Parents: Time for a “System” Check-Up?

Systems are all around us.  We have stereo systems, navigation systems, computer systems; the human body is a system! Periodically they ALL require a check-up and maintenance. A “system” is: a set of things working together as parts of a mechanism or an interconnecting network

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#1 Parenting Tip: Be an Effective Team!

Did you see the movie “Oblivion?”  It came out in 2013 and starred Tom Cruise.  “Jack” and his partner were tasked with “post-apocalyptic” missions; everyday they were asked to answer this question from headquarters “are you still an effective team?” Teamwork Makes the Dream Work! When I counsel couples one of the exercises we go…

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Raising Boys? Research to Support the Facts

I’ve been providing you a series of blogs that contain information you need to know if you’re raising boys.  Starting with “Economically Undesirable Men”  where I shared the disturbing article claiming unmarried women are finding today’s unmarried men “undesirable.” The facts aren’t an attempt to justify, they are meant as a call to action for…

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Raising Boys? 5 Warning Signs of Trouble

As the new school year gets underway, it’s a good time to reiterate the warning signs of trouble if you notice a change in your son.  It may be typical angst; here’s the difference. Over the past 20 years I have helped countless male adolescents make the transition from boyhood to adult life with my program, The Quest Project.  Some were…

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7 Warning Signs of Suicide

It’s hard to find a family that hasn’t been affected by suicide.  Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in the United States. You hear about it on the news, or from a friend or co-worker who’s dealing with the pain of losing a loved one. Personally and Professionally As a therapist I’m trained to…

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Parenting: When to Cope-When to Heal

Lately the new “buzz word” in my field is teaching children “coping skills.”  Coping by definition: Coping means to invest one’s own conscious effort, to solve personal and interpersonal problems, in order to try to master, minimize or tolerate stress and conflict. I see it everywhere and here I’ll explain the difference in coping and…

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Challenge for Change!

I don’t watch a lot of T.V., however I do watch the local and national news.  It’s important to know and be aware of what’s happening locally and around the country.  One universal message you hear at both levels are stories of boys in trouble. For me as a PhD, Licensed Professional Counselor working with…

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In Search of Fathers Wisdom

When an article on boys gets published and catches my eye, I like to share my thoughts with you!  This one was written by a mom raising a 12 year old boy; “Raising Better Boys” was in USA Today and here’s what caught my attention. In the midst of innumerable allegations bringing white-hot attention to…

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Father: Teacher, Mentor & Example

The New York Times ran an op-ed piece by a psychologist/father titled “It’s Dangerous to Be a Boy.”  He tells a story about dealing with a situation his son was having as a young man.  In part it went like this… After years together laughing and riding their tricycles and then bikes up and down…

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Parenting Boys: 4 Tips to Teach Empathy

As an avid researcher, when I detect a shift or change in adolescent behavior, I dig in with the goal of determining the cause.  Naturally as the facilitator of The Quest Project-A Modern Day Rite-of-Passage program for adolescent boys my observations are “real time and accurate!”

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