Richard Hogan; psychotherapist, author, columnist, teacher, university lecturer and expert guest on a variety of media platforms in Ireland including TV and radio, joins me in this interview to chat restoratively, about the mental health of teenagers and young adults in particular. In this era of acute digital disruption, accentuated by the conditions and restrictions of Covid 19 the world over, information technology is like our third arm. Notwithstanding the value, import and absolute necessity of screens in all of our lives, particularly of late, Richard’s clinical work with families as well as his experience with tweens and teens as an educator, compelled him to research and document, the pros and cons of screens on a continuum from helpful and adaptive, to harmful and addictive. His book ‘Parenting the Screenager’ is the overall result of the findings of these investigations, together with tips and techniques for managing the transition from adolescence to adulthood in a healthy more effectively communicative way. Tune in to hear how catching lux in the morning, within two hours of the sun rising and again in the evening, within two hours of the sun setting, for between 2 and 10 minutes only, one can reset one’s circadian rhythm. Book-ending your day by getting outside as soon as possible after waking in the morning to get light exposure, even on a cloud covered day, for as little as 2-10 minutes and again in the evening around sunset for just 2-10 minutes, is enough to reset the body’s master clock, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which regulates and positions us for wellness. Anybody getting light exposure during the darkest hours of their circadian rhythm is setting themselves up for a host of issues and a distinct lack of homeostasis. Gaming and social media can be addictive and need to be addressed skilfully as the issues they potentially are for our youngsters in particular, in order to arm them with the reserve they need not only to survive but to thrive in life, not least through getting quality sleep, nightly. The relevance of sleep hygiene, as well as a menagerie of other modifying behaviours are aired in this conversation with the expertise of a professional and the empathy of a parent. This is a show not to be missed. Richard Hogan is a gentleman and a master of his craft. And the Lord said, ‘Let there be Lux’.