In Fall 2024, CATCH focused our educational programming on the themes and actions outlined in The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt. If you were unable to attend our programming, use this page to learn and take action. It is only as a community working together that we can free our Anxious Generation of kids.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Check out this CATCH presentation with Dr. Lisa Novak outlining the key ideas and topics raised in Jonathan Haidt's book, The Anxious Generation, How the Great Rewiring of Childhood is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness. Watch the video then see the additional CATCH resources below to put the key messages of the book into action in our community.

Read Transcript

Host a Viewing Party

Dr. Lisa and Haidt stress this is a community problem to solve. Watch our CATCH video with friends and neighbors. Use this facilitator guide when you get to the Take Action portion of the presentation to help you, and your community identify your next steps.

Download Faciitator Guide

TAKE ACTION

CATCH gathered dozens of parents, teachers, and mental health professionals to take the next step in freeing our Anxious Generation. Read the How-To Guide: 4 Actionable Ideas for Freeing the Anxious Generation created out of this collaboration.

Use it to start making intentional changes about your kids’ smartphone and technology use at home and in our community. Join us in helping to make these changes that are so necessary for our own and our kids’ emotional well-being.

Download How-To Guide

Start with Small Steps

Dr. Lisa stresses to start with small steps. Here are some ideas on how to do that...

READ THE BOOK

We encourage you to form a book club with your neighbors and friends to read Haidt's book as a community to truly understand the mental health challenges facing our kids. Download our Guided Conversations: The Anxious Generation to help you frame your learnings from the book and to foster your community's conversation.

Download Guided Conversation

FIND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Anxious Generation: anxiousgeneration.com
Chasing Childhood (documentary): chasingchildhooddoc.com
Let Grow Project, by Lenore Skenazy: letgrow.org
Screenagers: screenagersmovie.com
Common Sense Media: commonsensemedia.org
Wait Til 8th: www.waituntil8th.org
Raising Parents Podcast with Emily Oaster: Listen wherever you get your podcasts

Download Guided Conversation: Chasing Childhood

About Lisa Novak

Dr. Lisa Novak is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Co-Founder of Illuminate Psychological Assessments, PLLC. She also serves on the CATCH Board of Directors and is the organization's Director of Education.

She enjoys connecting families to information, resources, and tools they might not otherwise have and helping parents truly feel that they are not alone on their journey.

Lisa is the parent of two young boys. She is proud to raise her family in Northbrook and participate in the community’s evolving understanding and support of mental health.

About CATCH

We are a community of parents who have come together to help others find the tools and resources to support their children’s mental health by sharing our own experiences raising kids with mental health struggles. While we are based in Chicago’s northern suburbs, we invite parents everywhere to learn from CATCH.

Website

CATCH is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization.

Empowering families to foster resilience and prioritize mental health and emotional wellness in their children through educational programming, access to resources, and peer support.

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