The Association for Youth, Children, and Natural Psychology

The AYCNP was registered in August 2006 as a non-profit entity. In 2008 it was incorporated as a New Jersey non-profit corporation. Its board of trustees consists of educational professionals. AYCNP is non-political, focuses on education, and is not supported or endorsed by any religious organization, although it recognizes the role of spirituality in mental health. It was established with the help of a number of psychologists, educators, doctors, and other professionals from various backgrounds.

The AYCNP is a member of the American Psychological Association (APA), and has been a member in good standing with National Council of Non-Profits and the NJ Center for Non-Profit Corporations since 2009. The AYCNP website with the domains aycnp.org and www.winmentalhealth.com is a source of accurate information, with high ethical standards as certified by the Health on the Net Foundation - HON, Geneva, Switzerland.

The principal editor of the site is John Samuels of Newark, NJ, who holds Social Science and Psychology degree, and NJ teaching licenses for high school physics, high school psychology, middle school science, and grade school. He currently teaches high school physics and science, and has taught middle school science in Newark public schools, with ongoing experience in special education. He is a member of the Society for Teaching Psychology (STP) www.teachpsych.org, and a member of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).

Also on the board of directors of the AYCNP is Jonathan Santiago, PhD, a former science teacher and current public school administrator in Newark, NJ, and New York public schools. He holds a PhD in Educational Leadership from Seton Hall University, Newark, NJ. Dr. Santiago reviews all written materials from the AYCNP as well as all dealings of the corporation.

The editors of the website and authors of the content displayed by the AYCNP have no conflicts of interest with commercial organizations on this website.

Board members and Contributors

Board member Marge Colavito is also a northeast NJ resident who runs an art gallery and art school where she teaches fine art to adults, children, and teens, including those with mental health disorders and disabilities. She is also a board member of the Hudson County Arts Council. Psychologist R. Y. Langham, M.M.F.T., PhD, regularly edits online material on the AYCNP website including the pages The Medical Model - Psychiatric Labeling and Drugging and Parenting Advice and Tips - 24 Steps in Positive Parenting, among many others.

Nisha Cooch, PhD, is a research neuroscientist with expertise in medicine, neuroscience, biology, psychology, and pharmacology who edited: All-natural, Positive Steps for Better Mental Health - Self-Help for Depression.

Ann Reitan, PhsyD is a practicing mental health counselor, and former college teacher of psychology with a doctorate in the same, who reviewed and edited pages on Bipolar Disorder, Help for Depression and Adolescent Psychology, OCD, suicide counseling, among other pages on the site. She has further helped in developing and editing material for the AYCNP on the subject of self-help for bipolar disorder.

Gabrielle Woods, PhD, edited the main text of the book, Overcoming Bipolar Disorder Using Self-Help Methods: 33 Practical Ideas for Recovery, Remission and Prevention by the AYCNP, which is currently available only as a Kindle eBook. The AYCNP plans to release the book as a AYCNP-published paperback, and as a distributed eBook in the future.

Other contributors to the AYCNP site

There are a number of other professionals and organizations who have contributed works to the AYCNP website and publications, including: Sharna Olfman, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychology in Point Park University, Pennsylvania; Dr. Nathan Lebowitz, associate professor at Columbia University; Dr. Ari Brown, pediatrician, parent and a spokesperson for the American Academy of Pediatrics; David Rabiner, PhD, Duke University research scientist and ADHD expert; Daniella Barroqueira, PhD, Illinois State University; the New York chapter of the National Association for Mental Illness (NAMI); Mental Health America on Self-Help in Mental Health; the NACC, the National Association of Counsel for Children in Denver, Colorado, and the American Humane Association, both on the subject of child abuse.

Roberta Shoemaker-Beal, MFA, ATR-BC, is an adjunct professor of Art Therapy at St. Mary's of the Woods College, near Terre Haute, Indiana, who reviewed and contributed to the production of the Art Therapy page.

School Psychologist Keisha Hill,EdS, contributed material for the educational psychology page and the book Overcoming ADHD Without Medication.

Louis Kirby, MA, whose expertise is in library science, contributed the article entitled Issues in Psychiatry - A Closer Look at Psychopharmacology.

Laura Pipoly, PC, EdD, is a teaching faculty member of Phoenix University, Phoenix, Arizona, who wrote the foreword to the book, Overcoming Bipolar Disorder Using Self-Help Methods: 33 Practical Ideas for Recovery, Remission and Prevention.

The book Overcoming ADHD Without Medication, in both editions, was professionally reviewed and endorsed by mental health and educational professionals associated with the AYCNP as a verifiable source of reliable information: "This book [Overcoming ADHD Without Medication] on the subject of ADHD demonstrates a reliable and valid approach to treatment of this condition by means of lifestyle changes, empathy, and good advice. The book represents ways of coping with ADHD, either alternatively or adjunctively, to psychiatric medication. In many ways, the wisdom found in this book will help all individuals" searching for information on ADHD.

The Biofeedback page was reviewed by Network Biofeedback Services, Inc., Lynbrook, New York.

Any articles on this site that was not contributed or professionally edited as noted on the page is the work of the AYCNP and the editorial board, which currently consists of John Samuels and Jonathan Santiago, PhD. All included articles from authoritative sources have written permission from the author or organization. There are also a few pages on this site that are part of the public domain.

Material from the AYCNP appears in the American Psychological Association (APA), PsychExtra section.

Purpose of site

The mission of this site and non-profit organization is to provide accurate and balanced information on mental health and mental health issues, and to provide positive solutions in the form of self-help and lifestyle changes for adults, teens, and children. This site also emphasizes positive and responsible parenting. Promoting prevention, self-help, as well professional non-pharmaceutical therapies is part of the mission of the AYCNP. The AYCNP encourages professional studies to further advance non-pharmaceutical mental health self-help and treatment.

An effort to publicize the media's effect on youths and children also encompasses the mission of the AYCNP.

Audience for the AYCNP website

The site is primarily a self-help site for:

1. Adults
2. Parents of Children and Teens
3. Teens - who are encouraged to use the information in this site along with their parents or mental health professional
4. Educators - to better understand how to help children and youths
5. Researchers - To stimulate research and clinical studies in non-pharmaceutical treatment of mental health disorders
6. Mental health professionals and treatment facilities - to encourage less reliance on pharmaceuticals in the treatment of mental health and to encourage the formation of mental health treatment units which offer intensive psycho-education as well as treatment using non-pharmaceutical methods as an option to clients
7. To encourage coaching for mental health disorders including ADHD, and for bipolar disorder in particular

Funding for the AYCNP

The AYCNP has been primarily funded through the private contributions of the association's board through 2010. Royalties from AYCNP published books also provide funding for AYCNP activities.

There are a number of sponsored links and pages on this site that are identified as “business partners” or “supporters.” The funds from these sources also finance the not-for-profit activities of the AYCNP. Any funds from advertising on the site is also currently used to support the not-for-profit activities of this site, including the hosting and upkeep of the site and association. Funding also is received through commissions on books from the AYCNP.

Funds from the AYCNP have been used to provide victims of child abuse (especially children) or children with mental health disorders or learning disabilities to receive coaching, mentoring, art or music lessons, along with related materials, or to receive professional art, family, or other therapy where this cannot be easily obtained through other sources and if it deemed to be useful for the individual by professionals.

In the future, funding may be provided for grants to public schools as initiatives to purchase needed art supplies for mural and other art projects or programs, with the agreement that marginal children or youths (such as those who have impairments as described on this site) or learning disabled students be included in such projects or summer programs. (Schools, at times, want to initiate such projects but lack funding for materials).

Members of the Board of Directors have financed the project in 2009 and the years preceding 2009, as well as in recent years (2015, 2016). Since mid-2010, advertising money from the site, along with commissions from the sale of publications from the AYCNP, were used to finance the development of the AYCNP site and its publications. Money has also been regularly used to purchase books for students, individuals dealing with mental illness, school administrators in public schools, non-profit organizations, and public libraries for purposes associated with the themes of this site as stated.

The AYCNP is a registered New Jersey non-profit and a 501(c)3 corporation.

AYCNP Community Work

The AYCNP regularly provides books for public school children and teens, as well as public school and other libraries.

AYCNP participation in Career Day at Greater Newark Charter School

Advertising Policy

Advertising on the AYCNP site provides a small fund for covering expenses associated with the site. Only advertising that is not in conflict with the purpose and mission of the site is permitted. Free site links are provided to individuals or organizations that desire links, and whose purpose and mission is in harmony with the AYCNP. Any financial support is voluntary and appreciated.

The AYCNP does not accept advertising that conflicts with the basic precepts of the AYCNP such as: advertising for psychiatric pharmaceuticals, dubious or questionable treatments, tobacco products, marijuana or medical marijuana, gambling related products or activities, violent video games, children's media such as Disney or cable television for children and teens, junk food, commercializing sex, or any other product or activity that conflicts with the goals of this site. Any advertising on the AYCNP site has no influence on the content or activities of the AYCNP. Any ads that are placed on the AYCNP site through advertising agencies that are known to be in conflict to principles of the AYCNP are removed by the editors of this site.

The AYCNP does not necessarily endorse all advertisers on this site.
The AYCNP currently does not feature Google adwords.

All Amazon ads are sponsored by Amazon and are generally on the left side or bottom of the page. Occasional off-site text links on the left hand of the page bottom may also be Amazon sponsored ads and are noted as such.

All text links entitled business partners, strategic partners, or strategic business partners are paid sponsors for the site.

All links labeled "off-site links" are not paid advertising, but have been provided for further reference. Banners on the top of the pages of this site are for AYCNP books and are not advertising from another source.

Although we recommend all books featured on our website, we do not necessarily endorse all of the views expressed in them, and we have a small economic interest when displaying them with Amazon.com links or banners. The small percentage of revenue that may be gained through purchase of books from Amazon.com or any other source on this site helps to support the not-for-profit activities of AYCNP.

Funding for AYCNP book donations to schools, libraries, and other institutions, in connection with mental health and the protection and development of youth and children, is provided with commissions from Amazon-sponsored ads, banner ads for parental Internet control software, and other funding from the AYCNP.

AYCNP donates both its own publications and other books of value in harmony with the scope of its mission to public schools, public and school libraries, individuals, professionals, and other institutions involved in this work. The AYCNP also provides its publications in PDF form free of cost on various pages of this site for anyone who wishes to download them.

If any public, private, or charter school, or public or private library would like a complimentary copy or copies of Overcoming ADHD Without Medication, kindly send a request along with the number of books requested to [email protected].

AYCNP
(201) 898-0247
[email protected]