The Direction Podcast

“Doctor, if this were your child, would you prescribe medication?”
In this episode, I talk about my approach to one of the most important decisions families face. Rather than viewing medication as inherently good or bad, I explain why every treatment decision comes down to weighing risks, benefits, and how much a child’s symptoms are interfering with their ability to function and thrive.
I discuss the role of therapy, parenting, lifestyle changes, and medication, why psychiatric medications can be both life-changing and life-saving when used appropriately, and why they should never distract from the larger goal of helping children grow into healthy, capable, independent adults.
Whether you’re considering medication for your child or simply want to better understand how an experienced child psychiatrist thinks through these decisions, this episode offers a thoughtful framework for approaching one of parenting’s most challenging questions.
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

Parents have never had more access to parenting advice—but has it actually made parenting easier?
In this episode, I talk with Val Boles and take a closer look at some of today’s most common parenting recommendations, from reading to your child every day and avoiding the word “no” to praising effort instead of intelligence and teaching executive functioning. We explore how research is often oversimplified, why “studies show…” doesn’t always tell the whole story, and how well-intentioned advice can sometimes leave parents feeling anxious and overwhelmed.
Rather than chasing every new parenting trend, we discuss a more grounded approach: focusing on relationships, modeling the behaviors you hope to see in your children, and remembering that good parenting is rarely about following rigid rules.
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

Parents spend a great deal of time telling their children how they hope they’ll behave. But children are often paying far more attention to what we do than to what we say.
In this episode, I talk about the leadership principles of Lead by Example, Not Decree, and Be a Positive Role Model. I discuss why children learn most effectively through observation, how everyday habits shape a child’s development, and why becoming the kind of person you hope your child will become may be one of the most powerful parenting tools available.
Whether it’s apologizing, handling failure, exercising, treating others with respect, or simply living your values, children are always watching—and they’re learning far more than we often realize.
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

If I had to choose the single most important principle of good parenting, it would be this: show up.
 
In this episode, I explore why a parent’s presence is one of the most powerful influences in a child’s life. Drawing on clinical experience and examples from families facing difficult challenges, I discuss attachment, role models, co-parenting, and the importance of remaining available even when children struggle.
 
The conversation also examines the difference between setting boundaries and giving up, and why loving a child sometimes means staying connected while allowing them to experience the consequences of their choices.  Before advice, consequences, or parenting techniques, children need something more fundamental: adults who are there when it matters most.
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

In this episode, I introduce the Direction Leadership Principles, a framework I have used in my work to guide parenting, therapy, leadership, and personal growth.
Drawing on ideas developed over years of working with children, adolescents, families, and treatment teams, I outline the core principles that underlie the Direction approach. The discussion explores how to approach to the fundamental goal of parenting: promoting independence.
This episode serves as an introduction to a series of future conversations exploring each principle in greater depth.
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

In this episode, I am joined by Erin White, therapist, former educator, and parenting group leader at Direction Behavioral Health. Together we explore a surprisingly simple message for many parents: sometimes the best thing you can do is stop doing so much.
 
Erin discusses how well-intentioned adults often over-help, over-direct, and over-protect children in ways that unintentionally undermine confidence, resilience, and independence. Drawing on years of experience working with adolescents and families, she explains why growth often requires discomfort, why children need opportunities to struggle, and how parents can learn when to step back.
 
The conversation explores the balance between support and interference, and why one of the most powerful parenting interventions may simply be knowing when to stop doing that.

In this episode, I am joined by Valerie Bowles, OTR/L, Clinical Director at Direction Behavioral Health Associates. Val discusses occupational therapy, how childhood has changed in the age of smartphones and constant supervision, and why she believes modern children need more opportunities for risk, independence, and unstructured play.
 
The conversation explores everything from climbing trees and playing with sticks to anxiety, attention, physical development, and the unintended consequences of overprotective parenting. Along the way, Val makes the case that some of the most important lessons children learn come from figuring things out for themselves.
 
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

In this introductory episode, Duncan Gill discusses the goals of The Direction Podcast and the experiences that shaped it. Drawing on more than two decades of work with children, adolescents, families, schools, and psychiatric systems, he outlines the themes that will be explored throughout the series.
 
Topics include parenting, adolescence, child psychiatry, diagnosis, medication, schools, social media, culture, and the challenges facing modern families. Above all, the podcast aims to explore what helps children become healthy, capable, and independent adults, while maintaining perspective, common sense, and a sense of humor along the way.
 
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

What is the actual goal of parenting?
 
Most parents spend enormous amounts of time worrying about grades, behavior, happiness, friendships, anxiety, and countless day-to-day decisions. Yet many never stop to ask a more fundamental question: what are we ultimately trying to accomplish?
 
In this episode, I explore the idea that the central task of parenting is helping children become independent, capable adults. I talk about individuation, the balance between support and challenge, and why both over-involvement and under-involvement can interfere with healthy development.
 
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.

Many parents assume that if their child is anxious, sad, frustrated, or overwhelmed, the goal is to help them feel better. While understandable, that approach can sometimes get in the way of growth.
 
In this episode, I explore the difference between feeling better and functioning better. I discuss why discomfort is often a normal part of development, how avoidance can reinforce problems, and why helping children continue to engage with life may be one of the most important things parents can do.
 
For related articles and resources, please visit www.directionbehavioralhealth.com.