Teenagers

What Is Family Therapy?

Family therapy emphasizes the idea that a child lives and grows in relationship to others, particularly in relationship to members of his or her own family. There are many different family therapy approaches.

Why Chores Are Important for Kids

Chores.

We all remember them.

Some were associated with allowance, others simply mandatory. For many kids, and I bet for most of us, they were often an intrusion on other more important things to do.

Q+A: How Do I Find a Therapist for My Child?

My child has anxiety and I’m looking for a therapist. How do go about finding a good one?

This is an extremely important question, and while there are no absolute rules, here are some guidelines that can help inform your process:

Word of mouth is often the best source of information.

Why are Teens So Lonely, and What Can They Do To Combat Loneliness?

It seems the opposite of what most folks would think, but more and more surveys are finding that teenagers and young adults today may be lonelier than any other age group – even older adults. If young people are in high school or college, around friends, playing sports, or at home with family, it just doesn’t seem to make sense.

Exploring Gender Dysphoria

Note: On May 25, 2019, the World Health Organization approved revisions to the 11th edition of its Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) to move gender incongruence out of mental disorders and into sexual health conditions.

Gaming Disorder: Is It a Real Illness?

“He is playing games all the time. Every chance he gets! From the time he gets home until bedtime, he’s in his room on that computer. And spends almost no time with the family. Is he addicted? I’m really worried.”

I can’t tell you how many times I have heard this or some variation of this complaint from parents.

The Senior Prom: A Joyous Rite Of Passage Or Nightmare For Parents?

Intro music written and performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.
Outro music performed by Dr. Gene Beresin.

It’s the weekend before your kid’s senior prom. You and your wife are having a typical evening at home, perhaps watching a movie with your youngest daughter. And, there’s a kind of tense silence you remember all too well.

Could Screen-Free Week Backfire? Finding The Middle Ground

We are now in what I believe is the 19th annual “Screen-Free Week” in the United States and abroad. This is a much publicized and highly laudable movement that asks us to take a week—an entire week—to get our children to unplug whatever they happen to own with a screen.

What If My Child Has A Drinking Problem?

By far, the most commonly misused drug among teens is alcohol.  This makes sense, as alcohol is legally available throughout the United States, it’s heavily advertised and glorified in the media, and frequently used in celebratory activities.  The effects of alcohol in terms of reducing inhibition are quite real.

Food and Behavior – It’s Complicated

In the days leading up to Halloween or Christmas or Valentine’s Day, teachers and parents often wring their hands. Kids seem rambunctious and gleefully hyperactive. The amount of sugar these kids consume is remarkable.