child development

The Autistic Child and Social Isolation

By Deryl Goldenberg, Ph. D. and Cherisse Sherin, M.A. What do we mean by social isolation in children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum? There seems to be a valid concern, not only about the lack of social opportunities for children on the Autism Spectrum to develop friendships with peers, but for how these children learn… Read more »

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6 Things Kids Need From Adults to Feel Valued

Kids are a rather interesting group! They perceive the world entirely differently than adults do and their expectations far outweigh the typical adult’s. Their understanding of themselves in this big world makes them susceptible to a host of emotions, some good and some bad. Because children have not fully developed their persona, skills, and self-esteem,… Read more »

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A Horrific Event – What Can We Learn From the Sandy Hook Shooting

Scary, disturbing, disgusting and virtually incomprehensible. These are the immediate feelings that overwhelm me while I watch the news unfold about the Newtown massacre.  As the details come to light, reports of the shooter’s history of “Aspersers”, social isolation and engagement in violent video games can be very alarming.  I know that there are many… Read more »

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Is Mental Illness a Bigger Threat to Kids than Physical Illness?

As parents, our children’s health ranks among our top priorities. When fall arrives and flu season begins, we notice every cough and feel for signs of fever. But how attuned are we to mental health symptoms in our kids? When do we first notice that our child may be suffering emotionally or engaging in behavior… Read more »

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Helping Parents Distinguish Love from Emotional Hunger

The image on TIME magazine’s May cover, in which a standing woman breastfeeds her 4-year-old son as he stands on a stool beside her staring directly into the camera, has caused quite a stir. Comments have ranged from rolled eyes to accusations of abuse. The subject of the TIME article is Attachment Parenting, a style… Read more »

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"If All You Have is a Hammer, Everything Looks Like a Nail" by Debra Kessler, Psy.D.

“If all you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail” – Abraham Maslow Seeking out the assistance of a therapist is a desperate and courageous act.  Typically, for a parent, it means they have tried and failed to help their child behave, so they have friends, get along with siblings and family members,… Read more »

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Understanding the Underlying Triggers of OCD in Children by Jenny C. Yip, Psy.D.

The diagnosis of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is usually quite straightforward in adults. However, symptoms of OCD in children often manifest in different ways, which can lead to detrimental misdiagnoses. The key is to understand the underlying cause of each child’s behavioral manifestations. Let’s take a look into Nick’s symptomology and how it was approached. Nick… Read more »

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Changing Your Body Image Once and for All

I recently took my 10-year-old niece and her cousin shopping for new dresses. As they tried on clothes, my niece commented, “Nothing looks good on me; Sabrina looks good in everything.” It surprised me to observe such a young girl expressing such a poor body image and comparing herself unfavorably to her cousin. And yet,… Read more »

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How To Bully Proof Your Children by Building Their Resilience

The heartwrenching stories and startling statistics coming out about bullying are commanding a justified level of concern in parents. With new data revealing that more kids are affected by bullying and cyber-bullying than we ever imagined and that both bullies and victims are at higher risk for suicide, our eyes are opening to the fact that… Read more »

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Five Things You Don’t Expect When You’re Expecting: How Parenthood Impacts Your Mental Health

If it suddenly feels like anywhere you go, you’re surrounded by heavily pregnant women, it is probably not your imagination. In the United States, there are more births during the months that close out summer and ring in fall than any other time of year. The season marks an exciting and scary time in the… Read more »

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