I remember waking up at 4 a.m. with a feeling of excitement. This is the day I had been waiting for for a year. My brothers and I had slept in our clothes and packed the red eight-seater Chevy suburban with my dad the night before so everything was ready. We picked up my best friend and his dad on the drive. My dad was taking us to a week of hiking, camping and trout fishing in Yosemite National Park and I could not have been more excited.

As a Psychiatric Physician Assistant at Denova Collaborative Health, I treat Arizona dads over telehealth who are experiencing a range of psychiatric issues from insomnia to PTSD, anxiety, and depression. The fathers I treat have one thing in common: They love their kids and they want to be the best fathers they can be. This desire is often the driver behind them seeking to improve their mental health.

Here are a few tips to making a great connection with your kids and setting them up for success in a changing world: