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Q: The holiday season has always been a grand affair at my house with family reunion meals, festive decorations, and endless eggnog. My family always took it very seriously, especially my dad who dressed up as Santa and partied the hardest. Unfortunately, my father passed away in February with COVID. Now, I’m dreading the holiday season and my house feels so heavy. I can’t even bring myself to…Read More
Q: I’ve noticed my 14-year-old daughter is choosing clothing that, in my eyes, are meant to be worn by older women like crop tops, short shorts, tight fitting shirts and everything in between! When I express my concern she accuses me of not wanting her to be proud of her body. Her friends dress like this too. As Halloween approaches, I’m already concerned about the costumes she’s considering…Read More
Q: School is starting soon and I’m really worried for my 5-year-old daughter. I’m just not comfortable sending her, unvaccinated, to a new school. Let’s be real, we know kindergarteners are not going to keep their masks on. But she’s bored at home. I know she needs more than a weekly playdate pod. She missed her preschool friends from the “before times.” School feels like a germ factor…Read More
Q: I currently have three adolescents at home who have been cooped up for months. They’ve been fighting more than usual because they’ve been on top of each other ALL THE TIME! Oddly my eldest, who is leaving for college very soon, has been particularly difficult lately. This is out of character for her, since she’s usually the peacemaker. Any advice? A: Actually, what you’re describing i…Read More
Q: My daughter is struggling. The new Zoom structure at LPMS is a huge adjustment. She’s moody, cranky, crying all the time. She was sensitive before but now she’s beside herself. She’s lethargic, has nightmares, worries excessively. She frets about my leaving the house, afraid I’m going to get Covid. She freaks out about tracking her assignments online. I just don’t know what to do to s…Read More
Q: Our son had a hard time making solid friendships in elementary school. We were hopeful this year’s change to middle school, and all the new kids that would involve, would result in a fresh opportunity at developing his posse. Unfortunately with Covid and 100% virtual schooling, all of those plans have been scuttled. We feel so bad for him, any advice for us? A: Making new friends in a virtu…Read More
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is Dr. Marsha Linehan’s adaptation of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) with the primary goal of providing individuals with relevant coping skills for their daily lives. With radical self-acceptance at the core of DBT work, all-or-nothing thinking patterns are discouraged. Instead a middle path of thinking patterns, behaviors, and approaches to life is fostere…Read More
What is Oppositional Defiance Disorder (ODD)? An ODD is a complex and serious disorder that is diagnosed in about 10% of children seen by a mental health professional. Kids with this disorder are typically argumentative, irritable, angry, and (occasionally) vindictive to an extent not seen in the average rebellious child, and the behavior is seen for at least six months in one or more settings. …Read More
Are you worried the stay-in-place efforts to keep our community safe are leaving your kids lonely and isolated? You’re not alone. In a study on the impact of social isolation and loneliness on the mental health of children and adolescents, Dr Loades and her researchers found that children and adolescents can experience high rates of depression and anxiety during and after forced isolation, addin…Read More
Q: I’m supposed to return to college at the end of August. Florida is a hotspot and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. My parents are nervous about me going back. I’ve heard them arguing about it a couple of times. I have mixed feelings too. I miss my friends. I’m bored beyond belief here in Gaithersburg, but I also know kids are not making good choices about COVID safety. So I don’…Read More
It's not an easy time to be a kid. Perhaps it never is, but now it's especially true. Let us help you understand and support your child's needs.
Is your teen struggling with school, in their relationships with friends, with you? Do they seem irritable, withdrawn, unmotivated, sad? Our therapist know how to help.,
Are you looking to make some aspect of your otherwise good relationship better? Maybe you’ve tried all the strategies that make sense to you.
