Conversations with KidsPeace

In media portrayals, when members of a marginalized group are either not represented or shown in negative or unimportant roles, that may be part of what’s called “symbolic annihilation.” The practice can have drastic impact on the mental health of individuals who are part of the misrepresented group.On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, KidsPeace Clinical Training Manager Gwen Colon-Hofmann discusses this phenomenon, which was the subject of a powerful training program at KidsPeace called “Clinical Cafes.”  

The calendar – and thermometer – might say it’s still summer, but kids and parents know that “Back to School” days are almost upon us.  In the latest episode of the award-winning Conversations with KidsPeace podcast series, we talk with a clinician at KidsPeace’s school-based mental clinic program to find out what issues kids are talking about, and how parents can help them navigate the anxieties and fears that can come with heading back into the classroom.Listen to the podcast here, or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

In the latest issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine, pediatrician and podcast host Dr. Lia Gaggino explains why she feels attention to mental health concerns is vital in her profession’s efforts to care for our youth.  Dr. Gaggino also discusses this issue on the latest episode of the award-winning podcast series Conversations with KidsPeace.

The power of music: an unexpected ingredient in KidsPeace’s efforts to help kids de-escalate from crisis.  On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, music therapists Nicholas Clark and Danny Joseph showcase their talent and discuss how they integrate music into the interdisciplinary treatment team approach to care at KidsPeace Children’s Hospital.

April is Autism Awareness Month, and on the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast host Bob Martin sat down with Rob Harvey, director of KidsPeace’s Intensive Behavioral Health Services group, to talk about what’s new in programming to aid kids with autism -- and how gender differences may be playing a role in what seems to be a rise in the number of cases diagnosed as autism.  Plus, Rob -- a talented musician in his own right -- offers his recommendation for those seeking new listening choices!

For the last ten years, families with kids in crisis have been able to turn for guidance to KidsPeace’s clinics in Pennsylvania, through an innovative program that provides free walk-in assessments of their child.  The sessions offer the chance to develop a safety plan and pathway to care for the youth, often when the family feels it has exhausted all other options.  The sessions also help divert from local hospital emergency rooms cases that can be best addressed in other parts of the medical system.On the latest episode of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, community programs manager Breannah Allen explains what is done -- and NOT done -- during the assessments, and what sort of advice families receive during the sessions.  

Smartphones are a marvel of modern technology, and there’s no doubt they’ve become an almost essential part of their owners’ lives.  But there are downsides to having such a powerful tool for attracting and keeping your attention in your pocket -- and that goes for kids even more than adults. In the latest installment of the “Conversations with KidsPeace,” KidsPeace’s Jason Haller talks about the pitfalls of smartphone use, and suggests some ways parents and families can keep their kids -- and themselves --protected against negative consequences while taking full advantage of the technology’s “marvelous” capabilities.

Regular visits to the dentist are a rite of passage for young people in our society - but among youth in residential treatment programs it’s not uncommon to find kids who haven’t had proper dental care before in their lives.   For the latest edition of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, host Bob Martin sat down with Dr. Andrea DiPaul, the dentist for clients in KidsPeace’s programming at the Orchard Hills Campus in Pennsylvania.  They discussed how her experience growing up helps her relate to the kids she sees -- and how their reaction to sitting in the dentist’s chair might surprise you.

At KidsPeace our services for children in need of mental and behavioral health services are called “trauma-informed care” --   a recognition of the role traumatic experiences play in shaping a child’s mental and emotional state. But new research into the impact of trauma is pointing towards another fascinating connection - between trauma and a child’s physical and even genetic development. Dr. Ansley Schulte, pediatric medical director of KidsPeace’s Pennsylvania Residential program, talks with host Bob Martin on the implication of this research on the latest edition of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast.

One aspect of KidsPeace’s approach to caring for kids in its hospital and residential treatment setting is the use of “interdisciplinary teams” – groups of professionals representing areas of expertise working with clients and families on individualized treatment plans.  In the latest “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast, host Bob Martin talks with KidsPeace Hospital’s director of social services, Laura Haas, about the impact this approach can have on meeting the needs of kids in crisis.