Adolescent Counseling Services

Praise Goes A Long Way

in Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment / Community Counseling / Drugs & Alcohol / E-News / Mental Health / Parent Role Models / Parent Tips / Parent-Teen Communication / Parenting / Recovery / Stigma / Teen Self-Image / Treatment  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Christine Miller, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs Too often teens feel like they are constantly being told “No” by their parents, teachers, coaches, or other adults, and that they do not hear “Great Job!” enough. Being a teen is hard enough. But, being a teen that has […]

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Trust: A Two-Way Street

in E-News / Helicopter Parenting / Mental Health / Parent Role Models / Parent Tips / Parent-Teen Communication / Parenting / Setting Boundaries  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Laura Cole, ACS Clinical Intern, Community Counseling and Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Programs In relationships trust is an essential component.  But, what is this sometimes seemingly “intangible” thing we call trust among parents and teens?  How is it built and maintained on this two-way street?  How does one repair when a breach occurs? […]

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Wellness Focused for Teens

in E-News / Mental Health / On-Campus Counseling / Stress / Stress Management / Teaching Mindfulness / Teen Self-Image  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Kyle Yamasaki, MFT, ACS Site Supervisor Wellness has been around for millennia, but it feels like a refreshing approach to helping teens with social-emotional problems in our schools.  As the site supervisor for ACS at Redwood Continuation High School (RHS) in the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD), I can share some of […]

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Probing The Complexities Of Transgender Mental Health

in Anxiety / Depression / E-News / Gender / Gender identity / LGBTQ Issues / LGBTQ rights / Mental Health / Mental Health / Outlet / Risky Behaviour / Stigma / Transgender  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By:  Tara Haelle, for NPR Experiencing the world as a different gender than the one assigned you at birth can take a toll. Nearly all research into transgender individuals’ mental health shows poorer outcomes. A new study looking specifically at transgender women, predominantly women of color, only further confirms that reality. What’s less clear, […]

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A Conversation With Your Teens

in Behavioral Norms / Community Counseling / Cyberbullying / E-News / Facebook / Mental Health / Monitoring Media / Online Monitoring / Online Safety / Parent Tips / Parent-Teen Communication / Parenting / Setting Boundaries / Social Media Abuse / Tumblr / Twitter  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By:  Monica Ippolito, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs If any parents of teenagers happen to be of Generation X, then you can reminisce with me about the cartoons we grew up watching. Cartoons like G.I. Joe, She-Ra, He-Man, The Care Bears, The Smurfs, and Inspector Gadget all had […]

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Resilience – How to Help Our Teens Stay Strong

in E-News / Mental Health / On-Campus Counseling / Parent Role Models / Parent Tips / Parent-Teen Communication / Parenting / Perfectionism / Teaching Mindfulness / Teen Motivation / Teen Self-Image  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Charlotte Villemoes, ACS Site Supervisor, On-Campus Counseling Program I have the privilege and the pleasure of listening to teens every day. They tell me stories about their lives, stories that often move and inspire me. Many of them describe hardship that seems close to unbearable, yet the vast majority somehow perseveres and moves forward. […]

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LGBTQQ Youth and Health

in E-News / LGBTQ Issues / Outlet / Recent Trends / Risky Behaviour / Sexuality  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Rodrigo Garcia-Reyes, Outlet Program Spanish-language and Education Coordinator  22 states, including California and the District of Columbia require public schools teach sex education. 35 states and the District of Columbia allow parents to opt-out on behalf of their children.  A 2011 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) survey indicates that more than […]

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Additional Support for Parents when Adolescents Lie about Drug Use

in Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment / Drugs & Alcohol / E-News / Parent Tips / Parent-Teen Communication / Parenting / Prevention / Recent Trends / Treatment  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Written By: Mayra Vargas, MFTI, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program Parental instinct is key to supporting their teens with their drug use/abuse. Parents sometimes ignore their “gut instinct” that lets them know something is happening with their adolescent.  Often a parent will tentatively ask about these issues, and the teen will say ‘everything is fine’ — […]

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Adolescent Counseling Services Announces Service Area Expansion

in ACS News  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

Programs to be offered in San Mateo County and North Santa Clara County locations PALO ALTO, Calif. — Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS), a community-based nonprofit agency dedicated to the healthy social and emotional welfare of local youth, announces its service area expansion to San Mateo County. ACS will now offer therapeutic services in Redwood City […]

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Anatomy Of Addiction: How Heroin And Opioids Hijack The Brain

in Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment / Drugs & Alcohol / E-News / Prescription Drugs / Recent Trends  by Adolescent Counseling Services 0 comments

By:  Jack Rodolico, NPR Health News   “I ended up sniffing a whole one, and I blacked out… it ruined me that time. But I loved it.” When Jack O’Connor was 19, he was so desperate to beat his addictions to alcohol and opioids that he took a really rash step. He joined the Marines. […]

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