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Mel Magazine Interview: Doomscrolling

Dr. Mike Brooks was recently interviewed for an article in Mel Magazine, covering the science behind Doomscrolling. He spoke on human propensity for bad news over good news, prioritizing attention to threats, as a missed threat could have resulted in being eaten.

The article goes on to list the many psychological reasons that modern humans are so acutely attuned to negative social media stories, while glossing over more positive ones.


Dr. Mike Brooks, Director of the Austin Psychology and Assessment Center, joins the Lisa Show for National Smile Week to talk about how smiling can affect us physically and emotionally. He is a licensed psychologist and the director of the Austin Psychology and Assessment Center. He is the author of the book Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World. Listen to the episode here.


Spawned Podcast

Dr. Brooks was recently featured on the Spawned podcast. Liz Gumbinner and Kristen Chase of CoolMomPicks.com have candid parenting culture discussions and non-judgy (mostly) tips, mixed in with a good dose of humor.

Follow this link to hear Dr. Brooks, or listen below. Enjoy!

https://coolmompicks.com/blog/2018/09/25/how-much-screen-time-is-too-much-dr-mike-brooks-spawned-126/



Texas Standard Interview

Dr. Brooks was recently featured on the Texas Standard, an award-winning radio journalism organization that focuses on current, relevant issues. Dr. Brooks was brought on as an expert in the field to help inform and guide parents in their quest for a balanced life with technology.

Follow this link to hear Dr. Brooks, or listen below.

Dr. Brooks’ interview starts around 25:31. Enjoy!



Smartphones and Smarter Parenting

Featured Article on Texas State News

Dr. Jon Lasser is teaching parents how to raise their children with technology

Imagine being unable to concentrate, prioritize, or control passing impulses. These skills are important to social and emotional and cognitive health, but research is showing that parents might be using technology to replace or reduce critical parenting practices. Instead of calming a child who has been hurt or upset by giving them a hug or close attention, for example, today’s new parents may just as readily let them play a game on a smartphone. This helps the parents de-escalate a frazzling situation, but constant interaction with screens and social media shortens attention spans, which takes a toll on a child’s ability to make personal connections and form healthy relationships.

Full article here



How can you keep kids safe online, in social media?

Statesman.com featured an article with tips for parents to protect their children from being a target online and on social media.

What can parents do to make sure their children don’t become targets on social media or websites?

Here you’ll find the tips from Dr. Mike Brooks and other experts in parenting and internet safety.



The John Steigerwald Show

Dr. Brooks was featured on The John Steigerwald Show . Dr. Brooks discusses the issue of video game addiction and whether or not it is considered a mental illness – especially in light of the recent mass shooting in Jacksonville, Fl at a Madden e-sport tournament.

Follow this link to hear Dr. Brooks, or listen below.

Dr. Brooks’ interview starts around 11:33 . Enjoy!

“The John Steigerwald Show – Wednesday, August 29, 2018”Audio Player00:0000:00Use Up/Down Arrow keys to increase or decrease volume.1. “The John Steigerwald Show – Wednesday, August 29, 2018”



How (and When) to Limit Kids’ Tech Use – New York Times

Teach your children to use technology in a healthy way and pick up the skills and habits that will make them successful digital citizens. This article walks you through how to make technology work for your family at each stage of the journey.

Read more here.



How To Raise a Tech Generation Kid When His Head is in the Cellphone

How to Raise a Tech Generation Kid When His Head is in the Cell Phone featured on  Raising Austin

Austin psychologists Mike Brooks and Jon Lasser try to explain to parents what’s going on with their children and technology (and what’s going on with their own use of technology) in the new book “Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World.

Brooks, who has always loved video games and did his dissertation on video game violence, works in private practice at the APA Center. Lasser was once a school psychologist and now supervises students in the master’s program for school psychology at Texas State University and is the associate dean for research at the college of education there. Both Brooks and Lasser noticed in their private practices that parents and kids were coming to them with conflicts around technology. Often, it was the kids complaining about their parents’ seemingly inability to put down the phone, as much as the parents being concerned about their children’s use of technology.

You can find the full article here on the Raising Austin website.

The Lisa Valentine Clark Show

Dr. Mike Brooks, Director of the Austin Psychology and Assessment Center, joins us now by phone to explain more. He is a licensed psychologist and the director of the Austin Psychology and Assessment Center. He is the author of the book Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World. Listen to the episode here.