Tips for Teens: How to Improve Communication with Your Parents
Most of the articles we write are directed toward parents with teens in treatment for a mental health, behavioral, or substance use disorder. We support parents with advice about all sorts of things, from how to support a teen with depression, to how to help a teen with anxiety manage their panic attacks, or how […]
Why This Father’s Day is Different than All Others
The past year has been an unusual one, to say the least. Lack of in-person schooling and quarantines due to the pandemic means you probably spent more time with your parents than you have in years. A recent Pew research study showed that a significant percentage of parents changed their work schedules in 2020 due […]
Can I Legally Run Away?
You hate your life and your parents. Things are bad at home – and you want to run away. You imagine a clean slate. An escape. A fresh start. Maybe you think running away will make everything better. Maybe you believe that leaving everything behind will make your problems disappear. But you’re not sure how […]
Why is Toxic Positivity Harmful to Teens?
When you’re upset, sometimes the last thing you want to hear is: Don’t worry, be happy! Just look at the bright side! Let’s stay positive! But whether you like those phrases or not, you hear them all the time, so you know how unhelpful – and annoying – they can be. When people smile and […]
April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month
This month is Child Abuse Prevention Month (CAPM). CAPM is organized and promoted by the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (AYCF), which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The Mayo Clinic defines child abuse as “any intentional harm or mistreatment to a child under 18”. This can include physical […]
Children of Alcoholics Awareness Week 2021
Each year during the week of Valentine’s Day, alcoholism awareness advocates around the U.S. and the world observe National Children of Alcoholics Week (COA Awareness Week) to draw attention to the challenges children of alcoholic parents face every day. In response to the growing epidemic of addiction in the U.S., COA Awareness week now includes […]
I Hate My Mom. And She Knows It. Why Should I Act Any Different on Mother’s Day?
So you don’t have a good relationship with your mother. And that’s an understatement: you really, truly dislike her. You don’t like the way she nags you, invalidates you, and pressures you to do chores, homework, and run errands every day. You feel like she criticizes you constantly. You can’t have a conversation with her […]
This Mother’s Day, Here’s What Your Mom REALLY Wants From You
Forget flowers, brunch, or even sappy Hallmark cards. This Mother’s Day, take a minute to think about what your mother really wants from you. Hint: it’s not Alexa, the latest book from her favorite author, or the hat/purse/jewelry/oven mitts/gardening tools/knitting accessories she’s been talking about for months. Stumped? Read on for our list of six […]
Why Is My Teen so Mean to Me? Part 2: Causes of Adolescent Behavioral Issues
In part one of this series, we discussed the difference between normal teen defiance and behavior that necessitates serious help. While some noncompliance is normal during adolescence, chronic verbal or physical aggression is not. In this article, we’ll explore why some teens develop serious behavioral issues that involve temper tantrums, verbal aggression, and/or physical outbursts. […]
I’m Afraid to Talk to My Parents
Something happens when you grow up: you stop talking to your parents about everything in your life. When you’re little, your parents are the first people you want to tell when anything at all happens. Maybe you don’t remember, or maybe you were brought up by your grandparents or an aunt, uncle, or someone else. […]