Talking about mental health with kids can feel tricky, even for the most loving and attentive parents. Maybe you’re not sure what to say. Maybe you don’t want to scare them or say the wrong thing. Or maybe you’re worried that bringing it up will make things worse.

But here’s the truth: your child doesn’t need perfect words. They need your presence. They need to know it’s okay to talk about feelings, especially the hard ones.

When mental health becomes something we talk about openly, it loses some of its power to scare or isolate. It becomes something we care for—together.

August can feel like a pressure cooker for teens. The slower pace of summer is coming to an end, school is right around the corner, and for many young people, there’s a quiet (or not-so-quiet) sense of dread building beneath the surface.

Maybe your teen is feeling anxious about grades or friend groups. Maybe they’re dreading early mornings or dealing with body image stress as they head back into more social settings. Even if they don’t say much, you may notice changes in their mood or behavior this time of year.

Not all struggles look the way you’d expect. Kids are incredibly resilient, but they also feel more than they often say. And during the school year, their emotional world can get a lot heavier.

There’s academic pressure, tricky social situations, bullying, schedule overload, and the struggle to stay organized in a busy environment. Many parents assume their child will speak up if something’s wrong. But often, school-related stress shows up in quiet, hard-to-read ways.

You know your child better than anyone. And still, it’s easy to miss the signs that they’re struggling.

For many families, the end of summer brings a mix of emotions. Maybe your child is counting down the days until they see their friends again, or maybe they’re dragging their feet and dreading the first bell. Either way, it’s common for kids to feel a little off as summer winds down and school starts back up.

This seasonal shift can be a lot. Going from long, carefree days to early mornings, busy schedules, and new classroom routines is a big adjustment. Some kids handle it easily. Others feel anxious, irritable, or even sad and don’t know how to talk about it.

Sometimes getting support for your mental health feels harder than it should. You might be busy, overwhelmed, or just not up for an in-person visit. That’s where telebehavioral health comes in.

Telebehavioral health is mental health care that happens virtually. You meet with your provider through a secure video call, from wherever you feel most comfortable—your home, your car, a quiet corner during your lunch break. It’s real, personal care that fits into real life.

When kids get upset or overwhelmed, it can be hard for them to calm down on their own. That’s where teaching emotional regulation becomes so important. One of the simplest and most effective tools for managing big feelings is something we all have with us all the time: our breath.

At Alleviant, we believe that helping kids learn how to use their breath to manage emotions can give them a skill they will carry for life. It’s a way to pause, feel grounded, and make choices instead of reacting in the moment.

When most people think of therapy, they picture someone going through a major life crisis, such as grief, trauma, a diagnosis, or a breaking point. And while therapy is an essential support during times of crisis, it’s also one of the most powerful tools for preventative care, self-discovery, and emotional resilience.

At Alleviant, we believe therapy is not just for moments when everything falls apart. It’s for anyone who wants to better understand themselves, build healthier habits, and experience more clarity, connection, and peace in their daily life. In short, you don’t have to wait until things get really bad to benefit from support.

Summer often carries the energy of movement. Kids are out of school, social calendars fill up, and longer days invite more activity. While this season can be exciting and energizing, it can also create pressure to keep up, stay busy, and make the most of every moment.

But what if your body and mind are asking for something different?

At Alleviant, we believe rest is not a reward you earn—it’s a requirement for healing. Especially for those recovering from burnout, trauma, depression, or chronic stress, doing less is not laziness. It’s a form of care. In a culture that values hustle, reclaiming rest can be a radical and healing act.

When people think about Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), they usually imagine long, gray winter days, cold weather, and a lack of sunlight. But for some, the change in seasons triggers something very different. Instead of the winter blues, they experience deep sadness, anxiety, or irritability during the summer months. This condition is known as summer-onset Seasonal Affective Disorder, and it is very real.

As summer temperatures rise, so can feelings of stress, irritability, and fatigue. While the season is often associated with vacations and sunshine, for many people, hot weather brings unexpected challenges to mental health.

Whether you're dealing with increased anxiety, low motivation, or emotional burnout, you're not alone and there are things you can do to feel better.

Mental health looks different for everyone, and so should mental health care. Too often, people from marginalized or underrepresented communities feel like their struggles are overlooked or misunderstood by the healthcare system. This can lead to delayed treatment, misdiagnosis, or feeling like there’s no safe place to turn. But mental healthcare should never feel out of reach.

At Alleviant Integrated Mental Health, we believe that true healing starts with being seen, heard, and respected. That’s why representation in mental health care is so important — because when people feel understood, they’re more likely to open up, get support, and begin to heal.

Complex PTSD, or C‑PTSD, develops from long-term, repeated trauma — often beginning in childhood or occurring in relationships where escape wasn’t possible. Unlike PTSD, which can develop after a single traumatic event, C‑PTSD is shaped by ongoing exposure to trauma over time. This can leave deep emotional scars that affect every part of daily life.

At Alleviant Integrated Mental Health, we understand how complex trauma can shape a person’s sense of safety, identity, and relationships. Healing from C‑PTSD is a long journey, but it’s not one you have to walk alone. With compassionate care and consistent strategies, it’s possible to find steadiness, relief, and even moments of peace.

When life feels overwhelming, it’s easy to forget how powerful your breath can be. Just one minute of intentional breathing can begin to calm your nervous system, clear your mind, and help you feel more grounded. That’s where box breathing comes in — a simple technique you can use anywhere, anytime, to reset your mind and body.

At Alleviant Integrated Mental Health, we often recommend box breathing as a helpful tool for managing stress, anxiety, PTSD, and even daily mental fatigue. Below, we’ll walk you through how it works, what it does for your brain, and how you can add it to your self-care routine.

Be sure to watch our free one-minute guided box breathing video below to try it for yourself.

Summer brings longer days, warmer weather, and a break from the usual pace of life—but for those living with PTSD or anxiety disorders, this season can be both a challenge and an opportunity. At Alleviant, we believe in the power of daily structure, seasonal mindfulness, and integrative care to help you find balance and resilience—no matter the time of year.

Here’s how establishing a supportive summer routine can help you better manage symptoms of PTSD and anxiety.

If you've ever felt like your medications weren’t working—or worse, were causing unpleasant side effects—you’re not alone. Each person’s body processes medications differently, and until recently, choosing the right prescription often involved a frustrating process of trial and error. Now, thanks to pharmacogenetic testing, we can change that.

At Alleviant, we believe that personalized medicine is the future of mental and physical wellness. Pharmacogenetic testing allows us to tailor medications based on your genetic profile, helping you feel better—faster.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a condition many have heard about, but fewer are familiar with Complex PTSD (C-PTSD)—a related yet distinct diagnosis that requires a unique approach to healing.

At Alleviant, we’re dedicated to helping you understand the differences and guiding those affected toward effective, compassionate treatment tailored to their needs.

Every June, we recognize Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising understanding about a condition that affects millions of people across the globe. At Alleviant Health, our mission is to bring compassion, clarity, and comprehensive care to those navigating the challenges of PTSD. This month, we honor the strength of survivors and emphasize the importance of accessible, integrative mental health care.

We often think of mental health as something that starts and ends in the brain. But more and more research is revealing what we at Alleviant have known for years: the gut and brain are deeply connected — and when your gut isn’t healthy, your mental well-being can suffer.

This relationship is more than just “a gut feeling.” It’s a two-way communication system that affects your mood, focus, energy, sleep, and even your response to stress.

Understanding and healing this connection can unlock powerful improvements in mental wellness — without relying solely on medication.

Your brain can’t thrive on empty.

Every organ in your body requires fuel — and your brain is no exception. In fact, your brain uses more energy than any other part of your body. When it doesn’t get the nutrients it needs, it doesn’t just slow down — it begins to misfire.

Many symptoms that are diagnosed as depression, anxiety, or even ADHD may actually stem from nutritional imbalances, deficiencies, or toxicities (Rao et al., 2008). But these often go overlooked in traditional psychiatry.

At Alleviant, we ask different questions — because we know that brain function and nutrition are deeply connected.

Finally — mental health care that sees your brain, not just your symptoms.

If you’ve ever felt like traditional psychiatry wasn’t enough… you’re not alone.

Many people walk into their first appointment, share their story, and walk out with a prescription — often with no real understanding of what’s happening inside their brain or how to know if they’re getting better. That’s not healthcare. That’s guessing.

At Alleviant, we believe you deserve more than symptom checklists and trial-and-error treatment. You deserve clarity, precision, and a care plan based on what’s actually happening in your brain.

That’s the heart of Objective Psychiatry — and it’s changing everything.