Who’s In Your Teen’s Village?

by Martha Chan, LMFT Site Director at Terman Middle School By now the saying that “It takes a village to raise a child” has entered our language, but what does it mean for the parents of teenagers?  When our children enter adolescence, one of their primary developmental tasks is to branch out beyond the immediate family […]

Spring Fever or Loss of Motivation: How to Help Your Underachieving Teen

By Jennifer Jones, LCSW, Site Director, Palo Alto High School It’s that time of year; the long winter is over, trees are blossoming, the temperature is warming, and we all want to go to the beach instead of to work.  That’s why Spring Break was invented.  But what if a week of vacation doesn’t revive […]

The Task of Becoming a Teen

by Charlotte Villemoes, LMFT Site Director at Woodside High School After years of challenging teen years my son has finally emerged again, and much to my delight I am discovering he was hiding a real human being in there, someone who is able to communicate and show some basic interest in other people, including his […]

ACS’ Program Directors Words of Advice for the Holidays

With the holidays quickly approaching, many parents wonder how to survive this time of year with their troubled teens.  Here are some words of advice from Adolescent Counseling Services’ experienced program directors: Roni Gillenson, LMFT On-Campus Counseling Program Director In my work with teens and families over almost 20 years, probably my favorite moments have […]

Teens and Boundaries

By: Katie Luce, LMFT Site Director at Redwood High School Family rules and boundaries can provide a sense of stability to teenagers who are struggling to decipher relationships, roles, and even their own personalities. Although they may protest loudly against structure and boundaries, when they have a hand in what is being asked of them, […]

Blog Series:Nutrition and Mental Health – Teaching Teens Mindfulness About Their Diet

By: Philippe Rey, Psy.D. ACS Executive Director   With all the recent news about the importance of nutrition and the increase in childhood and adult obesity and diabetes, have you ever wondered if nutrition could also possibly affect the mental/emotional state of people? Let’s think about this one for a minute! We know that sugars […]

Fall Parent Education Session hosted at Stanford University

Challenge Success.org, a research-based organization that develops refreshingly practical curriculum, conferences and other programs for parents, schools, and kids looking for a healthier and more effective path to success in the 21st century. Offers a FREE Parent Education Session The Knowledge to Navigate: Strategies for Raising Healthy & Motivated Kids September 28, 2012, from 7:00pm-9:00pm […]