Seniors

Helping Your Child Deal with Anger

Anger and temper tantrums/meltdowns in young children, especially under the ages of 7-9, are to be expected and even healthy for a child. It is important for children to be able to experience all emotions....

Dealing With Acts of Aggression from Your Child

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...

Why Your Kids Should Be Allowed To Tell You No Sometimes

One of the skills I end up having to teach almost all the kids I work with, no matter their presenting problem, is assertiveness. An anxious child may be too afraid to express how they...

Can Chronic Pain Impact Social Relationships?

“And here you are living despite it all.” – Rupi Kaur, author and poet Chronic pain can impact social relationships in significant ways. In this blog, we will discuss the impact of chronic pain on...

Your Child's Anxiety: Signs and Strategies for Calming Their Mind and Body

Did you know that anxiety disorders are the most common type of psychological problem that children experience? One in eight children suffer from a significant anxiety disorder (Wang, 2017). In an average sized classroom of...

De-Catastrophizing Your Thoughts

Sometimes what can cause us to feel anxious is our own thoughts. A common thought process we have when feeling anxious is going to the worst possible outcome in our heads for a situation that...

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...

Why Mindfulness?

Do you feel you often forget things or conversations?  Do you have difficulty staying focused or completing a task?  Do you find yourself feeling bored if you are not doing more than one thing at...

4 Practical (and Fun) Ways to Strengthen Your Relationship This Holiday Season

The holidays bring all the joyful chaos: crowded schedules, too much food, and family members giving unsolicited advice. With all this added pressure, it’s easy to feel like you and your partner are more “survival...

Are You Being Selfish or Is This Good Self-stewardship?

“You’re so selfish; all you think about is yourself and what you want! You never think about me and what I might want!” “You’re so inconsiderate. Do you have any idea how that affected me?”...

Trust and Commitment: The Cornerstones of a Satisfying Long-Term Relationship

In any long-term romantic relationship, trust and commitment are vital elements that contribute significantly to its success and satisfaction. These components create a stable and supportive environment where love can flourish. So, what makes these...

How to Build your Child’s Self-Esteem

A child’s self-esteem begins with a positive self-identity, which is critical for building a foundation for confidence, happiness, and emotional well-being. When children have a positive self-identity, they can navigate through life with a sense...

Unlocking Discipline: The 5 Critical Components

Discipline is often misconstrued as a form of punishment and what comes to mind most is spanking. However, the essence of discipline is teaching and guiding. At its core discipline means providing structure, consistency, and...

Finding a Place of Honesty, Authenticity, and Love

Can you tell your partner everything? When intimate relationships are built on a foundation of honesty, they can reach a level of profound authenticity and mutual understanding. But since the beginning of time, it seems,...

What Your “Bad” Emotions Can Do for You!

“It’s not a big deal, calm down!” “Don’t cry, it’s okay!” “Don’t get angry at me!” “You should be happy!” Sound familiar? Whether you realize it or not, you’ve probably said something like this to...

The Importance of Community

One of the first things I ask a new client when we meet is “tell me about your support system”. Understanding how connected someone is to a community of support gives me a lot of...

Conquering Depression: A Comprehensive Guide to Relieving Symptoms

Depression is a complex and challenging condition that affects millions of people worldwide. Research shows that the best way to treat depression is through medication and talk therapy. On top of that there are several...

Healing from Disordered Eating

How many people will struggle with an eating disorder during their lifetime? It’s a more complicated question than you might think. Since the vast majority of people with eating disorders either never seek formal treatment...

Healthy Mind, Healthy Body

The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind.  ~G.K. Chesterton An adorned body without a sound...

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...

The Importance of Community

One of the first things I ask a new client when we meet is “tell me about your support system”. Understanding how connected someone is to a community of support gives me a lot of...

What are the Types of Attachment in Child Parent Relationships

Attachment is a facet of parenting many people can forget about or deprioritize with the infinite other responsibilities of parenting; however, attachment with a caregiver is one of the most important things a parent can...

Improving Attachment in Parent/Child Relationships

Attachment between a child and parent creates the roadmap of how a child interacts with others and themselves, often for the rest of their lives. If a child is securely attached to a caregiver, they...

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...

How to Cope with Grief during the Holidays

The holidays are “supposed to” bring joy and peace, but many people do not have that experience as they are coping with the loss of a loved one. No matter when the loss occurred, the...

Monkey Bars and the Normal Grief of Living Well

In playgrounds, there used to be a structure called the Monkey Bars. I believe they’re too dangerous to be included in most public spaces anymore, but they were the test of endurance and strength (and...

A Hole in Your Heart: Living with Grief and Loss 

I was talking with a client the other day, let’s call her Julie (not her real name), about the recent loss of a relationship which had affected her deeply. Our conversation went something like this: Me:...

Parent Child Interaction Therapy and Childhood Cancer

Facing cancer is an immense challenge for anyone, but for children, it means grappling with their mortality at an age meant for dreams of being a princess or a superhero. For their parents it is...

Chronic Pain Series: The Importance of Pain-Validation

“…If only things would hurt in a clearer way.” – Excerpt of a poem by Fortesa Latifi titled “chronic illness” Chronic pain can be a truly debilitating experience. Whether you deal with pounding migraines, searing...

September: Sickle Cell Awareness Month

There’s a disease that affects approximately 100,000 people in this country and millions more across the globe. It’s an illness many have never even heard of, it’s entirely based on genetics, and it’s arguably the...

My Child is Struggling with Their Body Image - How Can I Help Them?

Anyone can struggle with body image; Research shows that children as young as 3 years old can have body image concerns. As a therapist who works with children and teens, this question comes up a...

Self-Esteem and Self-Actualization versus the Transcendent Self 

In my counseling practice, I am often asked about the importance of a healthy self-esteem, and how to get a “better” one: “My performance (in school, in sports, in social situations) suffers because I don’t...

10 Tips to Boost your Child’s Self-Esteem

Wanting your child to grow and develop into a happy, confident individual is normal for many parents. Though this is a common goal for most parents, it’s not always clear how to help your child...

3 Reasons for Premarital Counseling

Often when you find that special person that you are ready to marry ‘until death do you part,’ you’ll have plenty of input from others. Many of your friends and family will be telling you...

Engagement - NOT The Ring-Giving Kind!

When we hear the word “engagement” in the context of a marriage relationship, we usually think about that memorable occassion where a guy gives a girl a ring to start the whole matrimonial process!  But...

Size of the Problem: Helping Children Match Their Feelings and Reactions to a Problem

Size of the Problem (SotP) is a tool used to help individuals think critically about how their feelings and responses to a perceived problem impact themselves and the people around them. Simply put, it helps...

How to Talk to Your Child About School Shootings

It grieves me to be writing this blog regarding a topic that so deeply affects our students, parents, school staff, and community today. The anxiety and confusion surrounding school shootings is prevalent for us all....

Helping Your Student with Back to School Feelings

With summer quickly coming to an end, children and teens in your home may be experiencing familiar and competing feelings like excitement, dread, anticipation, and anxiety. Often, these feelings may not be expressly spoken, but...

PTSD and Intimate Partner Violence (Excerpt from PTSD Monthly Update from the US Dept. of VA)

Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) refers specifically to violence and aggression between intimate partners. IPV can include physical, sexual or psychological abuse or stalking. In the United States, about 1 in 4 women (or 27%) and...

4 Practical (and Fun) Ways to Strengthen Your Relationship This Holiday Season

The holidays bring all the joyful chaos: crowded schedules, too much food, and family members giving unsolicited advice. With all this added pressure, it’s easy to feel like you and your partner are more “survival...

Turning Toward: How Stressed Couples Can Support Each Other

In a world where stress is often a common household guest, managing our reactions and maintaining positive connections with our spouses can be challenging. However, learning to turn towards rather than away from each other...

Building Stronger Bonds with Your Partner: An Overview of the Gottman Method

The Gottman Method Couples Therapy is a scientifically-backed approach designed to improve the quality and longevity of relationships. Developed by Drs. John and Julie Gottman, this method is based on extensive research involving thousands of...

You Don’t Have to Be Alone

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...

Suicide Prevention

Suicide is an epidemic that has been impacting our nation and community. It’s important to take some time to touch on this difficult topic. A big part of this is learning to be intentional about...

No Longer Wanting to Die (excerpt from New York Times)

No Longer Wanting to Die By Will Lippinscott New York Times – May 16, 2015 After decades of therapy and in patient hospitalization, Mr. Lippincott describes his experience of being suicidal and how dialectical behavior...

Completing the Stress Cycle

Five Quick Tools to Alleviate Stress at Work

In today’s fast-paced work environment, it’s crucial to have quick and effective strategies to alleviate stress. Below are five tools you can use in around ten minutes to improve your mental health during a work...

Preparing for Finals

As finals are approaching, it is a common time where students might get overly stressed and burnt out. Here are some tips to help prevent burnout and reduce stress. Since this is a higher-pressure time,...

How to Help a Loved One with Suicidal Thoughts

In the United States, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among individuals aged 10-14 and 25-34, according to a 2020 study by the CDC. Suicide has become such a common topic for kids...

How to Show Up for Your Suicidal Loved One

When someone you love expresses to you their deep emotional pain or shares their thoughts of suicide, it can be extremely difficult. People experiencing such emotions are vulnerable and need their support network to show...

Children’s Hospitals See More Cases of Depression, Suicidal Thoughts

Written by, Nancy Clanton As schools shifted to distance learning and extracurricular activities were canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic, many kids lost vital resources for maintaining their mental health. Government figures show the proportion of...