Dandelion Mental Health Services

07/14/2025

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http://shorturl.at/Y81hr

04/17/2025

NOPE! You failed on this article Wall Street Journal. You are dead wrong. No parent should allow their underaged child to drink. It is NOT teaching them responsibility, it is teaching them to be future addicts. Know the facts.

Here are some concrete facts about underage drinking and its effects on addiction:

- *Brain Development:* The brain continues to develop until the mid-20s, and alcohol exposure can disrupt this process, leading to long-term cognitive and behavioral problems (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
- *Addiction Risk:* People who start drinking before age 21 are more likely to develop an alcohol use disorder (AUD) than those who start drinking at age 21 or older (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).
- *Statistics:*
- Approximately 696,000 adolescents (ages 12-17) had an AUD in 2021 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).
- Underage drinking costs the US economy over $24 billion annually (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism).
- *Risks:* Underage drinking increases the risk of:
- Impaired brain development and cognitive function
- Increased risk of addiction and substance abuse
- Higher risk of injury, violence, and death
- Poor academic performance and decreased educational attainment

Sources:

- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

The habits your children start before their brains are fully developed are more likely to stick with them for the rest of their lives. Please teach them healthy habits and not binge drinking.

Please advise your underage children to hold off on drinking for as long as they can.

Parents are tagging along with their high-school seniors to share the experience, monitor their drinking and make sure they wear sunscreen.

04/04/2025

Narcissism is the new mental health buzz word. Is it really on the rise?

https://www.webmd.com/balance/news/20250403/are-people-more-narcissistic-than-ever?ecd=soc_in_250403_cons_news_peoplemorenarcissisticlinkinbio&utm_campaign=feed&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=later-linkinbio&fbclid=PAY2xjawJcHdpleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABprDb0XvX7tSB6jyfL9oDr0JO5UrRyOdjn8pgiJPjDMtDEHcb5UqAz5ZVHg_aem_B8ep9fNeTCqOUesywAz2Iw

How shifts in parenting styles, reality TV, and social media created a self-obsessed culture -- and why we should be worried.

04/02/2025

03/29/2025

Spring in Texas is here. Welcome to new life and growth.

03/18/2025

I'm a huge fan of John and Julie Gottman's work! Their research has revolutionized our understanding of relationships.

Did you know that a staggering *69%* of relationship conflicts are never resolved? (Source: Gottman Institute)

Instead of trying to "win" arguments or eliminate conflicts entirely, the Gottmans teach us to focus on building a strong foundation of communication, empathy, and understanding.

By learning how to navigate conflicts in a healthy way, we can actually strengthen our relationships and find happiness despite disagreements!

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Most relationship problems aren’t meant to be solved, they’re meant to be managed. Dr. John Gottman’s research shows that 69% of relationship conflicts are perpetual, meaning they won’t go away no matter how much you try to “fix” them. Instead of letting these differences create distance, successful couples focus on understanding each other and creating a dialogue around their recurring disagreements.

One key? Approach conflict with curiosity, not criticism. By listening, validating emotions, and making space for each other’s perspectives, you build a foundation of trust and connection, even when you disagree.

03/10/2025

“Mom, I picked you some flowers on my way home from school”

Try to notice the little happy things in your life this week. They help you get through the hard and make the happy times even sweeter.

01/22/2025

Jess is one of our amazing therapists and she suddenly has an opening. Give us a call if you are interested in working with her. She offers free consultation calls. www.dandelionmentalhealthservices.com

01/12/2025

Research shows about 15% of the population have the ability to self reflect. Even fewer have the ability to solve conflict and emotionally regulate.

Don’t take people’s lack of emotional skills, personally. It’s rarely about us— even when it feels good to believe it is.

Freeing yourself from taking things personally allows you to set boundaries, not drown in shame, and to stop trying to fix what you didn’t break

01/09/2025

Happy snow day!

01/08/2025

Men may not recognize that many women experience an evolutionarily-driven baby hunger or what I call baby derangement syndrome. Knowing that your kids are getting older means that you are getting older too, and it is likely (or definite for some) that you will never have another baby. This causes many women deep, daily sadness that they feel is too “silly” to share with their partner. In my practice, I have never seen a man yearn for a baby in the same way that a woman does, especially once they already have had one or more kids. This is a deep difference between you and your wife, and you can understand more about how much your wife thinks about the kids in general by reading this.

https://www.drpsychmom.com/why-your-wife-gets-so-sad-about-the-kids-growing-up/