Transition Coach, Shari Murray and I recently recorded a podcast discussing the Power of Positive Assumed Intent. We felt this was an important topic because we are all guilty at one time or another of assuming the intent of others actions. As a parent it’s common to ascribe negative intent to your child’s behavior when they act …
This Practice Will Revolutionize Your Family Relationships Read More »
I’d feel pretty confident in betting that at least 95% of all parents have used the line “When I was your age I (fill in the blank)!” We see our kids doing or not doing something and we squint our eyes and shake our heads and think “Seriously?” At that age I was dating, driving, …
How Your Teens are Stalled Out and What to Do About it Right Now Read More »
Our fifteen year old daughter stumbled home exhausted. It had been a week of dance company try outs, English class projects, and endless texts and calls between friends around coordinating next year’s class schedules. As she slumped at the table with a bowl of soup–alone because everyone else had eaten hours ago– the tears welled …
I recently read a story in the book The Art of Friendship by Roger Horchow. It went like this: My friend Dick Bass (now into his seventies) has traveled far and wide and had many adventures. His achievements include being the first person to climb the highest peak on each of the seven continents, as …
Twenty years ago, my wife and I were vacationing in San Diego with my in-laws. We went to see a dear family friend, who happened to be a Holocaust Survivor and psychotherapist. We had one of our children with us. As you may know, traveling with a baby isn’t easy, and our toddler was tired, …
I remember talking to a mother one day who apologized for the disastrous state of her living room as the floor was covered with Legos. She said “I didn’t clean today…I spent it playing with my youngest instead.” I was shocked…and impressed. Plato said “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in …
I remember talking to a mother one day who apologized for the disastrous state of her living room as the floor was covered with Legos. She said “I didn’t clean today…I spent it playing with my youngest instead.” I was shocked…and impressed. Plato said “You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in …
There is always a gap when a student in treatment looks at going home or on to living independently. They are tired of the rules and boundaries of treatment, but they have also learned the ropes and are comfortable too. Families also get a little dizzy when viewing the gap that exists between the therapeutic setting of a …
A script? Really? Is that necessary in parenting? You bet it is. Unless you are one of those rare people who can think and speak clearly when your buttons are being pushed. Actors study scripts. They practice them over and over. Alone first, then in front of a director (coach), then use them on their …
As you\’ve learned, treatment programs are designed to be highly structured environments in which a lot of nurturing takes place. Everything in that particular \”world,\” is designed to encourage growth and nurture improvements along the way. A greenhouse serves much the same function. It\’s a place for seeds to sprout, reaching for sunlight, forcing roots into …
