Our Blog

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 […]

March is Self-Harm Awareness Month. There have been reports of significant increases in self harming behaviors in teens ages 12-17 and for young adults, as a general trend, from 2006 to 2019. As has been reported widely (and in the […]