The Best Gift You Can Give

I often provide family therapy to adult children and their parents. This type of work can be incredibly powerful and healing for everyone involved. Years of pent up shame, anger and regret often get transformed into curiosity, empathy and significantly more connection across the generational divide. One thing I’m yet to hear adult children tell…

Why Parenting Teens is So Hard

Consider the following two teenagers. Carl is 17, gets mostly A’s, is on the varsity soccer and track teams, is loved by friends, teachers and other adults and generally stays out of trouble. Jessica is 15, gets mostly C’s and B’s, struggles with anxiety and depression, often starts things and doesn’t finish them and occasionally…

Less Risk Taking and More Happiness for Teens

Teens are “rude”, “wild”, “irresponsible” and “failing to learn the values of honesty, respect and responsibility”. A national study from 1997 found that more than 70% of adults used those words to describe teens. I imagine you may feel this way about your kiddo at times, or often. While I understand the sentiment, I don’t…

Setting Boundaries with Teens

“Taking things away doesn’t seem to help, but doing nothing doesn’t seem right either. I don’t know what to do and I’m starting to feel resentful.” I hear versions of this in my office almost daily. Most of the parents with teens that I talk to don’t want to be punitive, but letting things go…

Why Bright Teens Make Irrational Choices

Few things are more difficult for parents than watching their capable teen appear apathetic and disinterested in things that they should care about. I know it can be a helpless feeling but I’ve got a few suggestions that might help. Why Intelligent Teens Make Irrational Choices Thanks to recent advances in neuroscience, we now know…

10 Tips to Help Your Easily Distracted Teen

Do you remember the Budweiser Clydesdale commercials? They’re surprisingly touching and sweet. One of them portrays a young horse entering a barn where it spots an unattended carriage. In an attempt to seize the moment, it steps into the oversized harness. This naive yet determined young horse tries to push the carriage forward with all…