Don’t Make It Worse We all experience life differently, yet one commonality among us all is that we are all going to experience distressing events, as well as physical, emotional, and mental pain, at some point in our lives. Some of the distressing/painful experiences will be things that we can control, such as choosing to … Read more

Adults Need Play Time Too! It’s a no-brainer that play is an important part of childhood.  As children, play allows us to express our creativity, try on different roles, and develop important social-emotional skills that help us “play well” with others.  However, play for adults can be an afterthought and something we do not actively … Read more

Let’s Talk About Play As a parent of three myself, I know firsthand how easy it is to get sucked into the day-to-day management of a family. Before you know it, keeping up with children’s growing social calendars becomes a full-time responsibility (Wait, is it a soccer or volleyball night!?!?).  Then on top of the … Read more

Is it a BIG, Medium, or little deal? I frequently use an excellent social-emotional curriculum for kids called Unstuck & On Target (Lynn Cannon, Lauren Kenworthy, et al).  It’s particularly useful with children and tweens who struggle with emotional regulation and cognitive flexibility, but its concepts can be useful to all parents when their kids–or they themselves–have a … Read more

A Few Thoughts on Self-Care The new year brings fresh starts and new goals, and I feel like it is a great time to think of our own self-care plans and what helps each of us recharge. We all have different definitions of what self-care might mean for us as individuals. Activities such as exercise, … Read more

Finding and Keeping Connection Some years ago, around this time of year, I got a call from someone very dear to me. She told me she was making a New Year’s resolution that we would get together at least once a month. This is one of the few New Year’s resolutions that had true staying … Read more

Setting Healthy Boundaries during the Holiday Season The holidays are upon us! While this time of year can bring joy, it also can leave us feeling frustrated, exhausted, and pulled in too many directions at once. This makes it a perfect time to pause and consider the topic of healthy boundaries for ourselves. Although the … Read more

Are Working Memory Problems Disrupting Your Child’s Learning? Working Memory is like a “mental sticky note” that keeps track of information momentarily in mind (NOT in long-term memory) in order to complete a task. Basically, it helps kids hold on to information long enough to use it. Working memory is one of many executive functions … Read more

On Parenting Teens with Intense Emotions One of my favorite books, as both a professional and a parent of teenagers, is “Parenting a Teen Who Has Intense Emotions” by Pat Harvey and Britt Rathbone.  In their book, Harvey and Rathbone present dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) strategies that parents can use to help teens navigate challenges … Read more