Leading Expert to Address Youth Mental Health Crisis at New York Conference

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, a prominent children's mental health expert, will address the youth mental health crisis at the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society (NRBS) 2025 Annual Conference in New York City this October. Her presentation, "The Hidden Epidemic: Emotional Dysregulation in Today's Youth," will focus on nervous system dysregulation as the root cause of many mental health and learning challenges affecting children and teenagers.

The conference comes at a critical time when diagnosed anxiety among adolescents increased by 61% between 2016 and 2023, while depression diagnoses rose by 45% during the same period. Currently, nearly one in five teens lives with a diagnosed mental or behavioral condition, with many struggling to access appropriate care. Emotional dysregulation alone affects an estimated 30–50% of children in clinical settings, yet often goes unrecognized in schools and families.

Dr. Roseann emphasized the core issue facing today's youth, stating, "We are facing a youth mental health crisis, but the real issue isn't just anxiety or attention—it's dysregulation of the nervous system. When we calm the brain first, kids can focus, learn, and heal." Her approach centers on practical, brain-based strategies that clinicians, educators, and parents can implement to calm stress, improve focus, and help children thrive in an overstimulated world.

The NRBS 2025 Conference, themed "Rethinking Paradigms: Innovative Approaches for Optimal Wellness," will feature an exceptional lineup of thought leaders including trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk, M.D., nutrition researcher Thomas Campbell, M.D., and digital stress authority Erik Peper, Ph.D. The event brings together scientists, practitioners, educators, and parents around solutions for urgent mental health challenges. Conference details and registration information are available at https://nrbs.org/2025-nrbs-annual-conference.

For mental health practitioners, the conference offers cutting-edge clinical tools in biofeedback, neurofeedback, and trauma care to expand treatment options and improve patient outcomes. Educators will gain actionable classroom strategies that directly reduce stress and improve learning in an era when dysregulation is disrupting classrooms nationwide. Parents can attend a Youth Wellness Intensive offering hands-on strategies for raising regulated, resilient children even in a digital-stress world.

The conference's importance extends beyond the mental health field, addressing broader societal concerns about how emotional dysregulation affects learning environments, family dynamics, and long-term youth development. With topics spanning trauma recovery, nutrition, digital stress, and emotional regulation, NRBS 2025 provides evidence-driven approaches for multiple stakeholders working to support youth mental health. The convergence of different professional perspectives at this event represents a significant step toward comprehensive solutions for the growing mental health challenges facing today's generation.