- Gonzalo Laje
May Mental Health Awareness
From the Director's Desk
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and we understand the importance of mental health services for individuals and families. We know that early recognition of the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions can lead to better outcomes. We have a comprehensive and collaborative team of mental health care specialists to support your needs. While we highlight awareness during the month of May – we know that support is needed all year round. We are here to help!
Dr. Laje In the News What are the benefits to getting kids outside? Dr. Gonzalo Laje, Director of WBMA was featured in Dad Gear Review. Dr. Laje shares his insights on the importance of physical activity on the mental and emotional health of children. "Over the past few years, we have been able to get a lot of data showing the benefits of physical activity,” Dr. Laje replied. “When it comes to kids we've known this for a very long time: Kids need breaks – and kids need physical breaks – they need to be active because that's help them focus, that helps them, the way I like to put it, is to get the ‘wiggles’ out, so that way they can focus better." Read the Full Article
Dr. Halpern In the News Social Media and Youth Mental Health: How to Find Balance After Pandemic Spikes in Use Dr. Jaclyn Halpern is the featured expert in this Healthline article addressing the pros and cons of social media. Read more to learn about how our teens and tweens can balance online engagement. “Social media use increased during the pandemic for many young people,” explains Jaclyn Halpern, PsyD, director of the SOAR program at Washington Behavioral Medicine Associates. “In many cases, it became the primary source of social connection for tweens and teens who were otherwise unable to socialize with their friends.” Read the Full Article
We are now offering EMDR! EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a unique therapy that allows the brain to engage in the process of healing and processing memories without deep conversation about the painful memories.
Don't Forget to Vote!
A reminder that Washington Family Magazine has opened voting for the Best For Families Awards and Dr. Jaclyn Halpern/SOAR Program at WBMA has again been nominated for Best Family Therapist! Your confidence in our team means so much and we still need your votes! Under Health, there is a category Best FAMILY Therapist/Psychiatrist & Practice Name. Please use the drop down to vote for Dr. Jaclyn Halpern/ SOAR Program at Washington Behavioral Medicine Associates.
The deadline to vote is May 15th so please get your votes in! Thank you for your continued support.
