Many people want to know how a psychologist and psychiatrist are different. Education: Both a psychologist and psychiatrist start with a bachelor’s degree. What is different is what happens next in school. A psychiatrist goes to 4 years of medical school and receives an MD degree. As with all medical doctors, they then go on […]
In my last two posts, we discussed the prevalence of social media use amongst today’s teens and how parents can recognize the warning signs of excessive or unhealthy use. It’s simply a fact of modern life that teens — and tweens — are using more digital technology, and this trend isn’t likely to diminish anytime […]
What do I do when my child refuses to go to time out? Your child is in trouble and you’re using the time out to get them to calm down. If they refuse their time out, they are basically getting a second offense. You need parenting strategies to help here. What do I do next? […]
In my last post, I explored the prevalence of social media use among teens. A 2011 study by the American Academy of Pediatrics found that using social media is one of today’s teens most common activities; the statistics may surprise you. The study found that: 22% of teens log on to the favorite social media […]
There are certain things that we do in arguments that virtually guarantee we have a bad outcome for a fight. Saying or doing these actions are like penalties in football. They stop forward progress. They create anger and hurt feelings and problems do not get resolved. Here are a few areas that you would address […]
Ever feel like your teen spends more time typing into their digital device than actually talking with — or spending time with — actual, live people? If you do, you’re not alone. The use of social media has boomed over the past few years, leaving many parents shaking their heads and wondering what’s normal […]
Every spring, it’s the same story: Graduating seniors at high schools around the country come down with a case of “senioritis.” While it may not sound all that serious, senioritis poses enough of a problem to make universities sit up and take notice. In fact, a 2012 article in The New York Times notes that […]
Animal assisted therapy can be more effective than traditional talk therapy because: 1) Animals can increase a person’s motivation and participation in therapy. A person who is resistant to coming into traditional therapy may be more excited to come in and interact with the animal present. 2) Animals can help build trust with the therapist […]
Research and my personal observations show that a well-trained therapy dog often is a patient’s best friend during counseling sessions. Brief interactions with therapy dogs can decrease production of the stress hormone epinephrine, reduce blood pressure and decrease anxiety. Dogs can be ideal healers if they themselves are loved, treated well and properly trained for […]
All parents want the best for their children. One way in which parents can have the greatest positive impact on their children’s lives is by teaching them to learn to deal with life’s challenges effectively, both emotionally and physically. Parents of children with ADHD have the added difficulty of helping their children learn to deal […]
