the parents’ guide to psychological first aid: helping children and adolescents cope with predictable life crises

A wealth of constructive advice to help you and your child navigate and recover from the everyday stresses of growing up

Just as parents can expect their children to encounter physical bumps, bruises, and injuries along the road to adulthood, emotional distress is also an unavoidable part of growing up. The sources of this distress range from toddlerhood to young adulthood, from the frustration of toilet training to the uncertainty of leaving home for the first time.

Compiled by four renowned clinical psychologists, the second edition of The Parents’ Guide to Psychological First Aid brings together an array of experts to offer parental guidance in helping your child navigate and recover from the everyday stresses they will encounter growing up. Clear, practical, and to-the-point, this is a go-to reference that parents will find themselves returning to again and again as their children grow. Chapters cover topics like healthy eating, sibling relationships, separation and divorce, social media and screen time, hate crimes and violence, learning differences, alcohol and drug use, sadness and depression, and much more.

With practical tips, nonjudgmental advice, and suggestions for additional resources at the end of each chapter, this useful and thought-provoking book will be of immense value to new and seasoned parents alike.

Gerald P. Koocher, PhD, ABPP, is Director of Clinical and School Psychology at Capella University. Previously he served as Professor and Dean of the College of Science and Health at DePaul University, Chief of Psychology at Boston Children’s Hospital, and Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School where he continues to serve on the Bioethics Center faculty. Koocher was founding editor of the journal Ethics & Behavior and editor of the Journal of Pediatric Psychology. He was President of the American Psychological Association (2006).

Annette M. La Greca, PhD, ABPP, is Distinguished Professor of Psychology and Pediatrics at the University of Miami and an internationally recognized expert on the impact of trauma on youth and families and the impact of peer relations on youth physical and mental health. She is the author of After the Storm: A Guide to Help Children Cope in the Aftermath of Hurricanes and Helping Children and Families Cope with the COVID-19 Pandemic. La Greca’s work has been recognized by multiple awards, including the Distinguished Career Award from the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Olivia Moorehead-Slaughter, PhD, is Psychologist at The Park School, a Pre-K to 8th grade independent school in Brookline, MA. Since 2004, she has been a faculty member of the Center for Multicultural Training in Psychology at Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Boston Medical Center. Moorehead-Slaughter’s career has been focused on addressing the full range of developmental, socioemotional, behavioral, and learning issues of children and adolescents, and supporting parents.

Nadja N. Lopez, PhD, is Executive Director of the William James College Center for Behavioral Health, Equity, and Leadership in Schools. Lopez’s primary clinical and research interests focus on the treatment of anxiety and depression in youth, school climate and social emotional learning, culturally responsive treatment and teaching, and systems change. Lopez has written multiple publications to support student mental health, including her book Anxiety and Depression in the Classroom: A Teacher’s Guide to Fostering Self-Regulation in Young Students.