I am in the midst of reading a book called, The Willpower Instinct: How Self-Control Works, Why it Matters, and What You Can Do to Get More of It by Kelly McGonigal, Ph.D. I really like it, and especially relate to the content in Chapter 6, entitled “What the Hell: How Feeling Bad Leads to Giving In.” The general premise ...READ MORE »
One of the most common problems I have encountered through my years as a school social worker and now as a child/teen therapist in private practice in Washington, DC is families reporting significant struggles with behavior and self-regulation at home, while school reports great behavior and positive social emotional skills. This issue can be particularly frustrating for families who are ...READ MORE »
“Am I doing therapy correctly?” is a question I’ve heard more than once from many of my teen and young adult clients in my psychotherapy practice in Washington, DC and nearby Bethesda, MD. My answer is that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to do therapy. Honoring your own process and journey is important. Although your therapist may challenge ...READ MORE »
This blog post is the 2nd in a three part series on Understanding Autism. Last month, we focused on helping parents consider how they can support their children’s development (for both neurotypical and neurodivergent kids) by using strategies and interventions for kids on the spectrum. This post addresses what it can feel like to live with Autism in a ...READ MORE »
I recently came across an article entitled, “Dreadful Dads” by John Kaag and Clancy Martin. This article explores how the philosophy of Existentialism can inform modern day parenting. The article is geared toward fathers. As a father and as a therapist who frequently counsels parents on how to best parent their child, this article very much resonated with me. ...READ MORE »
Do you have a child who is strangely smart and uniquely different (aka rather difficult at times as well)? I certainly do. He’s the one who watches YouTube videos to figure out how to build the perfect candy dispenser. He also is fascinated with the human anatomy and bodily functions, and follows a physician youtuber who refutes health remedies ...READ MORE »
As we start a new year under the umbrella of COVID-19, Delta, Omicron, or IHU as parents, educators, and mental health professionals we are pondering the impact of COVID on children from infants to young adults. Lockdowns, cancellations, virtual, and asynchronous learning has shown us that reframing life day by day is our new normal. The impacts of COVID-19 on children ...READ MORE »
Thanksgiving is upon us, the annual time of year at the end of November when we gather with friends and family, eat Turkey, stuffing, mac and cheese, cranberry sauce, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes…you get the point. Turkey is actually my least favorite Thanksgiving food. Give me all the stuffing and in my best Ron Swanson impression, “Wait, wait, I worry ...READ MORE »
What is Parent Management Training? Parent Management Training (PMT) is an evidenced-based psychotherapy intervention, designed specifically to teach parents behavioral interventions they can use at home when dealing with unwanted behaviors, emotional outbursts, or general defiance. PMT was developed in the 1960s by Alan Kazdin at Yale University. It has been thoroughly researched, particularly over the last 40 years. The most ...READ MORE »
This blog follows last week’s post on Pandemic Hangovers for Parents. It offers a checklist for a PARENT CHECK-UP that parents can use to assess their needs and form better plans for themselves as they emerge from pandemic restrictions. Recently, I was meeting with a school counselor who supported hundreds of kids and almost twice that many parents during ...READ MORE »
