Upcoming Monthly Educational Opportunities for Parents & Caregivers
We are excited to share that, beginning this year, we will host free virtual monthly educational sessions to support parents and caregivers with practical, relevant, and research-informed guidance. These sessions will be led by professionals who are leaders in their fields, offering high-quality expertise across each topic and an opportunity to learn, connect, and gain tools that can be immediately applied at home.
Dr. Danny Recio, Ph.D.; The Convenience Trap: How Comfort Undermines Capability
January 15, 2026 @ 6:00pm PST
SESSION
As we work tirelessly to reverse the rapid decline in young adult mental health, we are also trying to understand what’s brought it on. Smartphones often take center stage in this conversation, but what if they’re just the technological straw that broke humanity’s back? While technology aims to increase efficiency and convenience, freeing humans from certain experiences and the need to solve problems, at what point do these benefits start to backfire? Is it possible that convenience has turned into a trap that advertises itself as enhancing wellbeing when it’s doing the opposite? If so, how can its advantages be harnessed without succumbing to its side effects?
BIO
Dr. Danny Recio is co-founder and Program Director at The Bridge ~ Costa Rica, a supportive gap community for young adult men and women. He is also co-founder and lead researcher at the Supportive Immersion Institute. Danny holds a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology and a PhD in Integrated Ecology. He is a published journal author and speaker, including two TedX talks, on topics from mental fitness to cross-cultural transformative experiential learning.
Dr. Dan Franklin; The Art and Science of Proactive Executive Functioning Support
February 2, 2026 @ 6:00pm PST
SESSION
Executive Function (EF) skills are the skills required to navigate the complex organizational demands of a school environment successfully. In many instances, the school’s organizational demands exceed the student’s EF capacities. In these instances, it is essential to provide high levels of proactive EF support. In this presentation, we will explore the underlying reasons for EF skills deficits and then offer strategies that have proven highly effective in supporting these students.
BIO
Daniel Franklin, PhD, BCET, author of Helping Your Child with Language-Based Learning Disabilities. Dr. Franklin holds a Master’s degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in Reading, Language, and Learning Disabilities, a PhD from UCLA in Education, and he is a Board Certified Educational Therapist. He has over 30 years of experience in education as a teacher, administrator, and consultant.
Robert Scholtz, MA, LMFT, LPCC; Safe & Sound: What Every Parent Needs to Know About School Safety
March 19, 2026 @ 6:00pm PST
SESSION
In this episode, we tackle the critical topic of school safety, exploring how parents can work with educators to protect their children from threats at school, understand emergency protocols, and support their mental well-being in today’s educational environment. Featuring expert guidance and practical tips, this conversation equips you with the tools to ensure your child feels secure and supported at school.
BIO
Robert is a licensed therapist and has served in many clinical and leadership roles over his thirty years working in university, community mental health, forensic, and private practice settings. Robert is well-known for his work as a trainer and consultant in assisting schools/ universities and communities prepare for and respond to major crisis events like wildfires, mass shootings, student deaths, and other tragedies. Robert has served as an Adjunct Professor of Psychology at Pepperdine’s Graduate School of Education and Psychology for many years and has authored publications on the topics of threat assessment, self-directed violence, disaster mental health, and men’s mental health.
Dr. Deanna Dow, Ph.D.; Beyond the Diagnosis: Supporting Growth and Healing in Late-Identified Autistic Adults
April 20, 2026 @ 6:30pm PST
SESSION
We will explore the range of affirming, evidence-based treatment options available for late-diagnosed autistic adults. This talk will help parents understand the supports available—from therapy approaches to daily-life resources—that honor neurodiversity and promote well-being.
BIO
Dr. Deanna Dow is the founder and clinical director of Spectrum Psych LA. She is a licensed clinical psychologist with over 20 years of experience working with individuals and families through assessment, intervention, educational, and research programs. She specializes in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). She has trained with leading experts across the country, contributing to research in the field related to early detection and diagnosis of autism, parent-implemented treatment strategies, and co-occurring disorders, including anxiety, depression, and suicidality.
Julia Storm; Parenting Through Summer: Avoiding the Screen Time Spiral
May 12, 2026 @ 6:00pm PST
SESSION
Summer break can be a blessing—and a minefield. Without structure, teens can quickly slide into endless scrolling, late nights, and digital overload. Join digital wellness educator Julia Storm for a practical and compassionate conversation about how to help your teens make the most of their downtime. We’ll talk about balancing freedom with responsibility, creating flexible structure, encouraging real-world connection, and keeping screens in their rightful place.
BIO
Julia Storm is a Digital Media Wellness Educator and Screen Time Consultant. She is the founder of ReConnect, a whole child and whole family approach to supporting parents and kids with the challenges of growing up in the Digital Age. She is certified by The Digital Wellness Institute and holds a Paraprofessional Certificate in Counseling from the Southern California Counseling Center. Julia is a teaching partner with Common Sense Media’s Common Sense Schools Program and Sleepy Planet.
Julia’s work has been featured in The LA Times, Time Magazine, Wired, and Parent Magazine. Most importantly, Julia is a mom to 2 screen-loving, but mindful, teenage boys.
Lyle Wick LMFT, LPCC, LAADC & Sally McClain LCSW;
When Curiosity Meets Summer Break: How Parents Can Hold Boundaries and Stay Connected
June 4, 2026 @ 6:00pm PST
SESSION
This talk will help parents understand why substance experimentation often increases during summer and what that means developmentally for teens. You’ll learn practical ways to set clear, consistent boundaries while still staying connected and supportive. We’ll also cover strategies to structure your teen’s time, so the season feels safe, predictable, and relationship-building—not power-struggling.
BIO
Lyle Wick McClain, LMFT, LPCC, LAADC
Lyle Wick McClain, founder and co-owner of Bridge The Gap, brings deep experience from private practice and treatment centers to support teens and young adults with practical coping skills and real-time guidance. After realizing that weekly therapy alone often wasn’t enough for sustainable change, she created Bridge The Gap to provide meaningful transition support and ongoing mentoring beyond the therapy room.
Sally McClain, LCSW
As co-owner of Bridge The Gap, Sally McClain helps teens and young adults build confidence and wellness through structured mentoring and mental health support informed by her work in dual diagnosis treatment, neurofeedback, and research at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. Alongside her role at Bridge The Gap, she maintains a private practice in Westlake Village specializing in eating disorders, anxiety, and chronic illness.
