Young Adult Therapy

03/25/2025

I think this is a really interesting interview with Sanjay Gupta and Cara Natterson (the author of "The Care and Keeping of You) about what's happening regarding trends in onset of puberty. There's some interesting discussion about why puberty is happening earlier than it did a generation ago, focusing on the increase in cortisol production that results from daily stressors. This could include stressors like food insecurity or violence but also might include exposure to constant stimulation from digital media. The interview includes some advice to parents on just how early they should talk to their kids about what's happening in their bodies.

Research shows that kids are starting puberty earlier than ever, with the average age now beginning at 8 for girls and 9 for boys. But what does this mean for their long-term health? Sanjay sits down with Dr. Cara Natterson, a pediatrician and expert on adolescent health, to discuss the implications...

06/30/2024

Today is the end of my 10th year of private practice and this is a reflection on those ten years. I describe what my practice is about and how it's changed since 2014.

04/16/2024

I have not read this book yet, but it has been recommended by several of my friends and colleagues. I agree with most of the points made in this interview with the author. My observation, based on my private practice, is that rates of anxiety and mal-adaptive behaviors are increasing across all age groups (13-30) and the most concerning behaviors (e.g. self-harm) are moving to younger and younger children. In addition to the points made in this summary, I would add that the constant connection to social media means that conflict resolution doesn't include periods of time to pause and reflect without the input of peers. It is important for the development of emotional control to have time to think independently about the content of one's interactions. I highly encourage parents to limit the amount of time their middle-school and high-school aged children spend on their phones.

With his book “The Anxious Generation,” social psychologist Jonathan Haidt calls for a revolution in how parents administer smartphones and social media to children.

01/25/2024

This is interesting commentary regarding the health effects of any amount of alcohol. There is a common belief that one drink a day is somehow good for heart health, but this was based on one study published in 1991of the Mediterranean lifestyle. Since then, other studies have shown correlations between alcohol consumption and certain cancers and that even one drink per day increases systolic blood pressure and has negative health effects on the liver.

Dr. Sanjay Gupta looks at how the medical consensus on alcohol has changed over the years and what medical experts are saying about the effects of alcohol today.