Piper benjamin

Ms Piper Benjamin, LFA class of 2014, works as a social worker and a clinically licensed therapist. She works in private practice and specializes in parenthood mental health especially for mothers but has experience working with addiction and substance abuse as well. We talked about how and what causes mental health issues in adolescence. The main reasons she mentioned were high pressure, lack of balance and rest, and social media. She talked about how there is an importance to allow kids to be kids and have fun, while still balancing planning for the future. Parents and teachers can help students balance their stress while still guiding them towards a healthy and successful future. We also talked about the emergence of AI in the mental health field. She said that it can help youth find resources and services easier and allows them a place to share and collect their thoughts similar to a journal. It has negatives as it replaces human connection and removes the confidentiality and legal codes of therapy. She also proposed some solutions, saying that increased conversation and exposure to mental health is huge in reducing stigmas. She hopes to see increases in SEL as well as expanded insurance coverage for mental health care in the future.