Articles by Gene Beresin, Khadijah Booth Watkins and Susan Sprich, PhD

October 23, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Fears & Phobias in Kids, feat. Susan Sprich, PhD – Shrinking It Down

Fears and phobias are not the same thing. All of us have fears – kids and adults alike. Many of us even enjoy a good scare now and again (there’s a reason why horror movies do so well). And most fears in our children – real or imagined – eventually respond to reassurance, emotional calming, […]

October 12, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Fear of the Dark? 16 Ways to Help Your Child

Halloween is almost here, and its presence is inescapable – from commercials and scary movies on TV to ghosts, goblins, and menacing figures in neighbors’ yards. And while it is an exciting and highly anticipated time for many kids, some look upon it with dread. Though the technical fear of Halloween, Samhainphobia, is not listed […]

June 15, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Coping With Gun Violence, Together, feat. Gretchen Felopulos, PhD (Shrinking It Down)

With increasing gun violence and constant media coverage, many kids are scared to go to concerts, to malls, to school. Tune in below, or search for “Shrinking It Down” wherever you get your podcasts. Many adults are feeling the same – coping with gun violence can be paralyzing. Today, special guest Gretchen Felopulos, PhD, the […]

June 8, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Our Epidemic of Loneliness: Recommendations for Parents and Caregivers

On May 3, 2023, The United States Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy released a new Advisory calling attention to the public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection in our country. The Advisory lays out a framework for a National Strategy to Advance Social Connection and contains a broad range of recommendations including […]

May 18, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Autism: Making the Transition to College, feat. Chris Keary, MD

Starting college for the first time can be a big deal for all kids, but for those with Autism Spectrum Disorder there’s even more to consider for making it a smooth transition. As parents, how do we provide the best support? How involved should we be? Special guest Dr. Christopher Keary of the MGH Lurie […]

April 20, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Digital Vigilance and Our Kids

We’ve reached a point in time where most of our kids have grown up with digital media as a way of life. Social media, instant viral news, e-learning, digital surveillance – it’s all here to stay. And it’s not all bad. But there are some legitimate concerns about how it’s impacting the mental health and […]

March 30, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Reflecting on the Recent Tragedy in Nashville

We are deeply saddened by the school shooting in Nashville. And while our hearts go out and we grieve with the parents and families of those slain, we should be outraged that the United States has one of the highest rates of gun-related deaths in the world. When we look exclusively at high-income countries and […]

March 16, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

How Should We Respond to Anxiety in Our Kids? feat. Kevin Simon, MD

Anxiety. Unhealthy levels are rising in our kids and teens. What can we do to help them? On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down: Mental Health Made Simple, Gene and Khadijah are joined by very special guest Dr. Kevin Simon, the first Chief Behavioral Health Officer for the City of Boston, to help make sense […]

February 28, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Storm Anxiety: 11 Tips to Help Your Child Cope

Anxiety is a normal and protective way we humans have evolved to protect ourselves. But with the increasing number and severity of storms, it may feel as if our anxiety – and that of our children – is being fueled more than usual. Storm anxiety is on the rise. In threatening situations, our brains release […]

February 23, 2023

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Dr. Chester Pierce: Reflections on my Treasured Mentor

I came to Massachusetts General Hospital in 1978 as a first-year psychiatry resident. My goal was to be a child and adolescent psychiatrist, and a clinical educator. From the outset, my program director, Jon Borus, and Chief, Tom Hackett, said that I would benefit from getting to know Dr. Chester Pierce, who was on our […]