"If God would have wanted us to live in a permissive society He would have given us Ten Suggestions and not Ten Commandments." -Zig Ziglar Family researchers have known for years that healthy families create environments that balance large doses of love and warmth with sufficient firmness and structure. Kids thrive in these settings. Without love and warmth they tend to feel abandoned and resentful, and without firmness and structure they will often become anxious and/or have behavior Continue Reading
How to Enjoy Summer: 8 Tips for Parents
Perhaps you have been enjoying your summer, getting extra time to have fun with your kids without the pressure of homework and extracurricular activities. Perhaps not. Let’s face it, summer is a mixed bag. For working parents who don’t get time off in the summer, it means an extra set of 30 hours to figure […]
Continue reading...How to Be Your Own Hero & Leave Your Victim Behind
“You can either be a victim of the world or an adventurer in search of treasure. It all depends on how you view your life.” -Paulo Coelho How often do you say things out loud or to yourself like: “He makes me feel stupid!” “I’m depressed because she is always criticizing me.” “I would be […]
Continue reading...Contempt Spells Catastrophe for Relationships
Contempt is a relationship killer. It can and does destroy marriages. It can wound a child’s self image, poison the workplace, and push your friends away. If you don’t know exactly what I mean by contempt, it is disdain for another, openly acting patronizing, insulting, and disrespectful. Contempt is criticism with a twist. When I […]
Continue reading...Back to School Blues: How Family Matters
A three year longitudinal study confirmed what family therapists have observed clinically for decades–namely that patterns of family interaction have profound effects on children–both for better and for worse. Here’s the bottom line: if you want your kids to succeed in school, build a stronger, more loving family. Melissa Sturge-Apple, a researcher from the University […]
Continue reading...ADHD Drug Misuse Skyrockets–What are the Alternatives?
The public has been bombarded in the last few years with news of the dangers of many well-known psychiatric medications. One of the latest health scares of the past few years has been the abuse and misuse of Adderall, commonly prescribed for Attention Deficit Disorder, among college students. Adderall, an amphetamine, is one of several […]
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