Play therapy
Back-to-School Jitters: Tips for a Smooth Transition
As summer winds down, the excitement and nervousness of heading back to school can be palpable in any home with children. At Kentlands Psychotherapy, we understand that this period can be a mix of enthusiasm and anxiety for both children and parents. Here are some expert tips from Dr. Jessica Stutzman, our Child Psychology Associate,…
Middle Schooler’s Struggle with COVID
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…
Struggles with Kindergarten Remote Learning
Q: Last spring my daughter was in kindergarten when COVID hit. Her teacher was accessible and did her best to provide meaningful online learning, but mostly it was a stressful, difficult, emotionally draining experience. There was lots of tantruming, “stomach aches,” melting off of chairs, and other forms of non-cooperation. I am dreading this September;…
What’s the Connection Between Attachment Disorder and Oppositional Defiant Disorder?
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…
Playdate Gone Wrong
Originally published in our Laudable Life advice column in the Lakelands Leader Q: Last week my daughter and I had the worst playdate ever! She’s two and a half and an only child. She likes other children but sometime she can get anxious or shy around them and sometimes she has trouble sharing. Probably all…



