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With the latest school shooting at Apalachee High School outside Atlanta, parents may be wondering how to discuss the tragedy in the context of returning to school this fall and keeping their children safe. 

Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO of Parents Anonymous, which supports parents and their children with resources and expert help, says that guardians need to confront their own feelings first and then listen to their children before making decisions and potentially becoming an advocate for school safety. 

Pion-Berlin told Chalkboard News in an interview that parents need to process their emotions and make decisions about safety and risk before discussing complex and sensitive topics with their children. 

On Aug. 6, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released data showing a lower percentage of students experiencing persistent sadness or hopelessness, from 42% to 40%. Female students reported a decrease in persistent sadness (57% to 53%) and serious consideration of suicide (from 30% to 27%).Talking to your children about mental health doesn’t necessarily mean talking about mental illness

Lisa Pion-Berlin, licensed hypnotherapist and CEO of the nonprofit Parents Anonymous, said the new data highlights what we’re doing right: talking about mental health in an open and accepting manner.

“Research tells us that by addressing, not brushing off, supportive conversation about serious mental health issues is a game changer,” Pion-Berlin said. “Removing the stigma about mental health is key to opening up honest conversations with students amongst themselves, parents and other adults in their life. Seeing hope replace hopelessness if the beginning steps of healing. Focusing on acceptance rather than just awareness puts all of us into a position of loving and supportive friendships and leads people to seek help when they don’t feel judged and blamed.”

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Mental-health experts are sounding the alarm about “fire brain” – a condition caused by exposure to toxic wildfire smoke. One study found that wildfire smoke can cause brain inflammation that lasts for a month.

Suzie Dukes, Chico LMFT and survivor of the Paradise Fire, said the massive Park Fire is now re-traumatizing a community already devastated by the Camp fire, which incinerated the nearby town of Paradise in 2018.

“People are in kind of a constant state of stress afterward, the feeling of being out of control, unable to prevent anything, and this deep-seated fear of losing yet again, more things. The Park Fire is triggering PTSD symptoms all over again,” she explained.

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Since 1992, Dr. Lisa is the President and CEO of Parents Anonymous® Inc. one of the oldest family strengthening organizations dedicated to ensuring a just society where everyone thrives in resilient families and communities. She is passionate about advocacy and supporting the empowerment journey of Parents, Caregivers and Children & Youth all around the world. She oversees the ONLY California Parent & Youth Helpline and National Parent & Youth Helpline® to provide emotional support through calls, chats and texting. She created National Parent Leadership Month® to celebrate Parents worldwide and the National Certification of Parent Leaders that is competency based and has measurable results. 

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July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness about the challenges ethnic and racial minorities face when it comes to mental health care.

The Food and Drug Administration says barriers include a lack of health insurance and less access to treatment.

Lisa Pion-Berlin, president and CEO of Parents Anonymous, which runs both the California and National Parent and Youth Helplines, said society must fight to eliminate the stigma around mental health.

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Parents Anonymous, Inc.®, the national non-profit organization dedicated to supporting parents and youth, has taken a significant step forward in addressing the mental health crisis affecting families across the United States. With a generous $10 million grant from the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Parents Anonymous® expanded its services earlier this year, in January, transforming the National Parent Helpline® into the National Parent & Youth Helpline™. This essential resource now offers round-the-clock emotional support via calls, texts and chats to parents, caregivers and youth up to 25 years old.

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Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, a parenting expert, previously told Newsweek that parents should make their children aware of gun crime by the time they are 10 years old.

While the video shared to @justagirl7688 hasn’t gone viral, it has resonated with other users. One commenter simply wrote: “yep!” insinuating this is how he remembers his childhood.

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This article discusses sensitive topics such as suicide and other potentially disturbing content. If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts or self-harm, please reach out for help. The California Parent and Youth Helpline is 855-427-2736.

“If you don’t have sex with me, I’m going to kill myself.”

These are words that no one wants to hear, but what if you didn’t hear them; your 13-year-old daughter did at school.

You know the boy and you know his family, but what you don’t know is what to do next.

Should you keep your daughter home from school? Should you call his mother, or should you call the police?

The parent in this situation called the California Parent and Youth Helpline®, a free service that offers emotional support to adults, children, and youth in the state. A trained counselor informed her of the available options and advised her to talk to the principal, the school counselor, and the police, enabling her to get a juvenile restraining order against the boy.

Now in its fourth year, the California Parent and Youth Helpline is a partnership between Parents Anonymous®, Governor Gavin Newsom and the California Department of Social Services. Created in May 2020, the nonprofit organization offers a 24/7 helpline in over 240 languages, online and in-person parenting support groups and mental health services — all free of charge. Their motto is “Asking for Help is a Sign of Strength®” and it’s something that Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, President and CEO of Parents Anonymous, takes to heart. “There isn’t any issue you can’t call us about,” she says. “The more we can do to support parents, children and youth, the more we do to support entire families.”

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Racism is a complex subject to discuss, especially with children. Parents and trusted educators must take the initiative to teach kids about race and racial issues in an age-appropriate way so they can understand and stand up against racism. Raising children in a world where racism still exists can be challenging for parents. How do you even begin to educate your kids on the effects of racism while fostering respect, empathy and keeping them safe simultaneously?

The first step is understanding that parents are the most significant influence and supporter of their children as they develop. Parents can actively teach their children about racism by leading by example and demonstrating the positive attitudes for the child to use.

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Awoman has shared the moment she guided her daughter through her first shave on TikTok.

Brandee Mulligan, 39, can be seen sitting on the edge of a bathtub with her daughter Marley, 10, opposite her. Both are lathering themselves up with shaving foam ahead of the hair removal.

Mulligan, from Wisconsin, told Newsweek: “There are bigger fish to fry when it comes to parenting pre-teens than letting her shave her legs, like trying to keep her off social media. That’s a big one.”

The parenting milestone footage has racked up 3.7 million views since it was posted on March, 31.

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