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Netflix’s The Social Dilemma: A Therapist’s Perspective
Lately, our virtual offices have been full of teenagers complaining their parents are “crazy” and “taking away their technology” after watching Netflix’s documentary, The Social Dilemma. We also have parents calling in a panic that their child is going to commit suicide if they remain on social media. Needless to say, both teens and parents are shook. For those who have not yet watched the film, it explores the negative consequences of social media. They focus mainly on social media’s exploitation of users (and their data), the addicting effects it can have, how quickly false information can be spread and its correlation to mental health. Below are four impressions from…
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Your Teen is Not Exaggerating: Social Distancing is Their Hell
Pretty much everyone’s world has been rocked by COVID-19. For teenagers, the effects of social isolation are not just annoying, they are dangerous. A new study by Nationwide Children’s found that pediatric emergency department visits for mental health disorders have increased by 60% and visits for deliberate self-harm have increased by 329%. Of all the age categories, teenagers 15-17-years old showed the biggest increase (68%). In this blog we will explore possible reasons behind the increase, and how parents can help. Teenagers are Wired for Social Interaction It is widely known that one of the main goals of adolescents is independence. Teens start to slowly separate from their families and…
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The Power of Play in Therapy
This week is National Play Therapy Awareness Week! The effectiveness of play is seen everyday at Your Best Self. In this blog, we will walk you through the basics of play therapy and how we utilize play therapy techniques in our practice. What Is Play Therapy? Play therapy is an umbrella term used for treatment methods involving and valuing the power of play. A therapist uses play to help a child address and resolve psychological and psychosocial challenges. Why Play Therapy? Renowned play therapist Garry Landreth wrote, “toys are children’s words and play is their language.” Makes sense doesn’t it? On a scientific level, the Broca’s area of the brain…
