Advice from Our Professionals

Informative articles by Youth First’s Service Team

Co-Occurring Disorders in Adolescence

By Rachel Haug, LCSW - April 19, 2022 Adolescence is a time of rapid brain and body development through the onset of puberty, which will begin to influence both your child’s physical and mental health. During this time, a young person…

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

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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?

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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

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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

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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…