Digital Life, AI, and Child/Teen Development
Dr. Élena is a clinical psychologist who speaks to schools and parent communities about the impact of social media, internet use, and AI on children’s mental health, attention, and relationships.
Moving beyond screen-time and control-based approaches, her work helps adults understand how digital environments are shaping children’s internal worlds — and why strengthening connection, not increasing control, remains the most powerful form of protection.
A Clinical Lens on a Changing Landscape
Artificial intelligence and digital platforms are not only changing how children spend their time. They are reshaping how they experience attention, belonging, identity, and connection.
Many current responses focus on managing behavior: limiting screen time, monitoring usage, or implementing controls. While these strategies have value, they often overlook a deeper question: how digital environments are beginning to meet psychological needs that have traditionally been met through human relationships.
In her work with schools and families, Dr. Élena brings a clinical and relational lens to these shifts, helping adults understand not just what children are doing online, but what those experiences are providing, replacing, and regulating.
Signature Talks
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Beyond Screen Time: Why Connection, Not Control, Is the Most Powerful Protection
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The Digital Split: How Social Media and AI Are Reshaping Children’s Attention, Identity, and Relationships
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The Synthetic Safety Net: Why Children Turn to Screens for Regulation — and What They Are Replacing
Each talk can be tailored for parents, educators, or combined audiences.
What Audiences Gain
Dr. Élena Her talks help parents, educators, and school leaders understand:
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how children’s nervous systems seek safety, connection, and recognition — both online and offline
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how digital environments shape attention, emotional regulation, and the pull toward compulsive use
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the rise of parasocial dynamics and AI-mediated connection, and what these relationships are providing or replacing
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why strengthening parent-child and teacher-student relationships is the primary protective factor in a digital world
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how to support children in developing resilience, presence, and real-world relational capacity without relying solely on restriction or control