During this month a number of community forums will be held in Evansville to help residents discuss suicide prevention and how to best respond to needs. Mayor Lloyd Winnecke announced these forums will be sponsored by Old National Bank and the Southwestern Indiana Suicide Prevention Coalition. During the 2016 year there were 40 suicides reported […]
By Elizabeth Christmas, LCSW, LCAC, Courier & Press, March 24, 2017 – Rumor has it … ADHD is nothing more than an excuse for lazy, irresponsible behavior, poor parenting and “drugging” children in place of discipline and self-control. The truth is … ADHD is a medical condition, and medication along with therapy can effectively manage […]
By Sarah Postlewaite, Courier & Press, March 17, 2017 – It’s no secret that all families are busy. Besides homework, many families have music or sports practices, performances, club meetings and games. In most families, one or both parents work while the kids and the parents are involved in various activities. Our days and years […]
By Katherine Baker, Courier & Press, March 7, 2017 – For the past three years, Youth First has been providing Dialectical Behavioral Training (DBT) to its social workers. The concepts of mindfulness and meditation, which are part of DBT were new to me. We are busy people with lots of responsibilities. Most of us rarely take […]
By Amy Steele, LCSW, Courier & Press, February 28, 2017 – The pressure children feel from standardized testing can cause feelings of stress and anxiety. While low levels of anxiety can motivate students to study and perform well, severe anxiety can make it difficult for a child to go about their daily activities. Some students […]
By Vicki Kirkman, LCSW, LCAC – February 21, 2017 – Courier & Press – Stress is a natural part of life and something everyone experiences. It can be positive or negative and affect your daily life greatly if not managed appropriately. In some situations, stress can motivate us to do better or work toward hard-to-reach […]
By Nicky Devonshire, LCSW, Courier & Press, Feb. 14, 2017 – Valentine’s Day, a day to celebrate those we love. If you are a parent like me, however, romantic dinners have been replaced with frantic nights of creating the perfect Valentine’s treats for your children and their classmates. Sweet treats make for an extra special […]
By Davi Stein-Kiley, Courier & Press, Jan. 31, 2017 – The domains of influence on our youth are many – school, community, friends, family, peers, and of course individual perspectives, differences and choice. Perhaps you are already aware that in the 2014 Indiana Youth Survey conducted by the Indiana Prevention Resource Center, Southwestern Indiana students […]
By Diane Braun, Courier & Press, January 24, 2017 – My husband and I have three children who are now all adults: two sons born 2 ½ years apart and a daughter born three years later. As our children were growing up, I noticed our sons were very different even though they have the same parents […]
By Deena Bodine, LCSW, Courier & Press, January 17, 2017 – As a Youth First Social Worker, I’m fortunate each year to facilitate the Reconnecting Youth program with a small group of high school students. This year, the group selected some “pay it forward” activities to complete. One of the activities involved writing encouraging messages […]