Conversations with KidsPeace

KidsPeace kicked off the celebration of its 140th Anniversary at the end of January, following the second year of the COVID-19 pandemic that has remade the landscape of mental healthcare in America. Host Bob Martin welcomes KidsPeace President and CEO Michael Slack to discuss the significance of the anniversary and what he expects for the organization in the year ahead, in the premier episode of t...

A favorite saying … an inspirational quote … maybe a tip to do something around the house better. For the past four years, guests on our Conversations podcasts have shared their wisdom and expertise by providing visitors with “life hacks.” In this last episode of 2021, we revisit some of our favorite life hack suggestions, to provide our podcast audience with some guidance and hope for the coming...

The latest issue of Healing Magazine has been published (at www.healingmagazine.org ), with a special section examining the therapeutic power of telling stories. On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, several of the issue’s contributing authors give their perspectives on stories and storytelling as a tool to overcome trauma and strengthen mental wellness. The Conversations with KidsPeace pod...

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s easy to forget other issues continue to affect our society. One of those issues: substance abuse and addiction, and on a new episode of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast we discuss how KidsPeace’s treatment programs are serving clients in need in the COVID age. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spyglass Solutions. www.spyglasssolutions...

September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the latest edition of the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast discusses an approach described as “CPR for suicide prevention.” Host Bob Martin and suicide prevention trainer Jessica Racine also discuss some of the prevalent myths around suicide in our society, and how to combat them. If you or someone you know is experiencing a suici...

One effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on businesses and organizations has been a renewed interest in the emotional and mental health of their employees.  In the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we discuss a new initiative by the consulting practice Spyglass Solutions to equip and train groups to help their workforces practice effective self-care to address the effects of stress and...

In the latest installment of Conversations with KidsPeace, host Bob Martin talks with three contributors to the just-published issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine -- discussing how games can help train new direct care employees, and how education and art therapy have been changed by the COVID-19 pandemic.  And you can find the articles from the newest issue at https://www.healingmagazine.or...

The Spring/Summer 2021 edition of Healing Magazine has been published at healingmagazine.org. The magazine’s “Spotlight” section looks at how games can be beneficial in a therapeutic sense, and its lead article highlights KidsPeace’s leadership in using the role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons in its group sessions with individuals with autism. Last fall KidsPeace’s Rob Harvey discussed his wo...

It’s described as the most significant reform in federal child welfare policy in decades. How will the Families First Prevention Services Act change programs like foster care and residential treatment across America? KidsPeace’s Ken Olson joins the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast as part of our commemoration of National Foster Care Awareness Month, to discuss the law’s impact on caring for ki...

May is National Foster Care Month and, after a year of pandemic, how has foster care changed? On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, we talk with two KidsPeace foster care experts on what adjustments were made to deal with the impact of COVID-19, and which of those adjustments are likely to remain after the pandemic eases. The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast is sponsored by Spygl...

Amid the issues surrounding the impact of COVID-19 on our lives, some people appear to be handling all of it exceptionally well – demonstrating a high level of quality and leadership in their chosen field.  They may be considered experts and leaders by everybody, everywhere …  … except in their own minds.     On the latest edition of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcas...

Healthcare organizations have had to adopt new approaches to serving their clients amid the COVID-19 pandemic. But will those new ways to deliver care continue to be an option after the crisis eases? In the case of outpatient mental health treatment, the answer for one option appears to be “Yes.” On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, host Bob Martin discusses the future of telehealth in out...

KidsPeace has launched a new consulting practice – aiming to share its expertise and insights with other organizations. On the latest “Conversations” podcast, host Bob Martin talks with Spyglass Solutions principal consultants Patrick Slattery and Ben Steefel about expectations for the new venture and what organizations can benefit the most from working with Spyglass. https://www.spyglasssolutions...

2020 will go down in history as a remarkable and challenging year for all of us … including KidsPeace. What will be the lasting impact of 2020 on the organization – and what can we expect from 2021? On the latest edition of the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, President and CEO Mike Slack joins host Bob Martin for a look back, and look ahead, for KidsPeace and mental healthcare in general.

KidsPeace’s TeenCentral.com service has provided needed support to young people struggling with anxiety and stress from the COVID-19 pandemic. On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast host Bob Martin checks in with TeenCentral’s Jodi Whitcomb and Jessica Racine on its continuing efforts to provide hope and help to youth, and they explain the process for the centerpiece of the service – t...

The latest issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine looks at the impact COVID-19 has had on mental health in America, and proposes a new way to look at safeguarding our mental wellness in the face of the stress of the pandemic. On the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Matthew Koval discusses how we can adopt a set of actions to protect ourselves against the effects of CO...

It’s a role-playing game that’s been around for more than forty years, but Dungeons & Dragons is finding new popularity these days -- and at KidsPeace, it’s also found a new role in helping young people with autism. On the latest installment of Conversations with KidsPeace, therapist Rob Harvey describes how he’s turned his passion for Dungeons & Dragons into a surprisingly successful appr...

The heart of KidsPeace’s TeenCentral.com service lies in the stories shared by visitors, and the therapeutic support responses they receive. In the latest installment of our podcast series Conversations with KidsPeace , host Bob Martin talks with KidsPeace Board of Directors chair Dr. Scott Reines about his family’s donation to the service aimed at keeping its heart beating for future visitors.

Amid COVID-19 and other challenges that are dividing our society, the latest edition of Conversations with KidsPeace podcast tells an inspirational story of connection . Host Bob Martin talks with a recreational therapist about how kids in our residential treatment program found a way to share a message of hope with residents of local nursing homes, as both face the stress of pandemic lockdowns.

Just in time for Mother’s Day, KidsPeace is rolling out a unique initiative to help people connect across the divide of social distancing – The KidsPeace Virtual Hug. Vice President Ann McCauley joins host Bob Martin in a new special edition of “Conversations with KidsPeace” to explain how an offhand comment from a client in treatment led to the Virtual Hug – and to demonstrate it by sending one o...

A mental or behavioral health crisis is terrifying enough for an individual or their family in the best of times, but it’s even worse during a global crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. KidsPeace’s outpatient offices in the Lehigh Valley and Monroe County offer free walk-in assessments for those in crisis – providing guidance on their next steps in resolving the crisis while keeping them out of...

On a special edition of the “Conversations with KidsPeace” podcast, we discuss KidsPeace’s TeenCentral.com service and the role it can play amid the COVID-19 crisis. TeenCentral.com leader Jodi Whitcomb offers insights into how her team is providing specific information on coping with COVID-19, while continuing to give young people a safe place to ask questions, share stories and seek advice in a...

The Conversations with KidsPeace podcast returns for its third season just in time for Valentine’s Day 2020 – and examines the phenomenon of “young love”… Therapist Breannah Allen discusses how young people deal with romantic attraction and attachments, and ways parents can help them navigate those situations.  Bob Martin hosts.

The new issue of KidsPeace’s Healing Magazine is out now, and on the Conversations with KidsPeace podcast host Bob Martin talks with three contributors who shared their stories of the therapeutic benefits that pets, animals and nature can provide.

Treating a child suffering from mental or behavioral health challenges often involves treating their families, too. On the latest Conversations with KidsPeace podcast, host Bob Martin welcomes back therapists Adrienne Pauling and Michelle Callahan to discuss the importance of family therapy and ways it can make a difference in helping kids thrive.