Parenting
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8 Damaging Phrases Parents Say
Children often look towards their parents to find truth and safety in the world. You have great power over your children’s self-esteem and mental health - and your words are no exception. Let’s take a look at some of the most damaging things parents say to children, and what can be said instead.
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The Importance of Parents (and Siblings) Being in Therapy, Too
To me, one member of the household in therapy, is like only filling one car tire with air… All tires must be full and the axis aligned for the car to run smoothly. This is not just limited to parents, but includes siblings, too.
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Redefining Success: Prioritizing Mental Health in Tumultuous Times
A common concern brought to light in therapy is the tendency for clients to be too hard on themselves, to be too rigid with their expectations, or to fall prey to all or nothing thinking. These thoughts might sound like “It’s not good enough”, “This is not how I pictured it”, “If I don’t get an A, then I might as well fail”, or “That person is so good at it, I must be awful”. As a therapist, I often find myself trying to help my clients be kind to themselves rather than bullying themselves into performance. We try to find the line between being self-motivated and self-critical. These common…
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The Misconceptions Behind Self Harming Behaviors
Self harm is on the rise* in the US and around the globe. Yet many misconceptions around the behavior continue to persist. These misconceptions often lead to missed opportunities to intervene and provide proper treatment. It also leaves those who self-harm feeling stigmatized and ashamed to ask for help. What is Self Harm? Self-harm is the more commonly used word for Nonsuicidal Self-Injury (NSSI). Mental health professionals use the definition of NSSI from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5): the deliberate, self-inflicted destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned, includes behaviors such as cutting, burning, biting and scratching skin. While the…
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Netflix’s The Social Dilemma: A Therapist’s Perspective
Lately, our virtual offices have been full of teenagers complaining their parents are “crazy” and “taking away their technology” after watching Netflix’s documentary, The Social Dilemma. We also have parents calling in a panic that their child is going to commit suicide if they remain on social media. Needless to say, both teens and parents are shook. For those who have not yet watched the film, it explores the negative consequences of social media. They focus mainly on social media’s exploitation of users (and their data), the addicting effects it can have, how quickly false information can be spread and its correlation to mental health. Below are four impressions from…