Remember Cyndi Lauper's song from the '80s, Girls Just Want to Have Fun? You might remember singing that song at the top of your lungs while driving to the lake with your friends when you were in high school or college. But that was a long time...
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Last week Sara came to see me in my private practice. Sara had that spaced out, frazzled look. She said, "I want my life back. It's only the first week of summer and I'm ready for school to start." Sara really didn't want school to start,...
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We can't always go to a tropical island to escape stress. In this episode I give you 3 practical ways to dial down the stress by...
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There are physiological reasons why exercise decreases drama. I know when I exercise consistently I am more patient and pleasant to be around. The same is true for your teenager. Consistent exercise, especially cardio, decreases stress and therefore will decrease drama. The Problem is current trends...
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I am taking an online defensive driving course. I could say I am taking the course because I wanted to lower my car insurance, which is partially true. But the truth is, I was speeding and got a ticket. There you have it. The secret...
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[caption id="attachment_4660" align="alignright" width="849"] Angry woman behind excited teen on mobile phone[/caption] Does your teen stress you out? If you have a normal teenager then the answer should be yes and the reason for that is where they are developmentally and I talk about the science...
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There are physiological reasons why exercise decreases drama. I know when I exercise consistently I am more patient and pleasant to be around. The same is true for your teenager. Consistent exercise, especially cardio, decreases stress and therefore will decrease drama. The Problem is current trends...
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My daughter is so stubborn. She argues about everything. She won't listen to anything I say. If I say one thing, she blows a gasket. I'll ask her about her day and all she says is fine. She's so disrespectful. It's like she's in her own little world. Do any of...
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I remember when I was 8 months pregnant when an acquaintance came up me and said, Is this your first? I said, "YES" in a happy voice. With a smirky grin she said, "You just wait!!!!!!!!!" Several years ago someone asked me how old my daughter was and...
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A thriving home environment is key to having a happy, healthy, and productive home. What is a thriving home environment? A thriving home environment is all the circumstances, conditions, or factors that enable and encourage your family to thrive. Your daughter can be fabulous, but if she...
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Do you feel like you worry about your teen 24/7? Does your son and daughter seem to always be stressed? Ready to dial down the worry and the stress! In this episode I interview Jodi Aman, who has been a psychotherapist for over 20 years. Jodi is also...
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Have you ever felt like everyone in your family is driving your life? I had one mom tell me, "I feel like I'm my daughter's personal assistant. I wish I had one!" This episode is the practical "how to's" on how to recapture your life which...
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[caption id="attachment_3010" align="alignnone" width="851"] The month of May can be a stressful month for both moms and teens. What do you do when your teenage son or daughter lies on the sofa playing on their phone when they should be studying?. What is your role...
Read MoreLights are twinkling in our neighborhoods and holiday music is playing everywhere. The holiday season is here. I was reminded of one of my favorite Christmas songs when I was little, "All I want for my Christmas is my two front teeth...
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Today's episode in my Dial Down the Drama series comes from the fifth chapter in my upcoming book that will be released this November 2015. It takes a lot of energy to protect, nurture, and guide your teenager. And this is only one facet of your...
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Many of you are familiar with Brene' Brown's work. You may have seen her Ted talks about vulnerability along with millions of other viewers. I have been a big fan of Brene's work for many years and had the privilege of working in the office...
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"We get along great on vacations!" I can't tell you how many times I have heard this in my private practice. Why is it, that families (and couples) who fight all the time at home, can enjoy each other on vacations? The answer is STRESS. The Conspiracy of...
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A new school year is starting. This is a great time to ask yourself how you want this year to be different. One way this year can be different is how you take care of YOU. It is very common for moms to feel guilty about...
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One of the things we deal with that doesn’t get talked about very often is what the hec you do when your teenaged daughter gets psycho hormonal and you’re in the middle of perimenopause. This combination can be explosive and put even the best of mom/daughter...
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I recently talked to a local church about why moms need to feel blessed to be a blessing. Moms frequently feel anything but blessed. They feel stressed, anxious, blah, resentful, and give up on feeling good. This is totally understandable. In fact our brains have...
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