This past Fall, we shared a wonderful experience practicing gratitude in our office. We created a large Gratitude Tree on the wall of our Therapy Changes office in Rancho Bernardo. Everyone who entered our office was encouraged to take a moment to invite gratitude into their hearts and minds. It was a moment to reflect. It was a moment to identify what one felt grateful for, large or small. [...]
Happy New Year! The time has come when we turn the calendar and embrace the beginning of a new year. We breathe a deep breath and ponder the year ahead. This time often brings self-reflection, memories of the previous year and thoughts for the new year ahead. As we look forward, we often feel a sense of energy; energy that is eager to make changes and improvements in our [...]
Our lifespan is comprised of a progression of stages during which we face new dilemmas and experience new accomplishments. From early childhood thru the retirement years we all endure similar phases of life: childhood, adolescence and various stages in adulthood. We also tend to connect with others who are living in the same stage of life as we are because there is commonality in struggles, daily life events and [...]
Are your children bouncing off the walls lately? Are they getting sassier or fighting with one another? Have you noticed they are having difficulty concentrating or completing their homework? They may have a classic case of spring fever! Every year during the spring, I commonly observe an increase in energy and a variety of new behaviors in kids. I also listen to parents and teachers who voice concerns about [...]
Do you have meaningful connections in your life? Do you feel uplifted after a conversation with a friend? Are interactions with strangers at the store pleasing to you? Humans have a core necessity to connect with others. These lend meaning and happiness to our lives. Reflecting on our daily encounters can help us examine whether the interactions we have with others constitute meaningful connections. Countless interactions occur with family, [...]
“Gratitude opens the door to the power, the wisdom, the creativity of the universe. You open the door through gratitude.” — Deepak Chopra This is the time of year we discuss the concept of gratitude and being thankful. Some of us will take it to heart and practice gratitude at the beginning of the holiday season. Others will quickly dismiss the idea and move on to overwhelmingly long to-do [...]
Do you wonder how to talk about tragic events with your children? With media seemingly broadcasting such events 24 hours a day, we are exposed to much more information than ever before. We are less able to protect our children from the news of tragedies, allowing our children exposure to disturbing information at earlier ages. This requires adults to provide thoughtful communication, support, and reassurance to children when tragedies [...]
Do you find yourself multitasking to get through the day? Is your to-do list longer than you will ever accomplish? Do you frequent your phone to pick up messages, check your calendar, or read something interesting? If you answer yes to any of these, I’ll bet your family and friends have noticed as well. Many of us lead active lives requiring us to multitask throughout the day. Although this [...]
As I sit and watch a class of children in gymnastics I reflect on how important it is to for children to develop skills that build confidence. All humans strive to gain skills and develop pride in their abilities, making it important to begin fostering this development in children. Each child is unique in their interests and abilities and sometimes it feels tricky to help them to find their [...]
One of the most common questions I hear when a parent enters my office to talk about their child is “Is this normal?” We often wonder if our child is developing and behaving in typical kid-fashion or if there is something more we should be identifying. Children move through innumerable phases as they develop. Some phases appear normal and some appear odd. Some phases are so wonderful that parents [...]
