Evidence-Based Individual, Couples, Family, and Group Counseling + Nutrition Therapy in Miami (Coral Gables)
What Are 504 Plans and IEPs? If your child is struggling in school due to physical, emotional or behavioral issues, it might be time to look into services and supports to facilitate their learning. Physical conditions, learning disorders, psychiatric conditions, and developmental disorders can impact a student’s progress, but thankfully, there are resources in place,Continue reading 504 Plans and IEPs: Getting Your Children the Help They Need
Participating in sports offers our kids so many benefits: physical activity, teamwork, working toward goals, socialization, fun, and more. Unfortunately, there are some aspects of youth sports that are harmful and detract from the multiple benefits. Here are five observations (as an ex-athlete, a graduate of a master’s program in sport psychology/clinical psychologist, and aContinue reading The Psychology of Youth Sports: What We Continue To Get Wrong
Parenting isn’t always the rosy picture we see portrayed on social media. Most parents struggle sometimes or often, and one of the significant triggers for their distress, especially when their children are young, is meltdowns. Meltdowns, or tantrums, are emotional storms that take their toll on anyone present. And while we can’t really prevent theseContinue reading Coping with Meltdowns: DBT in Action
Why Youth Sports? As someone who studied sport psychology before moving on to clinical, I learned the many benefits of youth sport participation. When children participate in sports, they mature physically, socially, and emotionally. What I find disturbing is a recent spate of advertising for youth sport touting weight loss as a motivation or primaryContinue reading Youth Sports: 10 Reasons to Participate that Have Nothing to Do with Weight
Parenting Is Hard The days are long and challenging. Emotions run high. Tempers flare, you bump up against your child’s emotions, and you lose control. Sometimes, things are so intense that it feels like you won’t make it until bedtime intact. You’re worried, frustrated, and even feel like life is devoid of meaning at times.Continue reading ABC PLEASE Skills – Parenting with DBT: A Series on Effective Parenting Strategies
Have You Experienced Mom Shaming? You’re unable to breastfeed, and a cadre of women tell you that you’re compromising you child’s attachment, development, and intellectual potential. You sleep apart from your infant, and they say you child is lonely and scared. You co-sleep, and they say you will crush or asphyxiate your baby. You goContinue reading Mom Shaming: Why It Needs to Stop
Are you sure you don’t want some cauliflower? A Bite of broccoli? A carrot drowned in ranch? Anything? Please? If you ask my kids if they eat vegetables, they’ll probably say no. Actually, it’s possible that one kid will tell you about the time he tried a cucumber in Ms. Vivian’s class (1.5 years ago).Continue reading Why I Don’t Make My Kids Eat Vegetables
You’re so sick of saying the same things. “Marco, pick up your socks.” “Vanessa, stop hitting your brother.” “Monique, put down your phone and do your homework.” Sometimes, you sound like a broken record, complaining about the same things your child is or isn’t doing. And the truth is, you just can’t take it anymore.Continue reading Radical Acceptance – Parenting with DBT: A Series on Effective Parenting Strategies
If Boys Could Cry. . . We were at a park one day that had a carousel on site. One of my sons usually passes up the opportunity for rides. He’s scared and gets motion sick easily. But on this particular day, he said he wanted to give the merry-go-round a try. We hopped onContinue reading If Boys Could Cry and Girls Could Get Angry
My kids eat sugar. They have dessert most nights and will sometimes choose sweets as snacks. They eat cookies and cake, sugary yogurts and breakfast foods, and yes, candy. They love candy. If your child has a similar preference for sugary foods, congratulate yourself. Your child’s brain and body are working in a manner consistentContinue reading Let the Kids Eat Sugar!
Loving parents have caring children. – Chinese proverb “I’m sad for you, Mommy,” my son announced. I had just leaned in to kiss my other son on the head at the same time he decided to jump up in the air, smashing his head into my lower lip. I winced in pain, and blood startedContinue reading Raising Empathic Children