Classrooms are more than places of academic learning—they are emotional ecosystems where children bring their full selves, including anxiety, anger, sadness, or fears. When a child struggles to regulate emotions, it can affect not only their own learning but also the classroom environment. Teachers often find themselves managing emotional outbursts without the training or support […]
Over the next few weeks, many teenagers will start High School. There will be many changes for them and for you as a parent. As your teen enters high school they are also starting to enter the adult world. This is now a time for them to start to take on new responsibilities and to […]
The other day there was a mass shooting in New York City by a man who believed he had CTE. This is a disorder caused by head traumas, usually concussions. It’s summer time and many teenagers are out swimming, driving and skateboarding just to name a few summer activities. In addition if they play high […]
Why It’s So Hard to Be Kind to Yourself (And How to Start) It’s easy to be kind to everyone except yourself. You hold space for your friends. You offer forgiveness to family. You cheer for strangers online. But when it comes to your own inner voice, it’s a different story. Instead of compassion, you […]
Everyday demands can bring on stress and anxiety, from work, to school, or showing up for others. Feeling overwhelmed with deadlines, pressure, or worry can take a toll on mood, self-esteem, focus, and mental or physical wellbeing. Some stressors may be unavoidable, but developing a stress reduction plan can make it more manageable. Mindfulness is […]
It’s summer and most kids are having fun. While kids are having fun, parents are thinking about the upcoming school year, especially if their children are beginning High School, College or Kindergarten. However, there is another important beginning for children, Middle School. This is a major transition for pre-adolescents. As a psychotherapist who works with […]
Trapped in Survival and Silence You know, I spent so much of my life stuck in survival mode, always afraid, always trying to keep the peace around men’s anger and criticism. Growing up, it was like walking on eggshells, scared I’d get screamed at or berated for any little thing, like I could never just […]
A Childhood Shaped by Fear Growing up, I navigated a world where intense emotions, like my dad’s unpredictable anger, taught me to stay quiet and keep the peace. My nervous system adapted, wiring me to be cautious, always sensing the mood around me to feel safe. That early pattern carried into adulthood, where I found […]
Letting go of a narcissist you love hurts like hell. Love is how you navigate life, how you feel your way through the world. But if you were wired to love people who hurt you—people who demanded you sacrifice yourself, manage their emotions, and abandon your own needs while being treated in ways you didn’t […]
It is common to feel nervous or stressed in sports. However, when nervousness intensifies beyond a window of tolerance to heightened anxiety, athletic performance can decline. Anxiety An anxiety disorder requires a clinical diagnosis and is different from ordinary feelings of nervousness. Symptoms are often defined as “excessive” and “persistent”. Anxiety disorders often consist of […]
