Tackling ADHD at Home
The first 8 weeks of school have finally come and gone and it’s time for that first parent-teacher conference. It’s going really well until you hear those dreaded comments about your precious kid- “They’re having a really hard time...
Mindfulness at Any Age
So, just what is this mindfulness you speak of? Mindfulness is the basic human ability to be fully present, aware of our thoughts, emotions, or experiences—where we are and what we’re doing, on a moment-to-moment basis. Mindfulness avoids judgment...
Child-Parent Relationship Therapy (CPRT) – What is it?
Parenting is just hard. While it comes naturally to some, it doesn’t come naturally to all. Luckily, there are a ton of great books out there to give you hand. Very few of them, however, actually give you ways...
5 Ways to Build Communication with Your Middle Schooler
Set up a date – schedule a reoccurring monthly one on one date with your middle schooler where they are encouraged to think of topics they want to discuss with you and in return you get to pick one...
Academic Accommodations and ADHD
Rebecca L. Marshall , Ph.D.
Is your child eligible for academic accommodations? Parents and students often wonder about qualifying for academic accommodations, including extra time on standardized testing, in the context of a diagnosis of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Academic accommodations typically granted for students...
Coping with the Big Bad Wolf: Test Anxiety
Spring break is quickly approaching. While that brings shouts of joy for most children, it is also a reminder that the Georgia Milestone is right around the corner. Since the beginning of March, I have been bombarded with more...
Navigating Blended Families Road Bumps During the Holidays
Holidays can be stressful. Who do we need to buy presents for? What should we get everyone? Which family member are we celebrating with this weekend? When are we going to decorate the tree? What on earth are we...
Five ADHD Home Remedies
Whether your child has been officially diagnosed with ADHD/ADD or just shows certain ADHD/ADD tendencies, there are certain strategies you can try to get your child through a challenging school year. Structure and routine As parents we have to...
Starting Kindergarten with a Bang!
Sending your baby off to big kid school for the first time can be daunting, emotional and exciting all at the same time. Starting kindergarten is a major milestone in every child’s life so it’s important to make that...
Talking to Kids about Divorce
I can recall being 5 years-old and asking my mom and dad, what seemed like 99 questions, such as, “Why are we moving?”, “Why do I have to go to a new school?”, or “Why can’t we spend...
Supporting a Child with a Mental Illness
So you took your son or daughter to see a counselor – now what do you do? As your role shifts from being a parent to parent of a child struggling with a mental illness there may be a...
Complex Trauma: Adult Survivors of Childhood Neglect and Abuse
How common is childhood abuse or neglect? By conservative estimates, about 40 percent of American children will have at least one potentially traumatizing experience by the age of 18. This traumatic experience may include the death of a parent...
Mindfulness & School Year Stress
Now that kids are back in school, more and more children are coming into our offices for anxiety-related problems. With pressure from parents, tests, competitive school atmospheres, and peers, academic work can sometimes cause significant amounts of stress and...
Executive Function: What is it and why is it important for academic achievement?
Rebecca L. Marshall , Ph.D.
Executive function is a domain of cognitive ability that is comprised of a number of distinct yet related skills, including working memory, abstract planning, sustained attention, and mental flexibility. The executive function system allows for the regulation, control, and...
Beating the Back-To-School Worries
When the summer ends, some kids get excited about transitioning back to their school year routines, while children who struggle with anxiety start to face their worries about school again. Here are a few tips that you can do...
Back To School Bootcamp
As summer (sadly) begins to wind down, more and more parents are starting to think about helping their children transition back to school. Here are my top three tips for helping your child’s transition back to the classroom be...
Anxiety and Executive Function
Rebecca L. Marshall , Ph.D.
Anxiety can affect a child’s functioning in many different aspects of his or her daily life. While mild levels of stress can actually improve performance for some activities, clinically significant anxiety is detrimental to a child’s emotional well-being. Chronic...
Conquering Shyness
In a culture where video games and texting are preferred over play dates and live discussions, it’s not surprising that more parents are bringing their children to therapy for help with social skills. For some children phone time instead...
What “Inside Out” can teach your kids about emotions
If you haven’t taken your kids to see Inside Out, or if they saw it without you, run (don’t walk) to your nearest movie theater and see it immediately. The movie has only been out a week and I’ve...
ADHD and Social Skills
ADHD can significantly impact children’s social skills. With ADHD there is an impulse-control component that makes it difficult for children to control themselves in social settings, and can also potentially lead to trouble reading social cues. Impatience, Frustration, More...