Do you sometimes wonder what happened to the close bond you had with your child? Do you feel like you are stuck in power struggles with your child and do you find yourself constantly arguing together? Do you often find yourself nagging at your child and criticizing your child? Do you wish that you and …Read More
Social Communication Skills
Sep 3, 2010
Many children and teenagers (especially those on the Autism Spectrum) struggle to understand the implied rules necessary for navigating social interactions. Whereas most children learn these rules naturally by observing others, some may only be able to acquire these rules through direct instruction. If there are certain tasks that the child does not always complete …Read More
Conflict Resolution Skills
Aug 30, 2010
Some children have difficulty resolving conflicts independently. These children could benefit from being taught the Situation-Options-Consequences-Choices-Strategies-Simulation (SOCCSS) strategy to help them understand social situations and develop problem-solving skills at school and home. A description of each step is below: 1. SITUATION: After a social problem occurs, the child’s parents or teacher help him/her to identify …Read More
Tips For Effective Discipline Strategies
Aug 30, 2010
The most important thing about discipline is having a solid foundation of a loving, positive relationship with your child (I will be posting a blog about that topic soon, also check this page).When your child is breaking a rule or is behaving in a way that is unacceptable, there are several strategies to effectively address …Read More
Working Moms and Involved Dads: What’s the Impact on Kids?
Aug 23, 2010
Balancing work and family is a challenge for all parents. Mothers often feel especially guilty about leaving their child in someone else’s care in order to provide income for the family. In the United States, 80% of mothers go back to work at some point during the child’s first year of life, and 75% of …Read More
The Survival of the Kindest
Aug 13, 2010
When I was training at the Austin Child Guidance Center last year, my supervisors shared with me an article from Science Daily called “Social Scientists Build Case for ‘Survival of the Kindest’”. Evolution theory poses that species survive and evolve through the process of natural selection. This has often been translated as the “survival of …Read More
Laughter is Good For Us, But Best If Shared
Aug 1, 2010
Research has shown that laughter reduces the levels of stress hormones like cortisol and epinephrine, increases the levels of beneficial hormones such as endorphins, can break up negative cycles of thinking, broaden our perspective, and enhance social connectedness. In fact, much of laughter’s benefits might come through (or be significantly enhanced by) the improved social connections …Read More
Looking for Something? Get “Lost”!
Jun 1, 2010
Perhaps this seems odd to give a plug to my favorite TV show, ABC’s Lost, on this website . What on earth does this have to do with psychology & well-being, you ask? Well, let me explain myself. First, I have to say that I’m pretty bummed that Lost has concluded. I loved the finale. I’m …Read More
You Matter…Here’s Proof
Apr 13, 2010
I recently finished the audiobook Connected: The Surprising Power of Social Networks and How They Shape Our Lives by Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler. As the name implies, the professors (Christakis a professor of medicine, sociology, and health care policy at Harvard and Fowler a professor of political science at UC San Diego) …Read More
Internet Addiction & Depression
Feb 13, 2010
As cited in a recent Reuters news article on MSNBC, a study by British scientists published in the journal Psychopathology found that people who spend a lot of time on the Internet are more depressed than those who don’t. In this study, the researches analyzed the Internet use of 1,319 Britons between the ages of …Read More