“You’re just not listening to me!” your adolescent child yells at you for the third time today as you try hard to prove to them that you are. You’re not on your phone, you’re not washing the dishes, you’re doing your best to be present and even give them the eye contact you think they want as you lean over the kitchen counter staring at their disappointed demeanor. “You just don’t get it!” they say, as they storm off into their room and once again you can’t resolve the topic of the conversation.

Action steps, FamilyVirgdant Breton, LSWFebruary 28, 2024validation

Staying in “Wise Mind” During Holiday Celebrations

With holiday parties still in full swing this week, and new years right around the corner, it can be hard to stay grounded and relaxed with all the chaos. There is a lot going on at this time of the year and decisions can be harder to make. The DBT skill, “Wise Mind,” can help you recognize your reactions to the chaos and how to channel them into better reactions to your full plate.

Family relationships, Family, Mindfulness, Tips for Your MindLauren BroadwellDecember 27, 2023wise mind, dbt, DBT skills

Tips for Managing Stress Around the Holidays

The holiday season can be a time of joy, connection, and celebration. The season can also present its own unique challenges, like disruptions in routines, reminders of loved ones lost, increased financial stress, and more. A NAMI survey from 2014 found that 64% of people with mental health conditions report that the holidays worsened their symptoms! Below are some ways to preemptively manage some of these stressors that might arise:

Family, Helpful tips, RelaxationErica Kokoszka, LAMFTDecember 13, 2023holidays, stress

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?

Morning Routines: Help Your Child Start the Day

As a parent, you probably have a routine that you have to stick to in order to complete all of the necessary tasks to meet the needs of yourself and your family each day. Teaching your child to have their own routine can help them learn the responsibility of ensuring their own needs are met. This is a skill that can help them thrive throughout their day to day and as they get older and are expected to have more ownership over their school and personal lives.

Helpful tips, FamilyFrankki Sorce, LPCJuly 26, 2023morning, routines

How to Respond When Your Child is Concerned About Food

Adolescence is the developmental stage from about ages 12-18. During this period, adolescents are building an understanding of who they are and how they fit into the world. Because of what we know about the developmental stage of adolescence, it is expected that this is a time when comparison to others is more present and body image may waver. This often brings up concerns for kids about what others think of them and if they are living up to societal expectations. When it comes to body type in our culture, there is a societal expectation for bodies to fit the “thin ideal”. This expectation is something that we cannot escape as it is presented to us at every angle whether that be consuming media or what is taught in health classes at school. It is important to understand how to respond to your child when they approach this stage.

When Is It Time To Try Family Therapy?

Are you questioning whether or not your family would benefit from family therapy? Well first things first, every family would benefit from this form of therapy due to the ability to process difficult feelings in a safe place with the family system. Homeostasis is very important in maintaining a healthy balance and relationship between family members. If there’s a disruption within the family system, if there lacks communication, if there are behaviors that are worsening.. it may be best to try family therapy. The goals for family therapy usually include helping develop healthy boundaries, facilitating healthy communication patterns, and building empathy and understanding.

Walking the Tightrope of Expectations

Setting expectations for your child is meant to be helpful. But, when is it harmful? Similar to a tightrope, expectations can be tricky to navigate and acrobats (in this case, your child) often require the perfect combination of skill, training, and coaching to be able to successfully get across. So when you set expectations for your child you should consider whether or not you are setting your child up to succeed (meet the expectations) or fail (not meet the expectations).

Adolescence, Boundary Setting, FamilyVirgdant Breton, LSWApril 12, 2023teens, expectations, parenting, kids, family

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…

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…

Supporting a Loved One in Recovery: Holiday Edition

If you have a child in recovery from an eating disorder, you know that there are many challenges to navigate together. Every day brings its own highs and lows as they learn to cope with distressing emotions and build a healthier relationship with food. The holiday season comes with a new set of challenges for those in recovery and their families. Even if your child is making great strides in the recovery process, you may expect some additional difficulty during this time. Luckily, you can prepare together and make the upcoming challenge more manageable. Here are some helpful tips…

Eating Disorders, Action steps, FamilyFrankki Sorce, LPCDecember 21, 2022holidays, eating disorder, parenting, support, food, recovery

My Child is Starting Therapy… What Should I Do?

Give yourself a pat on the back for getting your child to come see a therapist! It’s no easy feat to get your child to work through their challenges—like trouble with self-esteem, behavioral issues, and school-related struggles, to name a few. So, you got them in the door… now what? How can you help your child “get better”? Is there something you can do to help them through the process? The short answer is yes! Here are some steps you can take to support your child through therapy…

Action steps, Benefits of Therapy, FamilyJoseph Bioletti, LACAugust 24, 2022therapy, family, modeling, behavior, children, teens

Navigating the Back-to-School Transition

It’s August! As much as you want to soak up the last of summer, you’re probably preparing for the start of school too. You’re likely buying new school supplies and awaiting your child’s school schedule. But what about preparing your child mentally and emotionally for school too? If your child spent most of their summer at camp, it’s now time for them to re-learn how to sit still in the classroom instead of running around outside. Or maybe your child has enjoyed late summer nights, and now they need to re-learn how to stick to a traditional school routine. Whatever it is, August is the perfect time to start early and help your child get ready for the new school year. Plus, it’ll make the transition easier for you too. Here are some tips…

What Can You Do If Your Child Is Being Bullied?

Bullying is an all too common problem amongst our kids—and unfortunately, it’s an issue that adults don’t find out about until later on. Only 46% of students report bullying to an adult. Some kids may feel afraid to “tell on” the bullies, and others may be ashamed that they’re the victim of this harassment. So how can we keep our kids safe and encourage a healthy conversation about bullying? How can we encourage our children to keep coming back to us to discuss difficult topics? Here are some tips to help you navigate the conversation if your child comes to you about it…

Adolescence, Family, Parenting TechniquesLauren BroadwellApril 27, 2022bullying, children, teens, parenting, support, school

Ground Rules for Social Media: What Can You Do to Keep Your Kid Safe Online?

The internet is a part of everyone’s lives, including our children. Students use laptops in school (with some even providing laptops to take home), all your kid’s favorite shows are streaming, and almost everyone has a cellphone. How can we both monitor our child’s safety in a digital world, while also creating autonomy and promoting trust? The answer isn’t easy nor straightforward. Hopefully this article can create a conversation in your family, so that you can come up with the best approach for you. Here are some “ground rules” that might be useful for your family…

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

Talking to Your Kids about School Violence

School shootings and other violence in schools can be a parent’s worst nightmare. It makes parents wonder, “How do I keep my kids safe?”, “How do I prepare them for a world that can be frightening and traumatic?” and “How do I talk to my kids about school violence? “ The answer is not as scary as you might think. In fact, just making the time to have a discussion about it and to show that you care is the most important step. Here are some tips when talking about school violence with your children…

Parenting Techniques, Teenagers, Family, Action stepsKathy Hui, MSWDecember 15, 2021parenting, school, safety, discussion, violence

Talking To Your Kids About Divorce

It’s been a roller coaster of a ride and you feel emotionally drained. There are many logistics to consider, but the biggest one weighing on your mind? It’s how to tell the kids. Here are some helpful tips when talking to your children about divorce…

Getting Your Family Ready For Back To School

As summer winds down, the new school year is almost here. This time of year brings a sense of nervousness and dread for many families as they think about the daunting task of prepping for back-to-school. The summer days are full of relaxation without much structure, but now as the school year looms closer it’s time to get back into routine. Here are a few tips to get yourself and your family ready for the school year ahead…

How to Share Concerns with your Child's Therapist

Is your child currently in therapy? Are you interested in therapy for your child? If so, it’s likely that you’ll want to share your concerns about your child with your child’s therapist. You may have concerns surrounding how they’re performing in school, behaviors that you’re seeing at home, or just general information you feel the therapist should know as the therapeutic process unfolds. It is completely normal for you to want to share, and there is an appropriate way to do so. The goal is to be able to articulate your point of view with their therapist while respecting your child’s perspective as well. Consider these three points when discussing treatment with your child’s therapist…

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