parenting

A Happy Couple Makes for Happy Kids

Everyone knows that a happy marriage makes for a happier you but most don’t stop to ponder the psychological implications of a happy marriage for the children. Being loved by your partner and loving your partner in return makes you a happier, more cheerful being and this happiness is indubitably contagious. “The happiness and security… Read more »

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Keeping Your Teen Safe Behind the Wheel

Every parent knows that the day your child gets a license, things change. It’s no longer your driving skills keeping your children safe, it’s theirs. Not only do they become responsible for their own life on the road, but they become accountable for the safety of others as well, including the children of other equally… Read more »

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Being a good therapist and being a good parent require the same skills

The qualities that are manifested by a good parent are the same as those that are characteristic of a good therapist. This is because parents and therapists are involved in a similar pursuit: supporting and encouraging the growth and development of a unique and autonomous human being. Obviously, this task is more formidable in the… Read more »

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How to stop yourself from "losing it" with your child

When it comes to parenting, perfection is an unrealistic goal. As much as we would all like to be emotionally attuned and sensitive to our children 100 percent of the time, even the best parents are prone to losing control and overreacting in times of stress. Many of us have witnessed or experienced the scene… Read more »

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How to be a good parent: It’s all about you!

So much of the information out there about how to be a better parent focuses on techniques for modifying your child’s behavior. But it is missing the mark. Research has shown that the one thing a person can do to be a better parent is to focus on developing him or herself. This is where… Read more »

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Should our goal for our kids be for them to be happy?

Many times in my office parents say their goal is for their child to be happy.   As a therapist, I have to wonder if being  happy is really what we want?  When are our children happy?  When they get a birthday present; get a cookie they wanted; win at a game.  If life consisted of… Read more »

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Raise an Emotionally Healthy Child

From the moment our children are born and the doctor takes them to be weighed, measured and bundled, their health becomes one of our very highest priorities. As parents, most of us are instinctively attuned to every sneeze, scratch and sleep disruption. We are careful to never miss a check up or ignore a cough…. Read more »

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Is Your Child Depressed?

Early on, many of a child’s emotions  are chalked up to physical stages of growth; Tempers are attributed to teething and the “terrible twos,” whining is associated with tiredness or tummy aches, irritability is associated with learning disabilities or adolescent hormonal shifts. While biological phases do have a great impact on a child’s development,  how… Read more »

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“Stuck” A life lesson on parenting by Debra Kessler, Psy.D.

My daughter and I were watching videotapes of her when she was little.  At 17 years of age, she likes to laugh at herself revisiting times when she was small and still trying things she has since learned she is not good at, such as singing and dancing.  In one of the tapes when she… Read more »

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Teen Suicide Prevention: Parents

Suicide is the third leading cause of death among youth between 14 and 24 years of age and the fourth leading cause of death for those aged 10-14. However,  suicide can be prevented. It is important to know the warning signs in young people who may be contemplating taking their own lives. Be sure to… Read more »

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