What is your Emotional Temperature and Why it Matters

Emotional temperature is a tool you can use to help you understand your feelings and more easily identify the need to implement skills to prevent yourself from reaching an extreme emotion. Your emotional temperature can be assessed using a typical thermometer and can look different from person to person. The colors and numbers can be used to indicate the level or intensity of your emotions. Ideally you would get in the habit of checking your emotional temperature several times a day. Your goal is to stay in the lower half of the thermometer as often as possible to effectively manage and be able to reach your goals.

Action steps, EmotionsVirgdant Breton, LSWApril 17, 2024emotions, emotional control

Why Feeling Your Emotions is so Important

You may sometimes wonder why you feel a certain way at one moment and then experience a completely different feeling just a few minutes later. We experience a range of emotions on a daily basis, and they are all important in their own way. The big question is: why?

EmotionsBrittany Ruane, LCSWMarch 14, 2024emotions, understanding emotions

Are Your Child’s Emotional Needs Being Met?

As a parent, it can be difficult to meet all of the many physical needs of your child, and when it comes to their emotional needs the challenge can be even greater! It is easy to remember that your child needs food, water, shelter, and safety. But what are some of the other emotional needs that a growing individual can benefit from having in order to thrive and reach their full potential? What are some of the most memorable experiences you remember having as a child that made you feel happy, seen, and important?

Navigating Your Teen's Emotions

Do you sometimes feel like you’re walking on eggshells with your teen? Like certain things you do or say could easily set them off? If your child’s emotions are causing a disconnect and leaving you at a loss for how to respond, don’t worry! Teens are prone to emotional ups and downs; it’s part of growing up. Sometimes intense emotions will quickly pass, while other times, they’ll stick around for a while. How can you navigate your child’s emotional experience without either of you feeling as frustrated, confused, or upset? Emotion regulation skills can help! Ask yourself these questions to make the experience more manageable for you and your teen…

How to Connect with your Child

As your child gets older, do you feel like you’re drifting apart? It’s understandable to want to connect with your child. But the baby you once knew is older, wiser, and different now. They seek more independence and privacy than ever before. While it’s not easy maintaining a strong bond, it is certainly doable. Every so often, you’ll have to rethink the dynamics and your approach to the relationship. If one method isn’t working, try something new so you can continue to be a trusted source of support. Here are some tips and tricks to help you stay connected to your child…

How to Validate your Child's Emotions

As a parent, validation is key. You’ve probably heard parenting experts use the term to help you connect with your child. But what does validation really mean? How does it work? And what does it look like when put to practice? Here’s everything you need to know about validation, and how it can become your most powerful parenting tool…

Why It's Important to Let Your Kids Fail

It’s natural—we don’t want our kids to fail. When we see them struggling, our instincts tell us to jump in before they reach danger, whether it’s real danger or perceived. We give our children advice and intervene when we think they are making the “wrong” decisions. However, the truth is that even though seeing our kids fail is hard, it is important to let them do so. Failure will make them stronger, as difficult as it is to witness. Here are some reasons why we should consider taking a step back…

How to Communicate with Teens who Talk Back

Do you find yourself in constant conflict with your teen? It may likely start with your child talking back or acting up, and it only escalates from there. It’s not uncommon for this to happen, and it’s certainly not pleasant either. Luckily, there are ways to avoid communication breakdowns and emotional meltdowns. By being mindful, keeping your emotions in check, and implementing DBT skills, you can deal with your teen’s back talk more effectively. Here are some tips to navigate conflict with your teen without facing an emotional rollercoaster….

How Group Therapy Can Help Your Child

Does your child struggle with managing their emotions or maintaining healthy interactions with others? Your instinct may be to enroll them in individual therapy and have them talk to a therapist one-on-one. However, individual therapy is not your only option. Consider group therapy as well! Group therapy might be a better fit, or it may be a helpful supplement to individual therapy sessions. How exactly does group therapy help your child? What are the benefits of this type of therapy compared to a one-on-one session? We’ll explain…

Using your Breath to Soothe Feelings of Fear and Panic

In moments of fear and panic, you may not know what to do. Your mind is racing, your heart is beating rapidly, and you may start to sweat in response to the intense emotions. You may not realize it, but you have a tool handy at all times to reduce these powerful—and at times, overwhelming—emotions. You don’t need to pack it with you, because it automatically goes wherever you go. What is this tool, this key to soothing fear and panic? It’s your breath. Your breath is your lifeline. It sustains you without you even thinking about it, and it can help you in times of crisis too. Your breath can help regulate your body physically, mentally, and emotionally. All you have to do is be mindful of it. Here’s how it works…

How are your Thoughts Influencing your Emotions?

Do you ever find yourself jumping to a worst-case scenario or the worst possible conclusion? Do you ever feel like you are a failure if you received a low letter grade on one test, or received a little negative feedback at work? Maybe you and your partner got into a fight, and you immediately think that they are going to break-up with you? It’s more common that you think for people to experience these distortions in thought, or what’s referred to as a cognitive distortion. Cognitive distortions often lead to stronger emotional reactions than we’d like. Luckily, we have the power to control these cognitive distortions and in turn, minimize our emotional reactions. How can we do this? Let’s dive in…

Ways to Help Your Middle-Schooler Manage Anger

Does your child struggle to manage their anger? Do they spiral into fits of anger, with seemingly no way to get through it? Anger is an emotion typically gets a bad reputation because it’s uncomfortable to cope with—especially for kids and teens. But chances are that your child has had their share of “tantrums” without knowing how to respond. We need to help our children understand that it’s normal to be angry at times; it’s part of the variety of emotions they’ll experience in life. It’s what they do with those feelings that matters. Here are some ways to help your pre-teen or teenager understand and cope with anger…

How to Reduce Toxic Positivity

Do you find yourself telling your teen to look on the bright side? Or telling them that other people have it worse, so they should focus on the good things that they have? Without knowing it, you may be contributing to what’s known as “toxic positivity.” What is toxic positivity, and how could it have an impact on yourself and your family’s mental health? What can you do as a parent to reduce toxic positivity and encourage an open dialogue with your teen about their emotions? Let’s explore…

How to Recognize the Warning Signs of Depression

Depression in teens can often be overlooked or written off as “moodiness” by their parents. While some teens will simply experience mood swings or struggle with other problems that come with growing up, others may be dealing with something more serious like depression. If depression-like symptoms persist, it is worth giving a second look and potentially following up with a mental health professional. Everyone also knows of the usual sadness that is associated with depression, but there are other physical, mental, and emotional symptoms that can occur due to depression. Here are some signs of depression that your teen may be exhibiting…

Adolescence, Depression, TeenagersLauren BroadwellMarch 23, 2022depression, emotions, teens, mental health, warning signs

4 Ways to Help Your Child Cope with Anger

Does your child tend to become frustrated easily? Do they struggle to cope with anger in healthy ways? Anger is a basic emotion that everyone deals with from time to time. We may get angry with situations, with other people, or with ourselves. While it’s natural to feel angry or frustrated, sometimes anger can get overwhelming for kids and teens. It can make them feel like their emotions are out of control. They may not know how to manage such intense feelings. It can cause them to lash out, act up, or respond to anger in other unhealthy ways. Here are some strategies to help you support your child with feelings of anger…

All About Emotions: Why Are They So Important?

You may sometimes wonder why you feel a certain way at one moment and then experience a completely different feeling just a few minutes later. We experience a range of emotions on a daily basis, and they are all important in their own way. The big question is: why? Emotions are crucial to our lives because they serve a variety of purposes. They guide us through stressful situations and help us connect with others in friendships and relationships, among others. At the same time, emotions are complicated; they can be difficult to understand. Sometimes, it may seem like life would be easier if we didn't have to undergo the ups and downs that emotions play in our lives. So why are they so important?

How to Keep your Cool as a Parent

Do you have trouble keeping your cool when parenting your teen? Do certain behaviors of theirs cause you to lose your temper? It’s understandably challenging to deal with teens’ emotional up and downs while keeping your own emotions in check. Therefore, taking a dialectical approach to parenting might be helpful for you. Being a dialectical parent means finding balance—specifically, balance between opposites. There is an opposite to everything in life, and we tend to be most effective when we balance those opposing ideas. By finding balance between things that seem completely opposite to you, like a draining day and a calm mind, you can manage your teen without the emotional strain. Are you ready to apply dialectics to your parenting?

What is Toxic Positivity?

We live in a culture that boasts “toxic positivity.” Toxic positivity is a belief that no matter what difficult or upsetting situation you may experience, you should maintain a positive mindset. Consider the popular phrase “good vibes only.” While “good vibes” are not a bad thing, “good vibes only” negate all other human experiences that do not involve positive feelings. The phrase makes it seem like negative experiences or negative emotions should be avoided at all costs. As humans, we experience a wide range of emotions; we’re not always happy or positive and that is okay. In fact, it’s normal to have a mix of good vibes and bad vibes throughout the day. Learn more about toxic positivity and what you can do to get through challenges without suffering from the effects of toxic positivity…

Red Means STOP: How to Manage Distress Effectively

When you’re in a crisis situation, it’s easy to act on your emotions. You may react on an emotional urge without even thinking about it. However, the intensity of emotional urges can often affect how you respond and as a result, cause negative consequences. When you feel yourself becoming frustrated, it can be easy to begin raising your voice or yelling. When you feel upset, you may likely isolate yourself rather than dealing with the issue at hand. While it’s natural to experience a variety of emotions (even powerful ones), acting on the emotions without thinking can negatively impact your mood, your actions, and your relationships. Luckily there is a DBT skill to help you when your emotions are running high: the STOP skill. Learn about STOP so that you can navigate emotional situations more effectively…

Cool Down When You're Emotionally Overheating

Did you know that changing your body chemistry can help calm your emotional state? When you’re in a crisis or difficult situation (whether internally or externally) your state of mind can cloud your ability to make wise decisions. By learning to tolerate distress, you will improve your ability to regulate your emotions and act accordingly. In the distress tolerance module, the TIPP skill helps to create a bodily reaction lowers your emotional response. By activating your parasympathetic nervous system during distress using TIPP, you’re able to process and respond to your emotions more rationally. Here’s how TIPP works…

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