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

4 Things You Need to Know About Adolescent Anxiety

April 3, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Adolescent anxiety is like fire: It can keep us safe and warm, or completely devastate our property and our lives. It’s good to be a little anxious at times. When walking down a deserted street at night, anxiety keeps us on alert and ready to fight or take flight should a dangerous situation arise. But for many people, especially adolescents, anxiety can become the norm instead of the exception. Just walking into a classroom or being with a group of people they don’t know can become crisis ...read more

Filed Under: Anxiety Tagged With: Anxiety, anxiety and puberty, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Family Conflicts, Family Connection, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, how to help a teenager with anxiety, online counseling, online family therapy, online therapy, stress, teenage anxiety and depression solutions, teenage anxiety treatment

3 Ways Family Therapy is Often Misunderstood

March 17, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

People new to therapy often don’t know what to expect. They only know what they have heard about it. But there are many misconceptions surrounding family therapy, and I am going to debunk 3 of the biggest ones now. 1. Family Therapy Takes a Long Time Before You Get Results Many people’s perception of therapy is of someone laying on a therapist’s couch for years, attempting to work out their numerous problems. So, when parents hear the phrase “family therapy,” they assume it is another form of ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy Tagged With: Family, Family Conflicts, Family Connection, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, Family therapy and ADHD, family therapy benefits, family therapy for depressed children, family therapy for gifted, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy for teens, family therapy sessions, gifted family therapist, In-Home Family Therapy

How to Help Your Child Deal with Their Anger

February 17, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Many parents believe in the same myth: if they do everything right, their children will be happy. But that’s not how childhood works. No matter how much you love your child or how much you give to them in the way of attention and material items, kids are still going to experience all kinds of emotions, including anger. While childhood is filled with fun and wonder, it is also a time when children often feel a lack of independence, scared, and confused by the world around them. These feelings, ...read more

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Anger, Children Tagged With: Anger, Anger and kids, Anger Management, Anger overload, child anger issues, child anger management therapy, Counseling angry children, Family Conflicts, Family Counseling, Family Therapy, gifted family therapy, giftedness, how to help my angry child calm down, In-Home Family Therapy, worry and kids

4 Reasons You Should Try Family Therapy with Your Teenager

January 26, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

As parents, it can be challenging raising a teenager. Teenagers are at the stage where they begin to question the beliefs and values they were raised with, while challenging authority and parental restrictions. Sometimes, teens are struggling with even more issues in their lives. A teen struggling with substance abuse, a mental health disorder, or behavioral problems can cause a great deal of strain on family relationships. While individual therapy will help your teen deal with their personal ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy, Teens/Children Tagged With: advantages of family therapy, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy benefits, family therapy for gifted, family therapy for teens, family therapy sessions, gifted family therapy, In-Home Family Therapy, is family therapy the right choice, parenting angry teens, teen therapy, therapy for teens, why family therapy

A Parent’s Guide to Teen Depression and Suicide

January 19, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

The statistics on teen suicide are staggering. According to the Centers for Disease Control, each year, an average of 8% of American teens will attempt suicide. This makes suicide the second leading cause of death for kids aged 10 to 24. In fact, it is believed that more teenagers die from suicide than from cancer, pneumonia, birth defects, AIDS, influenza and heart disease combined. Studies have found that teens who have presented with a mood disorder or who abuse drugs are at the greatest ...read more

Filed Under: Depression, Parenting Tagged With: 2e, Family Therapy, gifted and talented, gifted parenting, national suicide prevention lifeline, parenting gifted teens, parenting suicidal teens, suicide, suicide assessment, suicide hotline, suicide prevention, suicide risk, teens, teens and suicide, therapy for suicide

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

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

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

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