most effective. Done correctly, wilderness therapy has unmatched potential to help youths move their lives forward in a healthy, balanced way. Let’s consider some reasons why: Wilderness Therapy Means Unbroken Personal Care Positive attention, relatable role models, and strong relationships &ndas...

You don't have to struggle with your teen any longer. Many parents are struggling with adolescents and young adults who suffer from mental health, substance abuse, and other issues associated with this age group. Although the usual courses of therapy and medications have been tried, for some, these therapies are just not working. In these cases, alternative therapies are being sought out. One type of alternative therapy parents are as...

People tend to wait for an ideal environment for communication: face-to-face, alone, and with no distractions. Those conditions are ideal, but rare. Most interactions are constrained: in an open-plan office, with family members, on a car or train, with background noise, or amidst distractions, lack of sleep, and preexisting stress. The communication channel may limit tone of voice and facial expression: email / text / IM /phone / h...

Nature and Its Mental Health Benefits When it comes to effective mental-health treatment, the natural world probably isn't the first thing that comes to mind. In fact, when seeking psychiatric care for mild-to-severe mental illness, nature is probably around the 1000th thing that comes to mind (somewhere between joining the Church of Scientology and volunterring with the peace corps.). And why wouldn't it be? After all, we live in a pi...