Kids These Days - Understanding and Supporting Youth Mental Health

Kids These Days is a must-read book and protest against harmful mental health treatments for children and youth.

-PARIS HILTON, global advocate for institutional reform and founder of 11:11 Media

Anxiety, depression, self-harm, and teen suicide are rising sharply-youth mental health issues have increased over 60% in the past decade. In Kids These Days, experts Will Dobud, PhD and Nevin Harper, PhD reveal why today's kids are struggling and what adults must do differently. Endorsed by Paris Hilton, Dr. Bruce D. Perry, and Alex Hutchinson, this research-based guide delivers practical strategies for building resilience, connection, and autonomy in the next generation.

What You'll Learn

• Why anxiety, depression, and behavioral challenges are symptoms, not root causes


• How overprotection, screen time, disconnection, and adult interference affect youth mental health


• Insights from 20+ years of clinical experience and adolescent psychology for raising emotionally resilient teens


• Why traditional talk therapy, diagnoses, and medication often miss the mark


• How to build trust, connection, and autonomy with kids-even in crisis

Why This Book Stands Out

• Written by practitioners with decades of experience in outdoor therapy, youth work, and trauma-informed care


• Grounded in research and filled with expert insights from parenting and psychology professionals


• Offers practical strategies parents, educators, and youth mentors can apply immediately


• A refreshing alternative to books that pathologize or try to "fix" kids

Endorsed by Leading Voices

"This is a crucial read for anyone living or working with children and youth. Highly recommended." - Dr. Bruce D. Perry, co-author of What Happened to You?

"A fresh, provocative look at the challenges facing our kids in today's world." - Alex Hutchinson, New York Times bestselling author of Endure

Perfect for readers of The Anxious Generation, Hold On to Your Kids, and Free-Range Kids. Whether you're a parent, teacher, youth worker, or therapist, Kids These Days will change how you see the next generation-and your role in helping them thrive.

Our kids aren't broken. But the system is.

Let's change the story.

Buy Kids These Days today-your guide to raising strong, connected, and capable young people.

List of contents

Introduction: Wicked Problems

Part I: Interference

Chapter 1: The Kids These Days Effect

Chapter 2: Starving

Chapter 3: Gorging

Chapter 4: Lions, Tigers, and Bears

Part II: Intervention

Chapter 5: Identity Politics

Chapter 6: Teaching Zen to Five-Year-Old's

Chapter 7: The Talking Cure

Part III: Ideology

Chapter 8: Extinction of Experience

Chapter 9: The Safety Trap

Chapter 10: Simple Can Be Elegant

Epilogue: On Deviance and Uncooperative Systems

Notes

About the author

Will Dobud, PhD, MSW has over 20 years of therapeutic experience working with youth and families from diverse backgrounds across the US, Australia, and Norway. He has developed innovative programs that integrate psychotherapy and the outdoors to improve teenagers' experience when seeking mental health treatment. A dedicated, award-winning researcher and senior social work lecturer, Will explores ways to improve the experience and effectiveness of mental health supports, and advocates for youth impacted by the United States' troubled-teen industry. He is co-host of the popular Adventure Therapy Collective Podcast and co-author of Solution-Focused Practice in Outdoor Therapy: Co-Adventuring for Change and Outdoor Therapies: An Introduction To Practices, Possibilities, and Critical Perspectives. A senior lecturer in social work at Charles Sturt University, Will lives and works between Australia and the Washington DC area.

Nevin Harper, PhD, is a Professor in the Faculty of Health at the University of Victoria, and a Registered Clinical Counsellor with over 30 years' experience leading groups and individuals through outdoor educational, therapeutic and transformative experiences.

His research in the areas of child and youth health and development examines human-environmental interactions, primarily through the practices of outdoor therapies, adventure programming, and nature-based approaches to healing and wellbeing. He has travelled and worked internationally as a consultant, trainer, speaker, and an evaluator of programs and services in related areas. Nevin is co-author of Nature-Based Therapy: A Practitioner's Guide to Working Outdoors with Children, Youth, And Families and Outdoor Therapies: An Introduction to Practices, Possibilities, and Critical Perspectives. He lives on Vancouver Island, Canada.

Product details

• Authors: Will Dobud, Will W Dobud, Will W. Dobud, Will W. Harper Dobud, Nevin J Harper, Nevin J. Harper
• Publisher: New society publishing
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 01.09.2025
• EAN: 9781774060223
• ISBN: 978-1-77406-022-3
• No. of pages: 324
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > Psychology, esoterics, spirituality, anthroposophy > Psychology: general, reference works; Social sciences, law, business > Sociology > Sociological theories