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Diagnosing AD/HD in Teens A diagnosis of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD) often occurs in childhood.  In fact, one of the diagnostic criteria for AD/HD is that symptoms need to have been present prior to age 12.  This does not mean, however, that an initial diagnosis of AD/HD cannot occur in adolescence or young adulthood.  In … Read more

Starting to Make Sense of IEP’s and 504 Plans As students head back to school this fall, some parents may be wondering if an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan may be appropriate for their child. Many parents come to FamilyFirst with this question and voice confusion about the difference between an IEP and … Read more

Being a Supportive Listener In recent weeks I have had a number of conversations, both in and out of therapy sessions, highlighting just how hard it can be to receive and give support. Whether it’s feeling shut down when expressing difficult feelings or feeling helpless in the face of another’s difficult feelings, effective and satisfying … Read more

Does My Family Really Need a Schedule This Summer? For many families, being out of school (which tends to be routine and schedule-driven) means not having a schedule in place.  It is important to recognize, however, that having a set agenda, which is what daily/weekly schedules and routines inherently offer, tends to be as helpful … Read more

Managing Sibling Rivalry It’s finally summer, which for many families means that the children are spending a lot more time at home together.  With increased togetherness often comes increased sibling rivalry.  Sibling rivalry can take many forms, ranging from poking and glaring to teasing and name-calling to kicking and wrestling.  While many parents find these … Read more

Too Much Stimulation or Too Little: Aiming for “Just Right” This Summer Another school year has wrapped up and here comes summer! As we hear the collective cheer from our children and want to them to enjoy all that summer time has to bring, we parents need to be mindful of behaviors they exhibit that … Read more

Grieving As a Nation Earlier this week, our country experienced the 27th school shooting in the United States this year.  Nineteen more children and two more adults are no longer with us.  Uvalde is shattered.  It is sickening and heartbreaking and incredibly overwhelming.  How do we as individuals and families cope with this news?  And, … Read more

What is Executive Functioning? Most people have heard references to “executive functioning skills” and may have been told how important they are. However, I get asked all the time what executive functioning skills are, why they matter, and how they can be developed. Part of the challenge seems to be that “executive functioning skills” include … Read more

Self-Care: Back to Basics In my therapy practice, I have become used to clients discussing stressful experiences and difficult times. This is hardly surprising – people rarely spend their time and money on a therapist when life is easy and everything is going smoothly. That being said, however, the level of stress and anxiety at … Read more