People often say that “kids don’t come with a manual” to illustrate the fear and frustration that comes from learning to parent one challenge at a time.
This is especially true for caregivers who face added difficulties due to the child’s mental health struggles. If mental health isn’t discussed in your family or social circles, you may not know where to begin. What you need is clarity about the realities of children’s mental illness. Explore our blogs and videos for tips!

blogs & videos
knowledge is power
blog categories
Being LGBTQ+ During the Holiday Season
The holiday season is full of joy and happiness across the world. For billions of people, this is the time where life starts to slow…
read moreConversations with Clarity on Kid’s Anxiety from COVID-19
Dr. Joshua Essery, the Director of Outpatient Clinical Services at Clarity Child Guidance Center, hosts a discussion on the impact COVID-19 has had on children’s…
read moreAutism & Social Anxiety Disorder Q&A with Dr. Megan Lawson
1) Why is it important to differentiate between social anxiety disorder and autism spectrum disorder, even as a layperson? It is important because accurate conceptualization…
read morehow to craft your crisis plan
Crisis plans, also known as safety plans, are a great tool that allow us to prevent, recognize, prepare for, and respond to a mental health crisis. While…
read moreWhy do YOU give to Clarity Child Guidance Center?
To celebrate Big Give 2021, our staff shared why they give to Clarity Child Guidance Center!
read moreSo-Called Normal – A Familiar Story from Mark Henick
If you’ve already picked up Mark Henick’s book, “So-Called Normal,” you’ve likely noticed how familiar his story is. In his memoir, Henick describes many experiences…
read moreClearing Up the “Whatchamacallits” of Children’s Mental Health | Glossary of Terms
Mental health can be such a complex topic to navigate; from symptoms and diagnoses to medications and types of treatment, it is easy to become…
read moreBack to School in 2021
In August of 2020, I wrote a blog about the decision to keep my then 3-year-old twins enrolled in childcare at the early stages of…
read moreThe Impactful Role of Fathers on Kid’s Mental Wellness
The role of a father exists in everyone’s life story. Fathers, present or not, known or not, give us some image of what it means…
read moreSelf-Care for Parents Who Don’t Have Time
Without a good understanding of and proper attention to their own needs, parents are ill-equipped to help their kids and less able to meet their…
read moreOne Very Good Reason
Why One In Five Minds? If you’ve reviewed the One In Five Minds website, you’ve seen the statistics – and the reason for the name of this campaign.…
read moreOne In Five Minds Launch…
The special launch event for One in Five Minds took place on Thursday, March 28, 2013, and over 200 attendees packed the auditorium at the Valero…
read moreHow To Help Your Teen Navigate A Breakup
During middle school and high school years, your teen is learning how to be in relationships, including what it means to be in an exclusive…
read moreHow You Can Lower Stress Through Mindfulness Meditation
You’ve had a stressful day at work, running errands, or taking care of the kids. The stress keeps building, and there doesn’t seem to be…
read moreHow To Talk With Your Child About Suicide After The Death Of A Peer
NOTE: If you know someone in crisis, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (NSPL) at 1–800–273–TALK (8255), 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.…
read moreHow To Talk To Your Teen About Attending Therapy
You have identified that your teen can benefit from professional mental healthcare, and you’ve already scheduled the first appointment with a mental health professional. These…
read more5 Ways To Take Care Of YOU During The Holidays
When you look at the calendar and see the holidays quickly approaching, what’s your initial reaction? While we tend to think of the holidays as…
read moreIn Honor Of Military And Veteran Families: Talking With Children About Military Service
Veterans Day is a time to step back and honor those who have served or are currently serving our country. It’s a day to reflect…
read moreHelp Your Child Conquer ADHD In The Classroom
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders in children. About 10% of children ages 4 to 17 suffer…
read moreSettling In After A Move? Some Quick Resources And Suggestions To Support Your Military-Connected Child
As we settle into fall, the big military moving season is behind us. And if you experienced a Permanent Change of Station (PCS) over the…
read moreHow to help my daughter feel good about herself despite social media?
Have you ever found yourself in long grocery line, thinking of all the things you still have to do and wondering if the chicken will…
read moreUnderstanding Secondary Trauma Stress – A Guide For Families
When a child is injured or traumatized in some way, it’s not unusual for the parents to also experience some emotional impact from the trauma. This…
read moreThe Troubling Stats On Teen Suicide Among Hispanic Girls
The devastating statistics on teen suicide are startling, and should be taken seriously by any parent, especially if your child has existing mental health issues.…
read moreWhat To Expect At Your Child’s First Appointment With The Psychiatrist
Remember the feelings you had as a child when you had to go to a doctor appointment or visit the dentist? It may have been…
read moreHow To Help An Anxious Child
As parents, we naturally want our kids to live full, happy and successful lives. Yet all children struggle with anxiety at some point. When it…
read moreSuicide: some indicators and steps to get help
Suicide. It can be a scary and upsetting topic, and for some of us it is hard to talk about. The reality is that many…
read moreHow do i know if my kid is stressed out?
Most parents would be concerned if someone told them their child was stressed. Some stress is normal and can help motivate children and keep them…
read moreDifferentiating Autism Spectrum Disorders From Other Conditions
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is complex and can be difficult to identify. With as many as 1 in 68 individuals being identified, it’s important to…
read moreWhere To Start When Your Child Needs Mental Health Care
If your child is showing signs that they might need mental health care, do you know where to go to find help? Parents who see…
read moreDo You Know The Warning Signs Of Drug Use/Abuse?
Recognizing the warning signs of drug use/abuse in youth isn’t easy. Recognizing those warning signs in our own children is even harder in part because as…
read moreWhy Focusing On Your Child’s Bad Behavior Can Be So Wrong
When a child or teenager presents with disruptive or aggressive behaviors they are often labeled with terms such as “oppositional, defiant, stubborn or lazy.” This…
read moreTapping Into School Counseling To Support Your Child’s Mental Health
Without a doubt, schools and their staff play a huge role in children’s lives. Often the adults in a child’s school life spend more time…
read moreNo results found.
Helping a Child with Military Deployment
A parent’s deployment is a major change in a child’s life which often brings grief, stress and anxiety. In this brief video, Dr. Joshua Essery,…
read moreWorking with Military Kids
Mrs. Lori A. Phipps is the Military Dependent Education Specialist for Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Her Military Child Education Program – School Liaison Office…
read moreStrengthening a marriage around a military deployment
How do you create a strong marriage while a spouse is deployed? Deployment can put aa strain on relationships between spouses; it can change the…
read moreHelping a child with the visible and invisible wounds of a veteran parent
Did you sustain physical injuries or are you facing mental health trauma post-deployment? How will this impact your child? Are you inviting your child to…
read moreWhat Does Consistency In Parenting Look Like For Military Families?
Imagine if you had no idea what would happen in your life from day to day. What if you didn’t know any of the Standard…
read moreReconnecting With Your Child After Deployment
Jason was sitting on the white bus waiting to be taken to the parade field for the big homecoming formation and ceremony. This was his…
read morePreparing A Child For A Parent’s Deployment
There are some common ideas that parents have around deployments and their children. Some believe that the little ones won’t even realize that Mom/Dad left;…
read moreHow To Coparent During A Deployment
Coparenting, or the coordination between parents as they work together to raise a child, is hard work. Staying consistent, attuned, and effective as a team…
read moreHow To Take The Best Of Your Military Training Into The Family And Leave The Rest At The Door
For many, being a military service member isn’t just a job. Military service is surrounded by unique culture, values, and lifestyle. Some service members embrace…
read moreHelping Your Child Cope With A Military Deployment
In military families, deployment is a fact of life. Since 2001, more than 2 million children in the U.S. have had a parent deployed at…
read moreEating Disorder Facts and Treatment
Landry Weatherston Yarborough, LPC, Primary Therapist with the Eating Recovery Center in San Antonio, Texas, works with children, adolescents, adults, couples, families, and groups. She…
read moreAddressing School Violence: Case Studies of School Aged Mass Shooters
Brandi Burque, PhD, is a San Antonio Police Department (SAPD) Psychologist. She has worked with local and federal law enforcement and military personnel since 2005.…
read moreChildren with Mental Illness in the School System
A group of high school students in Maryland is urging its local Board of Education to include mental health education in a required health education course, to…
read morePreventing Bullying: It Starts at Home
“Bullying” is a topic that receives a great deal of attention in schools and families; however, we often are inconsistent in how we define behaviors…
read moreWhat is Mental Illness?
When we hear these words, a number of ideas may come to mind, many of them distressful and negative, and it helps to have a…
read moreWarning Signs of Substance Abuse
There is a strong link between mental illness and substance abuse. People with mental illness resort to substances as “self medication” because they provide relief…
read moreIs ADHD Considered A Mental Illness?
Are you surprised by the question in the title? Maybe you’ve thought ADHD was only a behavioral disorder. However, many children living with ADHD have…
read moreAttention: How ADHD Can Affect Children at School and at Home
Ariel De LLanos, MD, psychiatrist and the owner and president of Focus & Balance LLC, is the guest speaker for the Clarity Child Guidance Center…
read moreWill Neuroscience Ever Provide Anything Useful For Children’s Mental Health?
This is the decade of the brain, as reflected by a major research initiative launched recently to map the human brain. However, unlike the human…
read moreModern Conversations Around Death and Dying
In our latest video series, Modern Conversations Around Death and Dying, Martha Atkins, PhD, LPC-S, chief executive officer of Atkinsosity, LLC, and founder of the…
read moreHow Self-Care Can Make You a Better Educator
As a professional educator, you know that being a teacher is a demanding job. The rewards are many, but so are the stressors. Whether you…
read more5 Ways to Cope with Challenging Students
Classroom management is probably not the reason you chose a career in teaching … yet it is a significant part of life as an educator.…
read moreFor Educators: What to do When a Student Has an Eating Disorder
When a student who is normally engaged and motivated suddenly has trouble paying attention and seems withdrawn, teachers are often quick to notice. It might…
read moreHealing Voices: How Educators Can Help Students Experiencing Psychosis
In the mental health world, I am best known as a parent advocate for children with mental illness. But in my professional life as an…
read moreUnderstanding Self-harm and How Educators Can Help
Self-harm is a growing problem for adolescents and young adults. According to Mental Health America, 15% of teens reported some form of self-injury, with an even…
read moreWhat You Need to Know About Bullying and Student Mental Health
One afternoon a student comes to you visibly upset and tells you that one of her classmates called her a mean name. She tells you…
read moreThree Steps to Follow When a Parent Discloses Their Child’s Mental Illness
In your line of work, you’re used to parents calling you with concerns about their child’s academic performance, behavior, or friend issues. Whether they’re significant…
read moreFor Educators: What to Do When a Student Returns from Inpatient Treatment
When a student leaves to attend an inpatient mental health care program, you’re likely to have some questions and concerns about how to best help…
read moreFor Educators: What to Do When a Student Tells You about their Mental Illness
Your day starts off like any typical school day: collecting homework, passing out worksheets, and teaching the day’s lesson. Then at the end of class,…
read moreFor Educators: The Unique Challenge of Working with Military Kids and their Families
Mrs. Lori A. Phipps is the Military Dependent Education Specialist for Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Her Military Child Education Program – School Liaison Office…
read moreNo results found.