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As we approach this season of thankfulness, I have been thinking a lot about how we can teach our children the skill of gratitude. As a therapist, I often work with parents and children on managing big feelings like anxiety, anger, and frustration. However, one of the most powerful and proactive tools for building childhood … Read more
The world recently learned of the death of Jane Goodall, who has long been an inspiration to me personally and to millions around the world. She was a seemingly tireless scientist, conservationist, and activist, passing away at age 91 while traveling on a speaking tour. Dr. Goodall’s last book, published in 2022 (when she was … Read more
As the seasons change and the leaves begin to fall, I was thinking about what it means to “turn over a new leaf.” Making positive behavioral change is often very difficult, and making lasting change is even more so. What does it take to start and commit to a new habit? Start Small. Starting small … Read more
August always brings with it a range of feelings, including anxiety about the upcoming transition back to school. Some children eagerly anticipate returning to school, meeting their new teachers and re-connecting with their peers. Others are not quite so enthusiastic. Here are a few pointers to keep in mind to ease back-to-school anxiety as the … Read more
The Power of Attention How and when parents pay attention to their children’s behaviors has a powerful influence on their future choice of behaviors. All too often parents naturally gravitate to noticing and calling out negative or disruptive behaviors. One of my favorite parenting tips is “catch your children being good” which refers to looking … Read more
School’s out for summer! While most teens are thrilled for summer break and more “down time,” many parents worry that the decrease in daily demands over the summer will lead to too much screen time for our kids. It can be particularly hard for parents to set boundaries on screen use for teens because phones, … Read more
Managing Overthinking, What-Ifs, and Worry Many of us struggle to manage our thinking and find ourselves overwhelmed by racing thoughts, reliving things we wish we could do over, or facing the fear of making a wrong decision. Frustration can peak as overthinking and worry can lead us nowhere nearer to a solution for our problems. … Read more
How to Haul Ourselves Out of Thinking Traps One of the major principles of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is that so-called cognitive distortions bring us a lot of unnecessary misery. Cognitive distortions are also known as thinking errors, thinking traps, or as therapist David Pratt has nicknamed them, “stinking thinking.” Thinking traps are misperceptions and … Read more
Finding Delight in your Children Building a secure attachment with our children is critically important for their development. Spending quality time with our children, being a consistent safe space, and reliably showing up to meet their needs help build secure attachments. Another aspect of parenting that helps build secure attachments involves delighting in our kids. … Read more
Save the World by Joining a Club? I recently attended a screening of a documentary with the rather ominous title, “Join or Die.” The film follows the work of political scientist Robert Putnam, perhaps best known as the author of the 2000 book Bowling Alone. Putnam’s work centers on the idea of social capital, or … Read more
