The Importance of Struggle I’m going to bring up an “S” word that we talk about a lot in therapy – struggle. This usually comes up in relation to some struggle that we are dealing with that we want to make easier (or make go away). And herein lies the problem: when we talk about[…]
Managing Expectations One of my favorite parenting books is Not What I Expected: Help and Hope for Parents of Atypical Children, by Rita Eichenstein. And honestly, a big part of why I like it is the title. Despite being a child psychologist and working with parents prior to having kids, everything about having my own[…]
Validation Myth Busting Imagine this: It’s Monday morning. You’ve just made your coffee (you actually remembered today) exactly the way you like it, and after wrestling everyone into the car with their backpacks and lunches, you are finally on your way to start your work day. You think about how good that coffee is going[…]
What’s getting in the way of your parenting? Many of us are not showing up as the parents we want to be. At times, we can torture ourselves with grief and shame, ruminating on the fact that we know we aren’t doing the best we can at this job. I’ve been all up in that[…]
What comes up for you when you think about doing nothing? What if your therapist told you to do nothing? Our society values efficiency, productivity, success, and multi-tasking, and I know I have fallen hook, line, and sinker for this. As a working parent, I am constantly trying to maximize my time–and it’s slowing making[…]
Emotion Regulation Toolbox Emotion regulation is tricky, and I think there are quite a few misunderstandings about how and when emotion regulation happens. I wanted to create something concrete to come back to when you feel like coping skills are not working or it is difficult for you to access what you have learned in[…]
How the Playfulness Was Drained Out of Me (And How I’m Taking It Back) Playfulness is such an important skill! I knew that when I was younger. I was always the camp counselor playing soccer or playing cards with a group of kids. As a young therapist in training, I loved using play and games[…]
Post-Evaluation Guide for Parents You’ve just gone through the evaluation process and had the feedback meeting. It’s a lot of information! I’m sure you are eager to move forward and take some actionable steps. First, how are you doing with all of the information? It’s really a lot. Families can experience a range of emotions,[…]
Should I Tell My Child About Their Diagnosis? A very common question I get during a feedback meeting with a family is, “should I tell my child about their diagnosis?” Now, I’ll give you a very psychologist-y answer: “it depends.” And it really does. Some factors to consider: What are your family’s thoughts and beliefs[…]
All About Emotion Regulation What is emotion regulation and where do I find it?Alright, I’m guilty! I use the phrase “emotion regulation” in a lot of different scenarios and I rarely actually explain myself. Being able to regulate and manage emotions is a primary goal that I work on in therapy, but I am not[…]
