Substance Use Change Strategies
*This piece was written during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the tone is outdated, the strategies are routed in empirically supported behavioral change principles and remain applicable. The current pandemic brought a host of social, emotional, and economic difficulties. With a rise in psychological stressors and perceived threat attached to COVID-19, substance use rates have risen. […]
Preventive Maintenance of Mental Health
Guidelines for Preventative Maintenance of Mental Health Maintaining a healthy emotional balance can be addressed in several ways. A good first line intervention is to consistently engage in behaviors known to promote stability. Acting preventatively can help establish a baseline emotional experience and reveal areas in which one might want to intervene more intensively. The […]
Homework Strategies
Motivating children to complete assignments is a challenge many families face. Child and adolescent psychologist Dr. Michelle McDonald provide six strategies parents can implement to ease this interaction: Set realistic expectations. Expectations around assignments and homework should be carefully assessed. Three considerations can help parents ensure they are asking students to achieve attainable demands: Consider […]
Fears and Phobias 101
Things that go bump in the night…….. T’is the season for all things spooky, creepy, crawly, and fierce! While this can be good fun during festive fall events, some fears and phobias bring no such giggles or good feelings. It can be worrisome as a parent, and/or bothersome as a human, to experience anxieties, fears, […]
