Staying connected and building a strong relationship with your teenager takes more than simply being around each other. Due to COVID-19, it is likely you have spent a larger quantity of time with your teen, but how would you rate the quality of your time together? Building closeness in your relationship requires you to be available and…
Figuring out whether your child is an introvert or an extrovert is not always an easy task. As a mother to 3 girls (including one identical twin who is introverted, one who is extroverted!), I am constantly looking for similarities and differences in how my girls relate with one another and their environment. One of…
As a result of COVID-19 and physical distancing measures, many people are now using telehealth or video conferencing to see their psychologist. As a practice that has offered online therapy for some time we have learnt a few things along the way which the team at Stirling Connections wanted to share. There are also a number…
When I was training to become a therapist, I knew that I did not want to work with children. I had a heart for the elderly and hurting adults, but I was afraid to work with children because I knew they would break my heart; I knew I would shed tears and perhaps not be…
The teen years are an important developmental time. Important things that happen during this time include: 1. Forming important relationships Teens spend more and more time with peers. Peers influence the formation of their identity and allow to them to try out different groups to see where they fit in. Teens may face stress in…
For those of us in a state of lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic, never before has the world seemed more complicated, yet daily lives more simplified. Our sense of control and stability has been ripped away from us, and we are now required to steer in this tumultuous landscape when the wheel is no…
With the rapid increase of child and adolescent cases of anxiety, parents are scrambling trying to help their children from falling deeper. Some of the most widely used methods of coping with anxiety are cognitive behavioral therapy and art therapy as well as common medications. Although there is evidence that both approaches work, only half…
As we all know, puberty is a very stressful time. It’s a time of change in multiple facets of adolescent lives: physiological, physical, psychological and social as well. It takes some time to get used to all the turmoil. Some of the most shocking physical changes are the growth spurts, new growth of hair and…
MANAGING TIME-A LIFE SKILL WORTH LEARNING As parents prepare their youth for adulthood they focus on over 25 life skills that their child needs to learn and practice at a mastery level prior to entering into their adult years. Why a mastery level? Because if we allow mediocre work at home and in school and…
PARENTING ADULT-LIKE CHILDREN An article to share: With some of my own insights. Parents are often overwhelmed as their children become adults in chronological age yet still have the maturity and judgment of a 15 year old – less. Adult children should be equipped with life skills and motivated to take on adult responsibilities like…