2019 New Year's Resolutions | 7 Tips to Keep your New Year's Resolutions | Forbes Did you make a New Year’s Resolution for 2019? If you did, there is a strong possibility that you will not see it through to [...]
10 Tips to Protect Your Child | Student-Teacher Relationship | Michelle Preston A high school teacher having sex with a teenaged student is the hot topic this week. Once again, a female teacher is accused of seducing a young [...]
Tips for Changing Schools and Social Adjustment | Back to School Will I make friends as great as my old friends? Will I make friends at all? Who will I sit with at lunch? Will I connect with my [...]
Childhood trauma is a pervasive issue that affects millions of children worldwide. Traumatic events experienced in childhood can have long-lasting effects on a person's physical and mental health. While children are often seen as resilient, it is crucial to [...]
Key Highlights Understanding ADHD in children is crucial for effective co-parenting strategies. Consistency and communication are key elements in co-parenting a child with ADHD. Behavioral strategies, such as positive reinforcement and structured routines, can help manage ADHD symptoms. Educational [...]
Introduction: Delay Smartphones until Sixteen In today's digital age, smartphones have become an integral part of our lives, including those of teenagers. However, there is growing concern about the impact of early smartphone use on teen mental health. Many [...]
"I don't understand why my daughter is so sad lately? "Why is my son spending time with bad influences?" "Why does my daughter go out with abusive guys?" "Why does my son have such low self esteem?" If you [...]
Have you lost influence with your teenager? Do you worry they listen way to much more to our side influences? How has social media impacted your teens mental health and self image? As parents we always are concerned about [...]
Disney’s Frozen is all the rage ever since it came out and there are many redeeming qualities in reference to girls self esteem tips! Even my 3 year old girl is obsessed with it. She can sing all the [...]
Orlando Based Counselor | Video Tips to Keep your Child or Teen off the Bully Radar | Fox 35 Expert Jim West and his marriage, family experts provide counseling with offices in Lake Mary, Orlando, East Orlando, Clermont & Winter [...]
The school year has begun and soon so will Fall sports for many our children. Soccer, baseball, t-ball are all slated to begin. And unless you’ve been under a rock then you may not have heard of Mo'ne Davis, [...]
Roughly 75% of teenagers have access to computers, video game consoles, and smartphones. With such a high percentage of teens having access to personal technology, 40% of teen boys say they spend too much time playing video games and [...]
According to statistics, most kids are spending three and a half hours a day on social media. This is alarming because kids who use social media more than three hours a day risk doubling their mental health issues which [...]
Summer is coming to a close. Play dates, family vacations and trips to grandma’s house may have made for a great time. With over a week left until school starts, the thought of going back to school may elicit [...]
Over the past 10 years, Social media has significantly influenced our daily lives. Facebook and Twitter have become commonplace for dating, connecting, and socializing. Most recently, studies have shown an increase in college aged drinking, especially among male students. [...]
Orlando Teen Counselor Therapist “The thing I remember most about middle school was how tough it was. You're not quite an adult, but you're not a kid anymore.” Jen Walters” It is this battlefield of questions that we leave [...]
It is often believed by educators, counselors, and parents that children and adolescents are shielded from drugs and alcohol, in the private school sector. However, children and adolescents are part of a much larger society, of which private schooling [...]
Roughly 95% of adolescents aged 13-17 report using social media. Social media use can present mental health concerns, such as anxiety and depression, in children and adolescents who spend more than 3 hours a day on social media. This [...]
School’s out for summer! But it’s not 1972, its 2023, and the ways families and kids spend their Summers between each school year have not changed entirely. Kids still go to camps, attend tutoring sessions, go to school of [...]
Attachment is vital to a child and the caregiver's responsiveness to the child is paramount to securing that attachment. Attachment issues are very prevalent in our society today and can play out in a variety of ways. Things such [...]
Tom Brady and Gisele Bundchen have been a couple since 2006 and although they seem like a fairy tale couple, their recent drama proves otherwise. Tom’s first son was born in 2007. However, his first child was not with [...]
With summer coming to an end, many kids have experienced a change in their sleeping habits. Children get less sleep in the summer due to long nights of staying up late without the responsibility of having school the next [...]
With summer in session, school’s out and the kids are home. If you’re one of the many parents having trouble finding activities for your children to do this summer, you’ve come to the right place. “I’m bored...” It's inevitable. [...]
According to a federal report done by the National Center for Education Statistics, there were ninety-three gun-related incidents in the United States that resulted in lives lost on school property in 2021 alone. Lives as young as twelve years [...]
"In a world that is increasingly technological, we use our electronic devices for everything, from work-related matters to personal communication. Think about it, dads. When was the last time we expressed our sentiments in a truly thoughtful way to [...]
What is the gut-brain connection? Your brain communicates with your gut daily, and vice versa, in order to maintain digestion and health. Research suggests that the organisms in the gastrointestinal tract can influence mental health greatly. In fact, the [...]
Orlando family counselor offers as simple conflict resolution program to resolve conflict quickly and get back to privileges. “Sorry! Sorry! Sorry,” is what students/siblings receive over and over again, and then the perpetrator receives a time out, grounding, loses [...]
Orlando ADHD Counseling Expert Jim West, MA, LMHC interviewed by Fox 35 | ADHD linked to High Fat Diet? | University of Illinois Food for Thought: Another study linking proving that how we eat effects how we think! There was [...]
Daily Homeschool Schedule Advice The coronavirus pandemic is continuously changing our lives, but one thing for sure is, you’re unsure of how to go about the next few weeks. Like most parents, you’ve suddenly found yourself solely responsible for [...]
Tips for Dads with Daughters! Being a good dad to a daughter involves taking an active role in her life, providing emotional support, and being a positive role model 1. Spend quality time with your daughter. Set aside time [...]
“Courageous: Honor Begins at Home” is a movie that tells the story of five fathers. The film showcases men, from all different cultural backgrounds, with the universal desire to become strong fathers. As the film displays, being a father [...]
Just like every school year, a new set of challenges is presented before him. With these challenges comes both stress and excitement. Do you remember your first day of class? Maybe you were like me and unable to sleep. [...]
“Reducing Stress from Tests!” “I am going to fail the FSA and repeat third grade!” “I don’t have enough time for the test!” “I can’t sleep the night before the test!” February and March many students across the state [...]
On April 16, 2011 in Minnesota, a slumber party made national news when two eighth graders, Haylee Fentress and Paige Morrison, were found hanging in Fentress’s house. It was a suicide pact fueled by cyberbullying, humiliation, and the taunting [...]
If you have a defiant teen, you know the struggle of having to put your foot down regarding rules and obedient behavior. Maybe you have had your child yell “no!” when you tell them to go to bed, or [...]
Are you dreading the holidays? Do you have to split holidays with more than two groups of relatives? Do you feel you are traveling all over the place and resent holidays? Are you a people pleaser and trying to [...]
5 Tips for Coping with Social Isolation While Social Distancing 1 in 5 Americans are in social isolation in their homes due to the COVID-19 virus. 5 states have now issued “stay at home orders,” which entails no going [...]
18 Signs of Teen addiction Sometimes having fun may be dangerous. Parents must be aware of the tell tale signs of teen addictions. We live in a culture that thrives on youth, beauty, power, and wealth. However, having fun [...]
Psychologists used to recommend talking about sex a year before puberty, but now children on average are exposed to pornography at age 8 due to the internet and pop ups. So families are scrambling about how to talk to [...]
*'!#$ you mom said Anthony at the restaurant with his family. Jackie, his mother responds "Don't you talk to me like that and if you say that one more time I will slap you!" I knew when Jackie was [...]
January is Divorce Awareness Month and so this article was written to help prepare parents that are pursuing divorce in a way that will cause the least amount of trauma to the children involved. These mistakes are classic mistakes [...]
Baby Boomers & Midlife Crisis | Tips to Survive the Aging Process When baby-boomer sex symbol Meryl Streep hit the silver screen as Miranda Priestly in the blockbuster movie “Devil Wears Prada,” no one would have guessed that the [...]
Orlando Self Esteem Counselor Images of the female body are used to market everything! Toothpaste, shampoo, cola and sports cars! Beautiful women—and every body part—sell almost anything from potato chips to sport cars. Female celebrities and entertainers are becoming [...]
For most students there is the fear of the unknown when going back to school. Will my teacher(s) like me? Will I make friends or what do I say to make friends Will my classmates like me? Will I have [...]
Orlando ADHD Counseling Expert Jim West shows sides of ADHD as a good thing Stanford did a study that showed the learning style of the average person as follows: 89% Visual, 10% Auditory & 1% the remaining 3 senses. As [...]
Recognizing and Protecting Against Suicidal Ideation in Teens "One in six!" That's how many high school students reported having serious suicidal ideation in a U.S.-wide survey in 2015 (Kann, 2016). In other words, over 16% of high school students [...]
The death of Sylvester Stallone’s son Sage has devastated family, friends and fans. A young man with a promising life ahead, Sage passed Friday July 13th at the age of 36. The cause of death is unknown, making it [...]
When I first read the story about Jamey Rodemeyer I was saddened that a young boy had lost his life. He had so much life ahead of him. There are many reasons that cause a person to end their [...]
“You don’t understand!” “You don’t have a clue what I am going through!” “You don’t know what your talking about!” If you have not heard these statements from you teenager get ready because it’s coming! However, during these transitional [...]
Adolescents have been engaging in risky and harmful activities such as using drugs, alcohol, and sex for decades. Now children and adolescents from the ages of 5 years old up to 17 years old exhibit in something that is [...]
