Tag Archives: Birmingham Alabama

Demystifying Psychiatric Hospitalization

What We Know 1 in 5 youth ages 13 – 18 have or will have a serious mental illness 50% of all life-time cases of mental illness begin by the age of 14 Almost 80% of youth with mental illness do not receive treatment Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for youth aged 15 – 24 90% of those who committed suicide had an underlying mental illness Rate of psychiatric hospitalization for youth are on the rise – nearly 10% of pediatric hospitalizations across the US were for a primary mental health diagnosis in 2009 Common reasons for […]

Successfully Managing the Morning Routine

May 23, 2017 1 comment Children's Mental Health, Healthy Living, Parenting Birmingham, Birmingham Alabama, Dr. Leesha, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, Parenting Dr. Leesha

Like many of you, weekday mornings are chaotic at best. I have 3 children, ages 2, 6, and 9. Many days no one wants to even get out of bed. Other days, everyone is up but arguments ensue about what to wear – shorts in 50 degree weather, horribly mismatched clothing, or my son who questions the necessity of underwear. Then there’s trouble deciding what to eat for breakfast, finding shoes, and “Oh, I forgot, can you sign this mommy?” all within the last 10 minutes before the mad dash out the door in the midst of praying that they don’t […]

The 10 Commandments of Healthy Parenting, Part II

April 27, 2017 1 comment Children's Mental Health, Parenting Birmingham, Birmingham Alabama, Cultivating healthy minds, Dr. Leesha, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, harvesting hope, Mental Health, Parenting, Psychiatrist Dr. Leesha

4) Exercise the gift of choice Many days all I want is for each of my children to do exactly what I say exactly when I say it and to do it without grumbling, loud and heavy sighs, or 20 questions. This would make my life so much easier; but, oftentimes there are protests and rebuttals. To interrupt the brewing dissension, I offer my children choices. Do you want to wear blue or black shorts today? Do you want chicken or turkey burgers for dinner? Would you rather grab lunch now or go with me to the store to pick […]

The 10 Commandments of Healthy Parenting, Part I

April 24, 2017 0 comments Children's Mental Health, Parenting Birmingham, Birmingham Alabama, Cultivating healthy minds, Dr. Leesha, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, harvesting hope, Mental Health, Parenting, Psychiatrist Dr. Leesha

I am the mother of 3 amazing children – 2 daughters ages 2 and 9 and a 6-year-old son. Parenting is simultaneously the most wonderful and challenging experience of my adult life. You might think I would have it altogether – I mean I am a board certified child psychiatrist, right? Well, these 3 have given me a run for my money and manage to do it every single day. While I know all about the science behind normal childhood development and strategies to manage temper outbursts, applying the knowledge and skills firsthand with my own children is brutal, especially […]

Depression and the Believer

March 16, 2017 1 comment Faith, Mental Health Birmingham Alabama, Cultivating healthy minds, Dr. Leesha, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, Mental Health, Mental Illness Education, Psychiatrist Dr. Leesha

Formidable, disabling, destructive. The word depression conjures up such negative descriptors; but, depression is also very common both in the United States and globally. According to the World Health Organization, 350 million suffer from depression; and, this mental disorder is the leading cause of disability. The statistics are equally staggering for the United State where 9% of American adults have depression, depression is the leading cause of disability for individuals ages 15 to 43, and suicide is the leading cause of death among individuals age 15 to 29, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Stated differently, 15 million American […]

A Fresh Start in 2017

January 15, 2017 1 comment Faith, Healthy Living Birmingham, Birmingham Alabama, Cultivating healthy minds, Dr. Leesha, Dr. Leesha Ellis-Cox, Mental Health, Mental Illness Education, Psychiatrist, Scripture calendar Dr. Leesha

2017 has arrived – we are just over 2 weeks in!. A new year is an exciting time for it ushers in hope, promise, and new beginnings. We leave behind the old and begin anew. Galvanized by a collective fresh start in 2017, I have compiled 12 scriptures, 1 for each month of the year, to motivate, inspire, and encourage us as we embark upon a new, and prayerfully transformative, journey in 2017. January – II Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life […]

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