This blog is written by the clinicians at Jonah Green and Associates, a mental health practice based in Kensington, MD that provides quality services for children, teens, families, and adults. It is intended as a resource for families who are seeking to expand their knowledge about mental health and mental health services, and also as a resource for families who are seeking quality mental health services, especially in the mid-Atlantic region.
Cheryl (not her real name) is a bright 50-year-old female with two children, ages 9 and 12, who have demanding schedules. Cheryl works full-time as a medical researcher. Her husband died two months ago after a 10-month battle with cancer. Cheryl and John had been married for 20 years, and their life had been a
In her soulful piece “Family Therapy Song,” Chicago-based artist Jae Jorgensen sings of the magic that family therapy can bring forth: “We can imagine together, create a story that changes the view For a brighter tomorrow with loved ones who understand you.” Jorgensen is right. Family therapy can create an environment for people to express
Learning to de-escalate our emotions alongside our children’s escalating feelings is the most essential parenting skill we can learn. Dysregulation calls for connection, and when kids dysregulate, we naturally correct them, thereby disconnecting. We may cultivate short-term compliance but also disrupt our relationship with them and lose the opportunity to foster self-regulation skills. When fear
In her song “Drinkin’ Problem,” Lori McKenna describes the effects of a “drinking problem” in excruciating detail: I can’t hardly get out of bed, I can’t hardly clear my head Of last night’s spinning, smokey memories I call in sick to work, I tell ‘em my whole body hurts Yeah, I think this drinkin’ just
Anxiety is a feeling that most of us have experienced at one time or another. Anxiety serves a practical purpose: to warn us of potential dangers. Unfortunately, in modern life, the “warning” is often outsized or simply irrational compared to the size or likelihood of the perceived threat. Whether the worry is about tests at