It is no secret that depression is an issue facing many teens, particularly teen girls. But a large new study published in May has provided some alarming data suggesting that depression among teen girls is much more common than we previously thought. The study found that by the age of 17, 13.6 percent of boys … Read more
Anxiety is the most common, chronic and costly emotional disorder in the U.S. Increasing numbers of young children are experiencing clinical anxiety disorders. Anxiety disorders affect one in eight children. Research shows that untreated children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social experiences, and as they get … Read more
As many of my colleagues and clients know, I love movies! I often reference them in session as a way to connect, provide a reference point, and illustrate a concept. After the release of Pixar’s touching, animated movie “Inside Out,” many conversations have unfolded about the impact of the film on both children and parents. … Read more
Research studies indicate that depression is one of the most frequently occurring mental health challenges for today’s children. As an example, a recent Fairfax County Youth Survey found that 22% of surveyed 6th graders and almost one-third of the teens surveyed in grades 8-12 reported experiencing significant symptoms of depression within the previous 12 month … Read more
Eye-blinking, throat-clearing, sniffing – your child’s odd tic is often just a passing phase. But many parents wonder how to distinguish whether their child’s habit is a sign of something more serious. The majority of tics involve the head and shoulder areas and in some way relate to the five senses: the eyes blink or … Read more
It’s the holiday season again! While many of us expect to be excited and joyful at this time of year, the holidays can also bring feelings of stress and sadness. Extra responsibilities, high expectations for the holidays, and negative memories from past holidays can all lead us to feeling less than happy on the holidays. … Read more
The beliefs that we hold about how things should be or people should behave can actually create more stress and rob us from daily enjoyment. When we go through our days with preconceived notions, we might become frustrated and/or angry when things don’t go as expected. For example, if we hold the common belief that … Read more
Our modern society stokes the fire for our fears. There is a 24-hour news cycle with bold headlines exclaiming “Alert!” and our concern for safety sometimes seems to trump living life to the fullest. Compared to years ago, our schools and offices close more easily and more frequently with the threat of bad weather and … Read more
So, here we are at the beginning of a new school year. We all have that fantasy – this year, we will happily wave goodbye each morning as our stress-free, on-time children leave for the bus stop (or on their bikes, or on foot, or in their carpool). Unfortunately, reality does not often match up. … 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
