Child and Family Mental Health - Montgomery County, MD - Bethesda - Maryland - Child Therapist - Teen Adolescent Therapy Counseling - Washington, DC

Quality Therapy for You, Your Child, and Your Family

3930 Knowles Avenue :: Suite 200 and Suite 206 :: Kensington, MD 20895
phone: 301-466-9526 :: email us

  • Home
  • Services
    • Family Therapy
    • Couples Therapy
    • Individual Therapy
    • Play Therapy
    • Group Therapy
    • Referral and Advocacy
    • Parenting Consultations
    • Psychological Consultations and Evaluations
  • Forms
  • Our Clinicians
    • Jonah Green, LCSW-C
    • Ricardo “Ric” Andrews, LGPC
    • Heidi Cohen, LCSW-C, CGABS
    • Ashley Copeland, LCMFT
    • Katherine Doyle, LMSW
    • Jingshuai Du, Ph.D., LGMFT
    • Chris Erb, LGMFT
    • Jennifer Firestone, LCSW-C
    • Shannon Golub, MSW Student Intern
    • Yasmin Meyers, LCSW-C
    • Lori Rothfeld, JD, LMSW
    • Annie C. Scheiner, LCMFT
    • Abigail Schwartz, JD, LCSW-C
    • Farah Shirazi, LMSW
    • Jess Silbermann, LCSW-C
    • Kathy Voglmayr, LCSW-C
  • Blog
  • Resources For Families
    • Supports and Services for Children and Families
    • Recommended Providers for Children, Adolescents and Families
    • Recommended Books and Other Media
  • Resources For Clinicians
  • Contact

Welcome to Our Blog!

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. Please feel free to post questions and comments on any of the entries as well as on any topics or articles from our companion web site www.childandfamilymentalhealth.com.

July 1, 2019

Mindfully Making the Most of Your Summer

 

Ahhh, summer. The weather is warm, the sun is shining, the days are long, and the kids are out of school. The end of the school year was exhausting, and you are ready for a restful and relaxing break.  Although you’ve vowed to be more present this summer, the daily demands of life continue to get in the way of that promise.  Between camp carpool, work deadlines, and packing the family for the beach, your stress level (and your family’s) isn’t any different than it is during the school year.  If this sounds like your version of summer vacation, mindfulness can help!

What is mindfulness?

Sometimes when people hear mindfulness, their initial response is to picture a skilled yogi sitting cross-legged in a candlelit room chanting “ohhhmmm.”  Often, this preconceived notion gives mindfulness a bad rap.  Mindfulness is, in fact, the act of consciously focusing your mind in the present moment without judgement and without attachment to the moment.

Why be mindful?

Research has shown that mindfulness can help with a variety of issues stemming from depression, emotion regulation, and anxiety to sleep disturbances and self-esteem.  It can help us bring our awareness to what is going on for us externally and internally.  We can then become much more attuned to what’s happening in the present.  Mindfulness practice can also help our kids learn to pay attention to their minds and their bodies and to better understanding their feelings.

How can I introduce mindfulness to my family?

Mindfulness practice looks different for everyone.  It can include yoga, meditation, or deep breathing and can be practiced individually or with others.  A wonderful benefit of practicing mindfulness as a family is that it can fuel connection and create fun memories.  It also gives our kids (and us for that matter) a much-needed break from screen time.  Now that we know what mindfulness is and how it can be beneficial, here are three ways to incorporate it into your family’s daily life, starting this summer!

Observe the Sky

 

Spread a blanket out on the grass and take some time to stare at the clouds. What shapes do you see? Are there any animals or people? Spend about 15-20 minutes really studying and observing the sky.  Take notice of how the clouds roll along. Are there any changes in the shapes that you saw initially? Did a cloud look like a dog and change to a giraffe? This is a wonderful way to introduce the idea that our minds can act like the sky: thoughts float through and change on their own. We can take the time to watch our thoughts in our minds like we watched the clouds.

Change it up: Try this on a particularly starry night! How many stars can you count? Do you see any constellations?

Get Outside for the Popsicle Challenge

 

Eat a Popsicle on a hot day! Except this time, do it mindfully.  Challenge your family to be completely silent until they finish the whole popsicle.  Really encourage them to use their senses while eating. What flavor do they notice? Do they hear anything while they’re eating? What does the popsicle smell like?  Does the popsicle start to feel different in their mouth as it starts melting? Was it hard to stay quiet the whole time?

Change it up: Try this mindful eating with delicious summer berries or some refreshing lemonade after a fun family bike ride.

 

Take Your Senses on a Walk

 

Go for a walk in your neighborhood and ask your family to notice 10 things they’ve never paid attention to before. Maybe it’s the color of the neighbor’s front door or how many different types of flowers they can find. Maybe there are different sounds or smells that they notice too! Start a conversation about why these things have gone unnoticed. Mindfulness involves slowing down and observing, so this activity is great to turn movement into mindfulness practice!

Change it up: On a particularly stormy or steamy day, try a listening walk at the mall! What sorts of foods do you smell at the food court? How many voices do you hear walking through the halls? Are there stores you’ve never noticed before?

 

 

Filed Under: Families and Society, mental health Tagged With: family time, mindfulness

November 20, 2017

Why We Need Thankfulness This Thanksgiving

What are the first associations that pop into your mind when you think of the traditional American Thanksgiving holiday?  Turkey and pumpkin pie?  Football?  The long and tedious hours of travel that you are about to endure?  The family arguments about politics you are about to suffer through?  While many things come to mind for most of us, the ideas of “thankfulness” or “gratefulness”, which are inherent in the Thanksgiving holiday, can often seem to be mostly forgotten.

Image result for grateful family on thanksgiving

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Families and Society, Family Therapy Tagged With: family time, holidays, Thanksgiving

November 20, 2016

Thanksgiving in the Midst of Post-Election Polarization

Before the election my colleague Stacey Schwenker posted an excellent blog on striving to thrive during the holidays. Since then we have seen stress levels skyrocket as folks are contemplating a Thanksgiving with family members polarized across the political divide. Whether you are facing one holiday meal or a few days of enforced family time, does thought of the upcoming Thanksgiving feel overwhelming or horrifying? If so, here are some ideas that might help you navigate this minefield.

636149834918978155-thanksgiving10411048-10205406141411889-3785991841662872754-n

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Families and Society, Relationships Tagged With: Annie Scheiner, family time, holidays

November 1, 2016

Thriving During the Holidays: Lessons from Saturday Night Live

Saturday Night Live’s sketch of Adele’s Hello song was the talk of the 2015 Thanksgiving season. The scene opens with a family sitting down for a Thanksgiving meal, with five adults and a child (a young girl who looks about 10 years old). Within a few moments different opinions are flying and the family is in heated argument. The little girl takes a deep breath, gets up, and turns on a cd player. Adele’s newest song, Hello, which had just been released a month prior, begins its melodious chords. The 5 adults straighten. Their faces turn gentle and soft. They begin to reach across the table and hold one another’s hand. “Hello from the other side…,” they sing along. After a few lines, the music fades. The adults compose themselves. Then, in an instant, they begin to squabble again. The girl goes back to the CD player. The ballad resumes. Faces soften and hands reach. It seems that the only way to connect the family is through this song. The sketch is aptly named, A Thanksgiving Miracle.

download

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Families and Society Tagged With: family therapy, family time, holidays

October 5, 2016

The Value of Family Meetings

All families who come into my office, no matter what their particular issues are, all share one common characteristic; their family system is experiencing stress.  In addition, most families have not been able to sit down together and effectively address each other’s concerns.  Indeed, few families do; while it is common in many settings for people to meet together to solve problems (volunteer organizations, work, etc.), few families regularly set aside time to address concerns.  As weeks fly by in a rush of work schedules, carpools, and sports practices, problems can often build up.  Making time for family meetings can help families focus on improving the family atmosphere and family relationships, and head off problems before they build up.  Here are some ideas for making meetings work:

family-meeting

 

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Families and Society, Parenting, Relationships Tagged With: family time, Jonah Green and Associates

  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Check it out – Topics

  • The Benefit of Numbers: Group Therapy for Children and Adolescents
  • A Closer Look at Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
  • Play Therapy: Questions and Answers
  • Choosing a Therapist for Your Child
  • Treatment Orientation in Child and Family Therapy
  • Tackling Teenage Depression
  • The Healing Power of Family Therapy
  • The Power of the Parenting Consult
  • The Co-Parenting Cure
  • Addressing ADHD
  • Overcoming Anxiety Disorders
  • Getting Your Teen to Treatment
  • Step by Step Towards Step Family Success
  • Couples Therapy

Services Offered

  • Family Therapy
  • Couples Therapy
  • Individual Therapy
  • Group Therapy
  • Referral and Advocacy
  • Parenting Consultations

Jonah Green and Associates, LLC

Jonah Green and Associates, LLC is a highly regarded group of mental health clinicians who treat children, teens, and families with a variety of emotional, behavioral, and relationship concerns... read more
verified by Psychology Today verified by Psychology Today Directory Jonah Green - Wiser

RECENT POSTS

  • Maintaining Consistency Through Routine and Ritual in the Summer Months
  • Connecting with Your Family Through Screens
  • A Shared Space for Healing: Family Therapy for Addiction
  • Finding Trauma Treatment for Children in Your Care
  • For This New Year’s Resolution, Consider Adding a Self-Compassion Goal 

Connect with Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter

SEARCH

Serving Maryland, Montgomery County, Kensington, Rockville, Silver Spring, Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Washington, DC

2023 © Jonah Green and Associates - Child and Family Mental Health
Website Design by: VanStudios