I like to call our thoughts, feelings, and actions that scream, "no more!" our make it stop reactions. Recognizing those reactions, assessing them, (making sense of them), and then deciding to do things differently can create less pain and suffering in our family system. When we are willing and make changes in ourselves, it invites… Continue reading How Do I Make It Stop? Dealing With Addiction and Upsetting Behaviors in Your Family
Summer camp, especially sleepaway camp, can be one of the most exciting and meaningful experiences in your kid’s life. Kids count down to it all school year! Camp offers opportunities for friendship, independence, new challenges, and some time in the pool. For many kids, it is also their first experience spending extended time away from… Continue reading Is Your Child Mentally Ready for Summer Camp? 5 Questions Parents Should Ask
The NFL just announced that all teams must employ a full-time mental health clinician. They also emphasized that support should always remain within reach -- especially for players who travel away from the team -- and that organizations must treat mental health with the same importance as physical health. Let me say that last part… Continue reading The NFL Just Made a Clear Statement About Mental Health. We Should be Listening.
In the first part of this series, we explored what our attachment system entails, what “attachment figures” are, and reviewed how attachment trauma plays into our sense of safety in the world. If you haven’t already read part one of this blog series, you might benefit from doing so here. In this section, we will… Continue reading Attachment 102: Understanding Attachment Styles
Have you ever felt mad or anxious after being left “on read”? Or maybe you’ve watched those little iPhone blue dots dance on your screen, feeling that rush of anticipation for a reply. Those emotions can reveal how your attachment system responds to connection. What is the Attachment System? Many people come to therapy with… Continue reading Attachment 101: How Early Bonds Shape Our Sense of Safety
Sibling relationships can be complex, combining fun and support with challenges like jealousy. Sibling play therapy focuses on improving these dynamics through play, helping children build empathy, emotional regulation, and conflict resolution skills. The therapy engages siblings individually and together, emphasizing parental involvement to reinforce learned skills for sustainable change.
I recently joined the Advisory Board for the Center for Educational Improvement (CEI), an organization dedicated to creating caring, supportive environments for children in the very place they spend most of their time: school. While I admit I initially hesitated to take on another responsibility amidst an already full plate, this opportunity felt aligned with… Continue reading Redefining Success: Addressing Youth Mental Health in Schools
Someone once told me that having a child is like having a physical part of yourself walking around out in the world. Maybe this is why it is so very hard to witness your own child(ren) suffer in any way - it’s like an actual part of you is in pain! And maybe it’s also… Continue reading The Power of Child-Centered Play Therapy
