7 Cs of Resilience
Resilience is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties and is often a wonderful strength for those who possess it. Like many other things, developing skills and strengths often takes work and intentionality. Building resiliency in teens...
ADHD and Virtual Learning
Rebecca L. Marshall , Ph.D.
The school year has started off virtually for over 50% of the nation’s students. According to an August 2020 study by Burbio, a digital monitoring platform, the larger the school district, the more likely K-12 students are to be...
Self-Worth & Values
“I am valuable. I am worthy.” When was the last time we said that out loud to ourselves? How often do we say this to ourselves? For most people, it is rare if ever. Both acknowledging that we are...
What is the Origin of Bullying and How to Handle It
The word bully has become a big topic in recent years and there is a lot of different information on how to handle it. With increasing technology and the school environment, children deal with more opportunities for bullying every...
What Happens When it Feels Like the House is on Fire!
Human beings are magnificently designed. When we are in a life-threatening situation our body reacts while shutting down our prefrontal cortex where planning, analyzing and problem solving occur. This process allows us to react immediately without wasting time. If,...
Kids Know Technology, Parents Know Relationships
Let’s face it, technology can be daunting, especially for those of us who did not earn a degree in computer science or some other technology related field. Technology is everywhere and encompasses a wide range of activities we engage...
Mom Just Listen to Me!
Sometimes we don’t feel like our parents listen to what we’re trying to say. That can be extremely frustrating and often leaves us feeling misunderstood. Here are a few tips to getting your parent to listen to what you’re...
Teens and Vaping
Vaping is a trend that has been on the rise recently, specifically for adolescents in middle school and high school. This trend of using various types of e-cigarettes is an addictive process that more adolescents are engaging in or...
Bullying in Middle School
We often hear this word being thrown around but what is bullying really? Stopbullying.gov defines bullying as unwanted, aggressive behavior among school aged children that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the...
10 Fun and Unique Ways to Show Kindness
We have all heard of the golden rule: treat others the way you would like to be treated. Today we are going to lay out 10 tangible ways you can show kindness to others during this season. Leave an...
How to be a Good Friend
Brittany Glaser , M.A., M.Div.
Friends are important. Especially when you are in your pre-teenage and teenage years friendships can become a vital social connection and place to safety figure out who you want to become. Listen and empathize—Ask about what is going on...
How to Talk to Kids About Vaping
Use of JUUL and other highly addictive e-cigarettes is skyrocketing among young people. Doctors advise parents to start by educating themselves, so they know what they’re talking about going in, and to take an inquisitive and curious approach...
Transitions: How to Cope With Change and Set Realistic Expectations and Cope With Transition
Change is inevitable, in fact they say that the only thing in life that is constant is change. If we pay attention, we can see that even in nature things are constantly changing. The seasons change, the tide changes,...
Supportive Friends and Empowering Therapists
Will Goodwin , M.A
The scene is common. Usually, a group of men or women gathered around one distressed individual, plying them with tissues, words to bolster one’s masculinity, ice cream, and occasionally a nip of an adult beverage. For centuries, women and...
The Power of Self Compassion
Most of us can be critical of ourselves from time to time. We may judge our performance, appearance, behavior, or personality. Feelings of guilt or shame may prompt us to reflect on something we said or did. Reflecting on...
Sleep and Mental Health
Brittany Glaser , M.A., M.Div.
When I was growing up, my mom would always ask us in the morning, “How did you sleep last night?” Now I find myself working with teens and asking them a slightly different question, “Did you sleep last night?”....
Helping Your Middle Schooler Be Safe in a Technological World
Middle school is a time in your child’s life where they will embark in curiosity like never before. Middle schoolers are constantly growing, changing, and exploring; and in 2020, times are different, as most interactions with each other are...
“Why Am I So Angry?” Part I
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
Have you ever gotten angry and you didn’t really know why? You know, the car in front of you is only going 5 mph OVER the speed limit and you are ready to start a fight. Or, the cashier...
You Don’t Have to Be Alone
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
September 10, 2019 was World Suicide Prevention Day. I work with many clients that deal with trauma and/or depression. I’ve worked with many clients that have contemplated or attempted suicide. Previous to my career as a counselor, I have...
How are Food and Emotions Connected?
Rebecca L. Marshall , Ph.D.
Our culture now has a term for anger associated with hunger. Irritable, hungry people are often called “hangry”, a condition solved quickly by eating. While being “hangry” is not usually a serious problem, you may have wondered what kind...