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Child therapists say one of the biggest things harming kids’ happiness today isn’t screens or grades — it’s parents trying too hard to keep kids happy all the time. Constantly shielding children from stress, failure, or tough emotions can stop them from learning how to cope, build resilience, and understand the whole range of feelings they’ll face in life.

Instead of smoothing out every bump, experts encourage adults to acknowledge feelings openly, help kids name what they’re experiencing, and support them through hard moments rather than rushing in to “fix” everything. They also warn that tying a child’s worth to achievement — like grades or likes — can make kids feel valued only for winning, not for who they are. Teaching kids that all emotions matter and that you’ve got their back no matter what helps them grow stronger and happier in the long run.

Read More: The 1 Thing That Child Therapists Say Harms Kids' Happiness The Most (HuffPost)

After losing her Malibu home in the devastating L.A. wildfires, actress and host Ricki Lake says the past year has been “so traumatizing” — but also transformational as she works on healing and rebuilding her life in New York City. She and her husband made an impulsive move across the country and now she’s closer to her sons, finding gratitude and a fresh perspective despite still healing from the emotional fallout.

Lake is using her platform to advocate for mental health awareness, especially through Community Access and the Changing Minds Young Filmmaker Festival, which highlights real mental health journeys from young creators.

Her personal losses — including the death of her late husband to suicide — have deepened her commitment to empathy, connection, and representation for those struggling. Lake stresses that almost everyone deals with loneliness, stress, or coping challenges, and she wants “more joy and giving… people being represented and heard and supported.”

Read More: Ricki Lake Talks Losing Home in L.A. Wildfires, Mental Health (People.com)

‘Hits different’ is an overused co-opted phrase that people of inferior creativity use to describe something out of the ordinary. It’s often an attempt to present the speaker as being a person of culture. Also used when comparing a scenario before and after a variable occurs. ‘X’ hits different now that ‘Y’ has happened.

When something ‘hits different’ it is significantly better than usual or is way better under certain circumstances.

Example: Tap water ‘hits different’ at 3:00am.

In California, a growing number of sheriff’s departments are stopping routine police responses to mental health crisis calls unless there’s a crime or immediate danger involved, a major shift in how emergencies are handled. This change comes after concerns that many mental health calls historically escalated harm instead of calming it, including a federal court case that held officers accountable for unreasonable force on a non-criminal mental health call.

Instead of police, advocates say these calls should go to trained counselors or crisis teams who know how to de-escalate and connect people with support, not force. Community-led responses and alternatives like the 988 crisis line and mental health co-response teams have shown promise, but they’re still patchy in coverage because of funding and staffing limits. Supporters — and many in the public — want more investment in trained responders so people in distress get care instead of confrontation.

Read More: Growing number of California sheriffs no longer respond to mental health calls (The Guardian)

MYTH: People with mental illness are violent and dangerous.

FACT: Over the last few years, the U.S. has had an increase in mass violence. When these tragedies take place, the media is quick to label the suspects as “mentally disturbed” or “mentally ill.” In reality, hate is not a mental illness. Only 5% of violent crimes in the U.S. are committed by people with serious mental illness.
 
The unfortunate truth is that individuals with mental illness are more likely to be victims of violence than perpetrators. There is no reason to fear a person with a mental illness just because of their diagnosis.

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