In this episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson is joined by NBC News anchor and Senior National Correspondent Kate Snow for a conversation about journalism, mental health, and the power of telling stories that can reduce stigma. Kate discusses how personal loss shaped her reporting on mental health, as well as suicide prevention, substance use, access to care, and the systems that families often have to navigate during moments of crisis.

In this episode, they cover:

• Why journalists can play an important role in reducing stigma
• What Kate has learned from reporting on teen mental health, substance use, and access to care
• Why transitions or experiencing a loss of purpose can be mental health risk factors
• How young people are broadening conversations about mental health

Key takeaways

• Sharing personal stories about mental health can help people feel less alone and make it easier for them to seek support.

• Suicide loss can be traumatic for an entire family, and talking about it thoughtfully may help reduce shame and stigma.

• Young people may be more open to conversations about mental health than previous generations, but they still need trusted adults and systems that can respond when they ask for help.

Further reading (and viewing)

NBC’s Kate Snow Shares Impact of Her Father-in-Law’s Suicide on Her Family, Today Show

The Link Between Smartphones and Kids' Mental Health, NBC Nightly News
Opioid Crisis: Historic Cape Cod Town Experiencing Staggering Toll, NBC Nightly News

Allegations of Abuse at Home for At-Risk Kids, NBC News

Further reading from the Child Mind Institute

What to Do if You’re Worried About Suicide

In this Q&A episode of Thriving Kids, Dr. Dave Anderson answers listener questions inspired by last week’s conversation with actress and author Busy Philipps about parenting, mental health, technology, and staying actively involved in kids’ lives.

Dr. Dave discusses how parents can stay connected to what kids are seeing on the internet, including how to help them think critically about influencers and what to do when they start wondering if they have ADHD, depression, or another diagnosis based on mental health content they see online. He also explores how ADHD can be missed in girls and high-achieving kids, how to talk with children about scary news and current events, and why building a parent “village” can help families better understand what’s happening socially, online, and at school.

This episode offers practical guidance for staying curious, setting limits, building trust, and helping kids develop the critical thinking skills they need as they grow more independent.

In this episode, Dr. Dave covers:
• How to stay involved in kids’ online lives without becoming “Big Brother”
• Why screen independence should grow through an “I do, we do, you do” model
• How to help kids think critically about influencers and online algorithms
• What to do when kids self-diagnose after seeing mental health content online
• How AI and social media can be useful tools without replacing real support
• Why ADHD is often missed in girls, women, and high-achieving kids
• How to talk with kids about politics, school safety, traumatic upsetting news, and current events

Further Reading
Social Media and Self-Doubt
Does Social Media Use Cause Depression?
Not All Attention Problems Are ADHD
Big Talks

Don’t forget, you can now watch Thriving Kids on Apple Podcasts and our Thriving Kids YouTube channel!

Dr. Dave Anderson sits down with science journalist and author Melinda Wenner Moyer to talk about what kids actually need to cope, connect, and grow up healthy today.

They cover:

• Why letting kids experience big feelings builds resilience
• How listening (not lecturing) strengthens connection
• What parents get wrong about screens and tech
• Why avoiding hard topics doesn’t protect kids
• How everyday conversations shape empathy and judgment

This episode is about practical, research-backed parenting — not perfection.

Further reading

• How Can We Help Kids With Self-Regulation? - Child Mind Institute
• How to Raise Kids Who Aren’t A**holes - Melinda Wenner Moyer
• Hello, Cruel World - Melinda Wenner Moyer