Practices to Keep Your Mental Health Intact
There’s no doubt that the circumstances around COVID-19 have increased our risk of mental health problems. Luckily, we have strategies to protect our mental health. Engaging in the following practices are likely to help you meet the challenges of today and come through with your mental health intact. Sleep We are all able to function […]
Wearing Masks: The New Norm
With some schools opening in person classes, sports and activities resuming with precautions, and families venturing a little further out into the world, wearing masks is becoming a necessity. Adults have had a chance to get more comfortable wearing masks. Many of us have been wearing them since March when we go to stores or […]
ASD Evaluations in Adolescents and Adults: Differences, Challenges, and Benefits
How people arrive at my door. Individuals of different ages suspected of having an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) make their way to my office for a variety of reasons. Maybe they are struggling at school or in their place of employment. Perhaps a family member or a teacher has observed something “concerning” or “off.” Some […]
Looking Back to Move Forward: Reflections on Distance Learning
If you’re in the camp of parents and families who found distance learning to be a relatively smooth and positive experience, try to identify specifically what went well for you and your family. Why was this enjoyable for you? If the experience was not an easy one for you, your family, or one of your […]
Problems, Pitfalls and Potential for Change: Envisioning the Future of Distance Learning
COVID-19 caused families, schools and communities to hit the brakes on almost every activity of daily life for more than two months. The shock from changes in social interactions reverberated through our society. Anxiety and worry about the future, functioning and health of our nation and world added to the stark realization that we had […]
My Family Doesn’t Have it All Together, and That’s a Good Thing
I’m glad if the title of this article got your attention, and I want you to know I’m serious. No matter how well-adjusted my kids might be, or how kind and compassionate they are, or how patient I seem at times…we don’t have it all together. If the last three months of social isolation has […]
Dancing to Music that Keeps Changing: The Stress of Trying to Do it All
Parenting, marriage, teaching, jobs, you name it and it requires a period of adjustment to find the right rhythm to be effective. However, once you figure out the music and the dance that goes with it, the music inevitably changes. Suddenly, your groove doesn’t match the needs of the people or situation around you, and […]
Will We Ever Return to Normal?
I feel like I have asked myself the question, “will we ever get back to normal?” several times a day over the last few weeks, as I’m sure many others have. And the answer that I keep telling myself is, “I’m not sure I want to.” Katie Greenleaf, LPCC recently shared a quote by Dave […]
Stuck at Home: Ways to Move Forward in Uncertain Times
It’s a difficult time to have goals. Coming out of the turn of the year, you may have been immersed in your efforts to be more organized, working to finally get out of debt, or maybe you resolved to finally work on that body-builder physique. Seemingly overnight, you were forced to shift your focus from […]
One Goal at a Time
This last month many of us were unexpectedly thrown into a new endeavor – teaching our children at home. This sudden added role is further complicated by several other factors, including our own work expectations, meeting the learning needs for multiple children, and managing stress levels in this chaotic time. If you have a child […]