Moms, can we be honest?

I’m watching TV and a paper towel commercial comes on.  It’s a mom and her little kid in an expansive white kitchen.  Her kid spills juice all over the counter, the floor, and his clothes.  Mom smiles, grabs a roll of paper towels and they both have a good laugh together. Now, I remember vividly […]

Teen Depression Might Not Look Like You’d Expect

By Shannon Albarelli, Psy.D. The dreaded teen years can be a trying and tumultuous time for both the adolescent and the adults in their lives. When a parent watches their once happy-go-lucky child transform into a moody teen, it can be a upsetting and often bewildering. Although adults expect teens to act moody, sometimes the […]

A 7 Year Old’s Take on North Korea

The solution was staring us right in the face!

Talking to Your Kids About Tragedy

If you read my post yesterday, you know I’m trying to use October to make small changes in my life that will bring me greater peace and contentment. The world is not making it easy. I woke, like many of you, this morning to a CNN alert on my phone to the largest mass shooting in […]

Talking to Your Kids About Las Vegas

If you read my post yesterday, you know I’m trying to use October to make small changes in my life that will bring me greater peace and contentment. The world is not making it easy. I woke, like many of you, this morning to a CNN alert on my phone to the largest mass shooting in […]

Should Student Athletes Have to Take PE?

Reprinted from May 2015 The other night, my daughter Madelyn (13), was lying on the couch, and said, “Ugh. I have gym first period tomorrow.” My initial reaction was to tell her to stop complaining — I have a very low tolerance for whining. But, then I thought about it.  She was exhausted from a […]

Tracking Your Teen: The Dark Side.

When I got my first beeper, I probably should have felt empowered. After all, it meant I would be first line in case of an emergency. That made me important, right? Instead, it made me feel like a dog on a leash. I valued it when I was at the hospital or on call, but […]

Adjusting to College

As a freshman in college you will likely feel inundated by your new and unfamiliar surroundings. You will be living in a new room, on a new campus, with new college-level academics, and a new social scene. The first few days, weeks, and even months of college may feel strange and overwhelming—this is completely natural, […]