By: Melanie McCabe, PhD The holidays are coming. Instead of joy you feel sad, worried, angry, or a mix of those. You might not even feel anything at all. It makes sense! Here we are, months into a pandemic and we are still learning what the new normal is for us all. The new normal shifts every few weeks. I have spoken with families from all walks of life and three things are common to them all. They want this to end, they are suffering, and they want a taste of n

In many of my first meetings with parents, I am likely to hear the phrase, "Nothing motivates my child." Parents sometimes feel there is nothing that they can use to motivate their child to do the things that they want them to do. This is a source of frustration for the parents. This is the case for most families that I work with, with kiddos from age 5 through college age. Some of the things parents want me to help motivate their children to do include things such as brushin

When you think of meditation, you might laugh! It conjures pictures of old white yogis or Buddhist monks with loud, constant chants. The reality is much different. At its core, meditation is a way of gaining control of processes your body normally does on its own. It’s a way of turning off auto-pilot and re-centering yourself in the moment. While it sounds rather philosophical, the effects are anything but: lowered heart rate, lowered stress level, and better concentration. N

Children growing up in strong family environments are proven to do better in school, in interactions with others and are typically more successful later in life. A strong family builds self-esteem, confidence, and compassion. In this fast paced and electronic world, maintaining strong family bonds can be difficult, but through several simple actions, you can enhance the family dynamic for years to come. Here is a list of things you and your family can do to maintain a strong

Most parents try and protect their kids from all of the terrible stuff in life, but since we can’t cut off a child’s access to the Internet or put them into a plastic bubble until they are 18, we have to learn to help them cope with many of life’s challenges, disappointments, and fears. Death, illness, divorce, and bullying all hit close to home and can be very hard for children. Even events in the news that have no direct bearing on their lives can invade a child’s thoughts

Here is the story of Kevin. Kevin is an 11-year-old boy considered normal and healthy with a love for videogames and science fiction. He is extremely personable and chatty with family and strangers alike. Kevin also suffers from dramatic mood swings, lack of friendships within his peer group, and suicidal thoughts. Kevin has a recorded IQ in the 120s, which is considered above average or superior. His high IQ was not known until he was tested at age 11. Until this time, Kevin

Cyberbullying is on the rise among grades 6-12. By 2008, 93 percent of young people between the ages of 12 and 17 were online. In fact, youth spend more time with media than any single other activity besides sleeping. It is estimated that 6 percent of these students experience some form of bullying according to the 2008–2009 School Crime Supplement (National Center for Education Statistics and Bureau of Justice Statistics). Some estimates surpass 12 percent for high school st

By Rebecca E. Matthews, Ph.D. | Psychologist What is cutting and why do teens do it? Cutting is a form of self-harm that is rising in popularity among teens and adults. Both males and females use cutting as a way to reduce unwanted emotions like anger, anxiety, sadness, and tension. Teens cut when they want to escape a difficult situation and as a way of expressing distress. Some teens use cutting as a way to punish themselves. As a parent, finding out your child has used cut

It’s important to always pay attention to our children. Not only to what they are saying verbally, but to what they may be telling us through their day-to-day actions. This is also important when it comes to how they are doing in school. It is difficult for parents to know when their children are struggling in school without paying close attention to verbal and nonverbal clues. You child may want help and simply be unsure of how to ask for it. Or maybe they aren’t aware that