One of the most common problems we see in our practice is teenagers spending too much time on their phones. To me, this is a fairly complex problem with a simple solution. The only time your teen needs a phone is when they are not with you, in order to contact you and maintain safety. […]
“The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up,” “It’s All Too Much,” and “Outer Order, Inner Calm” have been a frequent topic in many circles as of late, especially with the demands for a season two of the Netflix version of Marie Kondo’s empire. All of these books have value, but each takes a slightly different approach […]
Virginia Woolf wrote, “It is far harder to kill a phantom than a reality.” So it is with envy of what other people have—or, in the case of social media, what we perceive other people to have. What’s exhibited on Instagram does not always reflect real life, but it’s easy for us all, adults and […]
Content note: This post contains mention of childhood abuse and trauma. Please exercise discretion if this is something that may be triggering or upsetting. Reactive Attachment Disorder (often called RAD) is a childhood disorder characterized by: A consistent pattern of emotionally withdrawn behavior toward caregivers, shown by rarely seeking or not responding to comfort when […]
By now, you may have read about the increase in prevalence of children being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Though ASDs originate in childhood, and are most frequently diagnosed in people under eight years old, there has been an increase in adults seeking out mental health services for difficulties consistent with an autism diagnosis. […]
When your child has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), each new school year brings a unique set of challenges. While this post is primarily for caregivers who are new to the IEP process, it never hurts to review some of the basics. I will refer to guardians in this post, as it encompasses anyone who […]
What is Essentialism? “The way of the Essentialist means living by design, not by default. Instead of making choices re-actively, the Essentialist deliberately distinguishes the vital few from the trivial many, eliminates the non-essentials, and then removes obstacles so the essential things have clear, smooth passage. In other words, Essentialism is a disciplined, systematic approach […]
While more than 90% of people marry by the age of 50, it’s fairly common knowledge that 40 to 50 percent of first marriages end in divorce. (The statistics are much higher for subsequent marriages.) When a couple has children together, there is an added layer of complexity when considering divorce. Here are 10 things […]
Ritual is incredibly important in family life. Ritual helps tell all family members, “This is what our family considers important. This is who we are together.” Often when we’re talking about ritual, we think about religious or cultural observances, but ritual is broader than that. An Australian website suggests that rituals can be “things that […]
Lately in the office, we’ve been talking about the things that “feed” us—what helps us to be better therapists, better colleagues, and overall better humans. After thinking about this quite a bit, (I’m a ponder-er—I do a lot of my processing internally) I realized that the most important thing to my mental and relational health […]
