Sticking to Your Family Goals

What’s your family goal this year? Whether you’re aiming to spend more time together, to be more active as a family, or to schedule one on one time with each other, it’s great to have an intent that the whole family can work towards. Only downside: it’s easier said than done. Navigating the hurdles of sticking to an individual goal can be hard enough. Trying to stick to goals as a family with three, four, five or more only magnifies those challenges. The idea of working towards a goal can feel enticing, exhilarating, and exciting at first – until, it's not. Once the thrill is gone, then you’re faced with the biggest hurdle: sticking to it. Life gets in the way and other to-do’s seem more important. Just because you’re busy doesn’t mean that you have to give up on your goal! Here are few tips to help your family stay on track and hold each other accountable…

Challenging Perfectionism in Your Family

Does your child feel pressured by perfectionism? Do they do everything they can to get perfect grades, memorize all of their lines in the school play, or score for their team in every sports game? Whether we realize it or not, we tend to feed into our children’s desire to be perfect in a certain aspect of life or to know exactly what they are going to do when they grow up. Perfectionist tendencies can have a series impact on your child’s mental health. In extreme cases, this can lead to things such as anxiety, depression and eating disorders. How can you help your child find balance in their life while encouraging them to do their best? Here are some tips…

Cultivating Gratitude

This Thanksgiving, many of us will be able to gather as we did prior to the pandemic. While this is definitely something we can be thankful for, we don’t need to wait for the holidays to acknowledge our blessings and embrace gratitude. We can practice gratitude every day of the year! In fact, incorporating gratitude into our daily routines can improve both our mood and our relationships. So what is gratitude, why should we practice it, and how can we make it a habit that sticks? Let’s dive in…

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…

How to Accept the Things that You Can't Change as a Parent

Do you find yourself having the same conversation, argument, or request over and over with your kids—to no avail? It is understandably exhausting asking something of your child or partner and nothing seems to change. However it’s possible that the situation is unchangeable, so learning to accept the situation for what it is may be your only solution. The DBT skill of “radical acceptance” embodies that idea, as it’s the skill of accepting the things you cannot change. Let’s go over how it works and how you can apply it to your parenting…

Lessons From 2020 to Carry Into 2021

There is no doubt that 2020 has been a year of adjustment. We have learned valuable lessons collectively as a society, and on an individual level as well. Whether they involved finances, social engagement, emotional health, or work, they taught us valuable insights that we may not have otherwise gained during a typical year. As this year begins closing behind us, let’s recognize the valuable lessons learned that we can apply for years to come. Here are three important lessons from 2020 that will be beneficial in 2021…

3 Ways to Help your Family Transition to a New Normal

As quarantine measures relax and things begin transitioning back to a “new normal,” it may be time for your family to begin painting a picture of what this transition could look like. We have been through a total of 3 massive and immediate changes in less than 4 months, which means that our brains have been working overtime to adjust time and time again. That’s a lot to cope with! Therefore, it’s understandable if you’re feeling hesitant, confused, or unsure about how to proceed. Here are 3 ways you can help your families (and your minds) prepare to transition to your “new normal” in the weeks ahead…

3 Ways to be a More Effective Parent during COVID-19

As parents, we all have unique ideals and expectations of the experience of raising our kids. We set schedules, we create routines and we teach lessons to instill those ideals in our children as we try to meet our own. So, how do we manage when our children change, when we change, and when life changes? It’s challenging to parent your children the same way that you were months ago, before the pandemic began. Therefore, it is crucial that we adapt to changing circumstances. How can we maintain a flexible stance with our parenting and create a calmer home environment? Here are 3 ways to help you become a more effective parenting during this crisis…

Practicing Gratitude

Fall is a time of change. We swap our flip-flops for socks and boots, we feel the cool breeze blow away summer heat, and we watch the colorful leaves fall. Although this season brings great beauty and festivities, increasing thoughts of the chilly weather and fewer daylight hours may start to affect your mood. Nature’s changes can cause us to feel more sluggish, uninterested, and like we’re lacking focus. Looking for a good mood-booster to lighten your mood and feel reenergized? Try incorporating moments of gratitude into your daily routine to help you out of that late fall, early winter slump...

How to be a Conscious Parent

Parenting can be a struggle sometimes. When your young child is misbehaving, or your teenager’s behavior is out of control, you may naturally feel frustrated, concerned, and unsure of how to respond. While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to parenting, there are ways to decrease stress (for parents and kids) and help your children grow. One option is conscious parenting. Conscious parenting is a mindful, parent-focused approach to parenting. It essentially says that in order to help our children, we must first help ourselves. For example, when your children act up, conscious parenting encourages you to think about your response and your state of mind before you react. Are you going to act on impulse or respond from a place of calm? Let’s learn more about how to be a conscious parent…

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…

Giving Yourself Credit

It’s a super busy and stressful time of year for everyone. There are many ways to deal with distressing situations. Often times, your mindset is crucial to managing stress effectively. Do you criticize yourself for not getting enough done at the end of the day? Or are you hard on yourself when things don’t go as planned? No matter what your goal is, a negative state of mind—one that’s pessimistic, self-critical, or discouraging—won’t do you any good. There’s a great DBT skill that you can apply to improve your mindset, feel less stressed, and reach your goals: “Give Myself Credit.” Let’s learn more about how it works…

How to Ground Yourself

When you feel stressed or like life is out of control, what do you do? One way to reduce distress is through grounding yourself. The technique of “grounding” oneself is a coping strategy used to calm your state of being. When you ground yourself, you connect to the present moment, to the Earth, and to your body; it allows you to feel centered and balanced no matter what is going on around you. Here are a few ways to ground yourself…

How to Avoid Being Reactive

Does your teen feel overwhelmed and emotionally drained? Does your child feel like he or she doesn't have control over his or her life? One key strategy to combat these feelings is to avoid being reactive. When we are reactive, we allow events and other people to dictate how we react. We passively respond to what's going on and we struggle to keep up with life's demands. Whether it’s anger, anxiety, or sadness, our emotions can sometimes manage our actions without us even realizing it. Therefore, we must take responsibility for our actions. We must take a proactive approach, rather than a reactive one. By taking ownership of how we act, we decide what we will do—not the other way around. Here’s how you can be proactive, not reactive…

3 Tips to Tell the Difference Between Typical and Unhealthy Teen Behavior

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish normal adolescent mood shifts, reactions or rebellion from verifiable symptoms of depression, as they often mimic each other.

Read more for three quick ways to tell the difference...

Adding a Dose of Mindfulness to Your Life

Mindfulness is living in the moment and focusing on your current experience. Although it seems like a trend or buzzword, mindfulness is evidence-based and has been studied to reduce negative physical and mental symptoms as well as improve overall well-being. Here are some tips and tools for integrating mindfulness into your routine....

3 Ways to Distinguish Unhealthy vs. Healthy Teen Behavior

It is sometimes difficult to distinguish normal adolescent mood shifts, reactions or rebellion from verifiable symptoms of depression, as they often mimic each other.

Read on for three quick ways to tell the difference...

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