When Rewards Stop Working: Rethinking Motivation in Kids
Sticker charts, treasure boxes, screen time tokens—many parents have tried them all. And sometimes, those rewards work for a while… until they don’t. One day your child is racing to earn that extra bedtime book, and the next, they couldn’t care less. If you’ve found yourself wondering why rewards seem to lose their power—or never […]
How to Talk to Your Child About Starting Play Therapy
When your child is beginning play therapy, one of the most helpful things you can do is introduce it in a way that feels safe and positive. Many parents worry about saying the wrong thing or making their child feel like something is “wrong” with them. The good news? You don’t need a perfect script—just […]
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., […]
Pros and Cons of Social Media Usage
Approximately 7 in 10 Americans utilize a social media platform (e.g., TikTok, YouTube, Instagram). People spend approximately 2.5 hours on social media daily. Given the increasing popularity of social media platforms, researchers have turned their attention to the possible consequences of social media. Research indicates that there are benefits to social media use, including opportunities […]
Parenting and Mental Health During COVID19
It’s easy to get caught up in the “magic” you see on Facebook that other families are creating. These families are eating dinner at the table together, baking 42 cakes, helping their child with homework with beautiful Pinterest-worthy set ups, and art projects to put in the windows for walkers in the neighborhood. Then, there […]
The Mental Health Toll of COVID19
At this point, it is likely an understatement to say that we are in unsettling, trying, and stressful times. With what felt like very little warning, our global economy has ground to a halt, disrupting almost every aspect of daily life. School, work, social gatherings, and regularly scheduled appointments have been altered, modified, or canceled […]
Resilience, and Why It Matters Now
Things are pretty stressful right now – and likely, that is an understatement. Worries about health, the economy, logistics related to school and work, adapting to a brand new work style and environment, and major routine disruptions have rapidly become our new normal, and coping is probably at the very bottom of everyone’s to-do list. […]
Grief, Loss and Death
The cliché that there is nothing more certain than death and taxes – and taxes can be cheated – is a morbid but true fact of life. We all will face death, and yet despite the inevitability, there is a deeply ingrained psychological fear that makes talking about this morbid topic a taboo. Yet, death […]
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 […]
What Happens When Kids With Autism Grow Up?
When Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is discussed, a major emphasis on childhood and early intervention is usually a part of this conversation. This is great news, as there is endless support and evidence for the need for early intervention for toddlers and young children with the diagnosis, as early intervention improves prognosis and outcomes. Yet […]