If you think back to your own childhood, you remember there are generally two types of kids: The bully and those that the bully bullies. Most of us fell into that second group of kids. And don’t think for a minute that girls can’t be bullies, because they can. Girls can actually be brutal to one another.Not only are kids and teens bullied the old fashioned way with taunts in the hallway, shoving and tripping, but now thanks to a proliferation of social media, they can be bullied 24/7 365.While ...read more
What Determines Gender Identity and How Can Parents Help?
Gender identity, what makes someone feel they have been born into the wrong body? Gender identity is a prominent topic these days thanks to the transgender movement, yet many people are still uncertain about what causes this issue. What is it, exactly, that determines whether an individual thinks of themselves as “male” or “female” or something else or neither of these two options? It seems that a possible answer to this question lies in the structure of our brains. A considerable number ...read more
Mental Health Habits for 2021
Good mental habits for 2021 are a must! We live in a society that seems obsessed with physical health and weight loss. A majority of people have tried one or more diets to lose weight. People join gyms, juice, and take supplements, all in an effort to optimize their physical health. Sadly, most people don’t give their mental health a second thought. The problem is, no matter how good you look in a bathing suit or how “ripped” you may be, or how low your cholesterol is if you aren’t ...read more
6 Signs of Depression in Teens
Do you know the 6 signs of depression in teens? Ask any parent what their main job is and they will tell you it’s protecting their children and keeping them safe. New parents spend hours, if not days, baby-proofing the house. They research the best car seats and bike helmets and figure out ways to ensure their kids are safe online. But, no matter how hard parents work to keep their kids safe, it is very difficult to protect children against mental health issues such as depression. According to ...read more
The Mental Health Dangers of an Overstuffed School Schedule
We all need reminders of the mental health dangers of an overstuffed school schedule, as we emerge from the pandemic. Many parents believe kids must be involved in numerous extracurricular activities to be successful adults. Perhaps we believe this abundance of activities will foster a sense of pride and accomplishment. But is this excessive involvement in activities doing more harm than good? According to a study published in the journal “Sport, Education, and Society,” the social demands of ...read more
5 Reasons Why Parents Don’t Discuss Child Sexual Abuse
Child sexual abuse is not going away. According to the US Centers for Disease Control, 1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually abused by the time they are 18, and 44% of rape victims are under age 18. Sadly, but not surprisingly, victims of sexual assault are three times more likely to suffer from depression, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs, and four times more likely to contemplate suicide according to the Rape and Incest National Network ...read more
Creative Expressive Therapies for Kids and Teens
Life hasn’t been the same for any of us for many months now. As we continue to try and adapt our lives to safely deal with this novel coronavirus, it has taken its toll on many, both financially and emotionally. Kids have been hit particularly hard during this time. At first, many might have thought the idea of no school was “awesome!” But as the weeks rolled on, and they found themselves away from their friends and their routine disrupted, many kids began to feel depressed and anxious about ...read more
5 Ways Teens Can Benefit from Therapy
Teens can benefit from therapy. Not many of us remember our teenage years as walks in the park. That’s because this time in our life is punctuated by uncertainties, social pressure, and a surge of hormones. Because of this perfect storm, many teens act out, which can cause a lot of chaos and disruption in the home and family. Here are 5 reasons teens can benefit from therapy: Self-Worth Issues: Most teens have a certain level of self-worth issues growing through this awkward phase. But ...read more
How to Talk to Your Young Child About the LGBTQIA+ Community
How to talk to your young child about the LGBTQIA+ community is a timely and essential question. As a parent or caregiver, it can be difficult to know the right thing to say when kids question what we deem to be adult topics. Broaching topics of sexuality can be awkward for both parents and kids alike. Yet, it is a necessary conversation to have. When it comes to talking about homosexuality and transgender individuals, children should be given age-appropriate information. This will help them ...read more
How to Bring Up Resilient Children
How can parents bring up resilient children? Have you heard the phrase “helicopter parent?” It describes a mother or father that ‘hovers’ around their child 24/7, overseeing their life to keep them from every potential danger, pitfall and mishap. It looks good on paper, but this kind of parenting forgets one important fact of reality: life happens. Adversity happens to all of us. Those children who engage with adversity in their formative years learn how to handle it well and come up with ...read more