admin As parents, we want our children to believe in themselves. A sense of appropriate confidence or self efficacy, the belief that one can handle what might come his or her way, makes navigating life’s inevitable challenges not only easier, but more fun and exciting. On the other hand, a lack of confidence or a poor … Read more
It is that bittersweet time of year when many young adults will be moving off to college. On one hand, it is a time for celebration, but on the other hand it can be difficult to say goodbye. In most circumstances, the goodbye is more of a “see ya later” as students often return home … Read more
When does worrying cross the line? The difference between normal and pathological worrying is not the content – most people worry about the same types of things. What makes worrying problematic is the frequency, intensity and the perceived uncontrollability of the activity. Worrying becomes a problem when it is constant, when it distracts from other … Read more
All too often parents question and seek a better understanding of why their children act or react in ways that are often labeled as “challenging” or “misbehavior.” The frustrating thing is that there is no single answer to this question. In fact, various influencing factors can contribute to how children respond to certain situations. In … Read more
Ahhhh, summer.…I can almost hear the collective sighs from adults and children alike as we anticipate the freedom and fun that await us in the coming months. For many of us, summer represents a (slightly) slower pace, more vacations, and time to relax and recharge. However, summer can also be an important time to maintain … Read more
Summer break is almost here and that means a less intense morning and evening schedule and more time with siblings. Unfortunately, that can also mean more sibling conflict. Here are a few options for reducing teasing to help your summer go more smoothly*: Give an immediate time-out for both parties: To the Child Claiming to … Read more
Recently, a good friend of mine stumbled across a blog titled the “10 Myths of Introverts” by Carl King (http://www.carlkingdom.com), which describes his perceptions of being an introvert in an extroverted world. Since finding this blog, my friend has been educating more extroverted souls like myself with the wisdom she collected, and perhaps more importantly … Read more
In our romantic ideals, loving relationships are pictured as islands of peace, harmony, and joy, sheltering the couple from the hazards of the outside world. But anyone who has been in a long-term relationship knows this is far from the truth. The hard fact is: couples disagree – sometimes rarely, sometimes often. Whether or not … Read more
Many of us may have forgotten how to solve problems ourselves, since with a flick of the fingers we can find a myriad of answers on Google. Despite the benefits Google affords us, it is important that we continue to practice problem solving strategies on our own, because there are some problems the internet cannot … Read more
Play therapy has long been viewed as an effective and helpful form of child treatment. “Why play?,” is a question I am sometimes asked. The main reason play therapy has proven so useful with children is that they have not yet developed many of the verbal and abstract reasoning skills necessary to articulate their feelings, … Read more
