What is a "secure attachment?" Attachment theory has been around for a long time. It is based on research originally done by Mary Ainsworth. It was an advancement of a theory created by John Bowlby's observations. But really, you probably don't care as much about the...
Parents who listen can help the relationship. Credit: David Castillo Dominici via freedigitalphotos.net Through conversations with teens this week I have come to believe most of us don't listen to them. I know that's cliche. I also happen to think it's true. We don't...
Taking and storing mental health medication properly is extremely important. Image courtesy of marin at FreeDigitalPhotos.net With permission, I pass on words of wisdom from a client. This person wants all of you to know that she wasn't attentive in how she stored her...
Marijuana can cause psychosis. Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net I have a brief update to give on the last blog, which talked about the website/app Hims. It was reported to me that a person doesn't even see a doctor on that site and can get...
Hooray! We now have in-person group therapy! This has been a long time coming. Many teens benefit from hearing what their peers have to say (when an adult is present to moderate). This is such a nice option to offer for your families because some teens have things to...
Last month CE4Less.com was kind enough to offer a free class on treatment for PTSD in veterans in honor of Veteran's Day. I learned so much from this class that I've changed my strategy in dealing with trauma in general. While we rarely work with veterans at Teen...
Family based treatment (aka Maudsley Method) empowers parents to act as a critical part of the treatment team when healing a teenager from an eating disorder. This is done in consult with a therapist, dietician, and medical doctor. Parents follow the advice of their...
Eating disorders are so nasty! They are cruel, unkind, and abusive to their victims. They take over a person's relationships, personality, ambitions, and dreams until you find your teen is a shell of her former self. I should know...I had one for 7 years. Now I help...
I have heard more isolation stories from clients starting school last week than in all my previous years of practice (14). One teen told me how she plans to sit in the library for lunch. Another told me he is never invited to anything with his so-called "friends." A...
1. Faith in God: If faith is important to you, then you have to model it, not just say it. It is easy to say something like, "I don't want to force my kid to believe a certain thing. I'll let them decide when they grow up." In the meanwhile you don't really expose...
Hello, I’m Lauren! If you notice your teen struggling, you might be feeling helpless, hopeless, frustrated or concerned as a parent. Try to remember, there is hope. I want to help your adolescent feel better. My hope is for them to enjoy their life again. I want them to feel confident they can handle whatever situations arise.
