Adolescents in Middle School: Part 1

Originally Posted March 10, 2010 and has been updated By: Philippe Rey, Psy.D. As adolescents go through the physical changes of puberty, they also must deal with a variety of psychological changes. As a parent of an adolescent entering middle school it’s a good idea to get acquainted with a list of typical behaviors exhibited […]

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How to talk with your teens, not at them

By MAUD PURCELL, LCSW, CEAP Source http://psychcentral.com/lib/how-to-talk-with-your-teenagers-not-at-them/000528 “Why can’t they be like we were?” Parents of teens ask themselves this and other preposterous questions as they navigate the treacherous waters of parenthood. Truth is, all healthy teens are somewhat temperamental, secretive and obstinate — it’s their job! What Happened to That Sweet, Compliant Kid I Knew? […]

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Teens are Receiving Mixed Messages about Marijuana

Source: yourteenmag.com By: Dr. Jack Stein The legalization of marijuana–whether medical, decriminalization or legal–is sending mixed messages to our teens. Is it like alcohol, for adults only? Is it addictive? We took our many questions to Dr. Jack Stein, Director, Office of Science Policy and Communications, National Institute on Drug Abuse. Now that marijuana is legal in […]

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Cultivating Mastery and Success WITH Your Teen

by Chris Chiochios, LMFT, Site Director at JLS Middle School With so much emphasis on achievement and concern about our children being prepared and “ready” to enter adulthood and be “successful”, there is a hidden cost that many youth can experience.  This cost involves developing a mindset that becomes fixed on what success means and […]

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Empathy in Communicating with your TechWorld Teen

Taryn Bogonovich, MFTI ACS’ Marriage and Family Therapist Intern As a co-facilitator of the ACS weekly parents support group, I often hear parents share that the world their kids are growing up in is so vastly different than their experience.  They just don’t understand their teen’s behavior and sometimes they don’t know how to manage […]

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What Mindfulness Means

By: Jennica Janssen Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program Intern “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” – Buddha Mindfulness is a broad term that is […]

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Did you know it’s “National Catch Your Teen Doing Something Right” Month?

By Merrett Sheridan, LMFT Site Director at Palo Alto High School Ok so I made that up, but why not?   Ask yourself when was the last time you gave your teen a truly heartfelt “atta boy” for something significant and for no reason other than to make them feel good?  By significant I don’t mean thanking them […]

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Jane Fonda Helps Teen Sort Out Adolescence

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com By: Marianne Schnall Jane Fonda is well known as an Oscar- and Emmy-award winning actress and for her best-selling books and exercise videos, as well as for her activism around a variety of issues, such as co-founding the Women’s Media Center. What you may not know, is that Fonda also has a long and varied […]

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Teens and Parties

By: JoAnn Kukulus, MS, MFTI ACS Intern When our children were young, we parents had a hand in just about everything they did. We took on the responsibility of organizing and structuring their time in such a way that we knew what they were doing each minute of each day. If we couldn’t actually oversee the […]

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Building Appropriate Boundaries with Your Teen: The Fine Line Between Parent and Friend

By: Beverly Reyes After-School Counseling Program Intern As teenagers grow and start to individuate it is sometimes difficult for parents to find that fine line between parent and friend.  Parents with loose boundaries and rules may find it easy to get along with their teen because there is no power struggle and no arguments.  The teen […]

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