Are Racing Thoughts Keeping Your Teen Awake? – 7 Helpful Tips
Somehow, society has painted the picture that all teenagers are compulsive night owls and sleep in every morning. While that may be so for many on weekends, parents shouldn’t quickly assume their teen is on the way to becoming a classic slacker just because they’re not out like a light the moment they hit the…
Read More4 Steps to De-Escalate Your Teen and Stop the Screaming Matches
“You’re not being fair!” “Just DO IT!” “I’m not a child anymore. Stop telling me what to do!” “If you’d act like an adult, I wouldn’t have to tell you what to do!” “Just leave me ALONE!!” The words are followed by a door slamming. — Sounds familiar? Do your “conversations” with your teenager all…
Read MoreWhen Your Teen Self-Isolates – 5 Ways to Help With Teen Social Anxiety
Socializing is a huge part of being a teenager. But what if your teen fears social situations, such as speaking in front of a group or being involved in any activity that makes them the center of attention? And worse even, what if that fear becomes so debilitating that they shy away from any and…
Read MoreIt’s Normal to Make Mistakes! – 4 Tips to Help Your Perfectionistic Child
Does your child… …expect nothing less than an A in all their classes? …view criticism as a personal attack? …avoid new projects because they’re worried they’ll fail? Of course, there’s nothing wrong if your child wants to do their very best. But it’s self-defeating when they strive after an unattainable ideal—perfection. Setting standards way too…
Read MoreFood, Serotonin, and Depression: Improve Your Diet and Boost Your Mood
You’re feeling down, out-of-sorts, and unmotivated. Before you know it, you find yourself binging on chocolates, pastries, and soft drinks. Somehow, stuffing yourself with sweets and starchy carbohydrates chases that dark cloud that’s been hanging over your head away… at least for a time. Why? The Connection Between Food and Serotonin Serotonin is a neurotransmitter—the…
Read MoreParenting with Insight: Facts About Teen Depression and How You Can Help
The teenage years can bring a lot of ups and downs. In general, many teenagers have a tendency to be moody, unruly, self-centered, and highly emotional. All of which falls under normal adolescent behavior. But at times, there can be more. Some teens battle with bouts of depression. They’re unmotivated, indifferent, and listless. And they…
Read MoreCutting to Cope: Understanding the Mechanism Behind Self-Injury
Absentmindedly and unintentionally, you step into the bathroom to put up some freshly folded towels just as your daughter exits the shower. Her eyes widen. She quickly wraps the towel around herself. But you’ve already seen what she’s trying to conceal. – Scars and partially healed wounds. You freeze and stare at her, unsure about…
Read More10 Simple and Effective Ways to Motivate the Unmotivated
It’s staring at you. Looming over you like Mount Everest. That monumental task you know needs to get done, but that you’re completely unmotivated to tackle. You skirt around it. You try to ignore it. But it’s still there. Steadily bearing down on you, mocking you. You know the only way to get rid of…
Read MoreExposure Therapy: Why Directly Confronting Fears Helps OCD Sufferers
The most natural reaction to something we fear—be that people, objects, or situations—is usually to avoid it. Unfortunately, though, that innate action is often the least helpful response. Think, for example, of someone that suffers from Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD). The urge to eliminate or avoid something that they fear—contamination, harming others, losing control, etc.—is exactly…
Read MoreParenting Challenges – 8 Tips to Avoid Spoiling Your Child
Imagine the scene: A splendid throne atop an elevated platform. Two servants rushing back and forth, catering to the every wish of the crowned head seated upon the lofty chair. Exhausted from a day’s worth of conforming to the demands of the ruler, they finally bow with heads low. Nothing wrong with that scenario, right?…
Read MoreThe Holiday Blues: 9 Tips for Coping With the Stress of the Season
The holiday season is supposed to be full of peace, joy, and happiness—right? Then how come you often feel frazzled and dizzy just thinking of all the demands parties, shopping, baking, and entertaining put on you? And why do you shudder at the thought of all the obnoxious and unwelcome “guests” that invite themselves to…
Read MoreTeen OCD and PANDAS: Is There a Connection Between the Two?
PANDAS—Pediatric Autoimmune Neuropsychiatric Disorders Associated with Streptococcal Infections. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with cute black and white animals. To the contrary, it’s actually a scary condition that some have estimated affects 1 in 200 children. But what does it have to do with teen OCD? Understanding PANDAS PANDAS usually begins with a seemingly…
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