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., […]
Video Gaming
There are many misconceptions about video gaming and how it affects mental health. More often than not, politicians and public commentators will link video gaming to negative consequences, such as violence and aggression. However, research indicates that video gaming alone does not involve negative consequences. Rather, video gaming in moderation can actually be a healthy […]
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 […]
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. […]
All About Telehealth
If there is a phrase to sum up what we are all going through right now, it is “unprecedented times.” At the same time that we are experiencing increasing uncertainty, upheaval to our work and school routines, and rapid adjustments to expectations economically, socially, and for recreation, we are also faced with increasing isolation and […]
External vs Internal Motivation
Parents and teachers often want to know how to increase motivation in students. While we know how important motivation can be with initiation of tasks, maintaining focus and follow through, and putting in effort for quality work, the actual act of increasing motivation can be elusive. Parents may resort to bribery and negotiation, such as […]
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 […]
When Should Parents Get Involved With School?
0Being a parent is a constant tight rope balance between support and enabling. The goal is to eventually launch children into the world as productive and independent as they possibly can be – with all of the help and scaffolding they might need along the way. It can be challenging along the way to know […]
Raising Girls
In our last post, we discussed the differences that male identified children have as compared to female identified children. We reviewed some of the structural brain changes, as well as some of the societal and cultural norms and expectations that male children cope with, and the need for emotional support and understanding for male children. […]