Staff, APPS

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So far Staff, APPS has created 248 blog entries.

Ask Dr. Mike – Upset in Loudoun

2024-03-09T23:00:11+00:00

Dr. Mike, My husband and I have done very well financially.  Neither of us came from money or inherited anything substantial, but we’ve worked hard and have acquired quite a bit of wealth.  For context, we live in a $12,000,000 house, and we have other properties, several businesses and a large amount of money saved and invested.  My husband is adamant that we should not leave a dime to our kids, and he believes they should instead work for everything like we did.  While I agree with him that our children need to find their own way in life, and [...]

Ask Dr. Mike – Upset in Loudoun2024-03-09T23:00:11+00:00

Ask Dr. Mike: 18-Year Daughter Addicted to her Phone

2024-03-07T05:08:31+00:00

Dr Mike, Our 18-year-old daughter who is a senior in high school, is addicted to her phone, and we don’t know what to do.  The phone is always in her hand, and even though my husband and I don’t disapprove of most of what she’s doing with the phone, we also think she’s on it way too much.  We’ve tried to set limits, we’ve taken it away, we’ve talked to her, but nothing has worked.  In fact, everything we’ve tried so far has led to tension, disagreements or really bad fights.  Her position is that she gets great grades, she [...]

Ask Dr. Mike: 18-Year Daughter Addicted to her Phone2024-03-07T05:08:31+00:00

Separate Nest Syndrome: How To Cope When Your Pre-Teen Or Teen Doesn’t Want To Spend Time With You

2024-01-23T02:38:01+00:00

Separate Nest Syndrome: How To Cope When Your Pre-Teen Or Teen Doesn’t Want To Spend Time With You There is certainly a lot written on the Empty Nest Syndrome – the period of grief that many parents feel after their grown child leaves home – but there are far fewer articles on how parents can best navigate their pre-teen or teen’s journey toward independence while still living at home. The journey from childhood to adulthood is marked by significant emotional and developmental milestones, one of which is the onset of the "Separate Nest Syndrome." This term captures the essence of [...]

Separate Nest Syndrome: How To Cope When Your Pre-Teen Or Teen Doesn’t Want To Spend Time With You2024-01-23T02:38:01+00:00

Finding Greater Joy In 2024 By Doing The Opposite

2024-01-03T05:05:28+00:00

Finding Greater Joy In 2024 By Doing The Opposite Personal growth and change can happen in all sorts of ways; and, while we usually think of doing more (e.g., exercise) or less (e.g., eating fewer calories or drinking less) as the most optimal ways to achieve our goals, perhaps simply shifting our mindset and doing things differently is a good approach to take for 2024. In the 1990’s television sitcom, Seinfeld, the episode, “The Opposite,” did a fantastic job of capturing the value and importance of getting out of one’s way for meaningful change to occur.  In the episode, George [...]

Finding Greater Joy In 2024 By Doing The Opposite2024-01-03T05:05:28+00:00

What Is Collaborative Divorce And Is It Right For Me?

2023-12-27T04:37:09+00:00

What Is Collaborative Divorce And Is It Right For Me? Divorce is an inherently tumultuous life event that significantly impacts the emotional well-being of all those involved.  And, the approach to divorce can greatly influence the outcome, with collaborative divorce offering a less adversarial alternative to traditional litigation. This method, focusing on negotiation and mutual agreement outside of court, holds the potential to mitigate the emotional strain typically associated with divorce.  But what is collaborative divorce, and does it really work? Simply put, collaborative divorce is a process where divorcing couples agree to negotiate a settlement without going to court. [...]

What Is Collaborative Divorce And Is It Right For Me?2023-12-27T04:37:09+00:00

What To Do When Your Child Is Pushed Out Of Their Friend Group

2023-12-13T05:09:12+00:00

What To Do When Your Child Is Pushed Out Of Their Friend Group Dr. Mike, - Our 11-year-old daughter (5th Grade) is having a terrible time at school this year because she’s being pushed out of her longtime friend group.  There wasn’t an incident as far as we know, but she doesn’t get invited to play and hang out much, she’s not invited to many birthday parties, and she’s being put down or left out on social media.  We’ve had many a tearful night, and our daughter is now wanting to transfer schools since the friend group goes to the [...]

What To Do When Your Child Is Pushed Out Of Their Friend Group2023-12-13T05:09:12+00:00

Fentanyl Strikes Loudoun County: What Every Parent Needs to Know

2023-11-07T14:51:26+00:00

Fentanyl Strikes Loudoun County:  What Every Parent Needs to Know Nine students from Park View High School in Sterling, Virginia overdosed on suspected Fentanyl use this school year with eight of the overdoses occurring in just the last three weeks.  It was reported in the news that three of those students overdosed while at school and were administered Naloxone, and two of the students additionally received CPR.  Naloxone (brand name: Narcan) is a drug that is used to treat opioid overdoses. As a clinical psychologist in Loudoun County, I’ve seen, countless times, the devastating impact of drugs on our children [...]

Fentanyl Strikes Loudoun County: What Every Parent Needs to Know2023-11-07T14:51:26+00:00

How To Talk To Your Child About The Hamas-Israel Conflict

2023-10-22T01:57:29+00:00

How To Talk To Your Child About The Hamas-Israel Conflict Technology is ubiquitous, and as a result, our children are constantly being bombarded with information. Certainly, we as parents can do our best to make sure that the information our children view is age-appropriate, however, sometimes that’s not enough or sometimes the stories our children learn about are confusing and upsetting. While it’s one thing to roll up your sleeves to talk about the Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce romance with your 9-year-old daughter asking questions, discussing terrorism and conflict/war are much more complex subjects to manage. As a child [...]

How To Talk To Your Child About The Hamas-Israel Conflict2023-10-22T01:57:29+00:00

Is Emotional Cheating Real? What To Do If It Happens

2023-09-30T04:30:13+00:00

Is Emotional Cheating Real? What To Do If It Happens In today's interconnected world, relationships have evolved in myriad ways, and while physical infidelity is well recognized, another form of betrayal, often less visible but equally impactful, has emerged -- emotional cheating. As a psychologist in private practice, the topic of emotional cheating or emotional affairs comes up often.  Just this past week, a client’s girlfriend became upset when she discovered that the client “liked” his ex’s social media post.  Over the years, several of my married clients have also shared with me that they’ve secretly reconnected with an old [...]

Is Emotional Cheating Real? What To Do If It Happens2023-09-30T04:30:13+00:00

Coping with Empty Nest Syndrome: Finding New Purpose as Parents

2023-08-29T03:34:06+00:00

Coping with Empty Nest Syndrome: Finding New Purpose as Parents Transitioning into the "empty nest" phase of life as parents is a significant rite of passage. As your children leave home (often for college), a whirlwind of emotions can ensue. The empty space where there was once laughter, chatter, and occasional teenage drama in the home is suddenly filled with silence. That’s a lot for many parents to handle, and it's normal to feel sadness, loss, and even anxiety about this new chapter. However, it's essential to remember that this unavoidable phase of life also offers parents opportunities for personal [...]

Coping with Empty Nest Syndrome: Finding New Purpose as Parents2023-08-29T03:34:06+00:00
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