Living well with ADHD, Anxiety, and Autistic Stress
Advice from our Maryland Therapists for LGBTQIA+ families, neurodiverse families, and YOU
Help! My child is a middle-schooler!
The day has finally come. Wide eyes navigating rows of lockers, dozens of classrooms, and long, tiled, hallways. Not just a new backpack and school supplies this year, but a new schedule, a new school, new faces, and wait… how many different teachers do I have to remember?! The transition to middle school is an exciting one, but equally nerve-wracking, for many incoming 6th graders.
When ADHD is Traveling with You (Planning Vacations with Your ADHD Child)
My middle schooler and I recently traveled through Alaska with a school group. This was the first time I brought my child on a trip I hadn’t planned myself, and it was a bit of a shock. Even as a child and family therapist who specializes in ADHD, I somehow neglected to think about the challenges that long hours of scheduled activities and daily packing/unpacking would bring.
Supporting Your Child’s Independence: Summer Camp Edition
You’ve already filled out the forms, paid the bill, and labeled their clothes. Now it’s time to get your children to their summer camps! Whether you’re racing to catch the camp bus, nurturing an anxious child through the transition to a new place, or helping your ADHD kiddo find that elusive other shoe, there’s added stress for parents this time of year.
Looking for a Child Psychologist in Maryland? Try a Family Therapist instead.
Many families don’t think to contact a Family Therapist to address the needs of their child. However, family is the context in which your child learns and grows. Much of his social and emotional development is happening in his relationship with you, making you the #1 most powerful tool for behavioral change.
Helping Your Relationship Bloom This Spring
Spring is the time when the trees and flowers bounce back to life. If you’re feeling like your relationship could use a boost to really blossom this spring, consider doing the following…
Self Care: Listening to Yourself
Being in relationships means that we play important roles in others’ lives. As life creates challenges for us and for those around us, we find ourselves prioritizing being a parent, partner, son, daughter, employee, boss, sibling, or friend to stay connected and support those we love (or keep our jobs). But what happens when the expectations of our various roles pull us in many different directions at once?
Looking for a Therapist? Find out what you’ve already done right and how to help your children do it too.
One of the most important changes you’ll make in therapy starts before you ever meet your therapist. It’s the shift from feeling stuck, trapped, or limited in your power to suddenly thinking “this is something I could change.”
Special Needs Parents, We See You!
Your children may not yet have the time or the skills to tell you how much you help them, so we want you to know that we see the work you do every day. We are excited for you when your child reaches a new milestone (every step counts!), and awed by the tireless work you do to help him/her get there. The effort you put it does make a difference, and it’s a big one.
Coping with the Federal Furlough
This has been a stressful month for many local families. In times of prolonged stress, successful coping includes strategies to manage both the logistical and the emotional components of the problem. Start with strategies that address the part of the problem (logistical/emotional) that feels most urgent to you, but don’t forget to circle back and handle the other half afterward. Here are our tips for making it through without a shutdown meltdown.
Skip the Snow Day Guilt
I wake up on snow days with a mind full of possibilities. I could clean the closet, do my taxes, or spend all day playing with my kids! At the end of the day I usually feel disappointed (in myself) that I didn’t complete any of my grand plans. Here’s my advice for avoiding the same predicament.
Don’t Forget to Connect (with each other) this Holiday Season
The holiday season is in full swing, with all the to-do list tasks it brings. There are big meals to cook, gatherings to attend, shopping and wrapping to do, and so much more! It’s easy to get swept up in the hustle and bustle and forget to connect with our children, partners, and other loved ones. Here are a few ideas for staying close this holiday season.
How Do You Feel?
You can use this wheel of emotions in many ways, but today we suggest you use it to expand your emotional vocabulary. Find the most specific word you can for how you’re feeling, and try letting those closest to you know how you feel.
Getting Things Done with ADHD
When someone in your household has ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, with or without hyperactivity), it changes the way your family functions. Here are a few ground rules from our ADHD therapists to help you get it all done.
Thankfulness Boosts Our Mental Health
This is the time of year when we talk about thankfulness, a conversation we truly should be having all year. Research has identified gratitude as an antidote to Depression and a booster of sleep, self esteem, and relationships. When we spend a little time each day focusing on what we appreciate, we alter the story of our lives to emphasize the joy.