Studies indicate that more than 1 in 5 children struggle with executive functioning, which affects their ability to plan, organize, focus on, and complete tasks – or more broadly speaking, to effectively navigate all the cognitive processes involved to “get things done”. 

Unfortunately, executive functioning challenges can show up as or be perceived as resistance, lack of effort and motivation, and laziness.

In early February, we begin the wait for love notes, Valentine cards, heart-shaped cookies, chocolate candies, and red roses. Of course, it’s nearly Valentine’s Day – the one day of the year set aside explicitly to express our affection for one another. Perhaps more valuable than chocolates and cards, though, is a healthy dose of what we all most genuinely desire: to feel valued and acknowledged, loved, understood, and seen.

Did you make a New Year’s Resolution yet? We have a great New Year’s Resolution for you - increase joy! Joy is defined as a feeling of great pleasure or happiness. Stress, anxiety, lack of sleep, pent up emotions, and being self-critical can steal our joy. Let’s take a moment to assess our own self-care practices.

Does it ever feel like the time between Halloween and New Year’s vanishes in a blink? You’re not alone—so many people say things like, “I swear everything between Halloween and Christmas is just one after the other, and it goes by so fast!” This feeling is especially common for young adults juggling school, work, social events, and the extra chaos of the holiday season.

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental disorders diagnosed in children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that the average age at diagnosis is 7. Males are twice as likely to be diagnosed with the disorder versus females.

Although talking about suicide can be incredibly challenging, it is crucial. Talking can save lives in numerous ways: by seeking support when we are struggling, reaching out to others who may need help, spreading awareness about risk factors and warning signs, seeking resources, and dispelling myths.  Suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. Help is out there, and it can come in many forms.

Counseling offices are filling up again with the start of the new school year. Familiar anxieties around academics, friend groups, relationships and sports can quickly generate stress in teenagers. Unfortunately, the stressors associated with back-to-school are as common as the crisp new Adidas and North Face backpacks. The purpose of this blog is to offer a simple strategy for balancing the weight of returning to school with a lighter way of thinking and seeing the world around us.  

Difficulties focusing, hyperactivity, poor impulse control, and compromised executive functioning skills are just a few of the symptoms that no doubt make it more challenging for children and adolescents to excel and thrive. But there’s a flipside to many of these symptoms…and the flipside is a wonderful set of strengths and traits unique to the AD/HD population that will benefit them for a lifetime.

f we were to take inventory of our interactions with our children, tracking how much we tend to correct vs how much we connect with them, what might you notice?  What would your child/teen say from his/her perspective?  If you took out a sheet of paper and kept track for a few days, what would it look like? We want our children to succeed and provide them with helpful direction, but it can be easy to fall into a pattern where most of our interactions are corrective in nature.

For thousands of years, versions of the saying “laughter is the best medicine” have emerged in religious, scientific, and popular literature—and for good reason. Laughter helps our neurological, physical, emotional, cognitive, and social health in multiple ways.

In the ever-evolving landscape of mental health care, online therapy has emerged as a valuable resource for teenagers grappling with the challenges of adolescence. With the digital age seamlessly integrating into every aspect of our lives, it's only fitting that mental health support is also readily available at the click of a button. So, what are the benefits of online therapy for teens?

Have you ever told yourself to “suck it up”? Feeling angry, suck it up. Feeling emotional, suck it up. In the complex tapestry of human experience, emotions play a pivotal role in shaping our perceptions, behaviors, and overall well-being. However, the tendency to bottle up emotions is a common coping mechanism that many people employ in the face of life's challenges.

As a therapist, I often witness the intense pressure high achievers face, particularly during finals season. The pursuit of excellence can be both a blessing and a curse, with the desire for success often leading to heightened stress levels. It's crucial for high achievers to navigate this challenging period with a balanced mindset and effective coping strategies.

Our world is becoming increasingly more technology driven, causing us to turn to screens of various types, often out of necessity. Apps such as Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok, in addition to video games, television, and texting, have become a regular part of our days. Schools have become more dependent upon technology with assignments posted, and often completed online, with some schools even transitioning completely to online textbooks. We read much of our news online, do research for homework or work online and, when the work is done, often turn back to our screens for relaxation. While there are certainly benefits to these interactions, there are also drawbacks.

When should we be anxious about anxiety?

We have all been there. A strange sensation that takes over our body. It could be that our stomach begins to hurt, or our heart rate is suddenly faster and sounds like a herd of galloping horses in our ears. It may be the sweat gathering at the base of our neck and running down our spine, or the sensation of our limbs paralyzed. Anxiety disorders are one of the more common mental health disorders that affect 4 out of every 100 people globally.

Back-to-School season is here! Facebook and Instagram are filled with sweet and hopeful back-to-school pictures. While the back-to-school rush will soon slow down, it won’t be long before fall sports will take its place. Following the start of fall sports, the rush of the holiday and Christmas season will begin. The rushing never seems to end. Finding ways to find peace and calm in the madness of it all might be our saving grace as parents and students. While there are many different ways to take care of yourself through the chaos of each season, a tool that can be practiced just about anywhere and at any time is mindfulness.

When you gain more control over your thoughts, through awareness and intention – a process and skill that takes practice – you have the ability to impact your feelings and actions and how you experience and handle what you encounter.

While we all have our natural and learned ways of viewing the world and our circumstances, and there are varying degrees of and reasons that play into thinking styles and thought patterns, our thoughts and the attention that we give them have the power to impact our course.

Both gratitude and affirmations can be used to improve one’s mood and outlook on life. Gratitude has been shown to increase happiness and well-being, while affirmations can help change negative thinking patterns and create a more positive mindset.

Dealing with heartbreak is a challenging and painful experience, but with time and self-care, you can come out stronger. This blog provides several strategies to help you cope with heartbreak and heal. Remember, healing from heartbreak is a personal journey, and everyone’s healing process is unique. Be kind to yourself, allow yourself to heal, and trust that you will come out stronger in time.

Experiencing disappointment is an inevitable part of life, and it's vital for children to learn how to handle it in a healthy way. Whether it's not getting a desired toy or failing a test, disappointments can be difficult for children to cope with, but with the proper guidance from parents, they can learn to bounce back and grow from these experiences. In this blog post, we'll discuss some strategies parents can use to help their children deal with disappointment, from acknowledging their feelings to teaching resilience and encouraging healthy coping strategies.