admin An increasingly common topic that I am asked about by parents and school counselors is self-harming behavior among teens. This issue puzzles counselors and frightens parents. It has been estimated that as many as one in five teens have tried self-harming. There isn’t a week that goes by that self-harm does not come up in … Read more
We live in an ever-changing world. As soon as we buy a new computer or cellular phone, there is an update. Our environment, our economy, our health, our family situations are frequently in flux. Our children start new schools, get new teachers and coaches, join new social groups, and must navigate new demands from all … Read more
Ever feel like somebody’s always watching you? If you have children, then I’m assuming the answer is YES! I have heard several stories about parents talking candidly with their spouse only to later hear their child repeat the one phrase from that conversation that should never be repeated. Kids are like little sponges and they … Read more
Take a minute to remember how it felt the last time that you were told “no.” • “No tables left on the deck, but we can seat you in the corner inside.” • “No, we actually don’t have your size and aren’t getting any more in.” • “No, we have no more rooms available.” When … Read more
As the holiday season approaches, many of us begin to feel stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted. In the face of shopping lists to work through, travel itineraries to plan, and seemingly endless school functions to attend, we often lose sight of the potential for joy, celebration and re-connection with loved ones that this season is supposed … Read more
It is generally safe to assume that a person has a set of values he or she lives by. When asked, it is probably easy to identify a handful of personal core values. Yet, if pressed, how easy is it to name all the values that define who you are? Do you think your children … Read more
Wishing something would happen but it never does. Wanting someone to do something different, but she never does. Worrying about what someone else thinks of us, getting angry when the rain spoils our cookout, and stressing about what the traffic will be like when we leave work tonight. These are all things we have no … Read more
There’s an old proverb that says if you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day; if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for the rest of his life. This saying has tremendous relevance for parenting. As parents of children and teens growing up in an increasingly competitive world, we want … Read more
For most people, they will never forget where they were or how they felt in those first few hours and days following the attacks of 9/11. With the ten year anniversary approaching, strong and varied emotions seem to be resurfacing for many individuals. While emotional reactions are expected and completely normal in response to such … Read more
Vision plays an important role in successful academic performance. Vision is the ability to understand what one sees, and is a learned process. A large portion of learning happens visually in traditional classroom settings. When I ask parents about their child’s vision I often get responses such as “His routine eye exam was 20/20.” It … Read more
