This blog is written by the clinicians at Jonah Green and Associates, a mental health practice based in Kensington, MD that provides quality services for children, teens, families, and adults. It is intended as a resource for families who are seeking to expand their knowledge about mental health and mental health services, and also as a resource for families who are seeking quality mental health services, especially in the mid-Atlantic region.
Parenting in 2024 feels more challenging than ever. Parents today are stressed by increasing demands on their time, rising costs of raising children, reduced support from family and community, less opportunity for unstructured play time that does not require transport or supervision, and a bewildering array of apps and screens that they know are not
The therapeutic power of playing with your kids—and how to get started Play is children’s primary language and the foundation of effective mental health treatments for kids. As a child and family therapist, I rely on the magic of play to treat kids with a wide range of difficulties, such as anxiety, depression, behavioral issues,
Most parents remember when their child lied to them for the first time. Initially, it often seems cute or amusing, but over time, it becomes seen as “bad behavior.” Lying is bad behavior, but it is also a developmental milestone for children that begins a sophisticated relationship process between them and their parents. Around age
Learning to de-escalate our emotions alongside our children’s escalating feelings is the most essential parenting skill we can learn. Dysregulation calls for connection, and when kids dysregulate, we naturally correct them, thereby disconnecting. We may cultivate short-term compliance but also disrupt our relationship with them and lose the opportunity to foster self-regulation skills. When fear
Developed by Eli Lebowitz at the Yale Child Study Center, SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) is an evidence-based, parent-based treatment program for children and adolescents with anxiety, OCD, and related problems. Parents meet with a SPACE-trained clinician to learn how to help their children by changing their behavior. How Come the Program is