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…
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…
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…
Do you find it tough to stay focused, or to get your kids to stay focused? It’s hard for us all to maintain our attention, especially when there are plenty of distractions around us. Our phones are going off with notifications, our kids are vying for our attention, and our worries are pulling us from the present moment. How can we stay on task when there are so many things fighting for our attention? The key is to concentrate on just one thing: the task at hand that’s right in front of you. Mindfulness techniques can help you do just that! Mindfulness is all about being present in the moment. If you can be present, you can focus more easily. Here are some tips to help you avoid distractions and actually get things done…
Think back to the last time you were disappointed. Maybe it was when you didn’t do as well as you expected on a test, when your friend cancelled on you, or when things didn’t turn out as planned. Disappointment is a difficult feeling to grapple with. It’s not pleasant, but it’s certainly helpful if you can learn to recognize what it’s telling you. Disappointment can lead to difficult, yet important thoughts like “Am I not good enough?” “Why me?” and “How can this turn out better next time?” Not to mention, disappointment is inevitable; it will appear from time to time, whether we like it or not. Therefore, learning to cope with disappointment is a necessary skill to handle life’s ups and downs. Here are some tips to help you manage disappointment as it arises…
For many people, feelings of anxiety can be overwhelming. It’s one thing if you feel anxious from time to time—but how do you tell the difference between feeling anxious and dealing with an anxiety disorder? Symptoms of anxiety can interfere with your life if you experience them on a regular basis, or they can make you feel uncomfortable even in doses. By recognizing when you’re experiencing anxiety, you can determine its impact on your day-to-day routine. Here are a few questions to ask yourself or a loved one. While it’s not a foolproof “anxiety screener,” it can help you identify your anxiety and better understand when it may be time to seek help…
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…
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…
The end of the year is a time of reflection. It’s a time to look back on how we’ve changed, learned, and grown. We like to think about what we’ve accomplished this year and what we can improve upon in the year to come. We all have areas of our lives that we would like to enhance, whether it be our health, our relationships, our careers, or how we spend our time. By being self-aware and checking in with ourselves, we can make a plan to be an even better version of ourselves in the year ahead. It’s helpful to focus on the one or two areas of your life that you most want to improve instead of taking on everything at once. Here are some helpful prompting questions to get you started…
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…
Practicing daily hygiene is part of our daily routines. We brush our teeth, comb our hair, and take a shower, amongst other tasks, without giving them a second thought. But what about our mental hygiene? Shouldn’t we prioritize our mental well-being just as much as our physical health? It’s certainly just as important. Caring for our mental wellness ensures that we have enough energy and a healthy mentality to take on whatever comes our way. So what exactly is “mental hygiene” and how can we incorporate it into our everyday routines? Let’s get started…
Did you know that anyone can be misgendered? You don’t have to be trans to be referred to as the wrong gender or talked about with the wrong pronouns. However, trans people are common recipients of misgendering. Misgendering trans people can have very negative effects. You may not even realize you are hurting your trans child when you do this. Using new pronouns and a new name can be hard to adjust to, especially when it is someone you’ve known all of their life. However, it is important to put in that extra effort and correct your mistakes. Here’s why it’s important to be mindful about pronouns and what you can do to make the switch more seamless…
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…
Thanksgiving is the perfect reminder to be thankful. It’s an opportunity to reconnect with loved ones, shared memories and a warm meal together, and think about all of the little things we’re grateful for. But the holiday season shouldn’t be the only time we do this! Year-round gratitude can help boost your mood, your energy, your overall health, and so much more. So as we head into a long winter ahead, consider making gratitude a daily practice. We’ll show you easy ways to incorporate gratitude into your life. It’s not as hard as you’d think!
Mania is when a person display signs of extremely high energy levels, mood, or behavior. Mania can look different for everyone, but there are some common symptoms that may help you identify when a manic episode might be coming on. It’s important to look out for these symptoms so you can understand your own trigger warnings and to recognize when you may need to take more preventative measures or practice self-care. Do you feel like you may be having a manic episode? Here are some common symptoms to watch out for…
Does your child struggle with falling asleep? Now that we’ve set the clocks back, is getting a good night’s rest nearly impossible for your kid or teen? Your child is not alone. Many kids have trouble falling and staying asleep. And it’s understandably frustrating for parents because it often feels like there’s nothing you can do to get them to sleep better. While it may feel like your child’s quality of sleep is out of your control, it turns out that it’s not. Prepare your child for a better night’s rest with these helpful tips…
Is your child starting to over-analyze their appearance? Are they over-thinking food choices and you’re not sure why? It’s understandable to feel confused; it’s not like you’ve ever criticized them about it! Your child’s behavior may be changing as they get older because they’re picking up on what you’re doing. Here’s the thing: children are like sponges. Even if your child has not directly been criticized for their food choices or appearance, they may be indirectly influenced about their appearance. Or, they may have picked up subtle cues from their parents about their body image. or they may have interpreted messages about their appearance and body image. It’s possible that your child is picking up on things that you don’t even realize you’re doing! We’ll shed light on potential influences…
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…
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…
Do you sometimes experience intense moments of anxiety? If so, you’re not alone. It’s common to face moments of panic from time to time, especially if you have an anxiety disorder. Moments of panic or full-out panic attacks can happen in high-stress situations, whether you’re diagnosed with anxiety or not. They can be unpleasant, difficult to deal with, or downright debilitating. The next time you find yourself in a moment of crisis, put these helpful tips to use…
