From social media pressure to increasing political polarization, teens today are facing higher rates of depression and anxiety. Idaho is seeing what some say is a mental health crisis for youth. But, what can you as a parent do to help your child navigate and connect?
Boise State Public Radio and KTVB Idaho's News Channel 7 hosted a panel conversation in June 2024 at the Boise Centre on the Grove on teen mental health to empower parents and attendees with tools to better connect with family and community.
This was the first of three events on mental health from Boise State Public Radio. Our next is Thursday, Sept. 26 at Marsing High School from 6 - p.m. and focuses on rural mental health. Details & free registration here.
Featured panelists:
Dr. Megan L. Smith is an Associate Professor for the School of Public & Population Health at Boise State University. As founding director of Communities for Youth, Dr. Smith focuses on upstream prevention through community engaged efforts to promote youth and community health.
Vashti Summervill considers it her life’s work to build community and connection. She has a full parent coaching and therapeutic consulting practice, Family Healing Pathways. She regularly tours and evaluates therapeutic programs for adolescents and young adults so she can assist parents in finding the right resources for their children. Vashti also teaches Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. She recently published a book to help support struggling parents, adolescents and young adults called “Letters From the Wilderness of Modern Parenting.”
Dr. Maja Ledgerwood, DSW, LCSW, is a clinical social worker passionate about social work, specializing in rural social services. Maja has 12 years of medical social work experience in nursing homes, hospice, rural health clinic, and critical access hospital settings. She is currently an assistant professor in the MSW program at Northwest Nazarene University, a short-term clinical social worker/owner/consultant of Rural Social Service Solutions, LLC. She is also on two statewide service committees to help improve social work access and training in Idaho.
Check out our series Mind Matters and more from our mental health coverage