Tykes & Teens

12/11/2025

When Angelina first came to Tykes & Teens, she was just 3 years old spirited but struggling. Her home was filled with love, but also tension. Her mom, overwhelmed and facing postpartum depression, was doing her best to hold everything together.

She knew something had to change. So she reached out.

Through our Infant Mental Health program, healing began. Therapy built stronger bonds between Angelina and her brother. Her mom found clarity, support, and the confidence to meet her children’s needs with empathy and care.

Over time, the chaos softened. The family began to thrive.

The early years matter. And with the right support, families like Angelina’s blossom.

12/08/2025

🌿 Celebrating a True Champion for Our Youngest Children: Elizabeth Appleton 🌿

We are beyond proud to shine a spotlight on Elizabeth Appleton, IMH-E, our Director of Infant & Early Childhood Mental Health Programming at Tykes & Teens. Elizabeth’s passion lies with our youngest and most vulnerable—newborns to age five—ensuring that babies, toddlers, their families, and their caregivers receive world-class mental health support during the most critical years of development.

Her work is tender, tireless, and often unseen… but its ripple effect in our community is enormous. Every day, Elizabeth and her dedicated team walk alongside families who have experienced trauma, offering hope, healing, and the chance for a brighter future.

💚 Recently, Elizabeth and her team were honored with the Branches of Connection Award from the Florida Association for Infant Mental Health—an award that recognizes programs that extend supportive arms into their communities and weave strong, relationship-based networks for infants, young children, and their families. This recognition couldn’t be more deserved.

At Tykes & Teens, we are deeply grateful for Elizabeth—her extraordinary work ethic, her steady leadership, and her compassionate heart. Her team’s impact shapes the foundation of lifelong mental wellness for the children we serve, and we could not do this work without them.

12/06/2025

We had a great conversation about children’s mental health with John and Crystal at Riley Black Studios: All Things Content. Thank you for allowing us to share our story 💜

12/04/2025

Parents, We Need to Talk. Social Media Is Hurting Our Kids — and It’s Not Going Away.

Did you know that 95% of teens are on social media — and more than a third are online almost constantly? Even kids as young as 8–12 are logging hours a day. Here in Florida, a recent youth survey showed that 1 in 5 kids spend 6+ hours a day on their favorite apps, and children with notifications set to “always on” are three times more likely to report anxiety.

This isn’t just screen time. It’s impacting sleep. It’s eroding self-esteem. It’s fueling anxiety, depression, and social comparison at a level we’ve never seen before.
And this problem isn’t going away.

Social media is designed to pull children in and keep them there — long before their brains are developed enough to manage the pressure.

But there is something parents can do:
🌱 Start the conversation early
🌱 Set healthy boundaries on time and content
🌱 Turn off notifications
🌱 Keep phones out of bedrooms at night
🌱 Model healthy digital habits ourselves
🌱 Ask your child how they’re feeling online — not just what they’re doing.

We cannot wait for this issue to solve itself. Our kids need us to step in, stay present, and guide them. Their mental health, confidence, and sense of safety depend on it.

At Tykes & Teens, we’re here to support families navigating these conversations. If you need guidance or if your child is struggling, reach out — we’re here to help.

12/02/2025

1 in 7 children will face a mental health disorder this year, yet 62% won’t receive the care they need. Along the Treasure Coast, where many families rely on Medicaid or are underinsured, access to mental health care can feel out of reach.

For 30 years, Tykes & Teens has stepped into the void, offering expert, trauma-informed mental health care to children and families regardless of their ability to pay. From walk-in clinics to early childhood services, we’re planting the seeds of hope, one young life at a time.

💛 Whether you give through your IRA, stock, a gift in memory, or a monthly pledge, your generosity ensures no child is turned away.

👉 Visit tykesandteens.org/national-giving-day or contact our Philanthropy Team at givehelp@tykesandteens.org

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday — and the need has never been greater.

Children and teens across our community are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, and crisis. Right now, families are reaching out to Tykes & Teens desperate for help… and we refuse to turn a child away.

But we cannot do this alone.

Every single dollar given today goes directly toward lifesaving mental health services for children who need us most.
$10 helps. $25 helps. $100 helps. Every gift matters.

✨ If you’ve ever wondered whether your contribution makes a difference — today, it truly does.

Please give now. Please share.
Help us be there for every child who needs hope, healing, and a safe place to turn.

❤️ Give today. Change a life.

https://tykesandteens.org/national-giving-day/

12/02/2025

Today is Giving Tuesday - and the need has never been greater.

Children and teens across our community are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, and crisis. Right now, families are reaching out to Tykes & Teens desperate for help… and we refuse to turn a child away.

But we cannot do this alone.

Every single dollar given today goes directly toward lifesaving mental health services for children who need us most.
$10 helps. $25 helps. $100 helps. Every gift matters.

✨ If you’ve ever wondered whether your contribution makes a difference — today, it truly does.

Please give now. Please share.
Help us be there for every child who needs hope, healing, and a safe place to turn.

❤️ Give today. Change a life.
Today is Giving Tuesday — and the need has never been greater.

Children and teens across our community are struggling with anxiety, depression, trauma, and crisis. Right now, families are reaching out to Tykes & Teens desperate for help… and we refuse to turn a child away.

But we cannot do this alone.

Every single dollar given today goes directly toward lifesaving mental health services for children who need us most.
$10 helps. $25 helps. $100 helps. Every gift matters.

✨ If you’ve ever wondered whether your contribution makes a difference — today, it truly does.

Please give now. Please share.
Help us be there for every child who needs hope, healing, and a safe place to turn.

❤️ Give today. Change a life.
https://tykesandteens.org/national-giving-day/

11/27/2025

This Thanksgiving, our hearts are full of gratitude. 💛

To our volunteers who show up with compassion and consistency, thank you for believing that every child deserves the chance to blossom.

To our donors and funders, your generosity makes healing possible. You’ve helped us step into the void and create places of safety, hope, and growth for children who need it most.

And to the parents and families who entrust us with their children’s mental health, we are profoundly honored. Your trust is the foundation of everything we do.

Today and every day, we’re thankful to be part of a community that stands together for children’s mental well-being. 🌱

11/25/2025

11/25/2025

🍂 🍁 As we kick off Thanksgiving week, we couldn’t have asked for a more meaningful beginning. Today, we officially signed the agreement with Impact100 St. Lucie, following their extraordinary $100,000 grant to launch our Walk-In Assessment Center in St. Lucie County!

This generous gift is more than support - it’s a message to our community’s children and families that help, hope, and healing are within reach. Having immediate access to mental health assessments for youth in crisis will change lives, strengthen families, and bring comfort when it’s needed most. 🧡

We’re overflowing with gratitude for Impact100 St. Lucie’s belief in our mission and the brighter future they are helping us build.

Stay tuned… big things are blossoming, and soon those doors will be open! 🍁🍂

11/24/2025

At Tykes & Teens, we believe every child deserves access to quality mental health care, regardless of income, insurance, or circumstance.

As one of the few providers of children’s mental health services on the Treasure Coast that accepts Medicaid, we ensure no child is turned away due to inability to pay. We also accept private insurance and offer a sliding fee scale to meet families where they are.

Every child deserves to blossom, with or without insurance. 💛