Mental Health Goes to School

Episode Summary In this episode, Dr. Candida Fink and special educator Jo-Ann Berry dive into the nuances of supporting students with ADHD in the classroom. Moving beyond repetitive "pay attention" reminders, they explore the "curious approach" to prompting—asking students if they are stuck or simply thinking. The conversation covers practical classroom strategies for high schooler...

Episode Summary In Episode 31, Dr. Candida Fink and Jo-Ann Berry tackle the complex and evolving role of technology in the classroom. They discuss the growing movement toward "phone-free" schools, examining the tension between the potential benefits of reduced distractions and the practical challenges of enforcement. The conversation also shifts to the transformative power of Generative AI...

In this episode of Mental Health Goes to School, hosts Candida Fink and Jo-Ann Berry dive into the complex and often misunderstood relationship between children's screen time and their mental health. They explore a recent longitudinal study and discuss why the focus is shifting from total hours spent online to the nature of "addictive use." The conversation covers the developmental vul...

In this episode, Jo-Ann Berry (Special Educator) and Dr. Candida Fink (Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist) explore the science and clinical use of two prominent mental health treatments: SSRIs and Ketamine . They break down how these medications work, their common side effects, and the importance of professional medical supervision—especially for adolescents in a school setting. Key Points &...

Co-Hosts: Jo-Ann Berry (Special Educator and Dr. Candida Fink (Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist) The Big Picture In this episode, Jo-Ann and Candida distill years of experience in the classroom and the clinic into their "Top 3" recommendations for supporting the mental health of teens and young adults. They explore the critical intersection of education and psychiatry, offering actionab...

In this episode, we dig into an April 13, 2025, article in the New York Times Magazine by journalist Paul Tough. Bringing together perspectives as a clinician and a special educator, we consider the article’s point of view regarding ADHD. Jo-Ann and Candida explore the evolving understanding of ADHD, exploring its definitions, the implications of overdiagnosis and underdiagnosis, and the role of m...

Addiction specialist Dr. Lipi Roy discusses what substance use disorders are and teaches us about the most updated models of care for these painful conditions. There are effective medical treatments available now that are integrated into comprehensive treatment plans that include non-medication interventions as well.   Unfortunately, because of outdated understandings of and stigma about substance...

Peer mentor Jax Agee joins Candida and Jo-Ann to tell about their work as a peer mentor for people living with mental health challenges. Jax’s lived experience helps them connect with individuals living in the community with tasks and goals related to their treatment plans. This can include tasks of daily living, budgeting and banking, learning to use transportation, reinforcing therapeutic goals,...

The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop provides a framework to consider why students approach school as they do. Mainly targeted toward parents, this newly published book (January 2025) can be helpful for educators and providers to help teens navigate their education and next steps. The writers walk through four types of...

“Stop Panicking Over Teens and Social Media,” an essay from the Wall Street Journal by Lucy Foulkes provides a different point of view that Jo-Ann and Candida discuss. Foulkes points out that some of the generalizations about social media use and teen mental health may not be backed up by the data. While we have some differences, we agree that parents need tools and guidance to help their teens le...

Candida and Jo-Ann talk about a recent guest essay in the New York Times, Giving Kids Some Autonomy Has Surprising Results (Jan 2, 2025) by Jenny Anderson and Rebecca Winthrop, authors of “ The Disengaged Teen: Helping Kids Learn Better, Feel Better, and Live Better. ” Students are more likely to be engaged in their education with some autonomy, particularly in choosing how to approach their learn...

Erin Tate, a licensed clinical social worker from Montana joins Jo-Ann and Candida for a compelling conversation. Erin shares insights from her private practice, Dragonfly Counseling, which is dedicated to serving communities in need, regardless of their ability to pay. The discussion highlights the increasing levels of anxiety among adolescents, exacerbated by the pandemic and its impact on socia...

Ellen Hallsworth, Director of Bradley REACH, joins Jo-Ann and Candida to discuss innovative approaches in Mental Health care for adolescents. Ellen shares insights into Bradley REACH's virtual partial hospitalization program, which has been remarkably successful in engaging adolescents in remote mental health treatment. Ellen delves into the unexpected success of virtual care during the pandem...

💬 Show Notes Dr. Willough Jenkins, child psychiatrist joins Jo-Ann Berry and Dr. Candida Fink to discuss the multifaceted challenges of Mental Health in School settings. Recorded live from the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry conference in Seattle, this episode of Mental Health Goes to School dives deep into the intersection of digital technology and student well-being as well...

Inspired by the film Inside Out 2 Jo-Ann and Candida discuss how anxiety manifests in adolescents and how it can be managed. They explore how anxiety, a natural part of adolescence, can become overwhelming, especially when linked to academic pressures like writing assignments. The hosts emphasize the importance of recognizing anxiety triggers and employing strategies such as movement breaks, senso...

Steve Locke is a New York-based artist and professor of art whom Candida and Jo-Ann have known since college. His work focuses on identity and asks the viewer to contemplate our shared history from another perspective. Our wide-ranging conversation covers the transition to college, how the pandemic has affected teaching and learning, art, life, and so much more. Steve is the recipient of many gran...

Steve Locke is a New York-based artist and professor of art whom Candida and Jo-Ann have known since college. His work focuses on identity and asks the viewer to contemplate our shared history from another perspective. Our wide-ranging conversation covers the transition to college, how the pandemic has affected teaching and learning, art, life, and so much more. Steve is the recipient of many gran...

Maria Barrera, Founder & CEO of Clayful tells us about how Clayful provides on demand online wellness coaching for students to help build resilience in real time. Maria leveraged her experience as a mechanical engineer, and as a founder of Nearpod, the online educational platform, to develop a system that addresses mental wellness through this school-supported platform.  Clayful offers accessi...

Cell phone use by students in the classroom is a contentious issue. Join Jo-Ann Berry, a seasoned special educator, and Dr. Candida Fink, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, as they delve into this topic. In this episode of Mental Health Goes to School, they tackle the complexities surrounding students' use of mobile devices during school hours and its impact on learning and mental health. Fr...

Note: This episode discusses mental health crises and mentions suicide. If you or a loved one are experiencing thoughts of suicide, know that you are not alone and help is available. You can call or text “988” - the National Crisis/Suicide Hotline. They are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Dr. Shivana Naidoo is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with a broad range of experience working in...

E12: Lori Krinsky: NAMI - You Are Not Alone Lori Krinksy joins Candida and Jo-Ann to discuss her involvement with NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness). Lori is her local chapter's president (volunteer) and walks us through NAMI’s national, state, and local programs and resources. NAMI is volunteer-driven, with some paid staff at the national and state levels. The 600 local chapters, whil...

In Part 2 of the conversation with Dr. Jacqui Springer, Assistant Dean for Student Support and Advocacy Services at the University of Rhode Island, we focus on the transition to college and learning what supports are available and what students and families should consider when applying to college. The most important thing is for students to have honest conversations with providers, teachers, and...

Candida and Jo-Ann talk with Dr. Jacqui Springer, Assistant Dean for Student Support and Advocacy Services at the University of Rhode Island. Our discussion focuses on the transition back to school from hospitalization or partial hospitalization for mental health treatment. In most cases, the need for a higher level of care for a student does not come as a surprise - there is usually some sort of...

In this episode Jo-Ann and Candida spin off from our last interview about school avoidance, digging a little deeper into the high rates of chronic absenteeism being seen across the country since COVID-19. Public discussions have tended to focus on this problem as one of kids and families falling into bad habits since the pandemic. In our experience and reading we have found that there are numerous...

School refusal or avoidance is a real problem that is not the same as not liking school. Some students miss school for weeks, months, or even entire academic years. The reasons students avoid or refuse to attend school are rooted in anxiety and are not just a desire to do something else. It’s not playing hooky. Jayne Demsky started her journey with school refusal when it became a problem for her s...