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.
As a child and family therapist, I have often observed that the most formidable challenge for parents when interacting with their children lies in their nervous system. A person’s nervous system governs how they make sense of interactions and generate effective solutions. This system responds to internal and external cues, influenced by past experiences and
Parenting in 2024 feels more challenging than ever. Parents today are stressed by increasing demands on their time, rising costs of raising children, reduced support from family and community, less opportunity for unstructured play time that does not require transport or supervision, and a bewildering array of apps and screens that they know are not
Most parents remember when their child lied to them for the first time. Initially, it often seems cute or amusing, but over time, it becomes seen as “bad behavior.” Lying is bad behavior, but it is also a developmental milestone for children that begins a sophisticated relationship process between them and their parents. Around age
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
When I was little, my favorite game to play with my dad was “Rumble Tumble.” My dad would lie on his back on the floor, and my siblings and I would stack ourselves on top, with the youngest always getting the comfortable top position. Then my dad would rock back and forth, chanting “rumble tumble,