by Debbie Landi LCSW Site Director at Jordan Middle School As parents of kids in middle and high school, we can often feel confused by their behavior and expression of emotions. We may think they reached a certain point of maturity in their emotional and social life in elementary school and are then morphed into […]
For many teens, their first dose of personal responsibility comes when they get their first job. The benefit of having a job, for a teen, is not just a monetary one; a job can open up new social circles, bolster self-esteem and create a sense of purpose. Most times a job outside of the home […]
We have all heard the phrase “Get it off your chest,” encouraging one to talk about what is troubling or concerning them. With the advent of the computer age and all of the social media that has followed, this phrase has become much easier to follow, on a regular basis. Sites like Facebook and Twitter […]
Most adults know by now that smoking cigarettes is caustic to our health, partially because of the warning information printed on cigarette boxes and the intense media buzz provided by anti-smoking agencies and the United States government. Despite all that we know about the dangers of smoking, the prospect of smoking nicotine cigarettes is still […]
By Philippe Rey, Psy. D. Executive Director of Adolescent Counseling Services So now that we have a good idea about what is really going on with drugs and alcohol, let’s look at more ways we can help our teens. As I mentioned last week, as parents your task is to encourage choice. That means that […]
By Ronni J. Gillenson ACS Program Director, On-Campus Counseling Progra Just because there is ‘holiday cheer’ in the air doesn’t mean that life for a teen has changed all that much. In fact, the holidays can be a trying time for them. During the season that everyone is to be happy and giving, this could […]
A dangerous college activity has made its way to high school students and campuses. Adolescent Counseling Services (ACS) has seen a new trend in our programs: teens participating in a Beer Mile. What is a beer mile? According to the “official” Beer Mile website, “The most common format of the beer mile requires a single […]
By Philippe Rey, Psy. D. Executive Director of Adolescent Counseling Services Previously we looked at information that helped us recognize when a problem in our middle school children is serious enough to require professional assistance, versus a bout of normal adolescent behavior or mood change. This week we will focus on substances and how best […]
By Philippe Rey, Psy.D. Executive Director of Adolescent Counseling Services Let’s start this second part of our conversation by making sure that we all understand that middle school is a time for fluctuations in physical and emotional energy. During this time, kids experiment with risk taking, have an increased sense of curiosity, love danger and […]
By Philippe Rey, Psy.D. Executive Director of Adolescent Counseling Services The goal for this blog series on middle schoolers is to provide you with the tools and information you need to have a more open and genuine conversation with your child. Additionally, this blog series will prepare your family for the difficult topics of conversation […]
