Dr. Judith Allen, CIS of Chicago’s COO and Clinical Director, spoke with Axios about the importance of providing Mental Health First Aid training to parents and school staff. “In reality, children have been having a hard time processing emotions,” Dr. Allen said. “Intrapersonal skills are lacking, and their inability to form and manage health social relationships is causing a larger issue in how they react to stressors.”
Dr. Allen shared a number of ways that adults can help young people process traumatic events, like the school shooting in Uvalde. These included having open conversations, asking the hard questions, and creating avenues for help.
