When is Residential Mental Health Right For Adolescents?
Life is hard enough for a teenager. From the pressures of school to the news of the day to the ongoing pandemic, life doesn't slow down when we need it to. When it comes to residential adolescent mental health care, there are a lot of things to consider. What is the...
Parent’s Frequent Fears about Treatment- FAQ
Parent’s Frequent Fears about Treatment- FAQ 1. It will make my teen’s mental health worse if they have to miss activities because of treatment. For many kids, their extra-curricular activities are what give them a little joy in what may be an otherwise dark...
Halloween and Mental Health, ABC7
Nicole Siegfried PhD, CEDS, joined abc7 for Mental Health Monday. She spoke on how certain costumes could be triggering and how costumes depicting mental illness (i.e. psych ward patients) adds to the stigma around mental illness. From haunted hause psych ward mazes...
Is Virtual Care Effective for My Adolescent?
Is Virtual Care Effective for My Adolescent? When your adolescent or teen is struggling with mental health, it can feel overwhelming to find the support they need. One option commonly offered is virtual care. At Lightfully, we offer Virtual Intensive Outpatient...
5 Ways Nostalgia Is Good for Your Health (and When It’s Not)
Deanna Woodhouse, LMFT, spoke with Everyday Health on the topic of nostalgia and its influence on mental health. She explains, "nostalgia can be beneficial when dealing with dark times and reminding clients there was once light.” Nostalgia is that feeling of thinking...
How Families Can Support Adolescent’s Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts
How Families Can Support Adolescent’s Struggling with Suicidal Thoughts According to the National Alliance on Mental Health, suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth ages 15-24 in the United States. Nearly 20% of high school students report serious...
A mom let her 5-year-old get her hair bleached and was criticized online. But experts say following kids’ lead can build trust.
Megan Ledet, LCSW, says allowing your child to experiment with their hair is a great way to build mutual respect and trust in an article with Insider. When a mom posted a TikTok of her 5-year-old daughter getting her hair bleached at a salon, the clip went viral, but...
Antipsychotic Drugs in Nursing Homes
Stephanie G. Thompson, director of clinical operations for Lightfully Behavioral Health, spoke with US News about antipsychotic drugs used to treat certain mental health disorders. Recent reports suggest these powerful drugs may be overused in treating older adults in...
My child has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder—what do I do now?
Megan Bendig Ledet, LCSW, Vice President of Adolescent Services When your child receives a mental health disorder diagnosis it’s completely normal to feel lost and confused about what to do. At Lightfully Behavioral Health, we want you to know you aren’t alone and we...