Staff, APPS

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So far Staff, APPS has created 270 blog entries.

Understanding Parental Alienation: Challenges and Guidance for Parents

2024-12-30T00:16:48+00:00

Understanding Parental Alienation: Challenges and Guidance for Parents Parental alienation is a deeply painful experience, both for the parent being alienated and for the child caught in the middle. At its core, parental alienation refers to behaviors by one parent that aim to damage or sever the bond between a child and the other parent. These behaviors often include manipulation, spreading false narratives, or portraying the other parent in a consistently negative light. The concept of parental alienation gained significant attention in the 1980s when psychiatrist, Richard Gardner, introduced the term “Parental Alienation Syndrome” (PAS). Gardner described it as a [...]

Understanding Parental Alienation: Challenges and Guidance for Parents2024-12-30T00:16:48+00:00

Family Gatherings During The Holiday Season Pros & Cons

2024-11-27T17:06:01+00:00

Family Gatherings During The Holiday Season:  The Pros, The Cons, Some Practical Tips And Some Things To Avoid The holiday season is often seen as a time to reconnect with family and to celebrate traditions. However, family gatherings can also bring challenges. For some, these moments are opportunities to create joyful memories; for others, they may feel like navigating a social minefield. Understanding the pros and cons of holiday get-togethers, along with actionable strategies for managing potential pitfalls, can help you make the most of your family time. The Pros Strengthening Bonds.  The holidays provide a natural opportunity to deepen [...]

Family Gatherings During The Holiday Season Pros & Cons2024-11-27T17:06:01+00:00

The Story of Two Goats And Your Vote: How to Manage Yourself After The Election

2024-10-31T20:07:39+00:00

The Story of Two Goats And Your Vote:  How to Manage Yourself After The Election Once upon a time, in a certain forest, there lived a Black Goat and a White Goat. One day, as fate would have it, they both needed to cross a narrow bridge. Unfortunately, the bridge was so narrow that it only had enough space for one goat to cross at a time. The Black Goat arrived on one side of the bridge, while the White Goat approached from the other. Both goats were determined to cross first, and thus an argument ensued. Each goat was [...]

The Story of Two Goats And Your Vote: How to Manage Yourself After The Election2024-10-31T20:07:39+00:00

Ask Dr. Mike – Children truly hate their stepmother

2024-10-17T02:13:32+00:00

Dr. Mike, I know you do a lot of divorce work as a custody evaluator, and we’re struggling as a family and could use some guidance.  For quick review, we went through a very contentious and nasty separation and divorce, and we’ve been divorced now for 5 years.  I have full physical and legal custody of both of our children, and the children have a visitation schedule with their father.  My ex-husband remarried 9 months ago, and my children truly hate their stepmother, and hate is an understatement.  First, she’s 23 years younger than my ex-husband, which has been very [...]

Ask Dr. Mike – Children truly hate their stepmother2024-10-17T02:13:32+00:00

Ask Dr. Mike – Life360 for her Freshman year

2024-10-24T06:20:19+00:00

Dr. Mike, Our 18-year-old daughter went off to JMU for Freshman year this Fall, and we’re so proud of her.  She’s doing well academically and socially, but she’s upset with us for being “controlling” and for “micromanaging” her.  My husband and I told her that we would be keeping Life360 on her phone to monitor her whereabouts on campus for her first year away.  We told her that if she demonstrated maturity in making good choices, and if she gets good grades, we will then remove ourselves from Life360 for her Sophomore year and after.  She’s always been a great [...]

Ask Dr. Mike – Life360 for her Freshman year2024-10-24T06:20:19+00:00

How Your Brain Is Telling You To Vote

2024-09-04T00:57:02+00:00

How Your Brain Is Telling You To Vote As another presidential election approaches, political conversations seem to be everywhere --at family gatherings, on social media, and in the workplace. These discussions can quickly become heated, often leading to frustration, misunderstandings, and, in some cases, strained or even terminated relationships.  But what if the way we vote is influenced more by the biology of our brains than by our rational, conscious thoughts? What if our political beliefs are, to some extent, preordained by our genetics and brain structure? Research in neuroscience and psychology suggests that this might be truer than we [...]

How Your Brain Is Telling You To Vote2024-09-04T00:57:02+00:00

3 Reasons Why Social Media Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist

2024-08-22T04:02:50+00:00

3 Reasons Why Social Media Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist With technology being so present in our lives these days, it can be tempting to turn our friends into virtual therapists when we are in a bad place or need help.  And while it’s perfectly fine to reach out to friends on-line for general support, it’s entirely another thing to seek guidance for larger mental health problems.  If you personally struggle with depression, anxiety, or alcoholism/substance use, or if your marriage is in trouble, or if your child isn’t doing well, etc., your problems won’t be adequately addressed on social media [...]

3 Reasons Why Social Media Shouldn’t Be Your Therapist2024-08-22T04:02:50+00:00

How To Talk To Your Children About The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump

2024-07-15T15:47:06+00:00

How To Talk To Your Children About The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump As a child psychologist, I mainly address the developmental, emotional, social and behavioral struggles of children, but sometimes the realities or events of the world can negatively impact a child’s emotional life – and parenting through things that are outside of a child’s control and are upsetting isn’t always easy. Certainly, the attempted assassination of former US president Donald Trump this past weekend is one of those realities and events.  While Mr. Trump is safe, the impact of what happened will be felt and discussed in [...]

How To Talk To Your Children About The Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump2024-07-15T15:47:06+00:00

What is Sharenting And Is It Bad?

2024-07-12T01:19:24+00:00

What is Sharenting And Is It Bad? “Sharenting,” which is a portmanteau of the words “parenting” and “sharing,” is a relatively new pop psychology term that involves the act of a parent excessively posting pictures, videos, updates and stories about their child or teen’s life.   And while a lot of pop psychology terms aren’t very helpful, I think this one is.  As a psychologist that works a lot with children and teens, the topic of parents digitally oversharing sensitive information about their children comes up frequently in therapy and with the action at times causing real problems and emotional [...]

What is Sharenting And Is It Bad?2024-07-12T01:19:24+00:00

Poorly Conducted Or Biased Custody Evaluation

2024-06-26T02:36:41+00:00

What To Do If You Received A Poorly Conducted Or Biased Custody Evaluation The custody evaluation process is a critical juncture in determining the living arrangements and parenting responsibilities for children following a separation and divorce. The fairness and accuracy of this evaluation is paramount, as the outcome can significantly impact the emotional and psychological well-being of the children involved. A poorly conducted or biased evaluation can lead to unjust outcomes, affecting the parent-child relationship for years to come. So, what are the main signs of a poorly conducted or biased custody evaluation? The evaluation [...]

Poorly Conducted Or Biased Custody Evaluation2024-06-26T02:36:41+00:00

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