child and teen therapy

  1. When I’m 64

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    "When I get older, losing my hair, many years from now Will you still be sending me a Valentine, birthday greetings, bottle of wine? If I’d been out till quarter to 3, would you lock the door? Will you still need me?  Will you still feed me when I’m 64?" Beatles' Song when I'm 64 Like many in my generation, The Beatles’ songs shaped many of my early perspectives on life.  As I entered…Read More

  2. Conflict + Resolution

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    The definition of the word conflict, when it is used as a verb, means: "to be different, opposed, or contradictory: to fail to be in agreement or accord" and as a noun, it means: "fight, battle, war." Conflict in relationships is inevitable. Interpersonal Conflict is a disagreement where two people see or understand something different than one another, opposed. We can't have a relationship withou…Read More

  3. Thoughts on “The Red Shoes”: A Woman’s Need to Keep Her Footing 

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    (excerpts from Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Este´s, PhD) “Once there was a poor motherless child who had no shoes. But the child saved cloth scraps wherever she found them and over time sewed herself a pair of red shoes. They were crude but she loved them. They made her feel rich even though her days were spent gathering food in the thorny woods until far past dark. But…Read More

  4. The Best Parenting Advice I Can Give

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    It wasn’t the first party I had been to. In fact, I had been to lots of parties before this one. But this is the first one I drank at. It had all the necessary ingredients for youthful adventure and stupidity: Lots of unsupervised teenagers, miles of forest, a bond fire, bb guns, and of course a keg. This was the last day of school for the year and the celebration was a classic campout party i…Read More

  5. Gratitude’s Core Is Practice

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    Gratitude is a guide to happiness. We all have so many things we can express gratitude for when we are asked directly; but typically the things we want to change or the things we don’t like remain on the forefront of our minds. Of course this thought pattern will lead to a more negative mindset. We have all heard that practicing something is what makes you better; and two key components are bein…Read More

  6. Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) 

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    As a therapist, my approach is somewhat eclectic, however, I draw a great deal from, and have been trained in, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT helps with exploring our thought life and underlying beliefs about ourselves. This aids in better understanding distressful emotions and changing undesirable recurring behaviors. There may be times when our immediate thoughts discount other possibil…Read More

  7. Words In Balance

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    Long since banished from most playgrounds, a teeter-totter is still familiar to many of us.   Two or more children sit on opposite ends of a long board attached to a triangular fulcrum.  When the board is centered, and the children’s weights are evenly balanced between the two ends, they enjoy the up and down rhythm while their teamwork and balance are both strengthened.  …Read More

  8. How Do We Love Each Other Better

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    How do we love each other better? Whether it be a spouse, a friend, or a stranger; I have thought into this question many times and believe a huge part of this is availability is the quality of being able to be used or obtained. Below are some simple tips to improve our ability to be more available. 1.    Turn off when you are off Keep technology away from you if you are not needing it. Figurat…Read More

  9. Figuring Out Forgiveness

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    Picture yourself standing at the end of a road in a box canyon.  The trailhead is surrounded by rocky cliffs broken by streamers of scree, extending from gray clouds overhead to a silent, green basin around your feet.   Before you can begin the long-awaited hike up and out, you notice something next to you.  Looking at boxes of various shapes and sizesin a disorderly pile, you r…Read More

  10. Mind Hack : The Pink Elephant

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    What happens when I tell you, “Don’t think about a pink elephant.”? You probably just thought of a pink elephant. If I instead explained to you that there were two elephants in the room, one pink and one blue, and I wanted you to do your best to keep your focus on the blue, you will most likely do better. Our minds want and need something to focus on so it’s counterproductive to tell ourse…Read More