“And” is a word that we don’t often think about. It is quite powerful Let’s start by looking at the following examples “I really liked your presentation, but I think you could make a few improvements” What do you take away from that statement? Do you think you would walk away thinking “boy, that person […]
Perfectionism, or the tendency to want to do everything flawlessly, is often associated with increased stress and anxiety. Perfectionism combines excessively high personal standards (“I have to do my best at everything”), as well as feelings of failure if the person falls short of those benchmarks. Oftentimes, our need to be perfect stems from fear. […]
I love the internet. I have a serious Buzzfeed problem (I’m Mollie, and I’ve taken a quiz about which Disney princess I would be based on my preference for snack foods). I cruise Twitter, I scroll the news, and I get sucked into my screens just like everybody else. But it isn’t… great. I don’t […]
“Just like our fingerprints, people are all different. It’s no surprise that we learn differently too.” The above explanation is one that I often provide to young people when they are diagnosed as having learning disabilities. I also explain to them that most of the time, our schools teach the most common, and sometimes the […]
Children today are often online, using phones, computers and electronic devices. So are their parents. Like it or not, electronics are a part of our children’s lives. Most of the time, children’s use of electronics is harmless, and can even be fun or enjoyable. Parents often believe that supervision is key to their child’s experience […]
Teens today face many life challenges. One of these is drug abuse, particularly prescription drug abuse. Many times, as parents or caregivers, we are under the illusion that these issues will not impact our own children or people that we know. However, data suggests that prescription drug use is quite common among teens, with some […]
This blog-post is addressing a serious and potentially controversial topic: spanking. It’s a tough thing to talk about, so thank you for being brave and reading this article. New research regarding spanking has been in the news recently, with two ground-breaking studies in the last month. As a result, as a Clinical Child and Adolescent […]
ADHD can mean a lot of different things for different people. Some may be more restless, hyperactive, fidgeting, and constantly on the move. Others may seem constantly one step behind, not seem to listen to what you’re saying, forget things, lose track of things, and always be off-task. Some may have a combination of these, […]
Traumatic events and experiences can elicit a wide range of reactions. In order to help your loved one cope with trauma, it helps to know some of the symptoms that people experience. Here are a few: Crying, panicking, or intense fearfulness when reminded of the trauma Withdrawal or pulling away from others Having difficulty sleeping, […]
It can be hard when you find out that someone does not like you. These situations are very common and happen to all people. Learning how to cope with social rejection is a big step towards a more meaningful life. When I was 10-years-old, I remember being the one girl in my class not invited […]
In my work with adolescents, marijuana issues are occasionally discussed. Sometimes, the teen has been using. However, often she or he reports that other friends and classmates are regular users. Frequently, I am told that it is easier for teens to buy marijuana than alcohol or cigarettes. Marijuana is a common drug that is used […]
Ideally, preparation for the beginning of the school year should start a few weeks before that moment. A lot of things help a child prepare for that time, and as parents know, it’s not just about the school shopping.
