You & Your Family

New Year 2020: We Can Manage This!

Tune in wherever you get your podcasts. Just search for “Shrinking It Down.”

Did you know? According to a recent Clay Center survey, six out of 10 parents encourage their kids to adopt New Year’s resolutions.

Making Family Dinner Possible, featuring Anne Fishel, PhD – Shrinking It Down

There are many emotional benefits that come from connecting over a family dinner. But with the competing demands of reality, like busy schedules, technology, and picky eaters, this simple idea isn’t always so simple.

On today’s episode, Dr.

What Is A Nonverbal Learning Disability?

A nonverbal learning disability (NLD) is a syndrome that includes challenges in visual-spatial organization, nonverbal problem solving, and social skills. Despite often having strong verbal abilities, children with NLD have trouble understanding humor and adapting to new situations.

9 Ways to Know If Your Child’s Mental Health Clinician Is Right for Them

As parents, we all want the very best for our kids – the best teachers, coaches, and health professionals, among others.

About one in five of our children, teenagers, and young adults will experience a mental health issue and ideally receive mental health care.

Borderline Personality Disorder: A Case of Suffering, Drama and Hope

There’s an understandable tendency to portray Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) in films. Silver Linings Playbook, Fatal Attraction, and Girl Interrupted are just a few. 

It makes sense.

What Is a Personality Disorder?

I’ve always had a problem with the label “personality disorder,” and so have many of my patients. I think it’s because we typically associate “personality” with a “person,” so the term seems to suggest that there’s something wrong with the human being.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT): A Closer Look

Listen to our podcast episode on Cognitive Behavior Therapy, featuring Susan Sprich, PhD. 

 Jenny was a 15-year-old high school sophomore who had suffered from depression for six months. Her pediatrician referred her to a psychiatrist, who prescribed Prozac for her depressive symptoms.

Are ER Visits the Answer to Mental Health Issues at School?

Anyone who works in a school can tell you that mental health concerns are an integral part of their job. After all, students need to be at their emotional best in order to perform at their scholastic best. There may be exceptions, but the general rule of thumb is that healthy kids are the best students.

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.

Helping Kids Fit In At School

For a good part of third grade, I sat by myself in the school cafeteria during lunch.

I don’t exactly recall feeling lonely during those isolating moments with my peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich, but I certainly feel sad as I look back today.

I just didn’t fit in—and that’s a truly awful feeling.