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 […]
By: Connie Mayer, LMFT Director of Outpatient Counseling I often answer phone calls from parents who want to know how to get their teenager to come to counseling. I have been a therapist for 30 years and I have heard the same fears and hesitations. “My son told me he wont get in the car”,”I […]
by Rom Brafman PhD. & Ali Rodriguez, MFT Trainee Site Director and Intern at La Entrada Middle School With so many demands placed on kids these days, school gets more and more competitive every year. Parents feel compelled to help out their kids by getting them prepared for the years of education that lie ahead. […]
By Pamela Garfield, LCSW Site Director at Gunn High School Our kids just got through the end of the semester and finals. Finals, holidays, college applications and the many other pressures of this time of year can be very challenging. Sometimes life just takes over and we have to go into “survival mode” to get […]
By: Charlotte Villemoes, LMFT ACS On-Campus Counseling Site Director at Woodside High School Before I make a call home to a parent, I always ask the teen I have been seeing if they have any messages for mom and dad that they would like me to deliver. They always do. Most of the time the message […]
Jennica Janssen, LMFTI ACS Outpatient Counseling Intern Is there anything wrong with asking for help? As you read this question, you are probably thinking, “Of course not.” However, the truth is that most people do not want to reach out of their comfort zone and ask for help. Instead, people accept too much responsibility and […]
by Martha Chan, LMFT Site Director at Terman Middle School By now the saying that “It takes a village to raise a child” has entered our language, but what does it mean for the parents of teenagers? When our children enter adolescence, one of their primary developmental tasks is to branch out beyond the immediate family […]
by Rom Brafman Ph.D., Site Director at La Entrada Middle School It recently occurred to me that few people I have come across truly believe that they are great. Women appear to be even more apt to have difficulties owning their greatness. Ask someone whether they think they are great and they’re likely to look […]
For many adolescents school is over and summer has begun. This might mean more time for them to do what they love like sports or summer camp, or days of unstructured vegging in front of their screen of choice. Parent advocate Sue Scheff encourages parents to have their child to get 60 minutes a day […]
The Palo Alto City Library will present a series of three free parenting programs during the summer which are aimed at parenting teens. Speakers are from Parents Place and a light meal will be served. Registration and information is available on the library’s events calendar at www.cityofpaloalto.org/library or you can call 650-329-2436 for more information. […]