Self-care is not a synonym for selfishness. Self-care can actually be seen as a virtue; and yet, if we fail to fulfill our own needs and nurture ourselves, we are less able to help and serve others. As a parent of a child with special needs, which could be a gifted child, you probably spend most of your days so busy with the demanding needs of your family that you neglect to take care of yourself. For parents of special needs children, a little selfishness is an absolute must. In order to give ...read more
4 Exercises to Help Teach Young Children Mindfulness
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
4 Fun Activities for You & Your ADHD Child
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
5 Ways to Get Your Teenager to Talk to You
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
5 Amazing Outcomes that Can Come from Family Therapy
The Coronavirus Crisis Make Family Stress Worse: Amazing family therapy outcomes are possible in this time of pandemic crisis. If you are struggling more than usual with worry for your family right now, you are not alone. Even if you or a loved one have not been personally affected by the virus, you may feel like you are sitting in wait for the other shoe to drop. So many of us are worried about getting infected. You may fear that germs can be transmitted via surfaces, clothing, food or ...read more
4 Things You Need to Know About Adolescent Anxiety
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