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Early mental health intervention can yield positive outcomes and help prevent future issues across various areas of a child’s development. This can include improvements in emotional, behavioral, academic, and social domains. Receiving care from mental health professionals (such as psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors) can help improve emotional regulation, strengthen family relationships, enhance school performance, and support healthy long-term development (Simeonova, Akee & Copeland, 2023).
Improved Emotional Well-Being Psychotherapy and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) have been found to help alleviate symptoms of anxiety and depression in youth (Dickson, Kuhnert, Lavell & Rapee, 2022; Cujipers et al., 2023). CBT and related treatments can help anxious children learn to manage fears and reduce avoidance, leading to significant decreases in anxiety symptoms and diagnoses (Dickson et al., 2022). Similarly, previous literature suggests that psychotherapy is effective for treating depression in children and adolescents, with roughly 54% of youth achieving clinically significant improvement with therapy (versus about 32% with no treatment) (Cujipers et al., 2023). These effects may be attributed to improvements in emotional regulation and self-esteem after engaging in therapy. Through techniques like reframing negative thoughts, recognizing emotions, and practicing relaxation or mindfulness, children and teens can learn healthier ways to identify and manage complex emotions. Somatic therapy can be beneficial for youth who experience trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Somatic therapies like Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) are effective in helping youth process trauma by focusing on body-based memories and sensations rather than verbal recounting, which can be overwhelming for children (Classen et al., 2021). Body-focused therapies help children and adolescents increase awareness of bodily cues linked to stress and dysregulation, which enhances their ability to manage strong emotions like fear, anger, or sadness (Maldei, Maier & Burger, 2021). Additionally, EMDR and other somatic-based therapies have been linked to reductions in PTSD symptoms, particularly when trauma is stored as non-verbal, bodily memory in youth (Scelles & Bulnes, 2021). Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) has been widely studied as a treatment for adolescents with pervasive suicidal ideation (S/I), self-harm behaviors, and emotion dysregulation. It combines individual therapy, group skills training, coaching, and regular therapist sessions. DBT is grounded in three main theories: behavioral theory (changing problematic behaviors), biosocial theory (understanding emotional vulnerability and invalidation), and dialectical philosophy (balancing acceptance and change) (Rizvi et al., 2024). DBT for adolescents (DBT-A) consistently shows moderate to large effects in reducing self-harm, suicidal ideation, and emotional dysregulation compared to other therapies (Kothgassner et al., 2021; Syversen et al., 2024). Findings suggest that DBT-A leads to greater reductions in suicide attempts and overall self-harm, with benefits often sustained up to 1–3 years post-treatment. Among queer youth at high risk for suicide, many experienced significant improvements in emotion regulation, depression, borderline symptoms, and coping strategies (Poon et al., 2022). DBT can help manage anger and other aspects of emotional dysregulation by utilizing coping strategies (Goldstein et al., 2023; Haktanir et al., 2023). These can include understanding anger and its sources, as well as learning how to channel and express anger more constructively. Social and Interpersonal Skills Therapy for children and adolescents can enhance their social skills and relationships with others. Many youth may struggle with peer interactions, and mental health professionals can help them develop the tools to navigate the social world more effectively. Through role-playing, group therapy sessions, or targeted social skills training, children learn and practice important interpersonal behaviors like sharing, assertiveness, active listening, and empathy (Addington et al., 2021). For adolescents, therapy can address issues like peer pressure, loneliness, or communication difficulties. By discussing their social experiences in counseling, teens often gain perspective and confidence in handling relationships. Therapists may coach them on strategies for dealing with bullying or exclusion, which can aid in building resilience (Gubbels et al., 2021; Gilmore et al., 2022). Academic and School Performance Mental health treatment for youth is linked not only to personal well-being but also to improved academic performance and school outcomes. Research shows that effective therapy can produce meaningful gains in various academically relevant areas (Sulimani-Aidan & Melkman, 2021). Psychotherapy showed an overall positive effect on academic-related outcomes, including improvements in classroom attendance, academic achievement test scores, and self-reported school adjustment (Cujipers et al., 2023). Therapy often targets skills that are crucial for academic success, such as organization, time management, and problem-solving. Many interventions aid in teaching children how to plan tasks or cope with stress. By boosting hope and self-esteem, therapy helps children feel more connected and competent at school. Long-Term Developmental Benefits Early mental health intervention can yield long-term benefits that extend into adolescence and adulthood. In a longitudinal study tracking children who received mental health treatment versus those who did not, the treated children were found to have fewer depression and anxiety symptoms by age 30. They also achieved better economic and educational outcomes in adulthood compared to their untreated peers (Simeonova et al., 2023). This suggests that getting help early not only improves how a child is doing in the present but also sets them up for a more successful and stable future. References:
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Everyday, we make decisions based on our mindset. Research has shown that our decisions are impacted by the beliefs we have and the state of mind we’re in. Mindset is important because it can have a significant impact on our lives. Having a healthy mindset means being able to make clear and confident decisions that align with our values. Fortunately, these ideal decisions end up benefiting us mentally, spiritually and physically. On the other hand, having a negative and fixed mindset can be harmful to one’s health and interpersonal relationships. The views we adopt for ourselves profoundly affect the way we lead our lives.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is to always have a growth mindset. I learned this from Dr. Carol Dweck who, after decades of research, discovered the power of mindset. She found that whatever we do can be dramatically influenced by how we think about our talents and abilities. So in school, work, sports, and the arts, those with a fixed mindset - those who believe that abilities are fixed - are less likely to thrive than those with a growth mindset. This mindset is based on the idea that abilities can be developed and that nothing is set in stone. They believe that with hard work and practice, anything can be achieved. And this is a common yet easily forgotten idea that we are told as kids. We were urged to remember that we could do anything we wanted as long as we put our mind to it. It seems that adults need to be reminded of this. A healthy mindset reaches not only the mind, but the soul. Thich Nhat Hanh, a famous Buddhist monk, states that anger, despair, jealousy and delusion are the barriers to our happiness. Anger in particular can be dangerous because it can lead to violent actions. The main way we can cool our anger is by practicing mindfulness. Mindfulness means to be present and in the moment - it can be achieved by meditating, mindful breathing and mindful walking. He found that people who practice mindfulness end up losing their anger completely and spreading their happiness to others. What mindfulness does is that it helps you empathize with the other person. Whether you’re in a conflict or argument, those who practice mindfulness don’t get emotional and actually try to understand the situation. They realize the other person’s suffering, and that compassion overrides any anger they may have. Lastly, mindset can also determine our physical health. The way we perceive ourselves and fitness in general is found to have impacts on our health risks. In one study, mortality risk was 71% higher for those who perceived themselves as less active than their peers. Researchers found three possible causes for this: stress, motivation and mindset. We feel stressed when we’re not active enough and have no outlet to vent out stress. For motivation, those who believed they were less fit were less motivated and less likely to do any exercises. For those who were fit, having a negative mindset resulted in a nocebo effect - the opposite of a placebo effect. This is where if you have negative expectations, the physiological effect of a treatment is reduced. One example of this is when hotel housekeepers and their exercise habits were studied. For those who didn’t count their work of cleaning rooms and pushing heavy carts as exercise, their health was average. For those who were told their work was exercise and believed it, they had lost weight and had lower blood pressure. This view had caused more of a physical impact on them, and may have resulted in a placebo effect. We now know the benefits of having a healthy mindset. There are many activities you can practice to bring about positivity:
References Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Ballantine Books. Hammond, C. (2018). How your mindset determines your health. BBC Future. Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20180410-how-your-mindset-determines-your-health Hanh, T. N. (2001). Anger: Wisdom for cooling the flames. New York, NY: Riverhead Books. The relationship between spirituality and psychology has historically been a negative one. In the scope of religion, science and faith were always thought to contradict each other. Now, however, there is growing research on the positive association between these two factors. Some studies even reveal that religious people are healthier both physically and mentally. Since both spirituality and religion can bring a sense of comfort, people can find strength in their beliefs to cope with stressful situations. It seems that having a belief system can go a long way in improving one’s mental health and wellbeing. Before mental disorders were diagnosed, it was common for someone with depression to be told to take their concerns to their place of worship or to have more faith in order to feel better. This view is harmful because it associates mental disorders as a problem with faith rather than a treatable condition. It’s more that religion can be helpful for those whose spiritual beliefs and practices serve as an important coping tool for recovery. Mental illness is not a choice, and recovery looks different for every person. There are a wide range of spiritual practices that can improve your mental health, such as:
Practicing mindfulness, or being present, can help decrease stress and anxiety, calming a person’s mind. This can be achieved through meditation and remembering to live in the moment. Many spiritual practices are derived from various religions across the world. However, it is common for many mental health treatments and therapies to have a spiritual aspect that is not specific to any religion. Because spirituality and religion incorporate healthy practices that are good for the body and mind, there are many benefits to our mental health. First, it helps improve our self-esteem and confidence by giving us feelings of empowerment and helping us accept others regardless of their spiritual beliefs. We can build a sense of community with others and support them through spiritual practices. Having a strong support system is always good for mental health. Furthermore, spiritual teachings emphasize the need for doing the right thing. They teach forgiveness, gratitude, and compassion, which help people cope with challenging situations. Research shows that individuals have better mental health if they belong to a particular community or have religious beliefs. Spirituality can help people in many ways. First and foremost, spirituality or religion can help people find meaning in their lives which is instrumental in improving one’s mental health. The fact that hospitals employ spiritual advisors to counsel patients demonstrates how essential spirituality is to people’s health and wellbeing. Reference Frye, D. (2020). Spirituality and mental health. Psychology Today. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/return-stillness/202001/spirituality-and-mental-health |
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