How Play Therapy Helps Children Heal and Grow
If you’ve ever watched your child build an elaborate story with toys, draw a picture out of nowhere, or act out a dramatic scene with dolls or action figures, you’ve witnessed something powerful: a child making sense of their world through play. In play therapy, this natural way of expressing emotions becomes a path toward […]
Tips for Communicating with Family During the Holiday Season
The holiday season can be a stressful time for many reasons, including increased obligations to spend time with family members. You may not get along with family members or the political climate may be increasing family tension. Communicating with family members during the holiday season can be challenging. In this article, we aim to highlight […]
What is Intergenerational Trauma?
Intergenerational trauma is broadly defined as the trauma that gets passed down from a trauma survivor and affects the well-being of subsequent generations. Intergenerational trauma is also referred to as transgenerational trauma or multigenerational trauma. Traumatic experiences can be systemic (e.g., war, genocide, poverty, natural disasters, etc.) and can also occur on a micro-scale (e.g., […]
Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA)
Discussion of pathological demand avoidance (PDA) and requests for this diagnostic label have increased in the past few years. PDA was initially used to describe children who use “social manipulation” to avoid demands of parents or caregivers. Additional features include a “challenging behavioral profile,” such as resisting everyday demands and requests, a desire to be […]
Introduction to Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT): What is It and How Can It Help You Parent Your Child?
One of the major goals of parenting is the socialization of children, during which parents teach their children to cope with the stresses of life in socially appropriate ways. At certain developmental ages, (i.e. temper tantrums in toddlers or adolescent rebellion), negative and disruptive displays of behavior are fleeting and considered “normal.” When these behaviors […]
Maintaining Mental Health in a Crisis
We are currently in a crisis, including threat to our health and well being, economic insecurities, and major disruptions to our routine. This crisis state increases our chances of depression, anxiety, and physical health complaints, and those who have a mental health condition, including ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, or mood disruptions are particularly vulnerable to […]
Aggression in Children
Children who are aggressive often have parents who are left bewildered and distressed about the repercussions and reputation that their child and family may face. While there may be plenty of reasons why children who experience trauma may demonstrate aggression, other times an aggressive behavior or series of behavior may actually be clues about a […]
Social Media and Teenagers
Whether we like it or not, technology is an ever present force in an adolescent’s life. Probably accompanying this technology is involvement in social media. Social media is used for a variety of reasons, from reconnecting with old friends, finding new friends, sharing information, or receiving feedback. For teenagers and young adults in particular, social […]
Parents Just Don’t Understand: The Teenage Years
To say that the teenage years of raising children can be challenging would be an understatement. Even with all of the technology available to make communication easier, you may be wondering, “Why doesn’t my teenager want to talk to me? Why does my teenager stay in their room or only talk to their friends?” You’ll […]
How To Help Kids Deal With Bullying
Bullying continues to be a major factor in schools and child environments. While policy makers, schools, and parents have increased efforts to prevent bullying and respond quickly, the increase in technology and the ever present power dynamics and hierarchies that exist within social structures means that bullying will continue to be a factor for children’s […]