Intellectual and developmental disabilities include a wide range of disorders. Some, like Down syndrome, begin before the individual is born. Others, like the Autism spectrum, can have their onset later in life. Disabilities can affect the individual intellectually, physically, or both. Some examples of other disabilities are Cerebral palsy, ADHD, Fragile … Read More
When is a job not just a job?
Three masons were on the job one day when a woman walked up to them and asked what they were doing. The first said, “I’m laying bricks.” The second said, “I’m building a wall.” The third said, “I’m creating someone’s home.” When helping clients with career or vocational counseling, one … Read More
Habits: Avoiding the Hamster Wheel
Making and breaking habits is hard work. Knowingly or unknowingly, much of our lives operate from the habits we have chosen. How we think, eat, exercise, inter-relate or work are examples of established habits. How do we strengthen good habits and interrupt unwanted habits? C. S. Lewis once said; “Every … Read More
Estate Planning: How to Take Care of Your Loved Ones
What better time to plan and prepare for your future through estate planning than right now? I recently sat down with an estate planner and wanted to share insights I’ve gained in hopes to encourage you to examine the benefits of planning to take care of your loved ones once … Read More
Your Child & A Scar – How to Help Address Differences in Appearance
Recently, I had a mom contact me with a specific scenario in which she needed help for her daughter. Her elementary aged child had recently had surgery and was refusing to go out in public due to her new, very visible, scar. The young girl was worried how people would … Read More
Tips for Developing Confidence in Children: Part 1
Self-confidence is essential for all aspects of healthy human development, especially in the development of children. Confidence makes children more likely to be resilient and to pursue individuality, and less likely to develop emotional problems later in life. They learn more, achieve more and are generally all around happier in life. … Read More
Create Your Own Luck
“You’re so lucky!” This phrase gets thrown around a lot when others share good news, big plans, or positive things in their lives. We are quick to attribute positives to luck, while we may be more likely to attribute negatives to our own personal shortcomings. While there are some situations … Read More
Stress & Heart Disease
Stress can be poisonous. We’ve known that for a long time, but a recent study linked emotional stress to heart disease in a new and interesting way – via the amygdala. A team of researchers from Harvard Medical School scanned the brain, bone marrow, spleen and arteries of 300 people … Read More
Recognizing Trauma
The American Psychological Association defines trauma as the emotional response someone has to an extremely negative event. It is also possible to suffer trauma when you are not the victim, but a witness. For some, the effects can be so severe that they interfere with the ability to live a … Read More
Understanding Empathy
Empathy has gotten a lot of press recently, and rightly so. Empathy fosters relational connections that transcend age, race, sex, culture, experience, belief, and circumstance. Yet it can be difficult to express empathy in the midst of interpersonal conflict. Here’s a quick primer on empathy and using it effectively: Empathy … Read More