Lianne Castelino

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks to Dr. Jennifer Fraser, teacher, author and mom about the impact of bullying on the brain; bullying behaviour among adults and proven ways to restore brain health caused by abuse — all themes in her latest book, The Bullied Brain.

Eric (Kailin) Chen has learned a lot about facing and overcoming adversity since the beginning of the COVID-19 global pandemic.
The Grade 12 student at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) was in his native Beijing when the coronavirus struck in March 2020.
Then he was stuck.
"I began my remote learning when COVID first hit," says the 18-year-old." I finished my second half of Grade 10 and the entire Grade 11 [year] remotely, which was about 12 months."

In this episode of the Where Parents Talk podcast, host Lianne Castelino speaks to Kara Brisson-Boivin, PhD, Director of research at MediaSmarts, a Canadian not for profit organization focused on digital and media literacy, adjunct Research Professor in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Carleton University and mother of two, about tools and strategies to help youth intervene against online hate.

A leading Canadian researcher in mental health and violence prevention in schools says that more can and should be done to reduce the prevalence of bullying among young people, especially in school.
“The bulk of bullying occurs in schools, on the way to school, from school, in school,” says Dr. Tracy Vaillancourt, Canada Research Chair in school-based mental health and violence prevention told Lianne Castelino during an interview for Where Parents Talk.

One of the unique domino effects of a multi-year global pandemic unfolded with little fanfare.
"It was the first time that I’ve actually, in my whole life, been in St. Mike’s," says Dr. John Shin, who, along with his wife and son, attended the first St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) Family Day.
Shin’s family, like many others, was not permitted to visit the school in-person — during their process of researching prospective schools.

There was nothing available in Canada that quite hit the mark for Dr. Janet Miller, so, she took matters into her own hands.
“I wanted to make it person,” says the author of You @ the U: A Guided Tour through Your First Year of University.
“I wanted to make it their journey. So, thinking about you — what is it going to be like for you not just for the random human or for a generic person, but what do you need? What will your transition be like? What will your pathway feel like?

Call it an eclectic menu offering.
Combining an immersive, off-campus learning experience with language instruction.
"This trip did a lot to help my understanding of the Italian language because our chef and teacher spoke mainly in Italian," says James Simone, Grade 10 student at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS). "This challenged us to practice our vocabulary and learn how to talk in a casual setting."

It had been a while.
More than 20 years to be precise.
"I have not done a pig brain dissection since undergrad and the last time I taught high school students was during medical school," says Dr. David Kim, who entered a different lab setting for a few hours to share his medical expertise with two Grade 12 biology classes at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS).
Fortunately, he says, "like riding a bicycle, it all came back quickly!"

What steps can a couple consider to minimize the acrimony and potential trauma inflicted on the family through a separation or divorce? Can the impact on a child or children be managed to help lessen the blow when a family structure and relationships unravel, and co-parenting becomes a new normal?
Karen S. Bonnell provides support to guide couples through the difficult emotions and feelings associated with separation, divorce, co-parenting and step-parenting.

The evidence is too powerful to overlook.
“It is compelling research,” says Dr. Anne K. Fishel, clinical psychologist and family therapist. based in Boston, MA. “It’s 25 years of dozens and dozens of studies that show when families have dinner together, it’s great for the body, the brain, and the mental health of kids and adolescents. And it also turns out that family meal time is also good for the mental health and nutrition of adults.”

Three sons.
Three different academic journeys.
Two paths that run through St. Michael’s College School (SMCS).
One involved applying to SMCS in May of 2021, well after the standard Admissions cycle.
A current family shares what made their youngest son decide to switch schools and take on a roughly 75-minute daily commute by car and subway to attend SMCS.

A conversation about the benefits and pitfalls of parental pressure on kids — one which started in the February edition of ParenTalks at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS) — continued in the final presentation of this series for this academic year.
The four-member panel which included a family physician, two psychologists, and an educator delved into how parental pressure can manifest in a child and what tactics parents may want to consider to positively motivate their son or daughter.

The plan was in place. Everything seemed set.
"We were thinking about St. Michael’s for Grade 9," says Alfonso, referring to high school options his family was considering for their eldest child.
Alfonso and his wife Michelle began some preliminary research, knowing they had ample time — more than a year — to apply for admission.

The idea took root during a meal.
“We were thinking of ways to give back to the community and gain some experience in working with other schools,” says Mark Ambrosino, a Grade 11 student at St. Michael’s College School (SMCS).
So, he teamed up with fellow student Anish Krishanthan.
“I decided to start the club when I was inspired by my sister who started a non-profit tutoring service called Kids Help Kids,” says Krishanthan, also in Grade 11.

More than 30 years into her career as a psychologist and researcher, with multiple books in her repertoire spanning family, relationships and adolescence, Dr. Terri Apter admits to being surprised by the latest scientific findings when it comes to teenage brain development.

Dr. Apter, former Senior Tutor at Newnham College in Cambridge, U.K., shared the revelations that caught her eye in the course of writing her latest book — during an interview with Lianne Castelino of Where Parents Talk.