Across the country, colleges are reporting the same pattern. Students arrive academically qualified and emotionally overwhelmed. Parents are still managing logistics from a distance. Professors are seeing missed deadlines and inconsistent follow-through. Counseling centers are overloaded. On paper, these students look ready. In practice, many are not prepared for independence. This is not a crisis …
Across the country, parents and educators are asking the same question: Are we pushing teens too hard? Students are taking more advanced classes than ever. AP schedules are stacked. Summer is no longer a break but an extension of résumé building. Test prep begins earlier. College admissions feels like an arms race. At the same …
We keep hearing that we have a teen mental health crisis. Anxiety is rising. Depression is rising. Disengagement is rising. The common explanation is that teens today are more fragile, less resilient, more sensitive, and far too attached to their phones. However, fragility is not the right frame. This teen mental health crisis is not …
Teens Are Not Fragile. The Systems Around Them Are Read More »
When headlines talk about rising anxiety, depression, and burnout on campus, the explanation usually sounds the same. Too much academic pressure. Too much competition. Too much uncertainty about the future. Pressure is part of the story. But college student mental health struggles are not just about pressure. They are about a sudden collapse of structure, …
College Student Mental Health Is Not Just About Pressure Read More »
For many families, exercise is treated as a “nice extra.” Something good when there’s time. Something healthy but optional. Something secondary to medication, school supports, or strategies. But for the ADHD brain, exercise is not just good for you. It is one of the most powerful regulation tools we have. Understanding the role of exercise …
Many parents come to me with the same confusion. They say things like, “My teen just doesn’t care anymore.” “They used to try.” “Now they’ve completely checked out.” It might show up as missing assignments that never seem urgent to them, college applications they avoid talking about, or a job, sport, or responsibility they once …
Parents, teachers, and partners often make the same well-intended move with someone who has ADHD. They explain. They suggest. They advise. They tell. “You should try this.” “You need to do it this way.” “You have to just start.” And then everything locks up. The ADHDer pushes back, shuts down, argues, ignores the advice, or …
