Human Neurodiversity Should Be Celebrated

Human Neurodiversity Should Be Celebrated for Its Strengths, Not Treated as a Disorder There’s a movement for the stigmas to be removed from our culture around ‘conditions’ such as ADHD, autism and dyslexia. Instead, the movement argues that these neurotypes are a natural human variation rather than a pathology or disorder Wikipedia describes neurodiversity an approach to learning and disability that argues diverse neurological conditions are the...[ read more ]

Losing a parent can be one of the most traumatic experiences you will ever face. While some factors may make the grief process more complex, such as unresolved conflict with the parent, or the way in which the parent died, the loss of a parent has a lasting impact in your life. In some situations, this grief may lead to...[ read more ]

It inconceivable. The pain that a parent experiences when their child dies. There are no adequate words to describe what they are going through or how deeply their emotions run. Parents who have lost a child find themselves in a canyon of immense sadness.  Friends, family members, teachers, coaches and peers struggle as they want to provide comfort. Being available,...[ read more ]

Sometimes people only think of a loss in terms of death. However, there are so many different losses that people experience. One of the losses not commonly thought of is the loss of self esteem. This article written by the University of Texas Counseling and Mental Health division explains how self esteem impacts our lives and how the loss of...[ read more ]

For several years I worked for the Department of  Family Services. I worked closely with children who were removed from their homes in order to keep them safe from an abusive parent(s). Some of these children were later returned to their homes, and some went into the foster care system. Some of the children were never removed and some of...[ read more ]

Divorces involving children can be especially challenging- and draining, for all parties involved.  While you may have seen the writing on the walls for some time, a divorce often feels very sudden to the children involved. The sudden breakdown of the family structure after a divorce can be traumatic for children. Children often experience feelings of abandonment, confusion and loss....[ read more ]

It’s not easy to talk about depression, yet the problem is fairly common. Only about 50 percent of adolescents with depression are diagnosed before reaching adulthood. During the teenage years, there’s about a 20 percent chance of having depression or anxiety, research suggests. Suicide remains the leading cause of death for children aged 10 to 17. This week the American Academy...[ read more ]

“Temperament, family and community all have a role” according to Dr. Nadine Kaslow. In her article, Dr. Kaslow explores the risk and protective factors of teen suicide. Risk factors are things that increase the likelihood that a child will engage in suicidal behavior and the protective factors are things that reduce the risk. Risk factors: A recent or serious loss....[ read more ]

John Pavlovitz recently wrote an article that has been making its way around Facebook. John’s article talks about the support that people need after they experience a loss. He talks about how people are very present immediately after a loss, and that they continue to be supportive and helpful up until the funeral. After the funeral, there is a significant...[ read more ]

“What really happened to grandma” asks your child after your mother, your child’s grandmother, died in a recent car accident. What happened is that grandma failed to yield a 4-way stop and was hit by another car, resulting in severe head trauma and ultimately a brain hemorrhage. Grandma died in an ambulance, on the way to the hospital.     “Talking...[ read more ]