236 E. Foothill Blvd., Suite C | Arcadia, CA 91006
(626) 755-4059 | sabigail@protonmail.com

S. Abigail McCarrel, LCSW, DCSW

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The Mental Health Dangers of an Overstuffed School Schedule

July 12, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Middle school aged boy looks at a basketball court with stress from too many activiteis.

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

Casually dressed, caucasian man sits near the water with his hands on his head stress and taking a mental health day off from work

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

Creative Expressive Therapies for Kids and Teens

April 26, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Teen boy walks down the street with backpack on, scratching the back of his head pondering creative expressive therapies.

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

Teaching Kids Mindfulness: The Benefits and Easiest Ways to Do It!

February 19, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Teaching Kids Mindfulness: Two boys making funny faces as they hold their breaths in a mindfulness activity in family therapy

“Pay attention!” Teaching kids mindfulness has many benefits. It’s a phrase that is uttered dozens of times a week (if not more) in households where children between the ages of two and 18 reside. How is it that when they WANT to, oh say when they are playing video games or watching cartoons, kids can have a tremendous attention span. But at any other time, getting them to be present is harder than getting them to close the refrigerator door! While getting kids to pay attention can seem ...read more

Filed Under: Children Tagged With: #Parenting, Deep breathing, Family, Family Conflicts, Family Counseling, family therapy for gifted, gifted, grounding, meditation, mindful awareness, mindful parenting, mindfulness, online family therapy, parents, stress of parenting

How to Talk to Your Young Child About the LGBTQIA+ Community

February 12, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

LGBTQIA+ Rainbow flag being waived proudly at a march helping parents know how to talk to their young children about LGBTQIA+ questions.

How to talk to your young child about the LGBTQIA+ community is a timely and essential question. As a parent or caregiver, it can be difficult to know the right thing to say when kids question what we deem to be adult topics. Broaching topics of sexuality can be awkward for both parents and kids alike. Yet, it is a necessary conversation to have. When it comes to talking about homosexuality and transgender individuals, children should be given age-appropriate information. This will help them ...read more

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Children, LGBTQ Tagged With: #Parenting, Abigail, advantages of family therapy, Counseling for family problems, Family Counseling, family therapy sessions, gifted parenting, LGBTQIA+, LGBTQIA+ Children, LGBTQIA+ Family, LGBTQIA+ Parenting, LGBTQOA+ Community, online family therapy, online therapy, stress of parenting

How to Bring Up Resilient Children

January 29, 2021 by BBYMCCRRL75216 2 Comments

Young Black Girl looks with inquisitivity and wide eyes as she builds resilience and coping skills from family therapy

How can parents bring up resilient children? Have you heard the phrase “helicopter parent?” It describes a mother or father that ‘hovers’ around their child 24/7, overseeing their life to keep them from every potential danger, pitfall and mishap. It looks good on paper, but this kind of parenting forgets one important fact of reality: life happens. Adversity happens to all of us. Those children who engage with adversity in their formative years learn how to handle it well and come up with ...read more

Filed Under: Adolescents/Teens, Children, Parenting, Resilience, Trauma / PTSD Tagged With: #Parenting, 2e, bring up resilient children, building resilience, Family Counseling, Family Therapist, Family Therapy, family therapy for gifted, family therapy for giftedness, family therapy sessions, gifted parenting, online family therapy, resilience, resilience in families, stress of parenting

The Mental Health Impact of COVID-19 on Families

November 4, 2020 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Mixed race family sits around the breakfast table together during Covid-19 to destress.

The mental health impact of Covid-19 on families is building. If you asked any of us a year ago what would life be like in 2020, it’s doubtful anyone would have guessed we’d be going through a global pandemic, replete with lockdowns and self-quarantining. At the beginning of the year, some families might have thought of being forced to stay home from work and school would be a fun little vacation. But as the weeks and months have passed, we’ve all learned this has been anything but fun. But ...read more

Filed Under: Family Therapy, General Tagged With: #Parenting, advantages of family therapy, Anxiety, Covid parenting stress, Covid-19, Covid-19 help, Covid-19 mental health help, Family Conflicts, Family Counseling, Family problems near me, Family Therapist, gifted students, online family therapy, stress, stress of parenting

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

Tips to Talking Mental Health with Your Teen / Child

October 18, 2019 by BBYMCCRRL75216 Leave a Comment

Gifted mom with mental illness telling her son and trying to lighten the mood by holding him and smiling.

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

S. Abigail McCarrel, LCSW, DCSW



Phone: (626) 755-4059
sabigail@protonmail.com
Contact Abby

“Abigail is easy to talk to. She is warm, caring and listens with an empathetic ear. She is highly qualified to work with families from her years of experience both personally and professionally.”

Lisa Lewis Counseling

S. Abigail McCarrel, LCSW, DCSW

Phone: (626) 755-4059 sabigail@protonmail.com

Address
236 E. Foothill Blvd., Ste, C
Arcadia, CA19006

S. Abigail McCarrel : Welcome Home Family Therapy


The way we talk to our children becomes their inner voice

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