The Power of Human Connection
In October, I was able to experience a joyous and long-awaited occasion - a three-day in-person retreat. It became evident that Zoom can never replace the connectedness that results from spending time with another person. As the days get shorter and people tend to go into hibernation mode, there is a risk that the loneliness people already feel will be exacerbated and raised to new levels. I ask you to join me in combatting loneliness by being a “reach out warrior.”Read More
Hygiene and Mental Health
Personal hygiene is a subject that is often not discussed on a daily basis. Typically, hygiene is overlooked as we often assume that everyone does things in similar ways or have similar levels of frequency. However, hygiene can often be the first sign of the start of mental health issues.Read More
Finding Belonging in Foster Care
The word ‘family’ is commonly interpreted as a group of individuals bound through marriage, blood, or adoption consisting of two parents and one or more children. The question at hand is what makes a household a family? Is it the fact that they are related, live in the same home, or is it because of the connections they have to each other? My definition of family is someone who you can go to for support, ask for guidance, depend on, and have unconditional love for you.Read More
Creating a Crisis Safety Plan With Your Child
Are you a planner? As a parent or caregiver, what if there was a way to plan for more than just the monumental moments in life? However, there may be unforeseen moments throughout our children’s lives that lead up to these milestones, and we want to ensure that your child reaches these milestones safely. It is important to help your child develop a crisis safety plan for moments when life may feel a bit too heavy to handle on their own.Read More
Using the 5 Senses to Support Your Child’s Mental Health
There are many ways children tell us how they feel and it is not always through words. As we enter another school year, parents, caregivers, teachers, and others need to be aware of the different ways children communicate. One way to “hear” what a child is nonverbally communicating is by analyzing the five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.Read More
Last Minute To-Do's Before Back-to-School
Summer vacation will soon be over and the new school year will begin. There are many ways to help get your family off to a great start in the new school year by scheduling doctor appointments early, creating a routine, getting organized, and building a partnership with your child's teacher.Read More
5 Tips to Tackle the Back-to-School Season
Back-to-school season is always a time of nerves, adjustment, and -- let’s be honest -- straight chaos. It is a time of getting back into routine and preparing for the year ahead. Now, we find ourselves also trying to navigate what a (somewhat) post-pandemic world looks like in our schools. Check out these five tips to help families tackle back-to-school season with their children.Read More
Busting Your Child’s Summer Boredom
For parents of school-aged children, the phrase “I’m bored” can crop up in the middle of summer. Trying to fill your child’s time may add stress or anxiety to your already busy schedule. Check out these four tips on how to help bridge your child's boredom.Read More
How To Take Control of Your Social Media
Have you ever found yourself scrolling on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok and all of a sudden, you look up and four hours have gone by? Sometimes, when we are mindlessly scrolling, we start to go down a path that is not beneficial for our mental health. Check out some tips on how to help you take control of your social media and create a healthier online space for yourself.Read More
Your Behaviors and Your Basic Needs: A Look at Choice Theory
Have you ever questioned why people make the decisions they do or why they act in a certain way? Choice Theory is one method that is used my many mental health professionals which stems from the belief that all behaviors are purposeful and are most often an attempt to satisfy one of our five basic needs – survival, love and belonging, power, freedom, and fun.Read More
