A leading pediatric psychiatrist shows clinicians a holistic, full-spectrum approach to children’s well-being. Every child possesses enormous untapped potential, and yet the number of kids suffering from mental illness today seems to creep ever upward. Depression, anxiety, ADHD, OCD, oppositional defiant disorder, anger issues—you name it—are increasingly prevalent, leaving clinician’s offices packed with worried parents and caregivers, wondering how they can help their children. In this book, child psychiatrist Scott Shannon offers a refreshing new path for practitioners who are eager for a more optimistic view of children’s mental health, one that emphasizes a child’s inherent resilience and resources over pathology and prescriptions. “What is mental health?” Shannon explores the fundamental question, showing that an innate desire for balance—a wholeness—between brain-body-mind lies at the heart of wellness. Such a balance can’t be achieved by medication alone, but requires a broad, full-spectrum understanding of children’s lives: their diet, social skills, sleep habits, their ability to self-regulate, to find meaning and purpose in life, and their family relationships. Stress, trauma, and poor nutrition are some of the most common barriers to wholeness in kids’ lives, and Shannon carefully examines these and other barriers, and what the latest discoveries in neuroplasticity and epigenetics tell us about their ability to overcome them. Readers will learn how to perform a different sort of assessment—one that identifies patterns of imbalance and obstacles to health in a child’s life—as well as how to build a meaningful, effective treatment plan around these deficits, and how clinicians can best position themselves to respond effectively. The second part of the book looks at eight of the most common childhood mental health issues—ADHD, depression, behavioral problems, anxiety and OCD, bipolar disorder, substance abuse, autism spectrum disorders, and trauma and PTSD—and a variety of effective complementary treatment tools for each, including dietary changes, nutritional supplements, specific cognitive or behavioral therapies, parenting interventions, medications, and more. Step-by-step treatment plans are included to guide clinicians on how best to approach each presenting problem. Mental Health for the Whole Child combines modern science, cutting-edge psychology, integrative medicine, and clinical wisdom to offer all professionals who work with kids a new, more hopeful way forward.

"This book builds upon my early work and the work and others by offering a comprehensive guide to practitioners interested in facing and helping to heal trauma and manage the drama systemically with a special focus on children and adolescents. The FST Model is a contribution to the fields of trauma, family sciences, and human development practice." --Charles R. Figley, PhD; Kurzweg Chair in Disaster Mental Health at Tulane University in New Orleans This is the first book that addresses trauma treatment for child and adolescents using a Family Systems Trauma (FST) model which goes beyond individual therapy to include the child and their entire family. Co-written by a renowned family therapist who created the Parenting with Love and Limits® model, it delivers a research-based , step-by-step approach that incorporates the child’s immediate family along with their extended family to treat the traumatized child or adolescent. Using a "stress chart," the child or adolescent's trauma symptoms are quickly identified. This strategy guides therapists in accurately diagnosing root causes of the child's trauma and culminates in the creation of co-created "wound playbooks" to heal trauma in both the child as well as other family members. Additional helpful features include extensive case examples, a menu of trauma techniques, wound playbook examples, evaluation forms, client handouts, and other practical tools to provide the therapist with a complete guide to implementing this approach. Child and family therapists, social workers, mental health counselors, and psychologists working in a variety of settings will find this book a valuable resource. Key Features: Provides a step-by-step, practice focused, time-limited model Uses a family systems approach for addressing child and adolescent trauma--the only book of its kind Includes useful tools such as checklists, client handouts, and evaluation forms

Reassuring and thought-provoking reflections for everyday reading. Even with the best intentions, it can be difficult to take time out of our busy days to reflect on our experiences, lean on the wisdom of others, and draw inspiration from the world around us. Filled with bite-sized passages that enlighten and stir contemplation, this pocket guide offers the perfect, thoughtful start to your day. Choose from over 150 reflections on themes ranging from relationships, change, self-awareness, and health, to problem solving, mindfulness, family, forgiveness, and more. Carefully compiled from books by leading helping professionals, the passages offer readers insight and comfort from the best therapists around. Thought-provoking questions for self-discovery follow each entry, providing a source of enlightenment and contemplation throughout the day. The end of the book offers a series of guided visualizations with scripted exercises for readers wanting more direction and engagement. Whether you are seeking connection, reassurance, or motivation for self-improvement, the welcoming, inspiring ideas in this book will help you get there

According to some reports, about half of all adults and children have one or more chronic health conditions. One in four adults has two or more chronic health conditions. And, sadly, these numbers continue to grow at an alarming rate. The Holistic Rx offers the reader with one or more chronic health conditions or symptoms easy-to-follow evidence-based approaches to healing their ailments by targeting inflammation and its underlying root causes. Dr. Madiha Saeed covers the foundations of good health like digestive health and detoxification, and the Four Big S’s (stress management, sleep strategies, social and spiritual health), along with disease-specific supplements homeopathy, acupressure, aromatherapy, , other holistic remedies to achieve lasting good health and wellness. The first part of the book addresses the root of chronic illness—inflammation—and examines its underlying causes and possible treatment approaches that focus on the whole body rather than just the affected area. In the second part of the book, she first advises the reader on adjusting their holistic approach to their health conditions based on their individual needs. Then, after briefly describing various integrative approaches, she provides an A-to-Z guide to holistic and integrative treatment of over 70 chronic illnesses, conditions, and symptoms. For each condition, she outlines a healing plan that begins with digestive health and detoxifications and the four S’s specific to that organ system and covers the additional alternative, holistic, and complementary approaches that are most effective for that condition. This ready resource will help the whole family address their most common complaints and promotes a healthy, balanced lifestyle that focuses on overall wellness.

What does it mean to be a child in Africa? In the detached Western media, narratives of penury, wickedness and death have dominated portrayals of African childhood. The hegemonic lens of the West has failed to take into account the intricacies of not only what it means to be an African child in local and culturally specific contexts, but also African childhood in general. Challenging colonial discourses, this edited volume guides the reader through different comprehensions and perspectives of childhood in Africa. Using a blend of theory, empiricism and history, the contributors to this volume offer studies from a range of fields including African literature, Afro-centric psychology and sociology. Importantly, in its eclectic geographical coverage of Africa, this book unashamedly presents the good, the bad and the ugly of African childhood. The resilience, creativity, pains and triumphs of African childhood are skilfully woven together to present the myriad of lived experiences and aspirations of children from across Africa. As an important contribution to African childhood studies, this book has the potential to be used by policymakers to shape, sustain or change socio-cultural, economic and education systems that accommodate African childhood dynamics and experiences at different levels.

Imagine that your daily diet could be the key to improving your mental health! "Mind-Body Connection" is a revolutionary book that explores the intricate relationship between what we eat and how we feel. This book is not just a summary of scientific research, but a practical guide that will help you make informed decisions about your eating habits to improve your mental well-being. From reducing stress to promoting happiness, Sandua takes you on a journey through the science of nutrition and its impact on mental health. The book addresses topics such as the historical relationship between nutrition and mental health, current scientific evidence, the impact of nutrition on emotional well-being, nutritional strategies to reduce anxiety and depression, and much more. He also delves into the influence of nutrition on cognitive function, mental clarity, sleep quality, and prevention of mental disorders. He critiques current dietary guidelines for mental health and proposes personalized nutritional approaches in mental health management. He also discusses implications for clinical practice and policy, and the challenges and limitations of current research. "Mind-Body Connection" is more than a book, it is a call to individuals, healthcare professionals and policy makers to prioritize nutrition in mental health promotion. If you are looking for a way to improve your mental well-being through your dietary choices, this book is a must read. Discover how food can be your safest and most powerful medicine today!

Understanding child health and wellness through a holistic lens. Complementing his book for professionals, here Scott Shannon equips parents and caregivers with a better way to understand the mental health challenges their children face, including how cutting-edge scientific concepts like epigenetics and neuroplasticity mean new hope for overcoming them. Readers learn how the most common stressors in kids—inadequate nutrition, unaddressed trauma, learning problems, family relationships, and more—are often at the root of behavioral and emotional issues, and what steps can be taken to restore health and wholeness, without immediately turning to medication.