While working as a family therapist with kinship families, also known as grandparents raising their grandchildren, I came across families who were struggling with the ability to rebuild broken trust….
Childhood can be the sweetest of times, especially when enriched by loving family and friends and strong support systems. However, even with the best circumstances, children rarely come out unscathed,…
From the prickly micro-aggressions that occur on the playground to the implicit biases disguised as discipline against black skin that begins in preschool — racism is an illness that our…
You can be anything you want to be, we’ll love you no matter what, my parents used to say. But what if I got bad grades and was mean to…
Consent is now a word trending on social media and for good reason. The #metoo movement looms large as people are speaking out about sometimes decades old boundary violations that…
Parents are often concerned about their child’s screen time and report difficulty enforcing limits. Screen time includes time with all screens including social media, online gaming, and watching videos. Enforcing…
Many parents feel constrained and controlled by their teen’s irritability, anger, and fragility — circumventing necessary communications, problem solving, and limit setting. The need to steer clear of dreaded reactions…
When I arrived at Rosa’s house, she was making popcorn for her two grandsons, ages 8 and 6. The kids greeted me, then happily took their snack out to the…
When anxiety and avoidance behavior interfere with life activities in the family, school, or the community, a child may have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental…
Among the parenting world, many topics can become points of contention. Is this idea the right or wrong way to parent? Will it have a positive or negative effect on…
In our practice, we’ve noticed how more and more adults are becoming familiar with the concept of mindfulness. We know that mindfulness benefits us and improves our ability to be…
The world’s most popular online video game costs nothing to play, is available on seven different platforms, has more than 200 million registered players worldwide, and its CEO is now…
Touch and physical play are instrumental to healthy child development in many domains. We are wired to move, to experience each other in space and time beyond words. In recent…
Rapid-onset gender dysphoria (ROGD) is the name given to a hypothesized new clinical subgroup of transgender youth, which would be characterized by coming out as transgender out of the blue…
This is Part 2 in a 2-part series. Read Understanding Your Child by Observing Their Play, Part 1: Wishes and Desires. Children can be understood by observing their play. All…
