Child & Adolescent Psychotherapy Services

08/26/2025

Why Positive Affirmations Matter for Teens (and Parents too!)

The way we start and end our day can shape our mindset, energy, and outlook. That’s where positive affirmations come in. By repeating simple, uplifting phrases, we train our brains to focus on possibility, resilience, and hope—rather than fear or self-doubt.

Here’s an easy way to begin:

☀️ Morning Affirmations
“I choose to have a great day today.”
“Great things will happen for me today.”

🌙 Nighttime Affirmations
“I choose to have a great day tomorrow.”
“Great things will happen for me tomorrow.”

How to do it:

Say them out loud while looking in the mirror, or quietly to yourself if that feels more comfortable.

Take a deep breath in and out before each one.

Repeat them a few times until you feel calmer, stronger, and more focused.

Why it’s important:
Affirmations don’t magically erase challenges—but they set the tone. They remind us to approach the day with confidence, to notice good things around us, and to believe in our own ability to handle what comes our way.

Start and end your day with these words—and watch how your mindset begins to shift toward positivity and possibility.

08/26/2025

Supporting Your Child with Back-to-School Anxiety~~

As the school year begins, many children feel a mix of excitement and worry. For kids who struggle with anxiety, the transition can feel especially overwhelming. Parents often want to help but aren’t sure what to say or do in those stressful moments. Here are some ways to support your child while also helping them build confidence:

-Acknowledge and Normalize Feelings
Let your child know it’s okay to feel nervous. Reassure them that many students—even teachers—have back-to-school jitters. Naming emotions (“I can see you’re feeling nervous about the bus”) helps kids feel understood.

-Create Predictability
Review schedules, visit the school if possible (call and ask to tour), and set up routines at home for bedtime, mornings, and homework. Predictability lowers anxiety by helping children know what to expect.

**Visual Tip: Use charts, calendars, or simple picture schedules to make routines clear and concrete. For example:
Morning routine checklist (🛏️ Wake up → 🥞 Breakfast → 🎒 Pack backpack → 🚌 School)

**Weekly calendar with school days, sports, and family time marked

**“What to Expect at School” flow chart (from arrival to dismissal)

**Visuals give kids a sense of structure and control, which reduces uncertainty and calms anxious feelings.

-Practice Coping Skills
Teach and practice simple tools: deep breathing, positive self-talk (“I can do hard things”), or grounding strategies like “5-4-3-2-1 senses.” Practicing before the first day helps these skills feel familiar when needed.

- Encourage Problem-Solving
Instead of rushing to fix every worry, ask: “What’s one thing you think might help?” Empowering your child to generate solutions builds resilience and independence.

-Balance Reassurance with Confidence
It’s natural to want to comfort, but too much reassurance can reinforce anxiety. Instead, show confidence in your child: “I know this feels hard, and I also know you can handle it.”

- Stay Connected
Plan a special after-school ritual—whether it’s a snack, walk, or check-in—to give your child something predictable and comforting to look forward to.

Back-to-school transitions are a process. With support, patience, and consistent routines, your child can move through the anxiety and find their footing.

08/26/2025

Supporting Your College Student Through the First Weeks~When That First Call Home Isn’t What You Expected
After the initial drop-off, there’s usually a mix of excitement and nerves—for both parents and students. And then that first call home comes. Instead of being filled with positive stories, it can sometimes carry a very different tone. The moment you hear your child’s voice, you may pick up on the stress, worry, or self-doubt that often comes with such a big transition. Classes can already feel overwhelming, friendships may be slower to form, and the independence of college life can quickly feel more challenging than freeing.

What you can do as a parent:
Listen first. Resist the urge to jump right in with solutions. Let your student share their feelings fully before offering fixes. Sometimes being heard is the most powerful support.

Normalize the challenge. Reassure them that many students struggle at the beginning—it’s part of adjusting, not a sign of failure. Remind them that learning how to live independently and manage new responsibilities takes time.

Ask open-ended questions. Instead of “Are you keeping up with your work?” try “What’s felt different about managing your schedule compared to high school?” This invites conversation rather than yes/no answers.

Encourage small steps. Suggest breaking big assignments into smaller, manageable pieces, using planners or phone reminders, and seeking out resources like office hours, writing centers, or tutoring services.

Highlight balance. Encourage them to eat regularly, get enough rest, and find even small ways to relax—whether that’s exercise, music, or connecting with new peers. A balanced routine supports resilience.

Promote connection. Remind them that making friends takes time. Encourage joining a club, attending dorm events, or going to the student center. Social connection reduces isolation and builds support.

Notice red flags. Be mindful if you hear about skipped classes, avoidance of social or academic life, constant overwhelm, or withdrawal from communication. These may be signals your student needs more structured support.

💙 Most importantly—remind them you believe in their ability to navigate challenges, and that you’ll be a steady presence, no matter what.

08/19/2025

Here We Go Again… Back to School! Some tips for anxious kids~

Transitions can be tough, but with a little preparation, your child can begin the school year feeling confident and calm. Here are some top tips to make the process smoother:

1. Re-establish Routines

Sleep Schedule: Start shifting bedtime and wake-up times gradually so they’re well-rested by the first day.

Morning Practice: Try a “dress rehearsal” morning—wake up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and pack up—so the routine feels natural.

2. Get Organized
Let your child help pick out school supplies. Having ownership builds excitement and reduces resistance.

3. Use Visual Schedules
Post a simple chart or checklist so kids know what’s happening each day. Clear expectations lower stress and make mornings smoother.

4. Address Worries
Encourage your child to share both what excites them and what makes them nervous. Listen closely, problem-solve together, and validate their feelings. Reassure them with phrases like: “I know starting a new class can feel a little scary, but I also know you can do it!” Communicate confidence in them!
*Note: If it’s a new school, visit ahead of time or arrange to meet the teacher—familiarity helps ease anxiety.

5. Involve Your Child

Set simple goals (like reading one new book a month or joining a club).

Offer choices—outfits, lunch options, or after-school activities—so they feel more in control.

6. Plan for Socialization

Reconnect with classmates before school starts—through a playdate, quick FaceTime, or even a handwritten note. Get them involved in a club or school based activity.

Role-play tricky situations, like introducing themselves or asking to join a group.

7. Keep it Positive
Your attitude sets the tone. Share your excitement about the year ahead.
Celebrate the first day with a special breakfast or a surprise note in their lunchbox.

08/11/2025

School should be a place where children learn, grow, and feel supported. But for many kids, it can also be a source of anxiety, frustration, and overwhelm. When students struggle, families often face their own challenges navigating school systems, supports, and services.

If you’re a parent looking for ways to help your child manage stress and anxiety at school, please reach out to schedule an appointment.

07/30/2025

07/30/2025

Task initiation is a core executive function—it’s the ability to start a task without excessive delay, procrastination, or mental roadblocks. It’s what allows someone to shift from “I need to do this” to actually doing it.

For kids with ADHD, this can be incredibly difficult—not because they’re lazy or oppositional, but because of how their brains are wired.

Here’s why:

Dopamine Dysregulation – ADHD brains often struggle to produce and use dopamine efficiently. Since dopamine plays a key role in motivation and reward, tasks that feel boring, difficult, or repetitive can be extra hard to start.

⏰ Poor Time Awareness – Many kids with ADHD have a “now or not now” relationship with time. If something isn’t urgent or stimulating right now, it can feel impossible to begin.

Emotional Overload – Anxiety, frustration, or fear of failure can quickly overwhelm their system, causing freeze responses or shutdowns instead of action.

In short: Task initiation isn’t about willpower—it’s about neurodevelopment. And when we understand that, we can stop blaming the child and start building the supports they need to succeed.

07/30/2025

Hey Parents—Do you have a child with ADHD?
Are you finding it hard to get them to start a task—whether it’s getting dressed, beginning homework, or even just brushing their teeth?

For kids with ADHD, getting started is often harder than doing the task itself.

It’s not laziness. It’s not defiance.
There’s a pause—an invisible moment—between wanting to act and being able to act… where everything just stalls.

~Their brain hesitates.
~Their body stays still.
💭 They want to do it—but the bridge between “I should” and “I’m doing it” just isn’t built yet.

This isn’t refusal—it’s a skill delay.
Kids with ADHD are often 3–5 years behind their neurotypical peers in emotional and executive functioning. They’re not being oppositional. They’re still learning how to begin.

This is called a physiological delay—and understanding it is the first step toward breaking the cycle of stress and frustration.

So how can you help (without pushing, yelling, or punishing)?
Here are three powerful strategies to support initiation:

1. Be specific with the entry point.
Instead of saying, “Go get ready for school,” try breaking it down:
✔️ “Stand up.” (pause)
✔️ “Now walk to your room.” (pause)
✔️ “Pick up your socks.”

This is called task activation—you’re helping their brain do what it can’t yet do independently: start.

2. Anchor the task in the room, not in their head.
Forget charts and lists for now—we’ll get to independence, but first we scaffold the skill.

Make the task visible and tangible:
👉 Point to the backpack
👉 Tap the chair
👉 Hand them the shirt

The more the task lives in the space around them instead of just in their mind, the more likely it is to happen.

3. Praise motion, not perfection.
Catch the very first step:
💬 “There you go—you started!”

For kids used to hearing what they didn’t do, being noticed for what they did can be incredibly empowering. It says: “I see your effort”—and effort is what rewires the brain for follow-through.

Where we can slip~~
We assume they’re being lazy or unmotivated. So we raise our voice, take things away, try to light a fire under them.

But:

❌ Punishment doesn’t build the bridge.
❌ Shame doesn’t spark action—it shuts it down.

****Here’s the truth: You can’t hold a child accountable for a skill they don’t yet have.
~If they can’t start, they need support—not consequences.
~If they can start but choose not to, that’s when boundaries and consequences come into play.

We can always talk about consequences later—when the ability is there but the effort is not.
But first, we need to be sure we’re not expecting what their nervous system isn’t ready to deliver.

Instead, think of their system like an old car engine on a cold morning.

You don’t yell at it—you gently warm it up.
You support the ignition, again and again, until they can turn the key on their own.

07/30/2025

Parents — Are you struggling with your child’s anxiety, behavioral challenges, or emotional dysregulation?
Remember, you may not be the problem — but you are most definitely part of the solution.
Support is available. Reach out today to learn how you can help your child and strengthen your family.

07/29/2025

We all face distress—sometimes life feels overwhelming.
When your mental health is really being tested, you don’t have to spiral. Try these DBT Distress Tolerance skills to ride out the storm without making things worse:

TIPP
Fast-acting tools to calm your body and brain:

T: Change your Temperature (cold water, ice pack)

I: Do Intense exercise (jumping jacks, brisk walk)

P: Practice Paced breathing (inhale 4, exhale 6)

P: Try Progressive muscle relaxation

ACCEPTS – Healthy distractions when emotions feel too big:

Activities

Contributing to others

Comparing (to your past self or others coping)

Emotions (watch a comedy, listen to music)

Pushing away (mentally shelve the issue briefly)

Thoughts (count, recite, focus)

Sensations (cold shower, squeeze stress ball)

Self-Soothing – Calm yourself using your senses:

What do you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel that brings comfort?

IMPROVE the Moment

Use Imagery, find Meaning, offer a Prayer, relax, stay in the Moment, take a mini Vacation, or use Encouragement.

Radical Acceptance

Sometimes we can't change the moment. Instead of resisting, try accepting what is—and reduce your suffering.

These tools won’t make problems vanish, but they will help you cope with strength, skill, and compassion.

***And remember: You don’t have to do it alone.
See a mental health therapist for support. Talking to someone trained to help can make all the difference. 💚

07/24/2025

A gentle reminder to clients.....Remember: Your thoughts are powerful.
You become what you think about.
Your thoughts shape your feelings, your feelings drive your actions, your actions create your habits, and your habits build your lifestyle.
And ultimately, your lifestyle determines your destiny.

Thoughts are not just background noise—they are the foundation of everything you feel and do.
So challenge them. Question them.
Take control of what you think about—because your mind is the steering wheel of your life.
– With care,
Your Therapist