Adolescent Counseling Services’ Resource Blog

Internet Gaming Addiction: Perspectives From a Former Gamer

Image:Federico Morando “internet addiction” By: Evan Sahn After-School Counseling Program Intern   Internet gaming disorder (IGD) represents a relatively new and growing phenomenon in the fields of mental health and video games.  IGD is new largely because the ability to utilize the Internet to play addicting video games has only existed for about 15 years.  In […]

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A Surprise Day Treat for Your Teens

Images: J.K. Califf by Rom Brafman PhD. Site Director at La Entrada Middle School If you’re the romantic type you’ve probably planned a surprise date night or day-long event for your loved one.  Maybe you took them to a concert or even whisked them on a romantic getaway.  We take pride in putting thought into planning […]

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Executive Function and Substance Use

Image: CC0 Public Domain By: JoAnn Kukulus, MS Clinical Psychology; MFT Intern ACS Outpatient Counseling Services I went to the gym, got the kids off to school, walked the dog, and am now ready to head to work on time. As I’m reaching into the refrigerator to grab my lunch I receive a phone call from the […]

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Opinion:Destigmatize Counseling in the Palo Alto Community

Image: Cascadian Farm Source: palyvoice.com by: Lydia Barry Published November 9, 2014 Counseling at Palo Alto High School is highly stigmatized, and is a concept many students are ignorant towards. Some do not know what Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) is or exactly what it does. “I don’t think people utilize [counseling] as much as they could,” senior […]

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Adolescents in Middle School: Part 5

Image: Herald Post “Heidelberg Middle School Kids’ Bootcamp” Originally Published April 2010 Commentary by ACS Executive Director, Dr. Philippe Rey Build self-esteem in your children… •Kids who feel good about themselves are much less likely than other kids to turn to illegal substances to get high and/or to engage in risky behaviors. •As parents, we […]

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