Episode
Episode 73 | Rethinking Youth Mental Health: What We’re Getting Wrong with Dr. Will Dobud, PhD, MSW
- Podcast
- The Affirming Minds Podcast
- Published
- Apr 7, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 4665
- Processing state
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Summary
Course Information: https://canva.link/qvhqgnz5pnptjgk --- Episode Summary: Rates of anxiety, depression, self-harm, and suicide among young people have risen dramatically over the past decade. But what if we’re misunderstanding the problem? In this episode, Shaina sits down with Dr. Will Dobud, social worker, researcher, and co-author of Kids These Days , to challenge dominant narratives about youth mental health. Together, they explore how current clinical and cultural frameworks may contribute to over-pathologizing normal development—and what we may be missing when we focus too narrowly on diagnosis, symptom reduction, and control. This conversation invites clinicians, parents, and educators to consider a broader, more contextual lens—one that centers relationships, autonomy, and environment. --- Topics Covered: Why youth symptoms may reflect broader systemic and relational factors How adult anxiety and over-intervention influence youth mental health Limitations of diagnosis-driven and symptom-focused models When therapy may not be effective—and how to recognize it The role of autonomy, connection, and trusted relationships --- About Our Guest: Dr. Will Dobud is a social worker, researcher, and educator who has worked with adolescents and families in the United States, Australia, and Norway. He is a Senior Lecturer in Social Work at Charles Sturt University and an award-winning researcher focused on improving therapy outcomes for teenagers and promoting safe, ethical practices. His work includes examining the risks of coercive and institutional treatment models. --- Resource: Kids These Days (book): https://a.co/d/0gsTkoHy --- Conflict of Interest Disclosures: The host, Shaina Siber-Sanderowitz, LCSW, is the Founder of Affirm Mental Health, an acc…