When a newborn arrives, it calls out into the world. As her parents take her into their arms and provide care they learn to respond to her cries. When she is hungry she is nursed or bottle fed.  When he is uncomfortable his diaper is changed.  Sometimes the young baby is carried on the parent’s shoulder, patted and whispered to, and the crying stops.  The parent feels connected and accomplished. Their love builds with their ability to understand and respond to their infant ...
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The holidays are upon us, and for many, it is a joyous time filled with many wonderful things. You enjoy special time making memories with friends and family. You might spend time baking, cooking, and eating delicious and indulgent holiday favorites.  You and your family might also spend time searching for and buying the perfect gifts for each other to show how much you care. You might also hop from party to party to celebrate the season amongst close family and friends ...
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Autism is on the rise. The CDC reports that ASD is up from 1 in 68 in 2016 to 1 in 59 in 2018. That’s 15% in just 2 short years.  Most people either know someone in their family or have someone in their community who is impacted by this disorder - we are interacting with people on the spectrum every day.  I work with many individuals and families seeking help, focusing on an array of challenges, including the particularly common side effect of social isolation. Children on the spectrum often display a strong desire to connect with peers but have a lack of skill to appropriately do so.  This means that they very much want to have friends and engage in social activities, but do not have the innate social radar that their neurotypical peers are born with. Thus, when they make social snafus they are continuously told what ...
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When I was an adolescent my sister-in-law taught piano lessons out of my parent’s home. She and I developed a weekly routine. I would babysit her infant daughter while she taught, and afterward, she and I would sit down at the kitchen table and chat until dinnertime. I look back on those afternoons with such warm feelings. Like a typical middle schooler, I was struggling with exploring my identity, maintaining friendships, and establishing some independence from my parents. Unlike other adults, I remember Amy patiently listening as I talked and talked and talked. I felt so important and grown up. Even though I was much younger, I considered Amy to be a close friend. She knew the power of listening and I was so grateful to experience that ...
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A composite of several conversations between parents and a sexual health educator/family therapist Parent (P): My children just turned eleven and fourteen. Should I be speaking to them about sex? Therapist/Educator (TE): This is such an important question. I am so glad you are asking yourself this question because the quality of your relationship with your teens, as they grow through mid and late adolescence, depends on how you choose to answer it. Adolescence is a life phase when we discover our own talents and competencies when we learn to focus our energy on work and get a sense of what we want our future to look like. It is also a moment when we learn about love outside the family and about sex. Adolescents “practice” romantic relationships by flirting and dating. Adolescence is normally the time of the first crush and the first kiss. Most adolescents, if you look ...
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