Mental Health

When to Seek Out a Pediatric Social Worker

I recently had the opportunity to speak with Liz Disterhoft and ask her a whole bunch of questions about the field of social work. Liz received her MSW from Simmons School of Social Work, and she has been working as a social worker in community health for eight years. Currently, she is a social worker at a unique pediatric practice that utilizes a team-based approach to care. This experience made her the perfect person to talk to about concerns that many parents have regarding their children and social work services. Continue reading below to learn when to seek out a pediatric social worker.…

Online Therapy for Parents

July 9, 2023

Parenting is a rewarding yet challenging journey that often comes with its fair share of stress and anxiety. As the demands of modern life increase, many parents are turning to online therapy platforms to seek support and guidance.

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Understanding the Challenges of Parenting

Parenting is undoubtedly one of the most rewarding experiences in life. But it also comes with its fair share of challenges. From the moment a child is born, parents are tasked with navigating a complex web of responsibilities, emotions, and demands.

One of the primary stressors for parents is the constant juggling act between work and family life. Many parents strive to maintain successful careers while ensuring their children receive the love, attention, and care they need. This balancing act often involves long work hours, demanding schedules, and the constant pressure to meet both professional and parental expectations.

Furthermore, the sheer responsibility of raising children can be emotionally challenging. Parents face a range of concerns, including ensuring their children’s physical and emotional well-being, providing a nurturing environment, instilling values, and guiding them through the complexities of life. The never-ending to-do list can leave them feeling overwhelmed and drained, making it difficult to prioritize their own well-being.

Recognizing the importance of stress management and self-care is crucial for parents. Taking care of their mental and emotional health not only benefits them personally but also has a direct impact on their ability to care for their children.

The Benefits of BetterHelp Online Therapy for Parents

Convenience and Accessibility: BetterHelp’s online therapy platform offers convenience and accessibility for parents. They can access therapy sessions from the comfort of their own homes, eliminating the need for travel and saving time. This flexibility allows busy parents to fit therapy into their schedules more easily.

Personalized Support: BetterHelp provides personalized support by matching parents with therapists who specialize in addressing their specific challenges and goals.

Flexible Scheduling: Online therapy offers flexibility in scheduling sessions. Parents can choose session times that work best for them, accommodating their busy lives and parenting responsibilities.

Confidentiality and Privacy: BetterHelp prioritizes confidentiality and privacy. The online platform provides a secure and confidential environment for parents to engage in therapy sessions, ensuring that their personal information and conversations remain private.

Comprehensive Support: Whether it’s managing stress, improving communication, setting boundaries, or enhancing relationships, BetterHelp’s therapists utilize evidence-based techniques and strategies to empower parents in navigating their unique parenting journeys.

These benefits contribute to improved well-being, increased resilience, and enhanced parenting skills. With BetterHelp, parents can prioritize their mental health and ultimately create a nurturing and healthy environment for themselves and their children. You can find out more information about BetterHelp by visiting HealthyMinded.

How BetterHelp.com Supports Parents in Stress Management

BetterHelp.com provides a seamless process for parents to get started with online therapy. Through a detailed assessment, therapists on the platform develop personalized therapy plans tailored to each parent’s specific challenges and goals. Utilizing evidence-based techniques and strategies, therapists help parents learn effective stress management skills, such as mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and relaxation techniques. These skills empower parents to navigate their stressors more effectively and cultivate healthier coping mechanisms.

Here are some of the types of therapy available at BetterHelp that can help parents and families:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT): This is a type of therapy that focuses on changing the way you think about and react to situations. It can be helpful for a variety of parenting issues.
Family Therapy: This type of therapy involves the entire family. It can be helpful for addressing issues such as communication, conflict resolution, and child behavior problems.
Couples Therapy: Couples therapy is a type of therapy that helps couples improve their communication, resolve conflicts, and strengthen their relationship.

BetterHelp’s stress management program for parents takes a parent-centered approach, providing personalized strategies and techniques to effectively manage stress. By addressing specific stress triggers, building resilience, improving communication, setting boundaries, and promoting self-care, the program empowers parents to navigate the challenges of parenting with greater ease and maintain their overall well-being.

Bottomline

Parenting is a rewarding journey, but it can also be overwhelming at times. Online therapy platforms like BetterHelp.com offer a lifeline to parents, providing accessible and personalized support to manage stress and develop self-care skills. Prioritizing stress management and self-care is not only beneficial for parents’ well-being but also vital for creating a nurturing and healthy environment for their children. By investing in their mental health, parents can cultivate resilience, strengthen their relationships, and ultimately thrive as individuals and caregivers. If you’re a parent seeking support, consider exploring the benefits of online therapy on BetterHelp.com and embark on a journey towards a healthier and more fulfilling parenting experience.

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health and Back to School collections

What to Expect When Visiting a Therapist for Your Mental Health

October 5, 2022

What to Expect When Visiting a Therapist for Your Mental Health

When considering a visit to a therapist, it is essential to know what to expect. There are many different types of therapy, and each therapist may have their own approach. However, there are some general things that you can expect when visiting a therapist. This article will discuss the different types of therapy, what to expect during your first visit, and how to find the right therapist for you!

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Different Types of Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT is a type of therapy that focuses on changing negative thought patterns to improve mood and behavior. This type of therapy can help treat depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)

DBT is a type of therapy that focuses on helping people cope with difficult emotions. This type of therapy can help treat conditions such as borderline personality disorder, eating disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Psychodynamic Therapy

Psychodynamic therapy is a type of therapy that focuses on exploring the unconscious mind. This type of therapy can help treat conditions such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD.

What to Expect During Your First Visit

During your first visit to a therapist, they will likely ask you many questions. For example, they may ask about your family history, your mental health history, and your current symptoms. It is important to be honest with your therapist so that they can help you in the best way possible. You will likely be asked to complete some paperwork during your first visit. This paperwork is important for the therapist to get to know you better and understand your goals for therapy.

How to Find the Right Therapist

Consider the type of therapy you need:

As mentioned before, there are many different types of therapy. Consider what type of therapy would be best for you based on your mental health condition.

If you are struggling with depression, CBT may be a good option for you. When diagnosed with borderline personality disorder, DBT may be a good option for you. If you want to explore your unconscious mind, psychodynamic therapy may be a good option for you.

Beware of “Red Flags”

When searching for a therapist, be sure to watch out for “red flags.” These are warning signs that the therapist may not be a good fit for you. Some red flags include:

– The therapist does not have experience treating your mental health condition.

– They do not have a license to practice in your state.

– The therapist is not willing to answer any of your questions.

If you see any of these red flags, you must keep looking for a different therapist. If you are not diagnosed correctly, you can undergo a personal injury. This includes, but is not limited to, emotional pain and suffering. If you ever experience this sort of treatment, don’t hesitate to get in touch with a personal injury lawyer.

Ask for Recommendations

If you are having trouble finding a therapist, ask for recommendations from your doctor, friends, or family. They may know of someone who is a good fit for you. You can also search online directories such as the American Psychological Association (APA) to find a list of therapists in your area.

Therapy can be a great way to improve your mental health. However, be sure to consider the different types of therapy, what to expect during your first visit, and how to find the right therapist for you!

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

How To Protect Your Child’s Ears At A Concert

Having children is a precious gift. The sound of laughter that fills our homes and overwhelms us with love and gratitude every day is a beautiful feeling. Ok, you don’t feel that every day. And with the current restrictions on getting out of the house, you may be pulling your hair out. But even so, our lives are better for having our children around. So, what things are you looking forward to doing once restrictions are lifted, and we can all socialize as much as we want again? If going to concerts, or other large (or loud) events, is on your list then keep reading below to learn how to protect your child’s ears at a concert.

For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy and Special Needs collections

Concerts And Festivals

Your list may be endless, so keen we are to enjoy life once more. You may be thinking that you would like to attend a live concert. For the past year, concerts have been on hold due to the global pandemic. But hopefully, we will enjoy the thrill of live music in the not too distant future, with hope on the horizon. And it’s good for our mental health to plan things to look forward to, even if it may not happen for awhile. So what do you need to consider when attending concerts or festivals with children?

Ear Plugs

Firstly, make sure you have enough snacks and drinks. Children are notorious for needing above the average person’s snack requirement, so make sure you’re well stocked up. They may also serve as a distraction if your child becomes overwhelmed. If attending a concert or festival with live bands/music, it may be useful to invest in some live performance earplugs for your child’s comfort. Young children can find loud music a little intimidating, so using earplugs specially designed to block background noise will mean they can enjoy the music safely and remain relaxed. Make sure you check the NRR (noise reduction rating) for quality and ultimate protection. There are various options, but most have the same function; they block any noise other than the music, enabling your child to listen safely. So they can still enjoy great sound quality.

The noise at concerts doesn’t just come from music. Thousands of screaming fans are also attending with their contribution. Children are often unaware of this before a concert, so it may cause some discomfort initially.

Some children suffer from hyperacusis, which is a condition that affects the perception of sound. If your child experiences this, loud music will be particularly challenging. It can also cause pain for some children, and in some cases, a child will develop a fear of noise. It can be caused as a result of a medical condition and should be investigated by a professional. A doctor may suggest sound therapy to eliminate or reduce the problem gradually. In the meantime, either avoid large music venues or always provide good quality ear protection for your child so he/she does not develop a phobia. Most hearing aids can be adjusted to provide reduce excessive amplification.

Earmuffs

Earmuffs are another option for little ears. They completely cover the area to block sound and are more comfortable for younger children to use. As a general rule of thumb, if you are in an environment where you have to shout to be heard, you should use ear protection. Too much exposure to loud music can cause permanent damage within 5 minutes, and the damage is irreversible. The ears of babies and toddlers are very vulnerable to noise, so protecting them should be a priority. Earmuffs are great because they can be utilized and used for warmth, as well as sound restriction. You can also use them when traveling on a plane or any other environment that could be challenging for the ears. They can even be used to sleep in.

[Read: Sensory Processing 101]

Picking the Right Area

Choose the right seating area. Where you sit in a concert will determine how much sound you are exposed to. Avoid sitting next to speakers as this will be the loudest place. The front row, although good for the view, is the worst place for sensitive children.

If your child seems to be struggling with the environment, it’s good to take a break periodically. Take them outside for some fresh air or somewhere quiet and calm to give them a chance to relax. Concerts and festivals can be intense, so taking regular breaks are vital.

It might be wise to take your child to a smaller music venue before exposing them to a large-scale concert or festival, especially if they suffer from hyperacusis. This way they can be introduced gradually and will be less intimated by a large event.

We are all looking forward to the time we can engage in the things we enjoy again. Our children also need exciting things to look forward to. So start planning now, and in no time we’ll be back out there having fun with the people we love.

For more on this topic, check out the full Staying Healthy and Special Needs collections

Does My Toddler Have Autism? (A Checklist for Parents)

Lots of parents have asked or even wondered, “Does my toddler have autism?” Thankfully there are wonderful resources that can give you further information about whether or not your child may have autism.

Does My Toddler Have Autism Resources

When our children are struggling or displaying puzzling behavior it can be alarming. However, it can sometimes also be tempting to simply brush it off as a phase that they’ll grow out of. While this may be true in some cases, addressing these concerns head-on can be a much more effective route to take! Below are websites that offer insight into a variety of concerns and solutions from parents who have been there.

Autism Speaks

Autism Speaks has a checklist on their website that is a wonderful resource. You can access the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, Revised (M-CHAT-R™) here: https://www.autismspeaks.org/what-autism/diagnosis/mchat

Autism Parenting Magazine

Check out Autism Parenting Magazine for additional information and helpful resources, like this article: https://www.autismparentingmagazine.com/signs-of-autism-in-girls/

Adore Them Parenting

Explore an entire collection of advice from parents, teachers, and health professionals that share on a variety of Special Need topics.

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Should You Hire an Education Lawyer? How to Advocate for Our Kids

Should you hire an education lawyer?

Nobody relishes the thought of having to hire a lawyer to go up against the education department at the local level. But unfortunately, there are times when it might be a necessity. If you’re thinking that you might need an education lawyer, obviously things have escalated to the point where you’ve reached your wits’ end when it comes to a serious issue relating to your child. In these cases, where you’re feeling protective, the school is defensive, and your child might possibly be hurt or being treated unfairly; you need someone unbiased to come in and protect your child’s rights. Continue reading below for more insight!

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health and Back to School collections

Be Proactive with Your Child’s Education

No one knows your child like you do. And, no one will fight for them like you will. That can feel a bit overwhelming, but it is also empowering! I have two children that each have an IEP for a different reason, and for a specific area of learning. Whenever I go into a school meeting, I walk in telling myself that I have two goals. The first is that I will not leave this meeting without conveying how my child is feeling. The second goal is that I will not leave this meeting without an adjustment to their IEP that I know will help. Sometimes this means that another accommodation needs to be added. And sometimes this means that an accommodation needs to be lessened or removed in order to give my child the sense of accomplishment and confidence for moving forward.

Prepare for School Meetings

My number one tip before any school meeting is to have a long heart to heart with your child. I explain to them that I am not in the classroom. Even though I know what should be happening, I am not in there to see it in action day in and day out. So I need to hear from them what is helping, what is not working, and how it makes them feel. Ask very detailed questions about everything your child mentions. And then, together, come up with an ideal plan for going forward.

Because my daughter is dyslexic, she has special reading accommodations to help her focus for testing. And she receives small group support when working through multi-step assignments. Over the years we have changed her testing accommodations to include a teacher reading her the questions, taking the test in a separate room with no interruptions, to now taking her tests in the back of the room next to the teacher. She has improved so much! And we want to recognize that and support her becoming more independent! So now she can stay in the classroom with her main teacher, but they are still nearby if she has a question. They even check in on her throughout the testing to be sure she is understanding everything, and completing the assignment correctly.

Listen to the Teachers

While I prepare for each meeting by talking to my daughter, I still walk into each meeting with the ability to listen. My goal is to help my daughter succeed. And while she might know what she wants, the teachers also might have some additional insight to consider. I was surprised to see my daughter jump from a below average reader, into the above average range, in less than a year! I had no idea she was improving that quickly (thanks to her accommodations and wonderful support)! At home she was telling me what help she still wanted. But while in the meeting, the teachers recommended giving her a little more independence.

But my first goal of conveying how my daughter is feeling, and having just had the long conversation the night prior, I was able to explain what my shy child is feeling inside – which I believe matters more than any grade! So while she was improving, we all agreed that we needed to keep that strong support system for her in order to continue with her progress. In the end we made a few minor adjustments to give her a small push. But we kept majority of her IEP the same. And after checking in with her daily over the next few weeks, we all agreed that we had made just the right amount of adjustments for her success.

Check out this helpful guide to choosing after school activities

When Do You Need an Education Lawyer?

Unfortunately you will not always be able to work it out in a simple meeting. Sometimes you need to ask for an entire team meeting. This might include your child’s teacher, their special area teachers, their resource teacher, the principal, the school guidance counselor, the school psychologist, and whoever else might come into contact with your child. I have been there. It is intimidating. But sometimes gathering everyone together in the same room, and at the same time, needs to happen so that everyone can be on the same page.

But what do you do if the issues still are not resolved? You might need to consider calling an Advocate or hiring an Education Lawyer to help mediate the situation.

Concerning Scenarios to Watch For

Some of the scenarios in which you might find yourself needing an education lawyer are in the cases of a special needs child whose IEP isn’t being met. Or, perhaps you have a child who is facing discrimination, or abuse at the hands of someone at school. If you feel that your child isn’t receiving the proper support or curriculum that is their right according to their IEP, you then have the right to call for a meeting, or even call for additional help.

If your child has been mistreated or harassed by a member of school staff, or is being bullied and the school administration hasn’t addressed the problem, you need to make sure it is properly addressed. Perhaps you feel that your child has been unfairly disciplined. Or your child was injured at school due to negligence or some other school-related problem, than you need to have that investigated.

And if you feel that your child is not progressing at the rate they should be, and/or is failing as a direct result of school negligence, don’t ignore that. If you’ve seen policies and/or curriculum that give you cause for concern, speak up. These are just a few examples. However, there are any more reasons that warrant concern, and why you might need to contact an education lawyer for guidance.

Know Your Rights

The important thing is that you know your rights. Know that you have the right to ask for help. Expecting a safe supportive environment for your child is not too much to ask for – that is your child’s right as a student. Maybe you can get the changes needed on your own in a school meeting. Or maybe you need an expert to help facilitate the adjustments. Either way, be that proactive voice for your child. Because if you don’t start the process, it’s likely that no one else will. Good luck! Remember that there are experts out there who are available and willing to help you through this process! And once you start seeing your child improve and succeed, it will make all of this totally worth it!

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health and Back to School collections

3-Ingredient Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

These easy to make, gluten-free, and sugar-free peanut butter cookies are perfect for any occasion, or an everyday snack. To vary the flavor, try mixing 1/2 cup dried fruit, nuts, or chocolate chips into the batter. Scroll down to learn how to make these flourless peanut butter cookies….

Free Activity Book for Children with Autism – “I Have Autism”

I originally wrote this story when I was working with children with autism. I designed it to be part social story, part activity book. This book is a printable so that you can work with your child to illustrate this book and really make it their own. Below is our free activity book for children with autism.

Free Activity Book for Children with Autism

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Steps for Activity Book

To create your free activity book, follow the steps below…

1: Click below to download your book.

2: Fold each page on the dotted line with the text facing out.

3: Trim the excess paper at the edge.

4: Set the cover aside. Arrange the other pages in order (beginning to end).

5: Put all of the pages inside the cover (they will be facing the opposite way).

6: Staple the book along the edge.

7: Read through the book and have your child draw their own illustrations 🙂

Here is a free Checklist to Help Families Living with SPD and check out How to Find Balance as a Special Needs Family

For more on this topic, check out the full Mental Health collection

Family Conversation Starters – Early Intervention

We hear all the time how important it is to open up the lines of communication. Communication improves relationships with partners, friends, and coworkers; but we can’t forget that it also improves our relationships with our children.

Taking the time to have a genuine conversation with your child can be so much fun and so insightful! It also helps to build up a great family bond, which is why we are offering a few family conversation starters to go a long with each curated collection of content….

Autism: Rule #1

In all honesty, there really are a lot of things to know and learn about autism. Clearly, after more than a decade of navigating the autism learning process, I will freely admit, I’m still learning. Lately though, as my boy is getting older, there are things I wish I’d known sooner, done differently. The one piece I wish I’d learned first in our journey is something I’ve come to see as the first rule of autism and the prevailing smart point. Of all things autism, this is the one I wish I’d internalized in those very earliest moments. Continue reading below to learn the Autism: Rule #1….