News

Getting Out of Your Own Way

This Psychology Today article is called “Getting Out of Your Own Way: Bias and Self Defeating Actions.” Research shows the self-criticism is rarely, if ever, an effective way to change behavior. What’s a good alternative then for when you fall short of your goals and standards? This article would argue self-compassion.

Key takeaways include:

  1. Understanding the difference between ‘self compassion’ and ‘self pity’.
  2. Strategies to make self-compassion a habit. It’s one thing to be nice to yourself in times of hardship. It can be a challenge to do it consistently but well worth the effort.

Foster self-compassion by checking out our individual therapy services

Try These 3 Self-Compassion Tips

This Psychology Today article is called “Painfully Self-Critical? Try These 3 Self-Compassion Tips.” Self-compassion, or positive affirming self-talk to use we fall short of our goals, is an incredibly therapeutic tool to have in our repertory. Still, it’s one thing to want to be self-compassionate, it’s another to build it into practice. This article goes over some strategies for being self-compassionate in our day-to-day lives. It’s a good read and we recommend you check it out. Take a look at our individual therapy services to help get you started on the road to greater self-compassion.

The Rise of “Therapy-Speak”

We recommend this New Yorker article called “The Rise of Therapy-Speak.” As psychotherapy becomes less stigmatized, more people go to therapy, and more people incorporate the language of therapy into their day-to-day lives. We think that’s great! But there may be a downside to the rise of therapy-speak as well. When everyone is an expert, the very real problems people with mental health issues suffer may be trivialized. What do you think?

Emotional Intelligence in Kids

What exactly is emotional intelligence? Well, a quick Google search reveals that emotional intelligence “is the ability to understand, use, and manage your own emotions in positive ways to relieve stress, communicate effectively, and empathize with others.” But how exactly, do we raise emotionally intelligent children? Here is a New York Times article talking about just that. Some key habits to start building with your kids include:

  1. The importance of having a “feelings check-in” with your kids.
  2. Strategies to create a calm environment when your kid is tapping into their feelings.

Enhance emotional intelligence with our parent-focused therapy and child therapy services.

Children’s Tantrums and What To Do About Them

Kids, and sometimes even adults, have tantrums. They are unpleasant to witness, and often even more unpleasant to experience firsthand. But why do they happen, and what should you as a parent do when they occur? Here is a New York Times article talking about just that. The key to managing tantrums? Try to nip them in the bud before they start.

Some takeaways include:

  1. The science and physiology of a meltdown.
  2. Tips for managing your own emotional response as a parent.
  3. Insights on how to manage & validate your child’s experience.

Find out how child therapy and parent-focused therapy can help

COVID-19 & Special Education

Here is a New York Times article about disability education in the time of the pandemic. The author shares her own experiences on the topic — her 7-year-old has autism. But she also talks about what’s happening around the country with special education, and how some kids might not be well-served during the pandemic. As Individualized Education Programs are changing to an online format, some parents have to learn new ways to advocate for their children. Find out how we can help support your efforts to advocate with a comprehensive evaluation.

Pandemic Teacher Support Group

With the coming school year, teachers are having to navigate uncharted waters like never before. As if managing the stresses of regular teaching weren’t enough, teachers must not only educate but enforce and oversee complicated protocols as their school administrations struggle to keep up with local and state guidance. Join us for an 8-week support group where teachers can share frustrations, worries, feelings and ideas in a warm and supportive, judgment free environment. Learn coping strategies, self-care tools, and get expert guidance under the leadership of group facilitator, Gerard Micera, who has the unique qualification of being both an educator and a psychologist.

When? Wednesdays at 4pm, September 9th – October 28th
Where? Google Meet
Cost? $240 for full 8-weeks. Space is limited to 12 participants.

Click Here to Enroll

Pandemic Parent Support Group

Times are tough for parents right now. With school just weeks away, parents are having to make tough decisions. Working from home or is it living at work? How to make the commute work? Remote, hybrid, homeschool, masks, shields, pods, six feet, ventilation, rapid tests, A/B, AM/PM, staggered drop offs, socially distanced playdates, bubbles? One year ago, this vocabulary would have sounded alien to all of us. Now we’re living it and anxiety levels have increased for parents and children alike. The very concepts of home, work and school have turned upside down. Join us for an 8-week support group where parents can share frustrations, worries, feelings and ideas in a warm and supportive, judgment free environment. Learn coping strategies, self-care tools, and get parenting guidance and resources from group facilitators, Marisa Picheny and Emily Bly.

When? Tuesdays at 8pm, September 8th – October 27th
Where? Google Meet
Cost? $240 for full 8-weeks. Space is limited to 12 participants.

Click Here to Enroll