Dr. Anderson and Hope Springs Behavioral Consultants were recently feature on Fox News Channel 2 KGAN Cedar Rapids, providing an expert opinion on how to help children process tragedies on the news. The psychologists at Hope Springs have provided expert interviews to the Iowa City Press Citizen, and the Cedar Rapids Gazette.
“Having hope in the face of despair, doesn’t mean we’ve extinguished fear or whatever else we’re feeling. It means that we choose to go on in the face of it; we can feel discomfort while also being in touch with other parts of ourselves and our experiences. We don’t let despair, anger, whatever it is, define our entire world.”
…..Sharon Salzberg
‘Remember that organization is a skill. To some it comes naturally. To others it must be taught. Keep taking small steps to teach your child or teen, and they will be able to learn some simple and effective organizational strategies. Your child will feel much better and more capable in their world when they can start to become more independent and more in control.”….
…..Parenting a teen is never easy, and parenting a teen with ADHD is definitely not easy. But, people with ADHD often have many strengths that other people do not, as well as endless potential. Remember that as much as your teen may push you away, she also needs you beyond measure. In the end, you will both persevere, and have a stronger relationship for it.
One of the more popular topics on this blog is dealing with disagreements Disagreements are challenging for everyone. On this blog, we’ve written about how to recognize difficult people, as well as some tips for dealing with them. Some other great questions that have been asked about challenging relationships are: “What do you do when […]
Flashbacks are experienced when people relive or remember something very frightening. Flashbacks are often experienced with increased physical and psychological arousal. Physically, the person may sweat, their heart rate increases, and breathing may become shallow and rapid. Subjectively, it can be described as “panic,” or “terror.” Some people report feeling “frozen,” or like they are “flinching.”
Relationships can be hard. They change with us over time, as we change. Some are long, some are short. Some are romantic or emotionally involved. Some are not. Some are with co-workers, some are with people we supervise. But, all have signs of healthy and unhealthy patterns. And like avoiding accidents, some relationships are best watched with caution, and require careful monitoring. In some instances, it’s best to just get off the road.
Separation Anxiety is common, yet can be very frustrating and upsetting for children (and their parents). Oftentimes, children have difficulties separating, and can experience panic in these situations. They may feel sick, and feel worried or guilty about not being with their families. Often children wonder what their parents or loved ones are doing and whether something terrible has happened to them, like death, a car accident, or a shooting. As a result, they have great reluctance or refusal to separate from their parents. They may have difficulty sleeping in their own room or different parts of the house. When they come home from school or camp, they may be irritable, tired, and upset, as it takes a lot of energy to hold that level of stress/anxiety in all day. Oftentimes, a loved one will make a simple request, and then the child will yell, cry, or tantrum.
For those of you who have not visited lately, there is a tree in the hallway outside our office. It’s not a real tree in the vegetative sense, but merely in the artistic sense. The tree is just a large sticker, and next to it, a sign asks, “What are your grateful for?” Simply take a post-it leaf or bird, write one small thing that you are thankful for, and put it on the tree.
Mathematics is often thought of as a subject that a student either understands or doesn’t, with little in between. In reality, mathematics encompasses a wide variety of skills and concepts….. Challenges with learning can be very difficult for a child. But, they don’t have to reflect catastrophe or a life-long battle with success. In fact many of the world’s most talented people have struggled with some type of learning issue. The main goal is to keep going, reach out for help, and learn about yourself in the process.
The ulitmate success is not about not having bad days/weeks anymore. The victory is that you are kind to yourself and keep going.
Most parents want nothing more for their children than to be happy and to succeed in life. Parents often spend a lot of time and money to help children in school become strong students. Teachers and schools emphasize grades and test scores as indices of how your child is doing, and even your child’s potential. Many people feel that children need to be intelligent or have good grades to become successful in life. The truth is, however, that there may be something more important than academics that we should be teaching our children.
