January 2011 Newsletter
January 6, 2011
Change The Little Things
by Lorn Adkins
What do all of the following have in common: The Minuet in “G”, The One Minute Dad/Mom, Virtual Exercise/The Five Minute Exercise Plan, and Fake It?
Maybe I’ll stretch the analogies so far out of shape that they’ll be unrecognizable from their original intent. During our personal stressful times, it seems easy to just avoid trying and just accept the fact that there is nothing we can do to change the present, unpleasant reality. We don’t like it, but we don’t have the time, the energy, the resources, or the problem is just too big for “little ol’ me” to make any difference. So, I’ll sit here and believe that nothing will or can change. In “The Music Man” the Music Man said, they didn’t have music, or instruments, or a teacher who could teach the band. Just imagine playing every note of the minuet and guess what happened? Virtual exercise, it appears from research can have real physical world benefits. True. You don’t see your children like you once did so what can you do with five minutes or one minute. You can’t go to the gym either, but if you really exercised for five minutes would it make a difference? Research suggests that it does. Oh, and yeah about the “Fake It.” Let’s imagine that you’ve just had a major disappointment. Would it help to keep your belief system mindfully positive to help improve your performance now? A few local coaches believe that it is very important.
Okay, this is it. Use the time you have to effect the change you want and imagining and believing the way you want to be in the world can get positive change started. A twelve year old reminded me that I don’t live in his unfair world. True. And I know there is real hurt and unfairness. But change just two little things and you may just rock your world.
December 2010 Newsletter
December 6, 2010
Over Scheduled
by Shirley A. O’Neil, M.Ed.
Today’s youth have more opportunities at their disposal than any other generation. With advances in psychology and technology, the children of today have been raised in a much different manner and a much different world than the generations before them. Yet anxiety disorders, depression and eating disorders are on the rise with school-age and college age kids. In spite of all the advancements Read more
November 2010 Newsletter
November 1, 2010
Book Review
~ Cheryle Jones Andrews, M.Ed.
Forgive for Good: A Proven Prescription for Health and Happiness by Dr. Fred Luskin
Something happens that we did not want to happen or something we wanted doesn’t happen. When we find we lack the skills to confront the reality of the hurt or disappointment, we may be unable to break free, forgive, and let the grievance go.
Fred Luskin, Ph.D., Cofounder of the Stanford University Forgiveness Project, Read more
October 2010 Newsletter
October 5, 2010
Parenting Separation & Divorce: After the Beginning
by Stephen H. Hill, Ph.D.
Surviving the initial dissolution of a marriage with children is one of the most taxing and stressful times any parent can face. Once the decision to divorce is made, the physical separation enacted, and initial custody schedules figured out, many other issues and questions may arise only later.
Questions about moving—and related school changes— may come up many months or years after this initial separation. Any number of factors can bring on this latter round of major transition: a delayed sale of the original home, job changes, or the original home becoming a financial or emotional strain to remain in long-term. Read more
September 2010 newsletter
September 1, 2010
I Can’t Decide Blues
“Make up your mind,” mother’s voice reverberates in my memory.
“But I can’t,” I replied. We were standing in the candy store in Ocean City. Fingerprints of the children who decided before me decorate the glass case, which is filled with chocolate creams, chocolate covered cherries, marzipan, taffy, toffee, and truffles.
Decision-making challenges us throughout our lives. We face decisions daily. Some seem relatively easy. Others are of greater consequence. Still in each case we have only two choices – to do nothing or to decide and then proceed.
When we sing the I Can’t Decide Blues, Read more
August 2010 Newsletter
July 29, 2010
Relationship Conflict: Damage Control
When small quarrels become ugly, abusive words tear at the very fabric of a love relationship.
John Gottman, author of Why Marriages Succeed or Fail, explains how arguments escalate and suggests strategies to avoid destroying your relationship. “Under duress, we tend to release excess amounts of adrenaline, which causes the heart to beat faster, the sweat glands to work overtime, and respiration to speed up. Read more
July 2010 Newsletter
June 30, 2010
Book Review
by Lorn Adkins
Everyone knows that the key to a healthy, happy relationship, especially for couples, is communication. As marriage and family therapists we often guide couples through a process. We may even spend time with couples on “how” to talk with one another. But what do couples need to be talking about? In her new book Hold Me Tight, Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love, Dr Sue Johnson outlines a communication approach for building successful relationships. Read more
June 2010 Newsletter
June 1, 2010
What’s The Big Deal About Meditation?
~ Susan Reuling Furness
Overheard at the gym last week: “What’s the big deal about meditation? You won’t catch me doing it – meditation is for yogis in Nepal.”
I wanted to correct the man’s misperception about meditation, but since I was more or less eavesdropping on his conversation, I decided to write this article instead.
Meditation is not for everyone. Read more
May 2010 Newsletter
April 29, 2010
Using Exercise to Supplement ADHD Treatment
By Stephen H. Hill, Ph.D.
I enjoyed presenting at last week’s Idaho PTA Conference and was excited to highlight new research on exercise and ADHD. The presentation titled “Recognizing and Conquering ADHD” reviewed two studies in particular, both of which suggest that exercise generally, as well as organized sports activities specifically, may complement an array of tools for treating ADHD. Even those taking a stimulant medication may find significant improvement Read more
April 2010 Newsletter
April 5, 2010
Relax, Refresh and Renew in an Instant
~ Cheryle Jones Andrews
Sounds like an oxymoron, right? Perhaps, but don’t overlook the fact that our bodies are exquisitely designed to strive for health and healing — if we
pay attention to them. Developing a practice of mindfulness, paying attention to what is happening to you from moment to moment, will promote your physical, mental, and spiritual healing and health. The reflective practice of mindfulness integrates the brain and results in:
Bodily regulation, Attuned communication, Emotional balance, Read more