Parent or Friend? The Unhealthy Blurring of Roles

Disciplining children is a fundamental factor in determining the ease in which a household operates. Children and teens have always ‘tested the waters’ to see how far they can get.  However, it seems that today, parents are simply unwilling to say ‘no.’ Some adults appear quite eager to be their child’s best friend which can [...]

Coping with Feelings After a Mass Shooting

On Tuesday, August 3, 2010, Omar Thornton kissed his girlfriend goodbye, told her he loved her and headed to work. Within hours, he had shot eight innocent people and then killed himself, creating the largest mass shooting in Connecticut.

The question so many people have is often why did this happen? Could it have been avoided? At this time, it’s difficult to make sense of what happened or why.

Keeping Your Cool in a Tough Economy

The latest string of bad economic news – long-term unemployment at record high levels, more foreclosures and few new jobs being created – spells continuing stress for many Americans and is contributing to their gloomy outlook about the economy. As a clinical psychologist, some of my patients tell me they feel like the folks who were trying to cap the oil spill in the Gulf–each day feels more disheartening and more overwhelming than the last. Being out of control to fix one’s life can quickly lead to anxiety, and even clinical depression, if left untreated.