One of my favorite things about working with children and their families is the role that every member assumes. I can almost always identify which role a child has adopted in the family, based solely on what the parents describe about them in the first meeting. While...

I am consistently surprised by how many parents meet with me for the first time and tell me that: a) Their child has been diagnosed with something. b) They were told that their child needs to be assessed for a diagnosis. c) Their child has been prescribed medication....

So, as a continuation of my last post about why we need to stop asking kids questions and make statements instead, I think it is equally important to acknowledge that when kids ask questions, they are making statements, too! Wait... hang on! We are finally wrapping...

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself (pun intended) how many questions kids are asked every day? How was your day? Why did you do that to your sister? What made you think that was okay? What did you do at school? Why are you upset? How many times do I have to ask you...

My son started a new school this year. It is a charter school that has no electronics or technology. No televisions, no computers, no tablets, no ipads on which to complete homework. Until the 10th grade. NONE. They couldn't even watch the solar eclipse in their...

I am always surprised at how many of the kids with whom I work are 5, 12, and 15. And although it seems like those ages have nothing in common, the thread that ties them together is that they all represent the shift to a new academic level: kindergarten, sixth grade,...

My son is almost eight, and I am aware of how much he changes in a few months time. I work hard to adjust how I interact and what lessons I teach him based on new traits that develop or shifts that I witness in his development. One of the recent conversations that we...

Most of the time, parents come into my office because their child’s behavior is concerning. Typically, this is emotional, social, or behavioral in nature. However, it is interesting how many parents, when discussing the history and background of their children, bring...

As I have mentioned before, I am constantly aware of kids’ behavior, parent-child interactions, and the dynamics of families. Even on vacation, when I try to take off my child therapist hat in favor of one that blocks the sun as I lounge by the pool, I can’t escape...

We all want to make sure that our kids feel confident, brave, self-assured, and empowered to do anything that they want to. This is true for right now in childhood, but also in preparation for the future as adults. But, sometimes those positive messages are overrun by...

I am often surprised at the number of parents who sit across the desk from me at my office and explain with frustration that all they get is one word answers from their kids - fine, good, yeah, no, okay, whatever. And that the most common phrase that they hear in...

Staying in control of our emotions and not letting them control us is a challenge. Let’s face it - many adults still haven’t figured it out, yet we expect our kids to! Emotional regulation and self-control are learned behaviors that require teaching, understanding,...