How to Prevent Test Anxiety from Stifling Your Child in School Have you ever been plagued by a worry so intense that you can’t focus on the very thing that has you worried? It’s quite a conundrum. A blank stare settles on your face as concentration gets disrupted by negative self-talk. “I can’t do this.” “I’m […]

Reviving Motivation and Purpose in Your Lackadaisical Teen Article originally published on PurposeSpeaks.com. Have you been anywhere recently where you could feel a radiating aura of enthusiasm? I’m referring to the type of excitement that’s visceral, but on an ordinary day. If not, I’ll take you there. Between the walls of an elementary school there’s […]

Ten Ways to Build Stronger Connections with Your Teen Parents of teenagers frequently find themselves distraught over the sudden change in the relationship they have with their maturing adolescent. There can be reports of abrupt shifts in their teen’s demeanor, along with emotional distancing. Does this sound familiar? Teen goes into their bedroom, shuts the door, […]

Redefining ‘Friendship’ in a Digitally Connected World Thanks to social media the word “friend” has morphed into a term synonymous with acquaintance, associate, and sometimes even straight-up stranger. Before sites like Facebook and Instagram gave us friends and followers, social interaction wasn’t so passive. It took effort to communicate and connect. The bulk of social […]

Warning Signs that Your Teen Needs Counseling The shrill ring of your cell phone rouses your mind alert as your limbs begin to shake off the stillness of sleep. It’s nearing midnight. Who could be calling? It’s the parent of a student who goes to your teenager’s school. They sound panicked and are throwing words […]

Let’s Take a Selfie, But First Let’s Discuss Growing Up in a Selfie World When Olympic gymnasts Lee Eun-ju of South Korea and Hong Un-Jong of North Korea snapped a selfie together at the Rio 2016 Olympics, it generated a lot of buzz. Once live on Twitter, the post was met with enthusiasm and people […]

How Parent Behavior Influences Children’s Body Image, Health How often do you sneer at your own reflection or mutter a self-deprecating comment because you feel unhappy with the way you look? Perhaps tough to admit, many of us are guilty of being unkind to ourselves. You may vow never to wear clothing that accentuates the […]

A Case for Crying: The Importance of Emotional Expression When someone’s eyes begin to water and the first teardrop trickles down their face, there’s a pretty standard response from people. Tissues are whisked from the Kleenex box and offered. It’s a quick panacea for sadness as though dabbing the soft cotton fibers will ease emotional pain. […]

5 Ways to Teach Kids Emotional Intelligence this Election Season As vehement rhetoric is blasted from all points on the political spectrum this election season, it is easy for children to copy the not-so-emotionally-intelligent language and behaviors modeled by adults—politicians and citizens alike. Have you found yourself or someone you know yelling obscenities during the evening news, […]