Video: UH Hilo psychologist Charmaine Higa-McMillan gives public talk on post-pandemic childhood anxiety

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The talk, “Small Shoulders, Big Worries: Understanding Childhood Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World,” is part of the Kuleana and Community Weekly Talk Story gatherings.

Title page with profile photo of Charmaine Higa-McMillan, UH Hilo seal and logo, Kuleana and Community Weekly Talk Story: Building Community Through Conversation, presents a talk by Charmaine Higa-McMillan, Professor of Psychology, University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo, "Small Shoulders, Big Worries: Understanding Childhood Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World, Videotaped Sept. 13, 2024.

Charmaine Higa, a professor of psychology at the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo , gave a public talk Sept. 13 on campus about understanding post-pandemic childhood anxiety.

The talk, “Small Shoulders, Big Worries: Understanding Childhood Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World,” is part of a series of weekly gatherings held this semester at UH Hilo where students, faculty, staff, university retirees, and members of the local community get together in a safe and welcoming environment to share their thoughts around a common topic.

The goal of the series, named Kuleana and Community Weekly Talk Story: Building Community Through Conversation, is to strengthen the university’s connections to the local community through conversation. Topics cover Maunakea stewardship, mental health, better communication, houselessness in Hawaiʻi, entrepreneurship, and more. Following a short talk by a featured guest, attendees break out into discussion groups and then share their manaʻo (thoughts) with everyone.

Professor Higa is director of the counseling psychology master’s program at UH Hilo. She is a licensed psychologist in Hawaiʻi specializing in childhood stress and anxiety and the implementation of evidence-based services in rural, underserved communities.

The talk was held at the Kilohana Student Success Center located in Edwin Mookini Library.

The Kuleana and Community series is sponsored by the UH Hilo Office of the Chancellor, Kīpuka Native Hawaiian Student Center, Kilohana Academic Success Center, Center for Global Education and Exchange, and Assistant Professor of Communication Colby Miyose and Associate Professor of Sociology Alton Okinaka.

Don’t miss the complete Kuleana and Community series

UPDATED with links to video recordings of each talk:

Aug. 30: Colby Miyose, “Communicating with Empathy” (this presentation was not recorded)
Sept. 6: Gerald DeMello, Historic Preservation Advocate, “Preserving Hawaiʻi’s History”
Sept. 13: Charmaine Higa, UH Hilo Professor of Psychology, “Small Shoulders, Big Worries: Understanding Childhood Anxiety in a Post-Pandemic World”
Sept. 20: Randy Kurohara, Executive Director, Community First, “Kuleana Health: Our Responsibility for Health”
Sept. 27: Clifton Sankofa, Educator, “Reclaiming Health Through Food”
Oct. 4: Kaleo Pilago, Education and Outreach Coordinator, Center for Maunakea Stewardship, “Maunakea Stewardship”
Oct. 11: Beverly Tese, Community Activist, Prizma Hawaiʻi LGBTQ Center, “Representation”
Oct. 18: Carla Kuo, Executive Officer, Hawaiʻi Island Chamber of Commerce, “Supporting Local”
Oct. 25: Brandee Menino, Chief Executive Office, HOPE Services Hawaiʻi, “Empowering Our Community: Exploring Services That Strengthen Us”
Nov. 1: Mike Miyahira, UH Regent and Business Owner, “Best Practices for Family Business Owners”
Nov. 8: Julie Mitchell, Executive Director, Kuʻikahi Mediation Center, “Conflict Prevention and Resolution”
Nov. 15: Sue Lee Loy, Hawaiʻi County Council Member and State Representative-Elect, “UH Hilo’s Role in the Community”

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