The Ripple Effect: How Leadership Begins Within
Source: Tookapic/Pexels Leadership isn’t just about the decisions we make in boardrooms or during high-stakes moments. It’s about influence—the ripples we create in our everyday interactions. Whether we realize it or not, we’re all leaders in our own spheres, shaping the experiences of those around us. But what if we’re not intentional about those ripples? […]
Teasing, Taunting, and Revenge: Lessons in Injured Pride
When The Ohio State University, a mega land-grant state school and a perennial football powerhouse, takes the field against a charter member of the Big Ten, the elite Northwestern University, the stadium buzzes with good-natured score-settling and rivalry. From their side of the field, Buckeyes’ loud cheers press the point that the Wildcats haven’t any […]
There Are No Bad Kids
Thirty years ago, right after completing my bachelor’s degree in psychology, I spent a summer teaching kindergarten at a Columbus, Ohio, school designed for children with behavioral disorders, many of whom were diagnosed with oppositional defiant disorder (ODD). The student body was overwhelmingly BIPOC and had endured extensive trauma: separation from family, various forms of […]
Four Campuses Where Students Are Having Hard…
Student suspensions across the country. Police in riot gear called on to dozens of campuses. Presidents of top universities called into congressional hearings. Those were the top higher education stories during the past year. But there were also many students, faculty, and staff committed to fostering a culture of understanding and belonging across higher education. […]
How Friendships With Elders Help Teens Find Purpose
Time in this high school moves without hurry once classes are done. Afternoon sun fills the halls, almost empty of students now except for the few still packing up. In one classroom, teens and older adults begin to arrive—some ebulliently, others shyly, but all with an eagerness that feels palpable. Gradually, their voices and laughter […]
Parental Eating Behaviors Shape How kids Interact With Food
Young children see their parents as their greatest role models. They seek the approval of their parents and want to be like their parents in as many ways as possible. They notice when their parents are there and when they’re gone. Children take note of more than we tend to assume or give them credit […]
How to Help Your Loved Ones Stick to Their Goals
If you’ve ever set a New Year’s resolution, you know: They can be hard to keep. Even when we’re highly motivated (at first), we humans often struggle to follow through on our best intentions. One thing that helps is having social support. But the type of support that actually helps is pretty specific—unfortunately, supporters often […]
Hearing Loss, Autism, and Cognitive Decline
Recent news stories reveal that hearing loss is a risk factor for dementia. As an autistic person, I have long been aware that differences in our sensory systems can be terribly disabling. Hearing is an obvious example, but autism, ADHD, and dyslexia also illustrate that, and now all are associated with cognitive disability too. Our […]
Brittle: The Goldilocks Dilemma | Psychology Today
My intention in writing this blog is to share the experiences I went through with my son, starting with the first manifestation of his illness and our journey through numerous subsequent episodes. I also want to provide commentary as a parent and psychiatrist on issues that these experiences bring up, such as how the diagnostic […]
To the Parent Who’s Stressing About Being Imperfect
“Your greatest contribution to the universe may not be something you do, but someone you raise.” ~Unknown Have you ever heard the saying, “Mama knows best” or “If mama ain’t happy, nobody’s happy”? Honestly, who decided that moms should know everything and that the entire Emotional balance of the home rests solely on their shoulders? […]