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

What Determines Gender Identity and How Can Parents Help?

October 29, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Children, LGBTQ, Parenting Tagged With: bygender, family conflict, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, gender expression, gender fluidity, gender identity, gender identity definition, gender identity pronouns, gender identity vs. gender expressio, gender queer, non-binary, pan gender, transgender, what is gender identity

Just Plain Ol’ Boyhood or Oppositional Defiant Disorder?

October 20, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), can be confusing. The old expression “Boys will be boys,” describes types of behavior that may not be appreciated by parents (or sisters). These behaviors, though typically unwelcome, are rather benign in cause and effect. For instance, a typical boy might think it’s funny to put a frog in his sister’s bed. Two young boys might decide their older cousin’s wedding is the perfect place to show everyone their underwear. Typical boyhood behavior can ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy Tagged With: Family Counseling, Family therapist for ODD, Family Therapy, gifted students, gifted students' parents, ODD and family therapy, ODD help in children, online counseling, online therapy, oppositional defiant disorder, Oppositional defiant disorder and gifted students, Oppositional Defiant Disorder and School, Oppositional Defiant Disorder Behaviors, Oppositional Defiant Disorder Diagnosis, Oppositional Defiant Disorder Symptoms, parent education for oppositional defiant disorder

What is Emotional Incest?

September 20, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Emotional incest is troubling any time it shows up in families. Many of us grew up in households that were dysfunctional, where boundaries between parents and adults were blurred in unhealthy ways. Emotional incest is not sexual in nature. It does, however, describe unhealthy emotional interactions between adults and children that are psychologically damaging. In a real-life this looks like a parent treating their child as a partner, relying on them for emotional support and care. ...read more

Filed Under: Abuse/Neglect, family, trauma Tagged With: #parent education, #Parenting, emotional abuse, emotional incest, emotional incest examples, emotional incest in the family, family impact of emotional incest, Family Therapy, family therapy for emotional incest, gifted and talented, healing from trauma, parent-child relationship, psychological abuse, psychological neglect, trauma

Mental Health Habits for 2021

August 23, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Anxiety, Depression Tagged With: Family Therapy, gifted family therapy, gifted students, mental health, mental health and gratitude, mental health and mindfulness, mental health and self-compassion, mental health counselor, mental health day, mental health help, mental health in families, mental health services, mental health therapy, psychotherapy, twice-exceptional

The Mental Health Dangers of an Overstuffed School Schedule

July 12, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Children, School & Academics Tagged With: #Parenting, 2e, advantages of family therapy, Family Conflicts, Family Connection, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy for gifted, gifted students, online counseling, online family therapy, online therapy, overstuffed school schedule, stress of parenting

Benefits of a Mental Health Day from Work or School

July 5, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

There are many benefits of a mental health day from work or school. We’ve all had those days when the alarm goes off and we lie in bed, feeling depleted of our energy, and maybe even our good mood. We think to ourselves, “I’m not really sick, but I just need a break from real life today.” While taking a sick day is common when you are feeling physically unwell, what’s not as common – but perhaps should be – is taking a mental health day when you are feeling mentally and emotionally ...read more

Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression, General Tagged With: a mental health day, Family Therapy, gifted students' parents, mental health day, mental health day excuses, mental health day off, mental health day off from school, mental health day off from work, mental health day off work, psychotherapy, should I take a mental health day off, stress, stress of parenting, taking a mental health day, therapy for stress

Child Abuse: Recognizing the Signs

June 28, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Recognizing the signs of child abuse is crucial. Every year, an estimated 700,000 children are abused in the United States; and every day, five children die because of child abuse. While these statistics are alarming, you may be even more surprised to learn that when children report abuse to an adult in their life, only 58% of those adults take action. As adults, it's our responsibility to help protect one of our most vulnerable populations. Physical Abuse: If a child is a victim of physical ...read more

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: #family therapy near me, #Parenting, child abuse, child neglect, child trauma, emotional child abuse, Family Conflicts, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, Family trauma, medical neglect, online family therapy, sexual child abuse, trauma, types of child abuse

5 Reasons Why Parents Don’t Discuss Child Sexual Abuse

June 14, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Children, Parenting, Sexual Abuse / Trauma Tagged With: #Parenting, advantages of family therapy, child abuse, child sexual abuse, child sexual abuse prevention, child sexual abuse treatment, Family Connection, Family Counseling, family theapy, Family Therapy, Family trauma, how to handle child sexual abuse, online family therapy, why family therapy

What is Trauma Therapy?

May 31, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

What is trauma therapy? Not many of us will get through life without facing our own share of challenges. But some people experience not just stress and strife, but actual trauma. Trauma may come in the form of a physically or emotionally abusive relationship, a physical accident such as a car accident, environmental disasters, child abuse, or the sudden loss of a loved one. When a person experiences trauma, their entire world changes almost instantly. Many trauma survivors have a hard time ...read more

Filed Under: Sexual Abuse / Trauma, Trauma / PTSD Tagged With: #family therapy near me, #trauma and adoption, advantages of family therapy, Anxiety, anxiety after trauma, child abuse, child trauma, childhood trauma, disasters, Family, Family Conflicts, Family Therapy, Family trauma, PTSD, PTSD in children

Creative Expressive Therapies for Kids and Teens

April 26, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

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

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Children Tagged With: #creative therapies, #expressive therapies, #familytherapy, #Parenting, 2e, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, family therapy for giftedness, Kids, online counseling, online family therapy, stress of parenting, teens, therapy for teens