Category Archives: mental health
An Introduction to my Practice -Video
My First Video: An introduction to my Practice
Thoughts on Blending Families
Last month Jada Pinkett Smith, the wife of Will Smith, created a bit of a stir on Facebook when she posted her thoughts on what it took to happily blend families. This is what she wrote: A letter to a … Continue reading
Depression in Adolescents
Recently a friend told me about a middle school child in her town that took his own life. Few had noticed the severity of the depression before the tragic suicide. Sometimes adults overlook the symptoms of depression in teenagers and … Continue reading
Limit Setting with Children, Part 2
Last week I shared my favorite limit setting technique: Acknowledge the feeling Communicate the Limit Target an alternative I believe it is an excellent beginning to setting appropriate limits with kids of all ages. Over the last couple of decades … Continue reading
Helping Children Cope with the Tragedy in Connecticut
We are all reeling from the scenes of the horrendous school shooting in Connecticut yesterday. The footage of parents running to the school to look for their children, children being led from the school in single file while being escorted … Continue reading
Where have all the parents gone?
Occasionally I get on a soapbox. Most often it is about one of two topics, either fathers that have jumped ship all together or parents who allow their kids to run the family. The latter is on my mind today, … Continue reading
Autism Awareness
April is Autism Awareness Month. Autism is a group of developmental brain disorders called autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Children with ASD usually display symptoms of social impairment, communication difficulties, and repetitive behaviors. These symptoms can vary significantly from one child … Continue reading
National Sleep Awareness Week
Can you remember a time when you were significantly sleep deprived? The mental and physical “fog” that accompanies insomnia can zap us of our quality of life. If you’ve read my previous blog posts you know how important I believe … Continue reading
40 days
In many faith traditions there is a time of personal exploration and repentance, a time for spiritual renewal, a time to change direction, if necessary. In the Christian tradition today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. … Continue reading
Stress and Your Brain
When was the last time you thought about taking care of your brain? Your limbic, or emotional brain is responsible for how you respond to stress. It is the part of your brain that controls your emotional responses, your mood, … Continue reading
Gretchen Derda (Woosley), MSW, LCSW 
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