5 Tips For Coping With Stress During The Holidays

Tantrums, hitting, and whining are some of the most common issues that parents share with me in my role as an early childhood psychologist. These challenging behaviors often force us to dig deep into an already-depleted well of patience, leading to an exasperating cycle of “let’s see if this works!” over and over again. What if I told you that there is a miraculous way to greatly reduce these behaviors and shift the tone in your home, for only 10 minutes a day? Enter Special Time! Special Time involves spending about 10 minutes per day purposefully playing with your child in a one-on-one setting. During these few minutes, your child has your undivided attention — no phone, no chores, no work, no siblings. You may be thinking, “But I spend all day with my kids…how much more could they possibly need?” The mindset shift to keep in mind is quality over quantity. While we may spend lots of time together through the hustle and bustle of the daily routine, our children often don’t receive the direct attention they crave. The goal is to fill each child’s “cup” with positive attention each day through Special Time, greatly reducing their need to misbehave in order to get more. Special Time should occur every day for about 10 minutes. During this time, your goal is to follow your child’s lead and allow them to be the star. Choose activities that allow for close interaction and joint play, especially those that don’t have many pre-determined rules. Great choices include blocks, trains, cars, dolls, coloring, and any other activities that allow for creativity and imagination. Your primary job during Special Time is to notice what your child is doing and act like a sportscaster by narrating what you see. For example, “You have the red car and the blue car on the track,” or “The animals are sleeping inside the barn.” If you are unsure what to say, just take a guess—your child will correct you if you are wrong, and that is exactly what we want. This is their opportunity to take the lead in an age-appropriate setting…play! This also means that there is zero criticism and no correcting during Special Time. This is child-directed play, not teaching. Your child is likely to love Special Time, which means that wrapping up can be a bit challenging. For a smoother transition once the 10 minutes are up, be sure to give multiple warnings so they know what to expect. When having Special Time with my own child, I prefer to set an alarm on my phone to let me know when to give the transitional warning. This way, I remain present during the play and avoid checking the clock. When your child asks for more Special Time, remind them that you are all done for today, but they will have another 10 minutes tomorrow. While it is best to avoid dropping everything and commencing the 10 minutes any time your child starts to unravel, Special Time can be especially helpful as a “re-set” on challenging days. It should ideally be a routine occurrence that your child can count on, and not taken away as a punishment for misbehavior. Even if you only have 5 minutes, need to do Special Time in the bathtub after soccer practice, or make it work by drawing in the carpool line…every bit matters! While Special Time is not a magic solution for challenging behaviors…it just might feel like one. So sit back, relax, and play!

Have you ever found yourself watching your child or grandchild’s behavior and thinking, “how in the world am I supposed to handle this?” ...if so, you are not alone! With so much advice floating around, many caregivers find themselves facing decision paralysis – fearful of making a wrong move and mishandling a situation. The good news is that there is a simple, research-based mindset shift that can help to guide us in the right direction: Shine Your Spotlight! The behaviors of young children are ever-changing. One minute, they might whine, complain, and tantrum – even though they are wonderful helpers and good listeners just a short time later. Instead of getting stuck focusing on the unhelpful behaviors, first think about what you can do to increase good behavior. The most powerful way to do this is by shining your spotlight on the child when they are behaving well. When you shine your spotlight, you are providing lots of positive attention and letting the child know that you notice them. Praise is one of the most powerful ways to let children know that you enjoy their helpful behaviors. Positive attention is also an important way to help children feel good about themselves. Praise sends an important message to children, so it is essential that you say something specific like, “Thank you for helping me,” or “I love that you’re playing so quietly,” or “Great job sharing with your brother.” The child will need to hear these words often in order to know you’re attending to them. Specific praise should also include non-verbal communication too (hugs, hi-fives, fist bumps, back rubs). Remember to praise frequently! When children do not get enough positive attention for behaving appropriately, they learn that the best way to get attention is to misbehave. This might mean that you are having to manage more interrupting, yelling, whining, complaining, and arguing during the day. Children may also behave this way when they are upset, stressed, or just not getting their way. When caregivers respond to displeasing behavior with a brief period of ignoring- turning off the spotlight- they signal to children that they must behave appropriately in order to get attention. It is important to remove both verbal and non-verbal attention during these moments. Also, remember to return your bright spotlight with lots of praise as soon as the child is back to engaging in an appropriate behavior. Give this strategy a try and help the children in your life learn which behaviors make them shine! Katherine Cohn, PhD Licensed Clinical Child Psychologist Licensed Specialist in School Psychology

As we face the Third Monday of the year, commonly known as Blue Monday, the atmosphere can feel heavy with the weight of post-holiday blues and the challenges of keeping up with New Year's resolutions.

October is not just the month of falling leaves and pumpkin spice lattes; it's also ADHD Awareness Month. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects millions of people worldwide.

The Woodlands Behavioral Health and Wellness Center is proud to announce its support for Mental Health Awareness Month in May. As an organization dedicated to helping individuals achieve mental and emotional wellness, we believe it's important to raise awareness and break the stigma surrounding mental health. Mental health refers to our overall emotional and psychological well-being. It affects how we think, feel, and behave, and can impact our relationships, work, and daily life. Mental health conditions can take many forms, such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, among others. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, 1 in 5 adults in the United States experiences mental illness each year. However, despite the prevalence of mental health conditions, many people still struggle to get the help they need due to shame, stigma, and lack of resources. The Woodlands Behavioral Health and Wellness Center is here to help. We offer a range of services to support individuals struggling with mental health concerns, including individual counseling, group therapy, and psychiatric evaluations. Our team of licensed professionals IS dedicated to providing innovative, personalized treatment plans for patients with mental health issues. We treat patients of all ages using a holistic, integrated, and comprehensive multimodal approach. By working with clients individually, we can develop personalized treatment plans to meet their mental health goals. But we can all play a role in promoting mental health and breaking the stigma. Here are some things you can do: Educate yourself and others about mental health: Learn about the signs and symptoms of mental health conditions and how to support someone who may be struggling. Speak up: Share your own experiences with mental health, or advocate for better mental health resources and support in your community. Be a good listener: If someone you know is struggling with mental health, listen without judgment and offer your support. Practice self-care: Take care of your own mental health by getting enough sleep, exercise, and social support, and seeking help if you need it. We encourage everyone to take a proactive approach to mental health and reach out for help if they need it. Mental health conditions are treatable, and recovery is possible. Don't suffer in silence - reach out to The Woodlands Behavioral Health and Wellness Center today for a complimentary consultation. To learn more about our services or to schedule a presentation for your school, business, or community group, please visit our website at www.addwoodlands.com or call us at (281) 528-4226 .

Did you know there is a difference between mental health and mental illness? Do you know whether or not you should see a professional about what you’re feeling? What should you do if you think someone you know is struggling or needs help? In this video, Shelli from Woodlands Online meets up with Marisa Victory, Psy.D, and Elissa Mattar, M.Ed., LPC at The Woodlands Behavioral Health & Wellness Center to discuss mental health. Click the button below to find out more!

ADHD is a neurotransmitter disorder that can negatively affect an individual's cognitive, behavioral, emotional, social, and executive skills functioning. This may cause poor attention and working memory skills, impulsivity, hyperactivity, difficulty making and maintaining friendships, poor emotional regulation and anger outbursts, poor organizational, planning and time management skills. Lack of these skills may undermine academic and vocational performance. An extensive neuropsychological evaluation is necessary to accurately identify how this disorder has affected each individual so that the person’s specific set of issues can be addressed in an individualized treatment plan by a team of professionals. The Woodlands Behavioral Health and Wellness Center has neuropsychologists and pediatric psychologists trained to administer these comprehensive evaluations and a team of psychologists, adult child and adolescent psychiatrists, licensed professional counselors and executive skills coaches to treat the specific issues identified in the evaluation. Please join in on this free webinar presented by Dr. Norrine Russell on September 15th! EXPERT: Norrine Russell, Ph.D. DATE & TIME: Thursday, September 15 @ 1pm U.S. Eastern Time (12pm CT; 11am MT; 10am PT) | Find it in your time zone > Getting an ADHD evaluation can be both time-intensive and expensive, so it’s important to be educated about what options exist, what to expect during the process, and what to ask the professionals. In this webinar, parents will learn the key questions they need to ask before, during, and after an ADHD assessment and diagnosis. In this webinar, you will learn: Why it’s critically important for parents to become educated about best practices for diagnosing and treating childhood ADHD The main reasons for confusion about who to see and when to see them in the case of concern about ADHD The lists of questions you should have prepared for the first appointment for the evaluation and for the feedback session What to know about follow-up appointments with each member of your child’s ADHD team and what questions to ask every three months, every six months, and annually

ADHD is a chronic disorder that can affect an individual's cognitive skills (memory, attention, executive functioning) emotional functioning, relationships, academic performance, and sleep patterns. Successful treatment requires treatment of the whole person and their significant others. The Woodlands Behavioral Health and Wellness Center has been using an integrated treatment model with a multidisciplinary treatment team of psychologists, psychiatrists, counselors, and coaches, all under the same roof since 2008. A comprehensive evaluation is first administered which helps to identify what aspects of the individual's functioning has been affected and then an individualized plan is created. ADDitude is hosting a free webinar this week! Integrated Care for Children with ADHD: How to Form a Cross-Functional Care Team with Sheryl Morelli, M.D., Leslie F. Graham, MSW, and Douglas Russell, M.D. Tuesday, July 12, 2022 @ 1pm Eastern Time

National School Counseling Week 2022, “School Counseling: Better Together,” sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated from Feb. 7–11, 2022, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who “implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century.” In a proclamation, Gillian Botha-Harvey, M.A. Clin. Psy., COO and Clinical Consultant, thanked school counselors for being actively engaged in helping students examine their abilities, strengths, interests and talents; for working in a partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising children in today’s world; for focusing on positive ways to enhance students’ academic, career and social/emotional development; and working with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students can realize their potential and set healthy, realistic and optimistic aspirations for themselves. School counselors are certified, experienced educators with a master’s degree in school counseling. The combination of their training and experience makes them an integral part of the total educational program. “School counselors work with all students to remove barriers to learning by addressing students’ academic concerns, career options and social/emotional skills,” said Jill Cook, ASCA executive director. “School counseling programs help to increase student achievement and provide a much-needed resource for students, parents, teachers and administrators. School counselors are integral to student success.” More than 100,000 school counselors nationwide will be participating in the week’s festivities. Many schools will be hosting special events and activities to call attention to the countless benefits of a comprehensive school counseling program. As part of its celebration for National School Counseling Week, The Woodlands Behavioral Health and Wellness Center will be sharing posts and encouraging others to reach out to school counselors to thank them for their contribution to society. Parents or community members with specific questions or concerns about school counseling programs should contact the school counselors at their local schools. More general information can also be found on ASCA’s website, www.schoolcounselor.org .