Tag: mckenna

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William T. McKenna

Preventing teen suicide both in community and home

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After the 13 Reasons Why debut that dramatizes the reasons behind one teen girl’s suicide, there has been a significant amount of discussion regarding teenage suicide and preventing such actions.

Some authors have debated whether or not the Netflix series will harm or help adolescents when navigating both their own and their peers’ feelings regarding this important topic.

Here, however, I wish to discuss ways that you can identify whether or not your teen (or an adolescent you know) is at risk for taking their life, and then what you can do to help.

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William T. McKenna

New Year’s resolutions can succeed

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Question:

I always seem to have trouble following through with my New Year’s resolutions. Why is that? And what can I do to succeed this year?

Response:

William T. McKenna, M.S

Pre-Doctoral Resident in Clinical Psychology at Catholic Charities

Every year many of us find ourselves in your shoes.

From losing weight, to reading more, to cutting back on fast food, we all make plans that can be both great and unattainable at the same time.

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William McKenna

Is gratitude an antidote to depression?

Guest Column

Question: How does gratitude help me day to day? I have heard a lot about how practicing gratitude helps with depression but I don’t know how to practice it in an effective way.

Response: by William McKenna, M.S. Clinical Psychology Extern at Catholic Charities

Great question! Gratitude is a powerful antidote to depressive thoughts and feelings for a number of reasons, many of which I am sure you know.

Possessing only an abstract understanding of gratitude makes putting it into practice difficult.

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Giving a child their own ‘space’ as they grow

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QUESTION: “My daughter has just started her first year of college. I want to give her space, but also to be supportive if she needs me. What’s the best way for a parent to strike that balance with a young adult?”

RESPONSE: William McKenna, M.S., Clinical Extern at the IPS Center for Psychological Services

Transition within our lives can be difficult, and when those transitions involve our children, it can become even more demanding.

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