It appears that bullying has become an epidemic lately. It is not uncommon to turn on the news and hear about another incident in which a child has turned to suicide due to bullying. Although it may seem that this is a new phenomenon, it is not. Figures differ from study to study, from country […]
Watching the Disney PIXAR movie Inside Out, I was reminded of my work with children. They experience the world in such different ways than adults. Children have feelings and emotions that they may not understand and cannot put into words. To them, these feelings have a life of their own, as they may take over […]
“Until one has loved an animal, a part of one’s soul remains unawakened. ” – Anatole France We Americans adore our pets. We see them as treasured members of the family and treat them accordingly (right, Gizmo and Petey?). We name them after characters in movies, take them on family vacations, and even dress them up on Halloween.
I know so many people who have been diagnosed with ADHD…and I am not talking about clients. I have SEVERAL friends who have ADHD and even a few distant family members. When I think about ADHD, I immediately think of all of my friends who live with it. The ones that come to mind are […]
Do you have children? If so, do they struggle with tasks that involve sustained attention or organizational skills? Do they complete their homework, but then forget to turn it in at school? Does your child get into trouble at school for talking too much, daydreaming or constantly getting out of his/her seat?
A child exhibiting aggressive behavior can be experienced by others as being a bad kid. However, this is not the case. Anger is used by children as a way for them to shield themselves from deeper emotional distress. Aggressive behavior can be an outward symptom of depression, guilt, fear, disappointment, jealousy, frustration, anxiety, sadness, or hurt, among other emotions.
Life is full of changes. This week I learned that a friend of mine has been promoted and will move across the country soon. A few days after that, my phone rang and I was told a family member’s cancer has returned. And just this morning a friend of mine’s infant daughter was admitted to […]
A good friend recently asked me why her daughter was “acting out (being short, non-compliant, angry).” She explained, “I’ve done everything to make her happy. I buy her whatever she wants. No matter what I do for her she is still defiant, and seems unhappy. I’ve tried sitting her down and asking what’s going on, […]
One of the most challenging experiences for a parent is learning how to help a child in emotional distress. A parent can feel overwhelmed and inadequate, when faced with the acute emotional distress of their child; especially when they try to respond by attempting to calm the child down or with problem solving…and it doesn’t work. Panic can […]
Adoption can be a wonderful gift to all those involved. However, creating a new forever home for a child, may also come with some unexpected stressors. Many people do not consider the negative aspects of adoptions when they are hoping to grow their family. There are 7 core issues of adoptions that all families should […]
