Mystified by your teenager’s behavior? Broken-hearted by the changes you see in him? It’s natural to mourn the loss of the wonder years when your kid becomes a teen. “He was so creative and playful in elementary school.” “She was always laughing and had so many friends.” “He loved family time. Now he won’t come […]
I’ve provided psychotherapy to teenagers for 25 years… I’ve worked with them individually and in groups, in public and private schools, community centers, and in private practice. I’ve always found teenagers to remarkably receptive to therapy, especially group therapy. (See “Why Group Therapy is Best for Teenagers”) So why do so many parents report that […]
So many parents feel that their family communication is full of conflict. They cycle through the same arguments week after week, leaving everyone feeling exhausted and battle-weary. When faced with challenging or problematic behaviors in children, all parents are bound to make mistakes. The five most common are: Blaming each other for their children’s behavior. […]
Are you frustrated with your weekly sessions and thinking of quitting therapy? Perhaps you have friends who gush about their therapist and brag about the progress that they are making. You wonder why you don’t share their excitement. (See “Is Your Therapist Helping You Enough?”) What do you do when therapy isn’t delivering results? When therapy […]
Grief is relentless. When someone you love dies, nothing feels the same. You suddenly become a distant observer of life. You wonder, “How odd that everyone still goes about their business.” A young couple holds hands as they stroll toward a movie theater; two children dash down the street toward a leafy playground; a businessman […]
Anyone who has experienced panic attacks knows how frightening and debilitating they can be. Unfortunately, panic attacks are on the rise among America youth. A recent study from the Pew Research Center finds that 70 percent of American teenagers see depression and anxiety as the leading “major problem” among their peers. When I polled the members […]
Do you have a defiant child or teenager who seems to challenge everything you say? In When Kids Call the Shots, I included an extensive guide for parents on how to handle children and teenagers with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). I focus on viewing defiance as a form of energy. This means that, just like […]
If you’ve ever had panic attacks, this experience may sound familiar: “It just happened again. I was having a good day. Work went well, I had lunch with an old friend, and my commute home was smooth. After dinner, I decided to take a hot shower and watch a movie. After all, it was Friday night. […]
Every morning I woke up with dread. No gratitude in sight. A feeling of heaviness that invaded my thoughts, weighed me down during the day and tortured me at night. I zombied my way through the world with little hope that life could change. I even questioned the value of living. My family was hit […]
Recently, I met up with my roommate from college. Like many old friends, we share a secret language, referring to events and situations with a single word or glance. A raised eyebrow, a sideways look, the phrase, “What size are your bananas?” and we erupt into fits of laughter while others look on perplexed. I […]