Articles and Resources
Spring, a Trampoline, Illness, and Change
The seasons change; children change; illness changes. Believe it or not, we change, too
Shadow’s Edge at Child Life 2019
We are honored for the opportunity to learn from Child Life Professionals across the spectrum of care!
Parents’ and Teachers’ Guide to High Schooler Mental Health
Thorough resources for teen mental health, from Maryville University
How to Speak With Kids About a Parent’s Life-Threatening Illness
Kids know. New communication guidelines suggest telling them the truth.
How To Speak With Young People About Their Life-Threatening Illness
By carefully shaping the way we communicate a challenging diagnosis we can help to hold a child’s fear, uncertainty and disappointment surrounding illness.
What Teens Really Think About Having Mental Illness
In Just a Thought, young people share advice in their own words, through first-of-their-kind, uncensored narratives.
Big Emotional Support in a Small, Furry Package
Sometimes you need treatments, but in my case, the best therapist has fur and four legs.
Caregivers: Thank You for Loving Your Sick Children so Beautifully
My mom, friend, and caregiver recently passed away this spring and the following is a list of things I forgot to thank her for.
Posttraumatic Growth in Adolescent Leukemia Survivors
For parents and patients, trauma is only one side of the story. The other side can be posttraumatic growth.
ACTIONS! How to Love a Teen
Love is not an emotion. It is an action – a series of actions stringing together in a long line.
The Emotional Side of a Child’s Congenital Heart Condition
February is heart month, and organizations around the country are offering stories of hope, ideas for prevention, and good information about treatment for heart conditions. What's largely missing from this dialogue are ideas for dealing with the emotional side of...
Into the New Year with Chronic Illness
With mindfulness and intention, no matter our current situations, I believe that we can all work toward goals that improve our lives.
9 Ways to Have Fun with Grandchildren
Make the most of the time you have with your grandchildren by doing things that spark your creativity, imagination, and thirst for the outdoors.
Because The Sky is Everywhere
The twins had no idea what death meant. How could they? They weren’t even three years old.
10 Tips for Listening Effectively to Kids
I often get asked for advice on how to talk to kids, but instead, here are my top ten ideas on how to listen
Setting SMART Goals for a New Year Beyond Illness
As a school psychologist, I try to guide kids in choosing SMART goals, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound.
2018 Was Just the Starting Line in Helping Young People Heal the Emotional Side of Illness
In 2019, the Digging Deep team is excited to continue bringing our vision of emotional healing during and after illness to young people who continue to struggle.
An Elusive Diagnosis, an Ephemeral Cure
A year after I first got ill, I was sleeping on a friend’s couch, jobless, utterly alone and out of options. Was this the rest of my life?
Five Tips for Parenting a Teen with Type 1 Diabetes
Asking teens to take responsibility for their own diabetes care runs counter to where they are developmentally and can result in frustration, defiance, and conflict during these years.
You Held It Together For Your Ill Child. Now the Emotions are Ripping You Apart.
The important part is to respect your symptoms for what they are – repressed emotions seeking the light.
Suggestions for Treating Depression and Bipolar Disorder in Young People
Q&A with Psychologist, Professor, and Author Kay Jamison, PhD
You Are Not Alone. You Are Strong. Things Will Get Better.
We appreciate your struggle. We know you are doing your best. And we are all with you, today and every day, on this journey through illness into the person you will become.
3 Gratitude Exercises to Help You Look Inward This Fall
Here are a few exercises I like to do with patients I work with in my psychology practice, as well as with children I work with as a psychologist at a school with a mission for gifted education.
5 Things I Wish I’d Known Starting College With Chronic Conditions
Ruthy has been there and so she knows: It’s hard to start college with chronic conditions!
What It’s Like to Have Cancer as a Teenager
UK teen, Ellie, describes what it’s like to be a teenager with cancer, from hearing the “C word” for the first time, to missing school, to the tragedy of being able to understand the seriousness of her diagnosis.
Advice: Facing Cancer as a Teenager
When I was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma at 19 years old, I realized that teenage limbo is much more complex after a cancer diagnosis.
Why I Blog About My Illness
To be frank I started blogging because I felt alone, in hopes of fighting that feeling and letting others known that they don’t have to fight this fight alone.
3 Ways to Preserve Self-Esteem During Chronic Illness
Before I got sick, I took my body for granted. I could run, jump and walk and do whatever I wanted. I did not realize that this “being able to move” was a big part of my self-esteem.
Job Search Tips for Young People Living With Chronic Illness
I hope this post helps you find your dream job. Thank you for reading and good luck!