Dr. Caroline Fenkel | Source | Adolescent Mental Health Expert, Chief Clinical Officer at Charlie Health

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Dr. Caroline Fenkel

Adolescent Mental Health Expert, Chief Clinical Officer at Charlie Health
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Dr. Caroline Fenkel, DSW, LCSW is a leader in adolescent mental healthcare. She has most recently been featured as an expert in Forbes Health, HuffPost and Healthline.

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  • Charlie Health
    Adolescent Mental Health Expert, Chief Clinical Officer
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  • Understanding Anger: Insights from Adolescent Mental Health Expert
    Dr. Fenkel explains, "Anger is healthy when it signals boundary violations but unhealthy when it harms relationships." Anger issues arise when it overwhelms coping abilities, often triggered by unresolved trauma or stress. Signs include frequent arguments and physical symptoms. Immediate management includes deep breathing, while long-term strategies involve therapy and mindfulness.
  • TikTok's #SkinnyTok Ban: A Step Toward Reducing Harmful Content
    Dr. Fenkel says banning #SkinnyTok is "a helpful first step" in reducing harmful content exposure. While it limits direct access, social media algorithms remain complex. Teens may find workarounds, highlighting the need for comprehensive content moderation. Social media amplifies insecurities, and parents should foster open conversations and seek professional support if needed. Shifting focus from appearance to well-being is crucial.
  • Living Room vs. Bedroom Families: Insights from Dr. Caroline Fenkel
    Dr. Fenkel highlights that 'living room families' foster emotional safety, while 'bedroom families' may lead to isolation. She emphasizes, "It's about intentionality." Parents should focus on creating micro-moments of bonding, ensuring children feel seen and supported. "It's about showing up in consistent, caring ways," Dr. Fenkel advises, to create lasting emotional security.
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  • "As I reflect on the reasons that teens feel so isolated these days and how to help, I can’t help but compare teenagers to a big block of Swiss cheese (because who doesn’t like a cheese analogy?). Swiss cheese is full of holes, which represent risk factors such as exposure to poverty, bullying, trauma, and conflicts at home. Also, climate issues, school shootings, career confusion, and financial instability—the list of holes goes on.

    The rest of the cheese represents the protective factors, such as a calm household, a healthy relationship with technology, high socioeconomic status, and access to a support system. A teen’s mental health depends on how exactly the cheese stacks up, but the onus of that layering shouldn’t be on them.

    It should be society’s job to cover some of those holes, or risk factors, in order to protect and promote mental well-being. From a public health and health systems perspective, that means knocking down leading barriers to care—such as lengthy appointment wait times, financial hurdles, mental health stigma, and a societal inclination toward medication as a quick fix."

  • "We all respond to traumatic events in our own way. As a teenager, in particular, it can be overwhelming to navigate the variety of emotions that follow exposure (direct or indirect) to mass violence such as school shootings.

    Fear, concern, vulnerability... regardless of what you feel, take time to acknowledge feeling it so that you don’t hold onto those emotions for too long. Repressed emotions can cause irrational and even unhealthy behaviors, so dedicate time to processing how you feel and how those feelings impact your view of the world."

  • “Self-care is about being present with yourself, which can help prevent burnout, maintain balance, and keep you in tune with your needs.”

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