Articles by Khadijah Booth Watkins and Gene Beresin

December 19, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Including Disability and Belonging in Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

It is not always clear that disability is included in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI) initiatives and though schools and many organizations have made efforts to create a fair, open, diverse and inclusive workplaces, disability representation has often been absent from modern initiatives.  Disability represents a range of differences which can have a tremendous […]

November 21, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Parents Under Pressure: A Response to the Recent U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory on the Mental Health

In the recent Advisory, Parents Under Pressure, the US Surgeon General noted that parents are currently more stressed, burned out, and lonely than ever before. The alarming statistics are not all that different than his Advisories on the Youth Mental Health and Loneliness Epidemics that have been escalating since the late 1970s. In this episode […]

October 17, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Supporting Youth in a World Riddled by Conflict

Let’s be honest, we’re all stressed. We’re stressed about climate change, world crises, the upcoming election, or even just the common stressors of everyday life: economic pressures, relationship issues, burnout, you name it. So, with all stress, our conversations can easily become more uncivilized. In this episode of Shrinking it Down, Gene and Khadijah discuss […]

September 19, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Navigating Special Education in Schools Part 2: Working with the Team and Your Child

This is the first blog post in a two-part series on navigating special education in schools. The focus of this first post is on general legal and practical tips for parents. The second post focuses on working with the IEP and your child. The Special Education system in school can be confusing, especially if you […]

August 29, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Navigating Special Education in Schools Part 1: Legal and Practical Tips

This is the first blog post in a two-part series on navigating special education in schools. The focus of this first post is on general legal and practical tips for parents. The second post focuses on working with the IEP and your child. Welcome back to a new season of Shrinking it Down: Mental Health […]

June 20, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Stories for Children’s Mental Health

Stories Matter, especially when it comes to children’s mental health and wellbeing. For our season finale, Gene and Khadijah are joined by two special guests from Barefoot Books – book editor Lisa Rosinsky and children’s author Joelle Retener. They explore how stories help kids to make sense of the world in all of its confusion […]

May 16, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Boys, Body Image, and Eating Disorders, feat. Jason Nagata, MD

Most teens stress over body image at some point. But when you hear the term “eating disorder” what do you think of? Probably not boys and men. Yet, adolescent boys struggle with body image and disordered eating behaviors nearly just as often as girls do. Tune in below, or wherever you get your podcasts. Today […]

April 22, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

The Role of Roleplay in Therapy

If you’re a regular listener, you’ll know we often reference the benefits of roleplay games – from dress up to Dungeons & Dragons – for healthy child development. It can help kids better understand themselves, better understand others, and build self-confidence. Today, Gene and Khadijah explore roleplay through a more therapeutic lens. They are joined […]

March 21, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Alcohol and Drugs. Why Do Teens Use?

Many of us know that the teen years can be a time for experimenting with alcohol and other drugs. But a recent CDC study found the reason why teens use substances today isn’t just for experimentation, but also to stop worrying about problems, and even to help with depression or anxiety. This is really concerning. […]

February 15, 2024

By Khadijah Booth Watkins, Associate Director

Equine Therapy. How Does It Work? feat. Janice Gilman of BINA Farm – Shrinking It Down

You’ve probably heard of pet therapy, but what about equine therapy? Special guest Janice Gilman of BINA Farm Center joins Gene and Khadijah to help us learn about the many different kinds of equine therapy for kids. What make horses so unique when it comes to therapeutic treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, anxiety, and more? […]