Youth and Technology: Mental Health Redefined (Part 1)

When: Wednesday, October 30 - 12:00 PM

Duration: 1 hours 30 minutes

Location: Zoom

Event Details:

*By registering for the first session, you will automatically be registered for the second session.*

Join us for a two-part clinical intensive to explore the profound connection between modern technology and youth mental health. Young people are currently spending more and more time with technology. In 2023, 46% of teens reported being online ‘almost constantly,’ a jump from the 24% response rate in 2014-2015. Technology can benefit users while also exposing them to potential harms. Providers can play a role supporting youth’s healthy and responsible use of technology.  

In Part 1, Dr. Lisa Strohman will delve into critical statistics that reveal the correlation between the rise of social media and alarming increases in suicide and self-harm rates among young people. She will also address the broader impact of the online world on youth, including their exposure to the gaming industry, the porn industry, self-harm, eating disorders, and access to illegal drugs. Participants will gain an in-depth understanding of how these digital platforms influence behaviors, mental health, and development. 

To deepen provider’s understanding after attending Part 1, participants will have the opportunity to read a chapter of the book, Digital Distress; Growing Up Online, giving them a broader scope of the problems with the technology industry and its impacts on youth. In addition, participants will be invited to complete an evaluation.

In Part 2, Dr. Strohman and Dana Chandler will draw from Part 1 and delve deep into the complex relationship between adolescents and the digital landscape. Participants will use the information gained from the chapter reading to explore how constant connectivity impacts the mental, emotional, and social development of young people. Proven, research-based strategies for addressing these challenges will be covered including tools for monitoring online behavior, technology based mental health screenings, and practical recommendations on how to guide youth toward healthier online habits.

After attending this 2-part offering, participants will be able to:

  • Describe the relationship between the increase in social media use and mental health concerns in youth
  • Identify how to mitigate risks and foster healthier digital habits among youth
  • Use resources to help foster a balanced and safe digital environment for our youth

Dr. Lisa Strohman 

Dr. Lisa Strohman is a clinical psychologist, author, public speaker and the founder and director of Digital Citizen Academy. She established Digital Citizen Academy to proactively prevent and educate students, educators and parents on the issues resulting from technology use and misuse. Dr. Strohman has spent more than a decade working with adolescents and families in her private practice and a career working with schools to address challenges with student mental health and well-being. In addition, Dr. Strohman was a Visiting Scholar for the FBI working on homicidal pedophilia when the Columbine High School shooting occurred giving her the opportunity to be on the front lines of how technology impacts our youth. She has continued to work with law enforcement and the FBI on safety and cybercrimes involving adolescents, while also lending her knowledge and guidance to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Dr. Strohman holds a Bachelor Degree in Psychology from the University of California, Davis, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude and later earned a PhD and J.D., completing a joint integrated program in Law and Psychology at Villanova and Drexel Universities with honors. 

Dr. Strohman is an international speaker at schools, parent organizations, and business and community groups where she addresses the challenges of raising responsible digital citizens. She is also regularly featured in the media as a technology wellness and behavioral expert. She is regularly interviewed by TV and radio news outlets and quoted in numerous print publications including Forbes Magazine, Fast Company, and Huffington Post.

                                            Dana Chandler 

Dana Chandler is a former school principal and teacher, dedicated to training educators, counselors, and parents about technology safety. Chandler teaches practical strategies for helping students learn a healthy balance with technology. She is the author of Digital Distress: Growing Up Online, Companion Workbook, which explores the most recent research concerning the impacts of technology on children, who have never known a world without the internet. In addition to teaching about our newest generation, Chandler has worked within the public school system and the Department of Defense Education Activity (overseas) providing leadership, professional development (Effective Teams, Engaging Classrooms, Behavioral Supports, Social/Emotional Learning, Parenting 101), and emergency response coordination. She has worked successfully in education for more than 25 years. Chandler is also the author of Hello! I Have Autism; Lil; When the World Shakes: A Personal Account of the 2011 Great Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami; and the Backpack Bob Series Reading Guide. Chandler has four daughters and is “Nana” to three inquisitive grandchildren.

Other events in this series:

Wed, Nov 13 2024

Youth and Technology: Mental Health Redefined (Part 2)

Location: Zoom

Summary:

Join us for a two-part clinical intensive to explore the profound connection between modern technology and youth mental health. Young people are currently spending more and more time with technology. In 2023, 46% of teens reported being online ‘almost constantly,’ a jump from the 24% response rate in 2014-2015. Technology can benefit users while also exposing them to potential harms. Providers can play a role supporting youth’s healthy and responsible use of technology.