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Entire neighborhoods in Southern California have been destroyed by deadly wildfires, displacing communities that don’t know what — if anything — they’ll have to return to.

The big picture: Researchers have linked wildfires to long-lasting anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress disorder in survivors, in addition to the well-documented physical toll.

Los Angeles families calling into Parents Anonymous’ California Parent & Youth Helpline have been expressing extreme overwhelm this week, said Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO of Parents Anonymous.

For those whose houses were destroyed, “it’s not just the things in the building you lost, you lost a home,” she said. “And that’s a safe place where you’re raising a family, where you go to relax, where you go to cry, where you go to celebrate, where you have birthday parties.”
“A home is much more than a building, a home is part of your heart, and that’s been totally cut out.”

Read more on the psychological toll on Axios

Read more on the psychological toll on MSN

Squirrel! Balloon! Cookie! When toddlers point, they’re not just saying, ‘Hey, look at this!’—they’re actually showing off some serious smarts.

Even though toddlers can’t form full sentences yet, they’re actually better at communicating than you might realize. A recent study reveals that even at just 18 months old, toddlers can size up what their parents know and use pointing gestures to share information. Intrigued? Let’s dive into the fascinating world of toddler communication.

When toddlers think adults don’t get what they’re saying, they might keep doing the same action over and over. To help with this, Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, a parenting expert and CEO of a parenting support group called Parents Anonymous, says parents should take a look at what their child is trying to show them and react to it accordingly. If you seem to get it wrong, try again.

“Toddlers are learning how to communicate, so they may not always express themselves clearly,” she says. “Give them time to respond and show patience while they try to form their thoughts.”

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In an ideal world, the weeks between Thanksgiving and New Year’s should be full of friends and family, good food and general merriment. In reality, for folks who have toxic family members, the holidays can be rife with tension, stress and general opposite-of-merriment—whether your brother turns everything into a competition (not the fun kind), your mom has not the slightest clue what the word boundaries means or there are always strings attached when it comes to your sister-in-law. If any of those examples ring bells, I’ve got you. I checked in with two mental health pros, Janet Bayramyan, LCSW, and Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, ACSW, ACHT, for their tips for keeping it together during this supposed-to-be-festive time of year if it’s inevitable you’ll be dealing with toxic people.

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Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, is a licensed hypnotherapist and CEO of Parents Anonymous®. She is a mother who has devoted her 33-year career to supporting the empowerment journey of parents and caregivers. Through her leadership at Parents Anonymous, she also oversees the California Parent & Youth Helpline and National Parent & Youth Helpline which provides immediate emotional support to parents, caregivers, and youth through calls, chats and texting. In Dr. Lisa’s voice here is the most present challenge in her work: “As a professional, but also as a mother and advocate, my deepest goal is to help as many parents and youth as possible—every single one of them deserves the support they need to thrive. With over 170 million parents and young people in our country, there’s such an urgent need for mental health resources and strong support systems, and my mission is to be there for them. But right now, the biggest challenge is securing enough federal funding to expand our services and reach more families. While we’ve made strides in raising awareness, it’s a constant struggle to get the necessary resources from those in power to truly make an impact on a larger scale. Every day, I wake up thinking about how we can do more, and it’s that drive that keeps me pushing forward, despite the obstacles.”

This week on the Parenting Help Podcast, we’re honored to host Dr. Lisa Pion-Berlin, CEO of Parents Anonymous and an esteemed expert in family strengthening and parent advocacy.

In this episode, Dr. Pion-Berlin shares:
✅ Evidence-based approaches to fostering stronger family connections
✅ The transformative role of Parents Anonymous in empowering caregivers
✅ Practical strategies for navigating complex parenting challenges

Drawing on decades of research and experience, Dr. Pion-Berlin offers valuable perspectives for parents, educators, and professionals invested in family well-being.

In this episode of the ADHD Goals podcast, host Laurence talks with Dr. Lisa Pion Berlin, a clinical hypnotherapist, social worker, and CEO of Parents Anonymous. Dr. Lisa discusses her work advocating for parents, children, and youth facing mental health challenges, emphasising the importance of shared leadership and community support. The conversation covers the barriers parents face in getting appropriate ADHD support for their children and the need for effective partnerships between schools and families. Dr. Lisa also shares insights on the role of hypnotherapy in managing ADHD and offers practical advice for parents dealing with multi-generational ADHD diagnoses.

Listen to the podcast

Over the past few years, there’s been abundant reporting on the declining state of mental health. A study mentioned in a story in Medscape showed that the steepest decline in mental health was in young adults. 

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the suicide rate for U.S. children ages 10 to 14 was three times as high in 2021 as it was in 2007. Add to that the host of recent studies worldwide showing that teenagers who frequently use social media have an increased risk of negative mental health outcomes.

However, much of this reporting has focused on the increased mental health issues among young people. What’s often overlooked is that parents are also struggling with these issues, even as they work to help their children. To fully grasp the depth of the mental health problem, you only have to look at the data.

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A teenager’s decision to stop calling his stepmother “mom” has been applauded by viewers online, despite it irking his father.

The 17-year-old, who goes by u/tall-lengthiness-330 on Reddit, took to the platform on October 2 to share that he had defiantly stood up against his father’s wishes to call his new partner his mom, which led to a falling out in their family home. Viewers online rallied around the teenager, with most offering support and backing his decision.

“My parents divorced when I was a baby and my dad remarried when I was 5,” the man wrote in his post. “When I was 7, I started to call my stepmom ‘mom’ [for] a little and that’s what felt natural to me. After I had said it several times my dad gave my [biological] mom a heads up about it.”

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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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