Q&A: How can parents help tackle kids' mental health issues?

On any given day, most of us have little to no influence over many external factors, whether it be weather, societal trends, politics or the economy.

But what science, theology and experience all agree on is that in every waking hour, all of us have a great deal of control over the decisions we make.

These decisions are our greatest opportunity to pursue goodness, meaning and contentment, but yet we struggle to harness the power of free will.

So says a new book titled “Turning Free Will Into Willpower: The Opportunity of a Lifetime” by Evansville authors Jim Schroeder and Vanessa Jodlowski.

Schroeder, a pediatric psychologist, is a vice president and training director in the department of psychology and wellness at Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. Jodlowski earned her degree in psychology from University of Michigan and is a graduate student.

Here is a Q&A about their book.

What prompted you to write this book?

As the pediatric mental health crisis only continues to worsen in our community (and beyond) and our waitlists for care are now 18-plus months (and getting longer), we must be more proactive as mental health professionals or we are going to be buried beneath the need, and families are going to suffer more than ever.

What is your goal?

To empower parents to reduce — or prevent — mental health issues with their kids and also to prepare their kids for adult responsibilities.

When we started, we had four main goals. First, we wanted it to be courageous, not shying away from any factor which impacts daily that affect our physical, psychological, social and spiritual health.

Second, we wanted it to be accessible and useful for all backgrounds and experience.

Third, we wanted a practical guide that the reader could keep coming back to over and over for ideas and motivation.

Finally, we hoped it would be inspirational. Ultimately, we want to connect with the reader in helping make this world a healthier, happier and more harmonious place.

Was there some specific situation that inspired you to tackle this project?

Schroeder: There wasn’t a specific situation, but rather years of watching my kids grow up.

As a father of eight children, I have had a first-hand opportunity to see my profession play out in real life. Now having two high school graduates and a daughter not yet in kindergarten, I have realized that other than loving our kids unconditionally, there is nothing more important than teaching and motivating them to think and act in ways that strive for health, harmony, contentment and sacredness.

There are three primary ways that all of us learn how to do this: experiences/directives of self and others, scientific findings and religion/spirituality.

But as I got deeper into this, I realized that there wasn't really a resource that synthesized these three areas of wisdom/understanding in an accessible, practical way.

What is the greatest barrier in today’s world to a healthy mental state for children and youth?

Schroeder: The lifestyle that kids and families are living today … primarily sleep, diet, activity and screen time.

There are now into the thousands of studies that link these four factors to almost every area of mental health functioning, and yet we are struggling more than ever to harness positive habits in these areas.

Teenagers are the most sleep-deprived cohort on the planet, pediatric obesity rates remain at an all-time high and there is abundant evidence that social media and mobile devices in the hands of our youth have caused far more problems than good.

What do you see as the greatest challenge for mental health professionals?

The greatest challenge is that we simply can’t keep up with the demand that we currently face.  We are beyond a pediatric mental health crisis.

A simple review of mental health statistics over the past decade give pause. If parents don’t become more intentional  and well-versed at how to form our kids when it comes to their free will, then all the other privileges afforded us are going to simply be an afterthought of the real story.

There are many good, wonderful things going on all around us. But for all the good things, our society repeatedly is choosing convenience, accessibility and novel experiences over health, harmony and deeper contentment.

What is the key take-away in the book?

That readers will be left feeling motivated, confident and hopeful for what is to come. With all the aforementioned daily threats to our well-being, it is incredibly easy to feel hopeless and alone in our struggles.

A key theme is the power of perspective. If we tap into various resources, we find a remarkable ability to improve our capacity for change and willpower, even in difficult situations. With our combination of theology, research and experience, we hope that readers, regardless of belief, background or location, can gain the knowledge about how to implement willpower in their lives, and also the inspiration, tools and connections to make the changes that they feel called to make.

What are some practical skills you think you can help parents with?

A key component involves the parent-child relationship, and how to best utilize it to navigate daily obstacles and form key aspects in our kid’s lives. Another key facet involves internal and external resources and opportunities that are available to all of us, but sometimes are not well illuminated or understood.

The last section of the book details nine keys for all parents and families in improving decision-making and willpower.

Each chapter of this section provides the aspiration, coaching strategies and take-home points to empower parents to feel most effective in their role and also make parenting more enjoyable and rewarding.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Q&A: How can parents help tackle kids' mental health issues?