Family Therapy Archives | S. Abigail McCarrel, LCSW, DCSW

4 Exercises to Help Teach Young Children Mindfulness

September 21, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Let me help you teach young children mindfulness. Mindfulness is the practice of being aware of your body and feelings in the present moment. If you're silent for a moment, you will notice the subtle smell of your freshly washed clothing, the sound of your breathing, and watch a small leaf blow past your window. Mindfulness is an incredibly calming, relaxing practice that can help adults in numerous ways, and it may surprise you that it can help children, too. Studies have shown that children ...read more

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: Family, Family Conflicts, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy sessions, gifted and talented, gifted family therapy, gifted students, mindful parenting, mindfulness, online family therapy, online therapy, parenting gifted children, young children

The Struggles Children Face When Grieving the Death of a Parent

September 2, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

The struggles children face when grieving the death of a parent are profound, regardless of the age. When most people think back to their childhood, they likely recall many memories that involve their parents. Our parents are often the ones who help us develop our sense of self. They are at the core of our childhood memories. Parents provide us with the basic needs to survive, such as food, water, shelter and safety. For children who have recently lost a parent, this profound loss can be hard to ...read more

Filed Under: Grief Tagged With: advantages of family therapy, Child Therapy, childhood loss, complicated grief, death of a parent, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, grief, grief therapy, loss, normal grief, stages of grief, the grieving process, therapy, therapy for grief

How to Help Your Child Manage Their Anxiety

August 17, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

For many, childhood is the most wondrous and exciting time in a person’s life. But even when a child is growing in a loving and stable family environment, they can feel fear and anxiety and with Covid-19, childhood anxiety is on the rise. Think back on your childhood. Everything new was something to be not-so-sure of. It was easy to feel a bit anxious on the first day of school or meeting someone for the first time. A child often feels anxious at bedtime, having to go to the doctor or ...read more

Filed Under: Anxiety, Children Tagged With: 2e, ADHD, Anxiety, Anxiety in children, Anxiety in Gifted Children, Anxious Gifted Kids, Anxious kids, Childhood Anxiety, Family Therapy, family therapy for gifted, In-Home Family Therapy, In-Home Family Therapy for Anxiety, Parenting anxious children, parenting gifted children, Twice exceptional and anxious kids

How to Help Children Understand a Parent’s Depression

August 4, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Many parents experience clinical depression each year and it can be hard for kids to understand a parent's depression. As if the disease weren’t enough, recognizing its effects on your children can be quite painful. Studies have shown that children of depressed parents are at greater risk of not only developing depression themselves, but also of poor physical health, problems bonding, anxiety, poor self-esteem and aggressive behavior. Of course, different things will determine the severity of ...read more

Filed Under: Depression Tagged With: #Parenting, advantages of family therapy, depression, depression help, depression in children, depression in families, depression in parents, Family Conflicts, Family Connection, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy sessions, In-Home Family Therapy, why family therapy

4 Fun Activities for You & Your ADHD Child

July 12, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

If you have a child who has been diagnosed with ADHD, you know one of the main symptoms is hyperactivity. In other words, your child may seem to have an excess of energy, and all of that energy needs to be channeled. Let's look at some fun activities for ADHD. Unfortunately, modern kids are far less physically active than kids from just 20 years ago. It used to be natural for kids to be outside running around and riding bikes, but many of today’s kids spend their time sedentary, watching ...read more

Filed Under: ADD / ADHD, Children Tagged With: ADHD, ADHD and the family, Family Conflicts, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, Family therapy and ADHD, gifted parenting, gifted students, In-Home Family Therapy, online family therapy, online therapy, Parenting and ADHD, parenting gifted children, Tips for handling ADHD

How Therapy Can Help Families Be Resilient During COVID-19

July 2, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

How therapy can help families be resilient during COVID-19 is a burning topic these days. All of us have struggled in our own way to deal with the effects of the coronavirus. But if you are a parent, you most likely have even more concerns about the impact the virus and subsequent lockdown have had on the emotional health of your children. You’ve most likely taken certain precautions over the past few months to ensure your family’s health and well-being. You’ve made sure to social distance ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy Tagged With: #Parenting, 2e, advantages of family therapy, Communication, Covid-19, Family Conflicts, Family Connection, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy sessions, gifted family therapist

5 Ways to Get Your Teenager to Talk to You

June 16, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

It's tough to get teens talking to parents. Science has shown that the teenager's brain has yet to fully develop the frontal cortex, which is the area that controls our ability to reason, and to think before we act. As your teen's brain develops, they're also learning new things about themselves and their surrounding world; simultaneously, they're dealing with hormonal changes out of their control. For all of these reasons and more, it can be difficult to find ways to talk to your teen, or to ...read more

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens Tagged With: #Parenting, 2e, advantages of family therapy, Communication, Covid-19, Family Conflicts, Family Therapy, family therapy for gifted, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy for teens, gifted parenting, online family therapy, online therapy, teens, therapy for teens

5 Benefits of a Weekly Game Night for Your Mental Health

June 2, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Our daily lives can get so busy. Obligations to work and family, as well as taking time to care for ourselves, can often make us forget to have a little fun. If the hustle and bustle of modern life has caused you to neglect your playful side, a weekly game night may be just what you need, especially during these Covid-19 times. A game night will not only bring you laughter and enjoyment, but it will help you spend quality time with your friends and loved ones. But with so many commitments and ...read more

Filed Under: General Tagged With: 2e, Covid-19, Family, family game night, family game night board games, family games at home, Family Therapy, family therapy for giftedness, gifted and talented, gifted family therapist, gifted family therapy, gifted parenting, mindful parenting, positive parenting, stress, stress of parenting, why family therapy

4 Questions to Ask When Looking for a Family Therapist

May 18, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Seeking the guidance of a therapist is a wonderful way to fix your family’s communication problems and start the process of healing. But selecting a family therapist can be a daunting task, particularly when you are already struggling with emotionally pain or anxiety. To help you with your selection process, here are four questions you should ask when looking for a family therapist. 1. Should I Find a Provider that Takes Insurance or Cash Pay? Therapy is as much a financial commitment as it ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy Tagged With: #Parenting, 2e, advantages of family therapy, Communication, Family, Family Conflicts, Family Connection, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy sessions, gifted family therapist, In-Home Family Therapy, parenting gifted children, why family therapy

How to Talk to a Loved One About Their Anger

May 1, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Anger is a normal emotion; one that everyone experiences from time to time, and one that’s healthy when expressed appropriately. However, for some people, anger is an emotion they express far too frequently, and in harmful and hurtful ways. Their anger gets out of control, and begins to seriously affect their life negatively. If you have a loved one whose constant outbursts of anger can make them unpleasant to be around, you may be wondering what, if anything, you can do. There are ways you can ...read more

Filed Under: Anger, Family Therapy Tagged With: All about anger, Anger, Anger and kids, Anger help, Anger in the family, Anger Management, Anger overload, angry parents, Causes of Anger, Family Therapy, Help for anger, Therapy for anger, therapy for anger in the family