Leading Expert to Challenge Conventional Youth Mental Health Approaches at Major Conference

Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, a leading voice in children's mental health, will address the youth mental health crisis at the Northeast Region Biofeedback Society 2025 Annual Conference in New York City this October. Her presentation, "The Hidden Epidemic: Emotional Dysregulation in Today's Youth," will challenge conventional approaches to mental health by focusing on nervous system regulation as the foundation for healing. "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," said Dr. Roseann. "When we calm the brain first, kids can focus, learn, and heal. That's the shift I'll be bringing to NRBS 2025."

The conference, themed "Rethinking Paradigms: Innovative Approaches for Optimal Wellness," brings together top mental health experts to address urgent challenges affecting children and teens nationwide. The timing of this conference coincides with alarming statistics showing diagnosed anxiety among adolescents increased by 61% between 2016 and 2023, while depression diagnoses rose by 45% in the same period. Today, nearly 1 in 5 teens lives with a diagnosed mental or behavioral condition, with emotional dysregulation affecting 30–50% of children in clinical settings. Despite these numbers, many children still struggle to access appropriate care, and emotional dysregulation often goes unrecognized in schools and families.

The NRBS 2025 Conference features an extraordinary lineup of thought leaders including trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk, nutrition researcher Thomas Campbell, digital stress authority Erik Peper, screen addiction researcher Stoyan Vezenkov, neuroinflammation specialist Marina Makous, and neurofeedback leader Lynda Thompson. These speakers will share groundbreaking insights that blend neuroscience, biofeedback, and integrative health approaches. Conference details and registration information are available at https://nrbs.org/2025-nrbs-annual-conference.

What makes this conference particularly significant is its multidisciplinary approach. Unlike many professional gatherings that cater exclusively to clinicians, NRBS 2025 creates a rare convergence point for scientists, practitioners, educators, and parents. For practitioners, the conference offers cutting-edge clinical tools in biofeedback, neurofeedback, and trauma care to expand treatment options and improve patient outcomes. Educators will learn actionable classroom strategies that directly reduce stress and improve learning in an era when dysregulation is disrupting classrooms nationwide.

Parents have a dedicated Youth Wellness Intensive offering hands-on strategies for raising regulated, resilient children in a digital-stress world. Dr. Roseann's Regulation First Parenting™ framework, which forms the basis of her upcoming 2026 book, emphasizes that no healing or learning can happen without proper nervous system regulation first. This brain-based approach represents a paradigm shift in how mental health professionals, educators, and families address the complex challenges facing today's youth. The conference's focus on practical, evidence-based solutions comes at a critical moment when traditional mental health interventions are proving insufficient for many children. By addressing the root causes of emotional dysregulation rather than just treating symptoms, the approaches shared at NRBS 2025 have the potential to transform how society supports children's mental health and development.