How Do I Get My Teen to Counseling?

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 […]

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How do we teach our kids to cope with stress?

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 […]

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Asking For Help – It’s Ok

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 […]

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Who’s In Your Teen’s Village?

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 […]

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Do Your Teens Know That You Adore Them?

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 […]

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Spring Fever or Loss of Motivation: How to Help Your Underachieving Teen

By Jennifer Jones, LCSW, Site Director, Palo Alto High School It’s that time of year; the long winter is over, trees are blossoming, the temperature is warming, and we all want to go to the beach instead of to work.  That’s why Spring Break was invented.  But what if a week of vacation doesn’t revive […]

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The Task of Becoming a Teen

by Charlotte Villemoes, LMFT Site Director at Woodside High School After years of challenging teen years my son has finally emerged again, and much to my delight I am discovering he was hiding a real human being in there, someone who is able to communicate and show some basic interest in other people, including his […]

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Cyberbulling: What Parents Need to Know

by Katie Luce, LMFT Site Director at Redwood High School & Jordan Middle School This article is intended to educate parents and families about a serious issue affecting adolescents known as cyberbullying. My hope is to provide information, highlight some of the emotional issues that arise from cyberbullying, and offer suggestions regarding what families can […]

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