Parenting the Mental Health Generation

"It's wild to me that we throw all these things at teenagers and expect them to handle it with the grace and poise that a 35-year-old would. And so, if I were speaking directly to teenagers of today, what I would say to them is that it makes so much sense that you feel this pressure. It makes so much sense that you feel stressed out. The environment that you are in is such a competitive and high pressure one that I would feel the same exact way." Meg Ruocco - 2015 High School Graduate

Two 2015 grads from Glenbrook North High School reflect and share their experiences growing up on Chicago's North Shore in this episode of the pod. Meg Ruocco and Kathleen Nolan talk with Amy O. and Dr. Lisa about the risks that are worth taking, what they want current high school students to know, and offer parents advice on how best to support their kids.
Meg is currently finishing on her Masters of Fine Arts in screenwriting at Brooklyn College in New York City. Kathleen just started her final semester of a Master of Nursing program at the University of Illinois in Chicago.
©CATCH 2023
Music Credit: Tune 2 go / POND 5

To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org.
Follow us on social media
Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @catchiscommunity
CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

" You know, once you become an expert in being yourself, navigating the world gets a whole lot easier." Olivia, from Food Fight
Did you know some picky eating is considered an eating disorder? Extreme cases are now diagnosed as ARFID, Avoidant Restrictive Food Intake Disorder. Local author and social worker Linda B. Davis is releasing the book, Food Fight, to help readers better understand this mental illness through the eyes of a middle schooler. In the final episode of season two of Parenting the Mental Health Generation, Davis talks with our podcast hosts, Amy and Lisa, about the teenager who inspired the story and the lesson we can all learn about accepting ourselves.

Food Fight (released June 27, 2023, Regal House Publishing) is available at local, independent book stores, Amazon, and Barnes and Noble.

Linda's Book Launch Events:
June 27th Book Bin Event 6-8pm Northbrook IL
July 11st Book Stall Event, 6:30-7:30pm Winnetka IL
SHOW NOTES:
NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association) Support Line
ARFID Information from NEDA
FEAST (Global Support Group for Caregivers)
©CATCH 2023
Music Credit: Tune 2 go / POND 5

To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org.
Follow us on social media
Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @catchiscommunity
CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

How do you respond when a young person comes out about their gender or sexual preference? What do you say when someone makes a homophobic comment in your home? And how do you initiate a conversation about pronouns?
In this episode or Parenting the Mental Health Generation, our hosts, Amy and Lisa, talk with Lizzy Appleby, LCSW and Director of the Pride Youth Program for LGBTQ+ youth at Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook.
Together, they dig into understanding and supporting our LGBTQ+ youth. Whether you are parenting an LGBTQ+ youth or want to ensure you are creating a safe space for them, there’s a take-home lesson for you in this episode.
So put in your earbuds, take this 30 minutes for you and join our conversation because mental health matters.
SHOW NOTES:
Youth Services of Glenview/Northbrook Pride Program
Book Recommendations:
Transitions of the Heart: Stories of Love, Struggle and Acceptance by Mothers of Transgender and Gender Variant Children by Rachel Pepper
The Transgender Child: Revised & Updated Edition: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Nonbinary Children by Stephanie Brill and Rachel Pepper
Transgender Teen: A Handbook for Parents and Professionals Supporting Transgender and Non-Binary Teens by Stephanie Brill and Lisa Kenney
Have an idea for an episode topic or guest? Email us at [email protected].
music credit: Tune 2 go / POND 5
© CATCH 2023

To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org.
Follow us on social media
Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @catchiscommunity
CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

Do you feel pressure to protect your child from disappointment? You aren't the only one. Our guest, Dr. Karen Cassiday, clinical psychologist and owner and managing director of the Anxiety Treatment Center of Greater Chicago, says that's a common experience for parents these days and comes with real consequences, especially when anxiety is part of the picture. In this episode, she talks with our hosts, Amy O. and Dr. Lisa, about another perspective on parenting and how her new book, The No Worries Guide to Raising your Anxious Child, can guide families through living an imperfectly OKAY life, with anxiety and all of our daily ups and downs. Dr. Cassiday is also the host of a radio show and podcast, Moms Without Worry.
This is the conversation you aren’t having with your kids' doctors and teachers because time doesn’t allow it. Or, with your friends, because they just don’t get it. So put in your earbuds, take this 30 minutes for you and join our conversation because mental health matters.
Amy O. (aka the mom) is the founder and Dr. Lisa (aka the psychologist) is an active board member of CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health a 501(c)(3) organization based in Chicago's Northern Suburbs.
SHOW NOTES:
In addition to her own book, The No Worries Guide to Raising your Anxious Child, Dr. Karen Cassiday also recommends:
Brave Parenting by Krissy Pozatek
The Choice: Embrace the Possible by Dr. Edith Eva Eger
© CATCH 2022

To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org.
Follow us on social media
Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @catchiscommunity
CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.

When the Anxiety Monster reared his ugly head one morning at college, a student called his mom. In this essay from the CATCH series, In Real Life, she shares their conversation and the one important question she asked to support him in that moment.
You can read this In Real Life Journal post here.
Do you ever wonder if you’re the only one struggling with bumps and pitfalls on a daily basis? Listen to Real Talk: Essays from Real Life, straight from the CATCH Journal at catchiscommunity.org. We’re recording those heartfelt and honest stories from parents and others for those who’d rather listen than read. When you hear people share their most vulnerable moments, you’ll know you are not alone. So put in your earbuds and listen to Real Talk: Essays from Real Life.
To submit a personal In Real Life Blog post email us at [email protected]

music credit:
PMHG Podcast music provided by Tune 2 go / POND 5
This Real Talk music provided by Lagito Music/ POND 5
© CATCH 2022

To find all of the resources CATCH provides to caregivers of young people struggling with their mental health, go to www.catchiscommunity.org.
Follow us on social media
Facebook/Instagram/YouTube: @catchiscommunity
CATCH, Community Action Together for Children's Health, is a 501(c)3 that provides support and education for families around mental health topics. Original content and materials from CATCH and its collaborators are for informational purposes only. They are provided as a general resource and are not specific to any person or circumstance.