Ask Alice: A Conversation with Dr. Stacey Gilbert on Teenagers Struggling with Anxiety and Depression

In this episode of Ask Alice, licensed professional counselor Alice Churnock speaks with veteran pediatrician Stacey Gilbert, who answers questions from parents who are exploring medication as an option for their children. Dr. Gilbert dispels myths and encourages a balanced perspective on meds. With so many confusing and conflicting reports about medication, this episode of Ask Alice allows parents to hear the truth directly from a professional.

Dr. Gilbert addresses the following questions:

How young is too young to put a child on medication?

What would cause you to start a child on meds ? What symptoms are you looking for?

How long do most kids take meds and are they addictive?

What is a black box warning and should that deter us from starting a kid on meds?

How do medications work – what do they do for the brain?

As a Christian, how can I justify placing my child on medication?

On the Rooted blog , we work to address teen depression through the lens of the Gospel. Here are some articles and podcasts we hope you and the parents of your students will find helpful:

Only the Gospel Will Save Teens From Their Anxiety by Seth Stewart

To the Parent Struggling With a Struggling Teen by Kristen Hatton

Parenting A Child With Major Depressive Disorder by Ingram Link

Rooted Podcast: Dave Thomas on Adolescent Anxiety

Rooted Podcast: Gospel Contextualization of Anxiety and Academic Pressure in Affluent Suburban and Asian American Contexts with Cameron Cole and Clark Fobes

In addition, check out the Special Challenges section of our Resources tab for more Rooted articles and other resources on topics such as depression, grief, and perfectionism.

This podcast is made available to you by the Rooted Ministry for educational purposes only, not to provide specific therapeutic advice. The views expressed are the personal perspectives of the author and do not represent the views of all counselors or the profession. This podcast does not create a counselor-client relationship and should not be used as a substitute for competent therapeutic counsel from a licensed professional in your state.