Articles by Khadijah Booth Watkins and Gene Beresin

April 14, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

A Closer Look at High-Functioning Autism, featuring Robyn Thom, MD – Shrinking It Down

Coming into April, Autism Awareness Month, we’ve noticed more families coming to our website with questions about high-functioning autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Some are seeking guidance on challenges families face, some are wanting to learn more about behaviors stereotypically associated with ASD, and others are wondering what happened to the Asperger’s diagnosis. On today’s episode of “Shrinking It […]

March 31, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Art of Civil Conversations: 9 Parent Strategies

Are you an educator? You may be interested in our Conflict Resolution Curriculum for students. Learn more here. “Are you out of your mind? You’re not old enough to go to a climate change demonstration. What do you even know about the climate? Besides, we’re in the middle a pandemic. Enough said!”  So says the […]

March 17, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Medicating with Meditation? The Power of Mind Body Medicine, featuring Darshan Mehta, MD, MPH – Shrinking It Down

On today’s episode of Shrinking It Down, Gene and Khadijah welcome special guest Dr. Darshan Mehta, Medical Director of the Benson-Henry Institute for Mind Body Medicine of Massachusetts General Hospital, to talk about something we could all use more of: Meditation. This past year has brought on new stressors and anxieties for families, on top […]

March 10, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Positive Value of Conflict Resolution

Are you an educator? You may be interested in our Conflict Resolution Curriculum for students. Learn more here. Conflict is a natural part of our lives. We inevitably have disagreements with others from time to time in our values, beliefs, behavior, and much more. But recently, we’ve seen what feels like insurmountable conflict dividing our […]

February 17, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

How Do We Heal From Here? A Guide for Families and Our Nation

I cannot think of a time in recent history when our nation was more polarized, and resentment and anger so pervasive. One thing we know, though, is that our kids and teens are watching, picking up on, and asking questions about the intensity of it all. There are calls for unity and healing almost everywhere […]

February 10, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Teen Breakup Violence, Part 2: At-Risk Emotions – Shrinking It Down

Content Warning: Today’s episode is the second in a two-part series on teen relationship violence. It may be difficult for some of our listeners.  When we look underneath a young person’s anger, or shame, or grief, there is often a hidden need that’s not being met. Learning how to identify and address these hidden needs is a […]

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

The Challenges of First-Generation College Students

This post on first-generation students is one in a series on college student mental health. Other posts in this series are:  College Students of Color: Overcoming Racial Disparities and Discrimination LGBTQ Students in College: Fostering Inclusion, Acceptance, and Safety International College Students: Challenges and Solutions *** Currently, around half of all students attending college are […]

February 3, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

Teen Breakup Violence, Part 1 – Shrinking It Down

Content Warning: This episode is the first in a two-part series on teen relationship violence. It may be difficult for some of our listeners. Romantic relationships are a crucial part of life for teenagers. In fact, the biggest emotional struggles in high school and college often come from breaking up with friends or romantic partners. […]

January 27, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

International College Students: Challenges and Solutions

This post is one of a four-part series on college student mental health. The other posts in this series are:  College Students of Color: Overcoming Racial Disparities and Discrimination LGBTQ Students in College: Fostering Inclusion, Acceptance, and Safety The Challenges of First-Generation College Students *** College campuses are an ideal place to learn from others. […]

January 20, 2021

By Gene Beresin, Executive Director

9 Self-Care Tips for Teachers

Since COVID-19, teachers have continued to feel additional pressures on top of their already demanding work lives:  Being responsible for teaching and emotionally supporting students Responding to increased parent communications, through multiple online platforms  Creating innovative ways to interact remotely, and navigating the technology to do it  Being prepared to offer hybrid meetings and events (both in-person and remote) to parents and others These […]