Ron McCaslin, PMHNP

09/14/2026

I came across a WGN Medical Watch story this weekend about the rise in children and teens showing up in emergency departments during a mental health crisis, and I think there’s an important conversation for parents underneath that headline.

We’ve gotten pretty good at recognizing what a mental health emergency looks like. A child says they want to die, they’re self-harming, they’re completely unable to function, or their behavior has escalated to a point where everyone involved is worried about immediate safety. Those situations absolutely need urgent attention.

But mental health struggles usually don’t start there.

More often, they build quietly. A child starts avoiding school. Sleep changes. They seem more irritable or withdrawn. They complain of headaches or stomachaches more often. Grades slip. They stop enjoying things they used to like. They worry constantly, melt down more easily, or just seem different in a way that’s hard to put your finger on.

And this is not a small subset of kids. The American Academy of Pediatrics estimates that 13–20% of children in the U.S. are living with a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder at any given time. Another 19% have symptoms significant enough to cause distress or interfere with daily life, even if they do not meet criteria for a specific diagnosis.

That means there are a lot of kids who are struggling somewhere in the middle. Not in crisis, but not really okay either. Sometimes a parent can’t name a specific symptom at all. They just say, “They haven’t seemed like themselves lately.”

That is worth paying attention to.

The CDC’s most recent national data also found that nearly 3 in 10 high school students reported poor mental health during the previous month. That doesn’t mean every one of those students needs psychiatric treatment, but it does reinforce how common it is for kids and teens to be carrying more than adults may realize.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends routine mental and behavioral health screening throughout childhood, including anxiety screening beginning around age 8 and depression and su***de-risk screening beginning around age 12, or earlier when there are concerns. The reason is simple: we have a much better chance of helping kids when we notice problems before they become emergencies.

Screening also does not automatically mean a diagnosis, and it definitely does not automatically mean medication. Sometimes it means recognizing that a child is overwhelmed. Sometimes it means therapy, addressing sleep, school stress, bullying, family changes, ADHD, anxiety, depression, trauma, or another issue that may be contributing. Sometimes medication is appropriate, and sometimes it isn’t.

The point is not to label every hard season. Kids have rough weeks. Teenagers have moods. Families go through stressful stretches.

But parents know their kids.

If something has changed and it keeps nagging at you, you do not have to wait until things are “bad enough” to bring it up with a pediatrician or mental health provider. Early conversations matter, and early support gives families more options.

One of the simplest places to start is with something like, “I’ve noticed you haven’t seemed like yourself lately. How are you doing?”

You may not get much of an answer the first time, especially from an older child or teenager. Keep the door open anyway.

When we talk about the youth mental health crisis, the goal cannot only be getting better at responding once a child reaches the emergency room. We also have to get better at noticing when they’re struggling earlier.

That is where prevention starts.

09/12/2026

I miss 9/12.

Not the fear. Not the grief. Not what had happened the day before. I miss the way people treated each other afterward.

People checked in. They called family. They helped strangers. They were softer with one another. For a brief moment, it felt like we remembered that we were all on the same team.

From a mental health perspective, that kind of connection matters more than we sometimes realize.

Feeling seen matters.
Feeling supported matters.
Feeling like you belong matters.

We talk a lot about the mental health crisis in this country, but sometimes I think we overlook one of the simplest pieces of it: people need people.

We shouldn’t need something terrible to happen before we slow down, check in, give someone grace, or tell people we love them.

I miss 9/12.

Maybe we could use a little more of it today 🇺🇸

09/09/2026

72°, gray, rainy, and somehow still giving baked apple weather. There’s something about a gloomy September day that makes slowing down feel a little more acceptable.

Sometimes, mental health care looks like the bigger things, therapy, medication, boundaries, hard conversations. But sometimes it also looks like noticing what your nervous system has been asking for all week and giving yourself 30 quiet minutes to answer it. Today, ours looks like baked apples, cinnamon, a warm kitchen, and absolutely no need to be productive while they were in the oven.
Small comforts don’t fix everything. They’re not supposed to. But they can remind your brain and body: you’re allowed to have moments that feel good, even in the middle of a hard or gray day.

So if today feels a little dreary, consider it part of your treatment plan to make something warm, put on the cozy clothes, and let the rain do its thing. 🍂

PMHNP-approved September prescription:
•Something warm
•A slower pace
•A little comfort
•Zero guilt about it
Repeat as needed

Shoutout to Mind Over Batter for the recipe and our favorite local orchard for the apples 🍎

09/03/2026

Sometimes the signs are obvious. Sometimes they look like withdrawing, giving things away, increased substance use, sudden changes in mood, or simply saying, “I’m tired of feeling like this.”

And sometimes, there are no signs anyone recognized at all.

Mental health struggles do not always look the way we expect them to. Check on your people. Ask the uncomfortable question. Listen without immediately trying to fix it. Asking someone directly if they’re thinking about su***de does not put the idea in their head, but it can open the door to an honest conversation and help someone feel less alone.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

You deserve support before it becomes an emergency 💙

08/30/2026

The Sunday scaries are scaring 😬

You know the feeling:
It’s Sunday afternoon and suddenly your brain is already at work on Monday. The emails. The schedule. The school drop-off. The stuff you forgot to do Friday. The 47 things you “should probably get done tonight. Your brain loves to treat Monday like an emergency before Monday even gets here.

Try this instead:
Do one small thing that makes tomorrow easier, and then call it good.

Lay out the clothes.
Pack the bag.
Check the calendar.
Write down the thing you’re afraid you’ll forget.

Then go enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Monday will still be there tomorrow. You don’t have to live it twice. 🤍

08/18/2026

🥰

08/18/2026

Back-to-school season comes with a lot of excitement, but it can also bring big feelings. New routines. Earlier mornings. New teachers. New expectations. Social pressure. Sports, homework, and packed schedules.

If your child or teen seems more anxious, irritable, overwhelmed, distracted, or just not quite themselves as school starts, it may be more than “just adjusting.” A little extra patience, consistency, and connection can go a long way. And if those struggles start interfering with school, sleep, friendships, or life at home, it may be time for some additional support.

Here’s to a school year with a little less pressure to have it all together and a little more room to ask for help 💙

08/09/2026

Big things are coming, and we want you to be a part of it! 🥳

We’re growing at Aster Behavioral Health at Medico! 🪻

We’re looking for an experienced Lead Therapist to help us build and shape our therapy program from the ground up.

This is a unique role for an LCSW, LCPC, LMFT, or Clinical Psychologist who loves clinical work but is also excited about leadership, collaboration, and having a real voice in how a behavioral health program grows. You’ll work closely with our psychiatric team while helping develop a thoughtful, patient-centered therapy department.

📍 South Loop, Chicago
💙 Flexible scheduling
🌿 Leadership + clinical role
🤝 Integrated therapy & psychiatric care
💰 $57–$63/hour

Know someone who would be a great fit? Please share or tag them below!

View the full position & apply on Indeed⁠

https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=0908b9dd8c493d5a

08/04/2026

With the Clancy trial back in the headlines, a lot of people are (finally) talking about postpartum mental health. But with all of the rhetoric and emotions surrounding the case, many of the terms being used on social media and the press are being used interchangeably when they’re actually very different.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common postpartum mental health condition. It can look like overwhelming sadness, hopelessness, guilt, losing interest in things you once enjoyed, feeling disconnected from your baby, or feeling like you’re failing, even when you’re doing everything you can.

Postpartum anxiety (PPA) is also common but often less recognized. It may show up as constant worry, racing thoughts, panic attacks, difficulty sleeping even when your baby is asleep, or intrusive thoughts that are frightening and unwanted. Having intrusive thoughts does not mean someone wants to act on them. In fact, they’re often the exact opposite of a person’s true intentions and can be incredibly distressing.

Postpartum psychosis (PPP) is much rarer, affecting about 1–2 out of every 1,000 births, but it is also the most serious. It is not simply “severe postpartum depression.” Symptoms can include hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, severe mood changes, confusion, and a loss of touch with reality. Postpartum psychosis is a psychiatric emergency and requires immediate evaluation and treatment.

The takeaway isn’t to diagnose anyone from the outside or assume every tragic story has the same explanation. Every family and every situation is vastly different. Every case is different, and it is up to the legal system to determine the facts. But conversations like these are a reminder of how important it is to recognize that postpartum mental health conditions are real, they exist on a spectrum, and they deserve compassion and care.

If you or someone you love seems unlike themselves after having a baby, please don’t brush it off as “just hormones.” The postpartum period doesn’t end at the 6 or 8 week checkup. While some parents experience symptoms within days of delivery, others don’t notice them until weeks or even months later. In fact, postpartum depression and anxiety can emerge anytime during the first year after childbirth, and some experts recognize that postpartum mental health challenges may persist beyond that. That’s why ongoing support, not just one postpartum visit is so important. Early recognition and treatment can make a life-changing difference.

Maternal mental health matters.

Asking for help is a sign of strength, and no one should have to go through it alone 🤍

07/31/2026

Healing does not always happen in one clear, beautiful moment. Sometimes it comes in pieces…a better night of sleep, one honest conversation, setting a boundary, taking your medication consistently, or finally asking for help.

The pieces may not make sense while you are living through them. Progress can feel scattered, uneven, or incomplete. But slowly, something begins to come together.

You do not have to have the whole picture figured out to be healing. 🌻