The “Good-Grade” Drug-Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, etc.

An article published in the Saturday, June 9th, 2012, New York Times put a brilliant spotlight on the prescription drug abuse of  Adderall, Ritalin, Vyvanse, and other medications prescribed to treat symptoms of A.D.H.D, by high school students pushing themselves to succeed in high school and get into top colleges. At high schools across the […]

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From the Inside-Life As An ACS Intern

By: Ildiko Ran On-Campus Counseling Program Intern at Menlo-Atherton High School “I feel so much better that I got all that off my chest. I can go back to class now” – said one of my clients after a session when she unloaded the overwhelming stress that surrounds her everyday life. She keeps up the […]

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Some Tips for Getting Through the Holidays With a Troubled Teen

By Ronni J. Gillenson ACS Program Director, On-Campus Counseling Progra Just because there is ‘holiday cheer’ in the air doesn’t mean that life for a teen has changed all that much.  In fact, the holidays can be a trying time for them.  During the season that everyone is to be happy and giving, this could […]

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Back To School Tips: Information You Can Use Now!

Back To School Tips   by Roni Gillenson, LMFT, Program Director ACS’ On-Campus Counseling Program As teens reluctantly head back to school and leave the lazy days of summer behind, we are reminded of the stress that lies ahead for our youth.  While returning to school can be an exciting time to get reacquainted with friends […]

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Breaking the Stigma: Teen Stress

Breaking the Stigma: Teen Stress – video and recap

On Tuesday, March 22, 2011, Adolescent Counseling Services hosted an intimate presentation and discussion on teen stress at the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto.  A presentation on teen stress was given by ACS’ Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program Director, Enrique Flores, MA and ACS’ On-Campus Counseling Program Director, Roni Gillenson, LMFT.  Other panelists included  Ursula […]

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Teen Stress: Parent Tips and Upcoming Forum in Palo Alto

On March 22, 2011, Adolescent Counseling Services will host a community forum, “Breaking the Stigma: Teen Stress” at the Cubberley Community Center located at 4000 Middlefield Road in Palo Alto. The presentation will feature commentary from ACS Program Directors, Roni Gillenson and Enrique Flores, among others. For more information about the forum, please visit our […]

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Mental Health Alert: “Emotional Health at a 25-Year Low” for College Freshmen

Freshmen Report: Students are Stressed and Depressed “The survey, “The American Freshman: National Norms Fall 2010,” was conducted by UCLA’s Higher Education Research Institute and included 200,000 students. The number of freshmen who said their emotional health was “below average” has risen steadily, according to the report. Only 52 percent rated themselves as “above average” in emotional […]

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Latest Trends in Teen Mental Health and Substance Abuse (Part 3): Academic Stress

THE LATEST (Part 3): Adolescents and Stress/Academic Stress Students Who Write About Anxieties Do Better on Tests, Study Says Psychologists at the University of Chicago have discovered a quick and easy way for stressed-out students to avoid choking on a high-stakes test: Take a few minutes right before the exam to write about all those […]

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Defining and Coping with Stress

How do you define stress?  What is Stress?? The dictionary defines stress as “the sum of biological reactions to any adverse stimulus, physical, mental emotional, internal or external, that tends to disturb a persons normal state of being.” Here are some common causes of stress in teenagers: Break up with boy/girl friend Arguments with parents […]

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Overbooked, Under Stress

Most doctors agree that stress contributes to nearly every known disease or condition.   Today’s lifestyles and work habits, including long hours, increased commitments and less down time, make managing stress a trying task. Our teenagers are overbooked, overwhelmed and yet driven to succeed.  Primary sources of tension include academic pressure, relationship difficulties with peers, conflicts […]

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