Do you sometimes find it difficult to forgive other people? The ability to forgive is an important component for our own personal growth and happiness. Holding on to hurt, pain, resentment, and anger harms us far more than it harms the offender. We should all strive to better forgive others, as well as ourselves. Let’s clarify what forgiveness involves, and explore why it’s beneficial to practice forgiveness…
Read MoreDoes your child struggle with falling asleep? Maybe you put your child to bed and 20-30 minutes later, he or she is still awake and telling you that he or she can't sleep. It’s understandably frustrating for parents, particularly after a long day, because your child's bedtime may be your first real opportunity to unwind. If you find yourself experiencing issues with bedtime, here are some tips to help your preschooler get settled in for a good night's sleep...
Read MoreEveryone sets goals for the New Year, so that we can have a better, healthier year ahead. How are you doing with your resolutions so far? Whether you’re trying to lose weight, get more sleep each night, or spend more time with family, it can be difficult to stick to your resolutions. Use these tips to help stick to your goals for 2019…
Read MoreDo you have a difficult or out-of-control relationship with food? You may potentially have an eating disorder, or it could be disordered eating. It’s often difficult for people to determine if or when their disordered eating habits develop into an eating disorder. Many wonder, “How do I know it’s really a problem?” Disordered eating habits are fairly common. Perhaps you eat when you are bored or upset (you may not actually be hungry at the time), or you eat the same thing for breakfast each morning. Disordered eating behaviors can be precursors to more alarming behaviors that fall into the “eating disorder” realm. However, you can engage in disordered eating without having a more serious eating disorder. Read more about some key differences between the two...
Read MoreCan you believe that it’s already the holiday season? With the kids home from school, travel plans, gift-giving, and meal preparation, your week off can quickly become a very stressful time of year. Don’t let the holiday stress get you down. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, try using a skill called Self-Soothe. Self-soothe encourages you to relax and improve your mood through your five senses. You can comfort yourself, giving yourself the mental health break that you deserve this holiday season…
Read MoreIt’s almost winter break—a time to relax, celebrate with family, and take a break from the busy routine. However, there’s still so much to do before the holidays arrive! It can be difficult to get your teen to be productive when all he or she can do is count down until the week off from school. Arguing or nagging your teen isn’t always effective. Instead, try using these helpful tips to motivate your teen to get things done…
Read MoreHave you just started working with a DBT therapist or have you recently joined a DBT Therapy Group? If so, you may be anxious about learning a whole new set of coping skills. The good news is that you are most likely using some DBT skills on a regular basis. You may not even realize that you are applying these skills regularly. It is helpful to review the skills, so that you can be aware of when you’re utilizing them and then use them most effectively. Here is an overview of five DBT skills that you may already be using…
Read MoreHave you ever heard of executive functioning? This term may be used at school or at therapy when talking about students’ basic skills. Each of us needs to be the CEO, the executive, or the person in charge of how we function. This is particularly important for kids and teens, who are developing these skills as they mature. Students improve their executive functioning skills in order to reach their personal maximum level of achievement. Essentially, they are the skills that we need in order to organize, prioritize, and complete tasks. Executive functioning skills are vital to a person’s success. Learn more about executive functioning, and why an academic success coach may be just what your child needs…
Read MoreCan you believe that the holiday season has already started? The holidays are a time for family, spirituality, personal reflection, gift-giving, travel, food, and so much more. It’s a wonderful time of year, but it’s also a stressful one. We envision an idealistic family gathering or holiday party, even though we know that this is not realistic. Many of us put too much pressure on ourselves to have the perfect holiday experience. While the “perfect” holiday may not exist, you can use the following strategies to make the most of this holiday season…
Read MoreThanksgiving marks the start of the holiday seasons. It’s the time of year for great food, good times with family, and celebration. However, many people struggle with eating mindfully on Thanksgiving. It can be so easy to get tempted by the abundance of delicious food and overeat. Instead of regretting your decisions at the Thanksgiving table, follow these tips to keep yourself in check and be more mindful during this year's meal…
Read MoreDo you and your partner find yourselves arguing over the same issues, time and time again? Do you want to figure out what isn’t working and make a change for the better? Consider using the Infinity Loop to improve your relationship. Scott Woolley, PhD, first introduced the Infinity Loop in order to help couples identify the negative cycles that they get stuck in—the negative habits that perpetuate dissatisfaction. Identifying and communicating these cycles’ helps each partner gain a deeper understanding of one another. Read more to learn how to have less argumentative and more effective discourse…
Read MoreFrom time to time, kids and teens will act up and rebel against their parents. Some children express disobedient behavior more often, and others may have oppositional defiant behavior. How do you know if your child has this behavior? We’ll explain the signs of oppositional defiant behavior and what it really means…
Read MoreSelf harm is the act of self mutilation. If you are a parent or family member discovering your loved one is engaging in self harm, it can feel like a crisis. Self harm is a coping skill that individuals engage in to help deal with stressors that may be taking place in life. It is often a symptom of other health problems, like depression, low self esteem, grief or other deep emotional distress. So what do you do if you discover your loved one is self harming? Here is some information about self harm and what you can do to help…
Read MoreWorking on homework can be stressful, overwhelming, or just annoying for both students and their parents. It’s the time of day that everyone wishes they could skip over to avoid the drama. Now, imagine if you could feel calm, confident, and even enjoy doing homework! Well, it is possible. By adding some mindfulness to your homework routine, you and your child may dread homework a little less. We encourage you to share these helpful homework tips with your child or teen. He or she should follow these steps before doing homework, to approach tasks with ease:
Read MoreThe practice of mindfulness has surged in popularity over the last few years—and for very good reasons. Unfortunately, some people are still uninformed or confused about exactly why it is beneficial to incorporate mindfulness techniques into their lives. Are you wondering what all the buzz is about? Read on for some reasons why leading a more mindful life can have far-reaching positive effects…
Read MoreNow that school is in full swing, does your teenager find it hard to keep his or her motivation up and stress levels low? It can be difficult when teens are managing tougher homework this year, extracurriculars starting up again, and trying to adjust back to a school time routine. Parents: do you wish you could give your son or daughter that boost that he or she needs to get on the right track? We’ve compiled a list of things for teens to think about when it comes to success in school. Share these tips with your teen to help him or her have a successful school year…
Read MoreEveryone deals with stress. In small amounts, stress is actually beneficial. It motivates us to accomplish tasks and challenge ourselves. For kids, teenagers, and young adults, a main source of stress is school. Homework, tests, and navigating class schedules and friendships can be challenging. However, the pressure should not be overwhelming. If you find that your child is struggling with school-related stress, consider these tips…
Read MoreDo you ever get into bed after a long day, 20-30 minutes pass by, and you are still wide awake? Maybe you’re replaying conversations from the day, thinking about your to do list for tomorrow, perhaps even worrying about the rest of your week and what needs to get done. You get up and turn on the TV. Or start scrolling through your Facebook newsfeed on your phone, hoping your eyes will get tired. Still feeling like you can't slow your thoughts down, no matter what you do? Here are some strategies to help you wind down at night…
Read MoreAre you looking to add more positivity to your life? Or have you been trying to feel more balanced? If so, the DBT skill of “Build Positive Experiences” can be just what you need. By building positive experiences, you can better balance difficult emotions and feel more fulfilled. It’s also a great way to enjoy more events and experiences in life. You can work on this skill in the moment, in the short-term, and in the long-term. Here are some ways that you can use this skill on a daily basis…
Read MoreDid you know that there are multiple types of therapy? If you’ve been to therapy before, or if you’ve heard about it from a friend or loved one, you probably are very familiar with individual therapy. If you’re considering therapy, that’s not your only option. Some other kinds of therapy include group therapy (multiple clients working with one or two therapists) and family therapy (multiple family members working with a therapist). You may be wondering, “Why should I consider family therapy?” or “Will this really help me or my teenager?” The therapists at Mindsoother are here to explain the benefits of family therapy…
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