In the past, marriage and starting a family were some goals that people strived towards because of societal expectations. Today, there has been a large shift away from marriage to common-law relationships and divorce rates have increased. With divorce, parents now need to learn a skill that they didn’t think they would have to: co-parenting. [...]
Anger is a common and universal emotion, which is often referred to as a secondary emotion, because it serves to protect us from other vulnerable feelings. Clinicians and researchers believe that anger covers a primary emotion such as sadness, fear, or anxiety. Our behavioral therapists also believe that children and adolescents with anger issues [...]
Let’s reflect on your past year: How many phone calls did you have from your son’s school? How many behavioral notes were written in your daughter’s agenda? How many parent-teacher meetings did not go your ideal way? For most parents, it is difficult to admit that their child may need therapy for their behavioral [...]
Childhood is an important period of time for human beings. Exposure to traumatic experiences during this time can have negative lifetime effects on children’s mental health. While one may think of trauma as any sort of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional), neglect (emotional and physical), domestic violence or parental incarceration, researchers have indicated peer/sibling assault, bullying, [...]
According to Statistics Canada, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) affects 3-5% of school-aged children. This means one out of 25-30 student meets the criteria for this diagnosis. According to researchers and child mental health professionals, ADHD leads to poor school performance, conduct disorders, and interpersonal difficulties in family and friendships. While researchers continue studying what [...]
Many of us, art therapists, go through intensive art therapy programs/training without ever take a moment to pause; to dig deeply into our thoughts, feelings, behaviours, motivations and asking why. While we may be overwhelmed after running a support group for cancer patients or after a day working with kids in palliative care, we might [...]
If you’re the parent of a defiant child, you are probably tired of the daily notes you receive regarding your child’s misbehaviour at daycare, kindergarten, or school! You have probably felt frustrated, angry, fearful, or embarrassed when your kid is out of control and throws a tantrum at the mall, movies, or a family friend’s [...]
Recent studies on children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have revealed that seventy percent of children with ASD between the ages of 10 and 14 have also been diagnosed with another disorder, anxiety related disorders are named as the most common one! Behavioral therapists working with kids with ASD admit that anxiety is an inevitable [...]
Adolescents’ reaction to the news of divorce could be anywhere within the spectrum of intense anger, sadness, and depression to no reaction at all. Adolescents who express their feelings accuse their parents of “ruining their life”, “ being selfish” and “ inconsiderate”. They may also act up as being the “victims of their parents’ decision”. [...]
Children have different reactions to their parents’ separation, which is in accordance with their developmental stage. Pre-schoolers may cry, ignore the news, pretend they haven’t heard anything and ask for permission to go play, or show no emotion at all. But, no matter what their initial reaction to the big new is, it does not [...]
