By Kelsey Weber, MSW, LCSW – February 25,2025 – Family and domestic violence is a common problem in the United States. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), one in four women and one in nine men are victims of domestic violence. Unfortunately, children in the home are also victims. Domestic violence can have […]
By Jackie Keltner, MSW, LMHCA – February 18, 2026 – No matter who you are or how old you are, you will likely experience a crisis or something traumatic at some point. A crisis occurs when an event or situation overwhelms a person’s ability to cope. Trauma is any disturbing experience that causes significant fear, […]
By Yolanda Vidal, MA, LMHC, ATR – February 11, 2026 – Motivation is often misunderstood as a personality trait, something you either have or you do not. In reality, motivation is a psychological state that fluctuates based on emotional regulation, self-perception, nervous system balance, and the perception of meaning. When labeling motivation solely as an […]
By Hannah Gill, MSW, LSW – February 4, 2026 – When working with teens and discussing emotions, I often give an analogy of sand in a jar. In this analogy, the sand is our emotions. We can put the sand in the jar and stuff it down, but eventually the jar will overflow. Likewise, we […]
For nearly 30 years, Youth First has been carrying out our mission to strengthen youth and families. Our model provides an impactful mental health support system along with prevention programs at no cost to students or their families. Youth First’s story began in the mid-1990s with our founder, Dr. William Wooten. He was an Evansville addictions physician who was troubled by increasingly younger clients experiencing complex problems, often linked […]
By Amy Back, MSW, LSW, Youth First, Inc. One thing I’ve learned from working with children and families is that the language we use matters. The words we choose — often in the heat of the moment — help shape how kids see themselves, understand relationships, and grow into the people they’re becoming.Two phrases that […]
By Jordan Evans, MSW, LSW – January 21, 2026 – Emotional regulation is a child’s ability to understand, express, and manage their feelings in healthy ways. This skill begins developing early in life and continues to grow throughout childhood. Children do not learn emotional regulation on their own. Instead, they develop it through everyday interactions […]
By Jenna Pauli, MSW, LCSW – January 14, 2026 – The popularity of social media and its negative effect on children have become controversial subjects. A growing number of social media platforms are targeting very young children. We are becoming more aware of the negative impacts these outlets and apps can have on a child’s […]