Is it a struggle getting your kid to do their homework on time? For many parents, it’s a nightly battle. Some kids may not want to sit down and start their homework, some may not want to do work for certain subjects, and some may tell you that they don’t have any homework when they actually do. There are a variety of potential reasons behind the daily struggle like trouble focusing, mental exhaustion, distractions. At the end of the day, when kids get home from school, they tend to crave free time and they don’t want to bring the structure of school home with them. If you’re at a loss for getting homework done without the bickering, here are some tips and tricks for you…

Setting Realistic Goals

With the new year comes new goals. We have the intention of being healthier, cultivating stronger relationships, and pursuing our interests in the year ahead, amongst others. It’s important to be ambitious as you pursue and accomplish your goals. But sometimes, you can overwhelm yourself with too many goals or drain yourself trying to meet goals that are unrealistic. The stress and anxiety can make it even more challenging to see things through, and it may lead you to abandon your goals altogether. So, how can you achieve realistic goal setting for 2023? Here are some pointers…

Make the Most of Virtual Therapy

Telehealth or teletherapy sessions are part of the new normal. Now you can meet with a professional from the comfort of your home if you don’t like a traditional office setting. Or, you can see a therapist whose office isn’t within driving distance. While teletherapy is great for those reasons, it can have its drawbacks as well. Some people feel it’s not as personable or that it’s difficult to make virtual therapy sessions run smoothly compared to in-person. If you feel that teletherapy is the best fit for you, you can still get just as much out of it as traditional therapy sessions. You can avoid virtual therapy pitfalls by properly preparing yourself. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of teletherapy…

Your Child Tells You That They Are Transgender… Now What?

You and your child are having a conversation at the dinner table. They seem nervous and are fidgeting more than usual. You ask if there is something specific they want to talk about and in response, they tell you that they think they are transgender. Here are some ways that you can support your child and help them navigate a topic as complex as gender…

Family, Parenting Techniques, TeenagersLauren BroadwellFebruary 2, 2022parenting, transgender, LGBTQ+, helpful tips, teenagers

How DBT Skills will Help your Teen

How will you know if Dialectical Behavior Therapy is right for your teen? DBT teaches your teen skills that will help with acceptance and change. The main goals of DBT skills therapy are safety, learning useful coping skills, and creating a life worth living. In addition, DBT helps your teen become mindful about their emotions, develop healthy relationships, and find balance in their life. Consider these three reasons why DBT will help your teen…

Co-Parenting During Quarantine: Strategies for Success

Co-parenting means working together with your partner, or even ex-partner, for the greater good of your children. Even the most well-adjusted co-parenting teams encounter obstacles from one day to the next. Now with the added stressor of COVID-19, those struggles can intensify or be different from before quarantine. You may want to re-evaluate and revise your co-parenting strategies to meet new needs. Here are some tips that might help your co-parenting right now…

Rewire your Brain for Improved Well-Being during COVID-19

As humans, our brains are wired to respond to internal and external triggers so that we have the proper response to keep us safe. If we sense danger, our brains automatically shift into FIGHT OR FLIGHT mode. Panic and fear automatically trigger your brain’s threat detection, so during COVID-19, your system might go into overdrive. This is okay in the short-term, but it can take its toll on your body in the long-term. It is not healthy to be in fight or flight mode more often than necessary. Luckily, you can rewire your brain so that you’re not constantly overwhelmed by anxious or fearful thoughts or you’re not stuck in a state of mind that makes it tough to think clearly. Improve your physical and emotional well-being during this stressful time with these helpful tips…

Managing Fear

Think back to a time when you were afraid. What was happening at the time? What made you feel fearful? When you felt fear, how did you respond? Did you take control of your fear, or did you let it hold you back? Fear works like any other emotion. Everyone deals with fear—it’s a natural part of being human. While we can’t avoid fear, we can learn to cope with it. Fear has a tendency to paralyze us, and to make us feel like we’re incapable of doing something simply because we are afraid of what might happen. The problem with fear is that it can prevent us from trying new things, growing as individuals, and reaching our goals. So what can you do to manage your fears? Here are some helpful tips…

Tips for Finding Work/Life Balance

Being a parent isn’t easy, no matter if your children are very young or they’re young adults. Many parents struggle to find a balance between work and family. Parents wonder if they should take more vacation days, if they should be a stay-at-home-parent, or if they should take on a job that involves a great deal of traveling. When it comes to parenting, there isn’t a right or wrong answer. You’ll likely get a different opinion from every person you ask. So how do you figure out the right way to balance work and family life? The answer to the question is unique to you and your family's needs. Here are some tips help you decide what is best for your family…

Getting the Most Out of DBT Skills Therapy

We all face our own unique challenges, tough times, and heartache. There are various ways to deal with life’s obstacles, and one of them is DBT skills therapy. Sometimes, the decision to seek therapy is an easy one and sometimes, it takes years to reach out for support. Whether you’re considering DBT or you’re currently in DBT therapy, you should know that the process involves more than just showing up and listening. If you want to get the most out of DBT skills therapy, we’ve got some insider advice for you! Read more…

Tips to Help Unplug on Vacation

Looking for a chance to de-stress and take a break from your digital life? Why not unplug while you unwind on vacation? Phones, tablets, and laptops tend to stress us out with endless work emails, constant notifications, and comparisons to people’s “perfect” lives on social media. Vacation is your opportunity to relax and enjoy new experiences, so it makes sense to unplug while you’re away. When you disconnect, you’re able to avoid digital distractions and focus on the experience. You’re able to be fully present in the moment, to take it all in, and enjoy your trip. Whether you want to take a phone-free vacation or simply limit your phone usage, here are some tips to make the most of your vacation...

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…

3 Tips to Help Get Your Child to Sleep

Does your child struggle with falling asleep? Maybe you put your child to bed and 20-30 minutes later, he or she is still awake and telling you that he or she can't sleep. It’s understandably frustrating for parents, particularly after a long day, because your child's bedtime may be your first real opportunity to unwind. If you find yourself experiencing issues with bedtime, here are some tips to help your preschooler get settled in for a good night's sleep...

3 Mental Health Boosters for 2018

At the end of each year, many people like to reflect on accomplishments and potential improvements for next year. They take note of what they've succeeded at and what they can improve upon moving forward. Whether you call them goals or intentions, here are 3 tips that can benefit your mental health for the start of a new year...

4 Tips for Monitoring your Teen’s Online Life

Today, teens are constantly on their phones. They text friends, post to Snapchat, like each other’s Instagram posts, and scroll through their Facebook feeds. It’s like their phones are attached to them—they simply cannot disconnect! It’s hard for parents to keep up with their app profiles and online activity when there are so many apps that they use to connect to their peers and friends. Parents want to make sure their teens are safe online, but it’s difficult to stay updated with the latest online trends. Here are some tips to help you monitor your teen’s digital life.

4 Simple and Quick Self-Care Strategies

When life gets very busy, you may feel like you can't take time to de-stress—there’s so much to do! However, ignoring your self-care routine can make you feel run down and burnt out. Instead, you should make time for simple strategies to improve your overall well-being, even if it just for a few minutes each day. Here are some quick and easy ways to practice self-care for when you are on-the-go...

Finding the 'Right' Preschool

Sending your child to preschool is an exciting experience. Many parents feel overwhelmed about which school to choose, especially when there are so many options nearby. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the preschool search and find a school that suits your family...

Helpful tips, FamilyBrittany Ruane, LCSWSeptember 24, 2017preschool, parenting, helpful tips, starting school

3 Simple Tips to Ease Anxiety at Night

Help for Anxiety, Helpful tips, Improve your sleep, Relaxation, Tips for Your MindBrittany Ruane, LCSWAugust 13, 2017help for anxiety, sleep, helpful tips, relaxation

Firsthand Tips for Juggling a Newborn and a Toddler

Becoming a mom is an incredible experience. You give life to a brand new little human, who changes your world forever and perhaps turns it upside down for a while. If you have a toddler at home, this can be an especially challenging time!

Here are some helpful tips on how to manage a toddler and a newborn's needs together...

Helping Your Teen Through Depression

With the demands and expectation of getting good grades in school and maintaining a social life, teens may start to feel overwhelmed. Depression can result from untreated and chronic feelings of overwhelm, confusion and/or hopelessness. it is crucial to understand a teen’s depression and to have a set of concrete action steps. Here are 3 Tips for Helping your Teen through Depression…..

Helpful Tips