Give the Gift of Service this Christmas
How many of us this Christmas will go shopping for typical gifts such as toys, clothes, and jewelry? These novelties are fun and exciting, but also fleeting and temporary. It sometimes seems that the most celebrated thing at Christmas time is materialism, which is the exact opposite of what our Lord and scripture teaches us. […]
How to Handle Grief for You and Your Children after a Spouse Passes
Losing a loved one is an awful life event for anyone, no matter your age. When family’s experience grief together, each family member can struggle with balancing their own grief process while working to support one another. It is important to understand the definition of grief and the grief process in order to find the delicate balance between personal grief and support grief. […]
Resources For Parents of Teens in Crisis
It’s challenging to know how to parent difficult teens. If you’re wondering, “how do I successfully raise a teenager?”, you’re not alone. Fortunately, there are many resources available for you and your family. If Your Teen Needs Immediate Help, Here are Some Hotlines They Can Call: If your teen is struggling with bullying, depression, suicidal […]
How to Successfully Blend Your Family
By Michelle K. Forgey, LMHC, LPC, RPT, MA The word “family” is a powerful one. No two families are alike; each carries its own unique composition, traditions, memories, rules, and personality. Maybe you are getting married and one or both of you have children from a previous relationship. Or perhaps your family is adopting another […]
Encouragement for Parents of Teens in Crisis
When you are a parent with a teenager in crisis, it is common to ask where it all went wrong. Often, feelings of guilt and regret can paralyze you from taking action. Teens can sense these feelings of guilt and often use them as a weapon against you by blaming you for everything. A teen’s […]
I Think My Husband and I Would Be Better People (and Parents) If We Got Divorced
By: Janae Webb, MS.Ed., LMFTA Crosswinds Therapist Would we be Better Parents Divorced? Marriage is so difficult at times that it can begin to feel hopeless. It may have even felt that way for years. It can feel pretty lonely and disappointing to be in a marriage that has become so different than one had […]
Parenting a Child Who Has Experienced a Traumatic Event
By: Aubrey Garner, MA, LMHCA Crosswinds Therapist I have never known anyone who has not been touched by a traumatic event at least once in their life before passing away. Most people will experience at least one traumatic experience throughout their lifetime; studies show nearly 64% of adults report having one or more traumatic life […]
HELP! I Think My Child is a Bully. What Can I Do to Stop It?
By: Michelle K. Forgey, LMHC, LPC, RPT, MA Crosswinds Therapist Bully? Not My Child When you first hold your child in your arms, you think to yourself, “This is the most beautiful child I have ever seen. How am I going to keep you alive?” Shortly after, you may begin to think of all of […]
Adoption and Reactive Attachment Disorder: Everything You Need to Know
By: Michelle K. Forgey, LMHC, LPC, RPT, MA Crosswinds Therapist Adoption ~ Transition Maybe you are considering adopting a child into your family and have some reservations or maybe you have already adopted a child into your family and have some concerns. Regardless of the reason for reading this blog, there is only one place […]
Should I Make My Teenage Daughter Add Me As a Friend on Social Media?
By: Janae Webb, MS.Ed., LMFTA Crosswinds Therapist Does she use social media? (probably) Social media has become part of the fabric of youth culture in today’s society. In fact, roughly two-thirds of teenagers report they use Facebook daily, 76% of teens report using Instagram, 75% report using Snapchat. At a time when teenage girls are […]
How Do You Know the Difference Between a Troubled Teen and a Teen Who is Just Going Through Adolescence?
By: Tim Gilleand, MA Not a child anymore Adolescence is a very confusing time for teenagers and parents. Your baby is no longer a child, but also not an adult. What are they? What freedoms do you allow and what do you still try and control? This stage of life brings parents many questions such […]
Teaching Respect
By Christena N. Wilkerson, Supervising Therapist Teaching respect through showing it In the words of Aretha Franklin, “R-E- S-P- E-C- T, Find out what it means to me” says parents should be modeling what respect looks like. What is Modeling? According to Dictionary.com “Modeling: Also called imitation- a particular behavior is elicited by the observation […]