Advice from Our Professionals

Informative articles by Youth First’s Service Team

Trauma and the Brain

By Megan Shake, LSW - April 19, 2022 Childhood trauma is defined as adverse childhood experiences that are emotionally painful or distressful. Trauma can be caused by a multitude of things, including but not limited to, physical abuse or…

Learning How to Fail

By Jayme Waddell, LSW - April 12, 2022 As a parent, my goal is always to help my children succeed. However, I have realized that kids actually need help learning how to fail. When we fail, we have the opportunity to learn from our mistakes…

How Much Sleep Do Kids Really Need?

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Jenna Bieker, Youth First Social Work Intern - March 31, 2022 - It can be overwhelming to think about all the tasks we try to accomplish in a single day. Twenty-four hours does not seem to stretch far enough to cover time spent in school,…

Setting Healthy Boundaries

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Niki Walls, LSW - March 24, 2022 - Boundaries are something many of us struggle with. We all need to set boundaries to function and have successful relationships. As parents and caregivers, it is just as important to give our children…

Gentle Parenting

Counties, Youth First Blog

By Jordan Beach, LCSW - March 16, 2022 - If you spend any time on social media, you have probably heard the term “gentle parenting.” The quick response to this concept is that it’s “soft” or that we’re not punishing our…

Youth First Highlights Heidi Mikac – Social Work Week 2022

Counties, Social Work Week 2022, Youth First Blog

Heidi Mikac, LSW, Youth First Social Worker at Paul Hadley Middle School in Morgan County Q:What called you to become a social worker? A: The reason why I became a social worker was to learn more about suicide prevention. …