Teen Mental Illness Issues and Treatment
Adolescence for many people is a wonderful, challenging time of life. On the one hand, it’s a time of emerging independence and identity, exploring new freedom and contexts. However, the changes during...
Speaker/Listener Exercise
Speaker/Listener ExerciseFind a quiet, distraction – free space in your home to sit across from one another and take turns sharing about the stressors in your day. TAKE TURNS AS SPEAKER AND LISTENER...
Revisiting Past Conflicts Exercise
This exercise is to improve communication by "Processing", which means that you can talk about an incident that occurred without becoming activated and getting back into the argument. It needs to be...
Increase Potency of Marijuana and its Impact on the Brain
Potency of MarijuanaThe marijuana today is not the marijuana of the 60’s, 70’s or even 80’s. Today, we see marijuana bud at 26% THC and many users are now using high THC concentrates such as butane hash...
Poor Impulse Control in Teens Linked to Substance Abuse?
Poor impulse control may be pre-wired in some teenagers. Researchers have identified brain networks that are linked to impulse control and drug addiction, which may exist even before someone is exposed...
Addiction Treatment
Drug and alcohol residential or outpatient rehab treatment is a place to go when an addiction has become a problem in your life, and you find yourself unable to stop. Whether the addiction is centered...
Don't just say No!
"Just say no" just won't cut it if parents hope to persuade children to make smart choices about drugs. You need to look at your own issues and beliefs around drugs and alcohol so that you feel clear...
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure takes place when a child does something he or she does not want to do as a result of being pressured by peers. Peer pressure is a part of almost all children's lives. All children experience...
Misguided View – Parent's Providing Alcohol to their Teens
Parents who provide their teens with alcohol and a place to consume it may think they are teaching their children "responsible drinking." A new review of studies concludes this view is misguided. Researchers...
The Four Stages of Adolescent and Young Adult Drug Use
Below are the initial stages that young people follow as they begin to be exposed to alcohol and drug use. It is very important to understand the process your teen may be experiencing, if you suspect...
Drug, Alcohol Risk Increased For Youths Using Social Media
According to the "National Survey of American Attitudes on Substance Abuse Teens and Parents", conducted by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University (CASA Columbia,)...
Good Boundaries Vital to Building Healthy Relationships
In my private practice my path is to remove obstacles blocking my patient's path to reaching their full potential. Many of the people who walk thru my door are in various stages of either substance abuse,...