Dr. Elizabeth Malesa is a licensed clinical psychologist practicing in Chevy Chase with more than 15 years of experience. While her specialty is working with children and adolescents, she also works with young adults. She is the mother of a 10- and 6-year-old.
How have you found that the prevalence and acceptance of children receiving earlier mental health intervention has changed over the past decade?
One of the things I find really encouraging in the realm of mental health … is how much more [it] is really becoming a priority and more of something that individuals and families really feel comfortable accepting as part of their lifestyle and medical plan. I love that we’re at a place where people are thinking about mental health as something we can prioritize and be proactive about.
I see that for families a lot, too. Adults who have been able to really embrace their therapeutic relationships are seeing, thinking, “You know, this is something that my kid could benefit from, too.”
Is there anything parents can do to help kids as they settle into the school year?
Obviously, there are going to be bumps in every transition. By the time October rolls around, it is a time where we need to be noticing if some of these bumps are continuing to be around. At this point, if any behavioral and emotional changes are continuing, it’s a pretty good sign that maybe this child could benefit from some support beyond what has been available to them so far. In the mental health world, October is a very classic time where we actually see a huge spike in families seeking mental health services.
Where is a good place for families to start?
Checking in with your child’s pediatrician is a great place to start. They are someone who has known your child for a long time. School counselors are great to check in with. I also think asking around and asking other families where they’ve had positive experiences and felt supported is a great place to go as well.
What can you do as a parent to encourage mental wellness at home?
I think there’s a lot we can do as parents, and part of that is really working with our kids on emotional literacy. Having an opportunity to really kind of slow down and digest the day together on a daily basis just to check in and making that part of the normal routine. Maybe do it at dinnertime, maybe do it at bedtime — just take a moment to reflect on the day. Not a slew of interrogating questions, but maybe some prompts. “What was something funny that happened today? What’s something that surprised you today?” Keep the questions open-ended enough so [kids are] not feeling interrogated. But also give kids some direction in terms of sharing with you. I also really love doing a high and a low at dinnertime. That’s sort of a tradition with my family. It’s such a great way to connect with each other and give every individual an equal playing field. Actually, we do a high, a low and a buffalo. A buffalo is something that surprised us during that day; something that wasn’t expected. That’s a great opportunity to talk about problem solving and how we handled it. We’re always expecting different hiccups in our day, and this is a great way to help kids learn to be equipped to respond to those.
