Past Event · Sunday, September 20, 2026
The Dangers of Excessive Digital Screening
An afternoon with Stephanie Brown, PhD, on how heavy screen use shapes young people's mental, emotional, and physical health.
Thank you for joining us
On September 20, BufferSpace welcomed students, parents, guardians, and educators to the Heritage Room at Atherton Library for a two-hour conversation about excessive digital screen use and what it means for young people.
BufferSpace's student team opened the program by sharing why they started the organization and introducing the people behind it.
Dr. Stephanie Brown, a licensed psychologist and nationally recognized voice on addiction and recovery, drew on more than 35 years of clinical work to talk through how constant connection affects mood, attention, sleep, and relationships — and what families can do to build healthier habits together.
The talk closed with open questions from the audience, and Dr. Brown stayed afterward to speak one-on-one with attendees.
Thank you to Dr. Brown, to the Atherton Library, and to everyone who came out on a Sunday afternoon.
Helping the next generation build healthier digital habits, stronger relationships, and more resilient wellbeing.
Stephanie Brown, PhD
The Addictions Institute, Menlo Park, CA
An internationally recognized expert on addiction and recovery and a licensed psychologist with more than 35 years of clinical experience. Dr. Brown founded the Stanford Alcohol Clinic at Stanford University Medical Center, directs The Addictions Institute in Menlo Park, and has written eleven books on addiction and recovery.
Selected books
- Speed: Facing Our Addiction to Fast and Faster—and Overcoming Our Fear of Slowing Down
- The Other Side of Addiction
- Treating Adult Children of Alcoholics
What our team learned
Dr. Brown gave us words for something many teens feel but rarely say. Here's what we're taking with us:
- Busy isn't connected. Real closeness happens when we slow down and are present with people.
- Notice the buzz. That rush when a phone lights up isn't the feeling we're really after.
- Small steps count. Pausing to ask "what am I doing right now?" gets easier with practice.
- Limits aren't failure. Doing our best within healthy limits is a better kind of success.
Thank you, Dr. Brown.
The BufferSpace team
From the afternoon
The student team welcomes attendees as the program begins
Event Flyer
Event details
Don't miss the next one
All BufferSpace talks are free and open to the public. See what's coming up and how to get involved.