And a Mindful New Year
Bailey Smith , M.Ed.
We all have different pictures that come to mind when we hear the word “mindfulness.” Some of us may think of sitting cross-legged deep in meditation, while others of us may think of sitting outside near a flowing stream....
Checking-In With You
Like many children, I was fascinated with questions. Any parents reading, I imagine you have found yourself frustrated by the infamous question of “why” that your child may ask when he or she doesn’t get their way. I also...
Reclaiming 2022 – Part I: Control
Stephen Walters , M.Div., M.A.
We have experienced two long years with 2020 and 2021. I remember when 2020 started. I thought the biggest part of my year was turning 40, having no idea I would experience events that would forever change our lives....
Helping Your Child Regulate Their Emotions
Aleisha Parker , M.Ed.
Children and adolescents learn so much about how to navigate obstacles simply by watching their parents. They are like little sponges that soak up a lot of what they observe from their own homes and people in their lives...
Toxic Relationships Part 2: Understanding Gaslighting
Relationships that have grown toxic can sometimes be hard to spot, especially if you are experiencing gaslighting. In the previous blog, I’ve defined gaslighting as “manipulating someone with psychological means into questioning their own sanity.” Gaslighting forces you to...
The Best Tip for Holiday Family Bonding
Christmas: it’s the most wonderful time of the year! But for so many of us, especially those of us with children, it can seem more stressful than wonderful. Just think, there’s buying, wrapping, cooking, getting dressed, traveling, socializing, and making sure everyone is on the same page and...
Motivation & How to Increase It
One of the difficulties we all face in life at some point is low motivation. Whether this be for work, school, relationships, physical or mental health, or that one specific task we nearly loathe doing (clean dishes in the dishwasher that...
Keeping Routines Through the Holidays
Kate Smith , M.A.
Last school year, kids were constantly wondering if they would be in the school building or learning virtually. Teachers and parents spent the beginning of this school year fielding the questions of what will this year look like? With...
Parenting: Using Encouragement Over Praise
Maddie McGarrah , M.Ed.
When your child gets a good grade, figures out how to do something, or completes something we often respond with praise such as “Great job!”, “Excellent”, “Way to get an A on that!”. This is defined as praise. While...