Introduction Social media is such a hot topic, one that’s part of my daily conversations in sessions with teens and young adults. I see firsthand the impact social media has on their lives and their mental well being. It can become their best friend and their worst enemy–all at the same time. The friend that […]
Gratitude is a wonderful tool. Of course it’s absolutely beneficial to feel grateful, thankful, and appreciative for all the blessings in your life. Grateful for the positive people in your life… your good fortune. It fills you up with all good feels. It brings about optimism, confidence, comfort, even safety at times. It positively impacts […]
Comforting your teen series Part 5 I promise: your teens want to talk to you. They want to share their emotions, feelings, and talk about their deeper thoughts with you. It may not always seem that way, and maybe they are unsure of doing it too. But I see it firsthand over and over again: […]
Comforting your teen series Part 4 Families talk about a lot of things, but mental health usually isn’t one of them. Historically, mental health has been a taboo, uncomfortable topic in many families. Whether generational, cultural, racial, or gender-based, many messages we have historically received about mental health tell us we shouldn’t share. People have […]
Comforting your teen series Part 3 A common roadblock that keeps kids from confiding in their parents is the “I’ll solve it” scenario. Teens want to be heard and seen just like us. They don’t want someone telling them what to do about their sadness. They want to be listened to and comforted. I see […]
Comforting your teen series Part 2 Think about when your kids were little and they scraped their knee. Or when someone hurt their feelings on the playground and they were filled with sadness. Their first reaction was to call out or run to you. You sat with them, listened, and reassured them it would all […]
Comforting your teen series Part 1 I spend my days being with people in their emotional world. I help them process and express how they are feeling, sit with their own emotions, and at times, tolerate the uncomfortableness that emotions can cause for us all. I help make sense of what they’re feeling and help […]
When someone is struggling with their mental health, such as depression, anxiety, and or suicidal thoughts, they can feel very alone. If you have never had thoughts of suicide or dealt with depression and anxiety it might be hard to imagine what they are going through and challenging to know what to do. We live […]
How Do You Get Your Kids to Tell You Stuff? With the rise in mental health issues among young children and teens; it is more important than ever to stay connected and know what’s going on in your child/teen’s life. I remember hiding in my room when I was a teen, but now our kids […]
Conflict Is Going To Occur AND Conflict Is Needed… to some degree! Constructive conflict can lead to growth and change. If you take the time at a young age to show your children the process of healthy conflict, things can go much smoother the next time a disagreement occurs and will serve them in the […]