Communication

Is This Normal?
November 4, 2021

One of my favorite quotes on relationships is: “Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, ‘What! You too? I thought I was the only one” by C.S. Lewis. Friendships, and relationships in general, can...

Setting Boundaries & Self-Care
October 19, 2021

“Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.” – Prentis Hemphill In a world becoming more focused on mental health, we often hear the terms “boundaries” and “self-care” without much context into what these...

How to Support Your Teenager with Anxiety
October 1, 2021

Most of the teenagers I work with experience anxiety in some form. Over my years working with this population, I have found that I often am supporting the parents and family as well. I do not often hear people...

To be Young, Black and Depressed
October 1, 2021

There has been more acknowledgement, inclusion and research regarding the disproportionate rates of depression, lack of mental health accessibility and lack of individuals seeking therapy due to the stigma that still resides within the black community. We’ve seen the...

Effective Communication Style: Learning to Respond versus React
October 1, 2021

One of the best effective communication skills that I have learned in relationship with others is how to practice responding versus reacting. When we begin to understand the difference between responding and reacting, our self-awareness and ability to self-regulate...

Tips for Parenting in Stepfamilies
September 30, 2021

Newly married couples with children from a previous marriage are often surprised at the challenges they face as a stepfamily. For many children, adjusting to divorce is easier than becoming a stepfamily. Depending on the age of the children,...

Improving Communication with Your Teen
September 24, 2021

The parent/teenager relationship is one of the most important relationships a teenager will have in the emotionally charged teenage time of their lives; however, oftentimes the opposite occurs, with the teenager pushing the parent away. This can, in turn,...

Stress on Kids During the Pandemic
September 20, 2021

The coronavirus pandemic took the world by surprise in March 2020. It was a new journey for everyone. Parents had to wear many hats during this time- full-time parent, teacher, and employee. We had nationwide lockdowns, schools became virtual,...

Building Boundaries
September 2, 2021

Learning and understanding how to build boundaries with your family, peers and coworkers is essential to forming healthy relationships. Having healthy boundaries with others can look different for each relationship you have in your life. Having more rigid boundaries with...

How to Prepare for Counseling
July 20, 2021

Going to counseling may bring up all different kinds of emotions for you. You may be anxious, excited, nervous, or scared. Whatever you may or may not be feeling… it is completely alright! You are welcome to counseling! In...

Myths of Marriage
July 20, 2021

The music swells as the couple finds each other on the street. The credits roll with the lovers in one another’s arms, vowing to never be apart again. The camera zooms out and the audience is left to imagine...

What is Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy?
June 29, 2021

Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT) focuses on the connection between partners in a relationship. It was developed by Sue Johnson and based on attachment research done by John Bowlby 50 years ago. The premise of what is known as...

COVID-19 Reentering Reminders Regarding Relationships
June 23, 2021

As COVID cases go down and vaccination shots go up, so many of us have already experienced the joys of re-experiencing social interactions. But, in the same vein, others have been reminded of the not-so-good side of social engagement...

Dealing With Acts of Aggression from Your Child
June 10, 2021

One issue I have a lot of my child clients working on is their anger (including tantrums). Some tantrums or outbursts are normal for children under the age of 5, while they are making sense of boundaries and the world around them....

Interpersonal Effectiveness: Receiving & Giving Validation
April 13, 2021

When we are running our DBT classes, a lot of clients will ask me what to expect with each specific group. One of the groups that we run is called Interpersonal Effectiveness. In this group, we focus on learning...

Parenting for More Effect – Impart and Implement III: The Why
April 9, 2021

So far this year, my blogs have been focused on how we can parent for more effect. Specifically, during a time of a pandemic, social distancing, and isolation. Also, generally, as we get closer and closer to “normal times.”...

Healthy Relationships Between Parents and Teens
April 9, 2021

Healthy Relationships between Parents & Teens require good communication. A healthy relationship is one that is based on respect, honesty, trust, communication, individuality, safety, support, and acceptance. Here are some tips for communication that will help foster a healthy...

Respectful Parenting – Part 1
March 19, 2021

I am privileged to be the mother of 3 young men ages 24, 22, and 19. The blessing came only after a 4-year struggle with infertility wherein I went through almost every fertility procedure known at the time to...

Parenting for More Effect: Impart and Implement II: Breathe
February 15, 2021

Last quarter, I wrote a blog starting a series on how we can parent for more effect. The hope of this series is to make 2021 a year when we move towards a thriving mindset in our parenting and...

5 Ways to Revitalize Your Relationship Routine
February 5, 2021

With the beginning of a new year well underway and the somewhat cliché mantra of “New year, new you!” still ringing in the air, many of us are starting to look around and wonder what has really changed. The...