Speaking Up for Yourself in Your Relationships

Are you unhappy with your current relationships? Do you find that you tend to give more than you get? Do you feel like your voice isn’t being heard? This could be occurring in any kind of relationship: a romantic relationship, a family relationship, a friendship, a work partnership, and so on. No matter what interaction you’re struggling with, don’t worry! Relationships are tricky. It can be challenging to ask for what you want or to find the courage to say “no” when you’re uncomfortable. Luckily, there are ways to build your confidence and speak up for yourself in your relationships. We’re here to help…

Teen Anxiety and Social Distancing

In the last few weeks since schools have closed and many businesses have begun working remotely, we have heard from many parents of teens with pre-existing social anxiety and/or school refusal, that their teens are thriving while sheltering in place. Whereas we hear that other parents are left at a loss, unsure how to help their teens who feel tortured from the lack of social interaction. No matter which end of the spectrum your child falls on, social distancing is a major concern for many parents. Parents are worried about the long-term effects of social distancing on their already distanced kids. How can you help your teen through this turbulent time? Here are some suggestions…

Cultivating Meaningful Relationships

How many friends do you have? Now, think about the quality of those friendships. How many of your friendships are invaluable to you? It's not always easy to make meaningful friendships. For teens especially, it's tricky to cultivate quality relationships when everyone's changing and figuring out who they are. As people change, friendships evolve too. There's a difference between hanging out with a group of people while feeling lonely, and hanging out with a few friends while feeling genuinely happy. Everyone wants to spend time with people who we enjoy being around. But how do we foster those kinds of relationships? Here are some tips to help you develop valuable and worthwhile friendships…

Setting Healthy Boundaries

We all have boundaries, or limits that we establish for ourselves. Setting boundaries is the way we communicate what is okay and what is not okay in our relationships and friendships. Knowing what your boundaries are and what you are comfortable with in your life is very important for your safety and your self-respect. If you know what you are okay with, then you know to speak your mind when you don’t want to engage in something or with someone that creates uncertainty. You can assert your boundaries in a number of different ways. Here are a few examples…

How to Maintain Healthy Relationships

We form so many bonds in our lives: with our partner, with our children, with our family, and with friends. However, sometimes bonds become strained. You might know someone whose relationships are suffering–or maybe your own relationships are suffering too. Maybe you two don’t see eye to eye lately, or maybe you are too busy to maintain the connection. If you could use some advice in supporting yourself and others in your relationships, consider these tips...

Five Steps toward Grieving a Loss

Grieving a loss is a process that we will all experience at some point in our lives. The most obvious form of grieving is for a dying or deceased loved one, including a pet. However, loss can occur in areas other than in death such as when receiving a health diagnosis, during the end of a union, or even when an experience doesn't measure up to your expectations. Here are five steps toward grieving any loss....

How to Boost Your Daughter’s Self-Esteem

We live in a world where teens spend an enormous amount of time comparing themselves to others on social media, in magazines or fashion blogs. According to a self-esteem campaign by Dove, 7 out of 10 girls believe they are not good enough or don’t measure up. Here are a few tips to help boost your daughter’s self-esteem...

Friendships through Social Media: The New Reality

Kids today have increased access to relationships outside of people they encounter in their neighborhood, sports team or school. So how do we accept today’s reality regarding social media and friendships while also keeping our kids safe and ourselves sane? It’s tricky to navigate - continue reading for a few helpful suggestions...

When to Share a Secret

Have you ever promised someone that you would keep a secret only to regret it later? Perhaps your curiosity made you promise and you didn’t consider the potential consequences or the emotion bind you might end up in. Keeping secrets can strengthen relationships but it can also cause the secret keeper a range of emotions from guilt, to worry, to shame. Here are a few rules of thumb when deciding whether to keep a secret...

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