Harnessing the Power of Your Thoughts

You are not your thoughts.  Thoughts are just electrical impulses that are rapidly transmitted between neurons in the brain.  It is our actions, not our thoughts, that define us.  That being said, the way we think has an enormous impact on how we feel; this can have both positive and negative implications. Before our brains … Read more

Helping Anxious Kids Launch Back to School After Winter Break

Hopefully this holiday season was filled with fun, laughter, downtime, and served as a mini break from the daily routine of running and stress. With the winter holiday coming to an end, many parents and their children have mixed emotions about school starting again. While getting back to a routine is healthy, having enjoyed a … Read more

Preparing for Winter Break

As winter break quickly approaches, many children and their families are eager for a chance to relax, unwind, and enjoy some much-needed time away from the demands of school. However, for many children, this time of year can also be a source of significant stress. In particular, children with developmental delays, AD/HD, anxiety disorders, and … Read more

20 Tips for Getting Through the Holidays After a Loss

Holiday season is just about here. While most of us look forward to this festive and sparkly time of year, many of us experience complicated feelings during the winter holidays. It’s a time we reflect back on the year…and the years. For some folks, this inevitably means reflecting on loss of loved ones. With that … Read more

Helping Teens Get Better Sleep

Sleep, nutrition, and exercise are the three lifestyle factors that are most associated with mental health. Teens need between eight and ten hours of sleep per night, with most teens needing about nine hours of sleep. Unfortunately, studies have shown that most teens are not getting the sleep they need. In fact, the average teen … Read more

Is It Helpful or Harmful to Reward Kids for Good Behavior?

How can I raise my child to be a person who behaves responsibly, kindly, and generously? This question has led to seemingly endless discussions, disagreements, and disputes among parents, and among experts. One of the central points of disagreement has been whether to use rewards: are the short-term gains in good behavior real, or are … Read more

Live a Healthier Life: Cultivate Compassion and Kindness

Living in our fast-paced often self-involved society, one might think the adage “it’s a dog-eat-dog world” holds true. Such a belief, however, would not be confirmed by research. Charles Darwin taught us that survival belongs to the fittest, and social psychologist, Dacher Keltner, in his book, Born to Be Good: The Science of a Meaningful … Read more

What Makes You Feel Free?

I recently returned home from a trip to the eclectic city of New Orleans. While warming in the sun watching talented street performers, listening to a mixture of musical styles, and smelling the scent of freshly-made pralines, I began to think about the lives of those around me. I wondered what it would be like … Read more

Intolerance of Intolerance

I recently saw an Internet meme that questioned whether a tolerant society should or can tolerate intolerance. After all, to be fully tolerant, you must accept (or at least hear and allow to exist) all points of view, even if they differ from your own, even if that viewpoint is based in total intolerance of … Read more