Advice from Our Professionals

Informative articles by Youth First’s Service Team

Regulating Stress Responses

By Kacie Shipman, LSW - July 20, 2022 - Children and adults may react to stress in different ways. Trauma and stress can cause the brain to feel challenged or threatened, and the part of the brain that reacts is often on high alert.…

Staying Grounded in an Ever-Changing World

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Lizzie Raben, MSW - July 17, 2022 - The last few years have brought new sources of uncertainty and unforeseen challenges to everyone’s lives. As we’ve moved forward from a global pandemic, we’ve all adjusted to embrace…

Recharge Your Brain with Downtime

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Deena Bodine, LCSW - Updated July 7, 2022 - As a Youth First Social Worker, I have been fortunate to facilitate several Reconnecting Youth programs with small groups of high school students. One semester, the group I was working with…

Benefits of Outdoor Play

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By Jenna Kruse, LSW - June 29, 2022 - It’s no secret that there has been a great shift in the types of activities that children prefer. According to the Child Mind Institute, the average American child spends 4 to 7 minutes a day in…

Parenting with Grace

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By Heather Miller - June 22, 2022 - Author Jill Churchill once wrote, “There’s no way to be a perfect mother and a million ways to be a good one.” Before having children, I had many ideas of what I would and would not do as a mom.…

Important Tips for Raising Inclusive Children

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By Brooke Skipper, LCSW - June 15, 2022 - Most of us are familiar with the unpleasant feeling of being excluded. In order to raise children who celebrate diversity and include others, we need to be comfortable starting conversations…