Earlier today news broke about the details in a rape case in Delaware. A young girl was lured from her bus stop by schoolmates. They took her cell phone and ran. She gave chase and ended up at a boy's house. There a group of 4 boys (ages 12, 13, 13 and 14) gang raped...
For Parents of Addict Teens
When your teenager becomes a drug addict, it is one of the most scary, tragic, overwhelming things that can happen. It breaks your heart into pieces. You feel like you can't get your head above water. Even when you're having fun with family or friends, you always...
Update On Current Teen Trends: vaping, sexual identity and social media
Helping teens grow and families improve connection, Lauren Goodman, MS, MFT
The Stigma of Mental Illness
For people who suffer from depression, anxiety, bipolar, OCD, etc., it can be hard to share this openly with family and friends. If your teenager has any of these diagnoses, the stigma is even more profound. As a rule, your teenager's peers are not the most...
Pain Increases Depression
There is a strong correlation between pain and depressed moods. If you find your teenager seems irritable and down, one thing that might be worth exploring is if they are in chronic pain. Not every kid will complain when they have something nagging in their body....
Technology Addiction In Teens
Dear Teens, You live in an era where it's easier to spend time in front of a screen than go do things out in the world. It's hard to go more than three minutes without some form of entertainment. If you look at what you're parents are doing, there's a good...
Don’t Wish To Be Someone Else
As an adolescent I was overly eager to fit in with the "Scrippies," which was our sarcastic name for the cool kids. I'm sure my overeagerness was off-putting. In sixth grade some girls were called biters, some were called the b-word and some were called...
Help! My Teen Wants A Tatoo (Or Some Other Style I’m Not Happy With)
Oh no! It's finally happened! Your teen has come home asking for permission to get a tatoo. Maybe you have a hundred tatoos already so this doesn't really bother you. However, if you're like most parents you're not exactly ecstatic about this new development. ...
PTSD/ Trauma in Teens
I've been a therapist for a decade now. I've worked with teens in private practice for that entire duration. I've heard a lot of different stories, many of which involve trauma. I've noticed with trauma there is a natural tendency to incorrectly predict its effects...
Coaddiction or Codependency
People get confused by the term codependent, or coaddict. I thought today I'd address codependence/coaddiction to see if it clears it up. If someone you love is engaging in an unhealthy behavior such as drug abuse, gambling, excessive shopping, etc., it is very...