Family Therapy Blog | S. Abigail McCarrel | Arcadia, CA

Parenting An Angry Teen

January 12, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Parenting an angry teen can be one of the most challenging experiences a parent will go through. Teenagers are in an awkward stage, dealing with hormonal changes that are out of their control and a developing brain. They’re awakening to new realizations about themselves and the world around them. Teenage rebellion is a natural phase, however, handling it as a parent is anything but natural. If you’re struggling with raising an angry teen, here are some strategies that can help. Tips for ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy, Teens/Children Tagged With: 2e, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, getting angry with my teenager, gifted parenting, giftedness, how to calm a teenager, keeping your cool as a parent, Listening Skills, parenting angry teens, raising an obstinate teenager, teenage angry outbursts, teenage anxiety and anger, twice-exceptional parenting

Healing from Childhood Emotional Neglect

January 5, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Many of us were raised with the notion that kids are meant “to be seen and not heard.” Said differently, don’t speak until you are spoken to.” While this idea may have only meant to keep the volume down at the Thanksgiving table, it can have negative ramifications on a child’s psyche. Worse still, there are many children who suffer from Childhood Emotional Neglect. These children were raised to believe that not only do their ideas not matter, but neither do their feelings or needs. Though the ...read more

5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety as a Parent

December 16, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

The hard work and unpredictability that makes parenting so rewarding can also cause a great deal of anxiety as a parent. Here are some simple ways to bring yourself to a place of calm. Make a To-Do List Ruminating on worries can cause lots of stress. Clear your mind by making a to-do list. Put down everything that needs to be done into your phone or onto a sheet of paper, and as you write them down, visualize yourself removing this task from your mind onto the list. Watch Your ...read more

Filed Under: Anxiety, Parenting Tagged With: anxiety after becoming a mom, anxious parent effect on child, coping for parenting anxiety, how does a child develop anxiety, how to help a parent with anxiety, how to stop worrying about teenage son, mindfulness, mom with anxiety and depression, motherhood anxiety depression, my anxiety is making me a bad mom, my child triggers my anxiety, parent guilt anxiety, parental anxiety symptoms, parenting with anxiety and depression, raised by anxious parents

What is Family Therapy and What is it For?

December 4, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Family therapy is a type of counseling that helps family members improve communication and resolve conflicts. Session are typically led by either a clinical social worker, psychologist, or licensed therapist. Like individual therapy, family therapy typically takes place on a weekly basis to keep the momentum going. The length of treatment depends on the presenting problems. Family therapy duration could range from months to a year or so. Session may include all family members, or just those who ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy Tagged With: 2e, advantages of family therapy, counseling the gifted and talented, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy sessions, gifted family therapist, is family therapy the right choice, need of family counseling, twice-exceptional counseling, twice-exceptional parenting, twice-exceptional therapists, what you can expect in family therapy, why family therapy

How to Practice Self-Compassion

November 18, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Most of us from a young age are taught how to be kind, considerate and compassionate toward others. But rarely are we told to show the same consideration to ourselves. This becomes even more true for individuals brought up in abusive or unloving homes. What is Self-Compassion? Self-compassion is taken from Buddhist psychology and refers to how we can relate to the self with kindness. Self-compassion or self-love is NOT to be confused with arrogance or selfishness. In actuality, arrogance and ...read more

Filed Under: General, Issues for Women, Parenting Tagged With: lack of self-compassion, mind body soul time, mindful self-compassion, mindfulness, self-compassion, self-compassion counseling, self-compassion in therapy, self-compassion parenting, self-esteem, self-judgement, self-love, self-rejection, unlovable, why self-compassion is so hard, you are enough

What is Conscious Parenting?

November 4, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

How many parents have said at one point or another, “I wish my child would have come with a users’ manual,”? Nearly every single one. Nothing can really prepare us for parenthood. No class, no advice, and no user manual can give us the tools we require for raising happy and healthy kids. The truth is, to be good parents requires us to be conscious parents. Mindfulness – It’s Not Just for Meditation Your 8-year-old runs in from the backyard, excited to tell you about the frog he just found ...read more

Filed Under: Parenting Tagged With: #Parenting, 2e, childhood trauma, childhood wounds, consciousparenting, Family Therapy, forgiveness, Maya Angelou, mindful parenting, mindfulness, parenting gifted children, parenting twice-exceptional kiddos, positive parenting, teach through love, twice-exceptional

Tips to Talking Mental Health with Your Teen / Child

October 18, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

If you or a loved one have been diagnosed with a mental health issue, you know firsthand how the diagnosis can impact your life. Mental illness is not only challenging for adults to understand but children as well. With so many myths and misconceptions surrounding mental illness, it’s easy for young people to feel anxious and confused. With this in mind, here are some tips on how you can speak to your child about mental health. Be Open Your child is most likely noticing a change or difference ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy, General, Teens/Children Tagged With: anxious parents, children and mentally ill parents, depressed parents, mental health in families, mental health issues, mental health talk and teens, mental illness in families, mental illness in parents, mental wellness in parenting, mentally ill parents, Parental mental health and teens, responsibility and mental illness, stress of parenting, support for mental illness in parents, talking to teens about mental health

4 Tips for Parenting an Above Average Child

October 4, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Parenting the Above Average Child If you’re the parent of a gifted child, you may be challenged with a unique set of circumstances. Your gifted child might be mentally above average, but have difficulty interacting with their peers; they may be immature, impatient, or easily bored. Your friends and family may look on in awe at your child’s abilities, blissfully unaware of the difficulties you face on a daily basis. Here are four tips to help you parent your above average son or daughter. 1. ...read more

Filed Under: Teens/Children Tagged With: 2e, family therapy for gifted, gifted, gifted and talented, gifted assessment, gifted classroom, gifted education, gifted family therapy, gifted parenting, gifted teacher, giftedness, overexcitabilities, parenting gifted, parenting gifted children, parenting gifted kids, twice-exceptional

Connected Family Fun, LA; Aliso Beach, Laguna

September 5, 2018 by Abby McCarrel Leave a Comment

Beachy Tradition On this Connected Family Fun, LA; Aliso Beach, Laguna adventure, I spent some quality time with my youngest daughter, Kenzie. We have fallen into the tradition of spending a day at the beach together as a fun mother-daughter outing at least once every summer. Some trips are more successful than others. During the summer before Kenzie went off to college, we had a less than successful trip to the beach when we were both unexpectedly overtaken by the ocean tide. That outing ...read more

Filed Under: Beach Tagged With: #Adopted, #Aliso Beach, #Attachment, #Laguna, #Listening, #Mother-Daughter, #One-On-One Time, #Parent-Child Bond, #Parenting, Family Connection, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, Family Time, In-Home Family Therapy

Connected Family Fun, LA; Malibu Lagoon

August 22, 2018 by Abby McCarrel 2 Comments

The Minnow Would Be Lost! Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale; a tale of a fateful trip......Ahh, come on. You know the rest! Join me at Malibu Lagoon and we will play that broken record together. Who would have guessed that we have our own little tropic "island" nest, right here in LA? Connected Family Fun, LA; Malibu Lagoon does! Let's take a tour. It might take three hours. As your family travels to the coast, you will find Malibu Lagoon State ...read more

Filed Under: Beach Tagged With: Adamson House, Adoption, Child Therapy, Chumash Tribe, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, In-Home Family Therapy, Malibu Farm Restaurant, Malibu Lagoon, Malibu Pier, Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Ocean, Santa Monica Mountains, Surfrider Beach