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Teens are struggling. Suicide rates are rising. Self-harm is increasing. Black youth are committing suicide at double the rate of 15 years ago, girls are twice as likely to experience serious mental health symptom as boys, and almost half of […]

A loaded and complex endeavor! The expansive landscape of research, philosophy, and interventional guidance on happiness is overwhelming. What it truly means to be happy is subjective, though generally, it means to feel well physically and emotionally, function with a sense of […]

Our family is currently fostering a cat who had been taken to an animal shelter. She is sweet, loving, hungry, and easily started. The noise associated with simply turning a page in a book will instantly cause her to jump. […]

While stress has become a ubiquitous experience for all of us, there are some unique developmental and neurobiological challenges for teens that heighten the impact of stress. Change is stressful. It has to be for humans to pay close enough attention to […]

Tasks, Goals, Bond. The 3 legs of the stool. Let’s review: we always start the process of bringing about change by identifying what the teen is looking for. What do they want to achieve? Some examples of GOALS for different […]

This is Suicide Prevention Week, a fitting time to reinforce the power of relationships as a literal life saving force. We all need connection with others; to feel valued, accepted as we are, with warmth and compassion. Teens especially, rely on connections, […]

The book What Works With Teens speaks to the importance of creating a strong bond with the young people we teach, treat, and coach. Research has shown that a strong relationship and good fit between teenagers and the adults who […]

Seems appropriate to address Independence in July. The celebration of a country free to manage itself, woohoo!! Growth and self-sufficiency however, is not easily earned.  It requires persistence, sacrifice, and the ability to postpone instant gratification in pursuit of a larger goal and […]

Human beings are a unique species. For better or worse we have come to dominate the planet. One of the reasons for this is our unique to imitate each other. Consider the benefits, imitating allows us to learn quickly from […]