Written by: Brittany Glaser, M.A., M.Div. Even for those of us who crave adventure, change can be terrifying. Whether it is expected change, like our students who are going from one school to the next, or unexpected change, like a lost job or loved one, all change is difficult and comes with a wide mix of emotions. If you are […]

Spring break is quickly approaching. While that brings shouts of joy for most children, it is also a reminder that the Georgia Milestone is right around the corner. Since the beginning of March, I have been bombarded with more and more children sharing their fears about the test that is coming up. They are worrying about how hard it will […]

Written by: Kellie Gwaltney, M.A. It’s the most wonderful time of year. So many parties, so much fun, so much…stress! For a lot of people, dealing with family raises the blood pressure! Difficult in-laws just add a whole new layer of problems, issues and drama. While we love the family we married into, they come with their own set of […]

As a play therapist, one of the main things I look for is what children are showing me, not what they are telling me. Children under the age of 10 (and sometimes older), struggle to verbalize what bothers them or what feelings they are experiencing. Therefore, when trying to determine if your child is struggling with anxiety, the main question to ask yourself […]

As my wife Cathy and I are on our final descent into San Francisco, I cannot help but feel the irony of seeing the Golden Gate Bridge off the right side of our plane and knowing that it is not only a shining symbol of opportunity but equally is the single most frequented spot that we as Americans choose to […]

Emotional regulation, or the ability to manage one’s emotions, is perhaps the most dramatically visible and the prototypical feature of human personality. Many people appear to be mostly in command of their emotions at critical moments, while others appear to be particularly (and sometimes explosively) reactive to environmental and interpersonal challenges. In general, affective or emotional instability, inordinate bursts of […]

Boredom, like pain, is an entirely subjective experience mediated by personality, needs, wants, past history and contingent upon one’s perceptions of the experience, and thus very difficult to describe with precision and quantify. The state of boredom has been variously described as a dullness of the mind, mental inertia, sloth, or ennui. Its characteristic features are a lack of interest […]

Arguments happen in all marriages, in fact they are necessary.  Conflicts  may arise because of  financial stresses, parenting issues and misunderstandings. Couples must face these daily disagreements in order to operate and function effectively.  However, there are forms of negativity in arguments that have been found to be more destructive or corrosive to a marriage than others.  Dr. Gottman, a noted researcher on marriage and the […]

What makes a good marriage last? According to the best evidence provided by case studies and well-documented research (most prominent that of Dr. John Gottman), the best chances of success are within marriages where the spouses can provide a safe haven for each other and a secure base from which to face the world together. Among others, a crucial skill […]

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), regardless of its cause, takes a heavier toll than it is widely known on the mind and behavior of its victims. PTSD sufferers feel, think and behave as in a state of prolonged, and for some even unending, stress reaction. This disorder of the mind strikes after a traumatic event has disrupted a person’s life. Immediately […]