Boca Raton Center for Child & Family

New blog: Is Artificial Intelligence Helping or Harming Teen Development in Today's Digital Age? Dive into a balanced look at how AI shapes teens' learning, mental health, and social habits — plus practical tips for parents and educators. Read more: https://wix.to/v6SHrJe

Is Artificial Intelligence Helping or Harming Teen Development in Today's Digital Age Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become a powerful tool in many areas of life, including education, mental health, and social interaction. For teenagers, AI offers new ways to learn, seek advice, and even find companionship. Yet, this growing reliance on AI raises important questions. Are teens usin...

We’re here for Boca Raton families navigating mental health support. Swipe through to find crisis hotlines, school counseling links, pediatricians with mental health expertise, and how our center coordinates care — including our MindVybe option for virtual follow-up. Visit https://wix.to/BpmZpry to learn more and connect with local resources. Ready to talk or have questions? Send us a message or call to get started.

New blog: Building Stronger Bonds — Prioritizing attachment over social media and peer influence in parenting. Discover why deep emotional connection matters more than performance or peer approval, and get practical ideas to strengthen your relationship with your child. Read more: https://wix.to/qTQf6WG

Building Stronger Bonds: Prioritizing Attachment Over Social Media and Peer Influence in Parenting Children today face a unique challenge: their need for attachment often shifts away from parents toward peers and social media. This shift can expose them to influences that may harm their emotional development. Gordon Neufeld, a developmental psychologist, emphasizes that parents should focus on st...

New blog: The Dark Side of AI Chat — how manipulative AI conversations are harming teens' mental health and what we must do about it. Read insights from Dr. Edan M. Alcalay on warning signs, real-world cases, and steps parents, educators, and policymakers can take to protect youth. Read more: https://wix.to/O5tGALQ

The Dark Side of AI Chat: How Manipulative Technology Threatens Our Youth's Mental Health Artificial intelligence chatbots have become a part of everyday life for many young people. These AI systems offer companionship, answers, and sometimes even emotional support. Yet, beneath this convenience lies a growing concern: AI chat technology is being used in ways that manipulate and coerce t...

Why are kids so drawn to screens? It's not just the apps — it's the psychological need to feel significant. In our latest post, Dr. Edan M. Alcalay explains how feeling overlooked drives children toward digital attention and offers practical steps parents, educators, and caregivers can use to help kids find real, lasting significance beyond the screen. Read more: https://wix.to/6PCAuze

Understanding Screen Time Addiction: The Psychological Need for Significance Screen time addiction among children is often blamed on apps designed to keep them hooked. While this is partly true, the deeper reason lies in a psychological need that screens fulfill: the need for significance. When children feel overlooked or unimportant in their daily lives, the digital world o...

As clinicians at Boca Raton Center for Child & Family, we see teens using AI tools for homework and, increasingly, for personal advice. I want to be clear: AI can make learning easier, but it isn’t a substitute for human-guided therapy when it comes to identity, emotions, or deeper mental-health concerns. AI chats often mirror what users want to hear and can unintentionally create echo chambers that delay seeking real help.

If your teen is asking big questions about identity or feeling anxious, encourage open conversation and consider professional support. We combine specialized therapy for children and teens with innovative tools like Mindvybe to provide compassionate, evidence-informed care that helps young people explore themselves safely. Let’s keep technology as a helpful supplement—not the sole guide—in a teen’s journey to well-being.

Want to learn more or book a consultation? Tell us your concerns in the comments or click to read the full article. https://wix.to/3jt6v0I

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