Making sure the children in our lives are healthy and thriving includes their mental wellbeing. While the natural resilience of kids is often referenced, the truth is that our youngest members of society are vulnerable to stress, anxiety and, sadly, traumatic experiences. It’s not always easy to tell, or to know how to help, so we’ve turned to Dr. Victor G. Carrion for guidance.
Dr. Carrion is the John A. Turner M.D. Professor and Vice-Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University. He’s a faculty member of both Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, as well as the Director of the Stanford Early Life Stress and Pediatric Anxiety Program, with more than two decades dedicated to researching and treating the impact of stress and trauma on young, developing minds. He’s developed a treatment called Cue-Centered Therapy, is investigating the positive and preventative impacts of a yoga and mindfulness curriculum in schools, and has authored and co-authored books on both subjects.
In this episode of What Makes Up Your Mind, Dr. Carrion explains how every day stressors can be addressed, mitigated, and how providing children with appropriate skills can actually prevent anxiety and depression, giving them lifelong tools to cope with what life may bring while also creating a healthier society. Further, he discusses serious trauma and PTSD in kids with the good news that it can be treated and cured, but greater access to treatment is needed. You’ll hear how we can all play a role in that whether we’re healthcare providers, professionals in education, religious and spiritual community members, or family and friends.
