Your Cheatin’ Heart
“Sneakin’ out the backdoor to hang out with those hoodlum friends of mine Greeted at the backdoor with ‘Boy I thought I told you not to go outside’ Tryin’ hard to bring the water to your eyes […]
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The DSM-5, Autism, and The Obscenity Decision
Although the DSM-5 was published less than a month ago, it has already been the subject of a staggering amount of commentary. For those unfamiliar with the DSM-5, it was constructed by The American Psychiatric Association and its full title is Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – Fifth Edition. It provides a list of every “official” mental health […]
» Read moreReady or Not…..
I apologize in advance for my second entry in a row that springs from an experience I had during a different century. I’m approaching a couple of milestones this year. I’m turning 50 years old soon and this is my 25th year working as a counselor. So forgive me if I get a bit indulgent. I’ll try not to stray […]
» Read moreThe Hurried Child, Revisited
About 20 years ago, my supervisor suggested that I pick up the book The Hurried Child by David Elkind. This was shortly after I had finished graduate school and was just starting out in my first professional job. He suggested I read the book in order to give myself some context around the lives that many of the children in my caseload […]
» Read moreThe Lure of the Console (Part II) – Minecraft
Most people who are even casually acquainted with any quirky kids in 2013 have probably heard a good deal of discussion about the game Minecraft. In fact, Minecraft is one of those crazes with an appeal that has expanded beyond the realm of the quirky so really anyone casually acquainted with kids at all has probably heard some talk of […]
» Read moreThe Lure of the Console (Part I) – Quirky Kids and Video Games
“TV is just like video games. But without all the work!”– 15 year old Academy MetroWest participant During the summer, Academy MetroWest runs a small day camp. Since we started the camp, I’ve worked not only as a co-director, but also as the counselor for the oldest boys’ group. Every Friday, we go on a field trip or run some type […]
» Read moreOutgrowing Autism?
The authors of a recent study published in The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry have created a buzz in the human service community. Deborah Fein, a researcher at University of Connecticut, and her colleagues studied a group of children and adolescents who had been diagnosed with Autism by the time they were 5 years old. The authors found that in […]
» Read moreOn New Year’s Resolutions, Bill Gates, and Self-Esteem
I’m not optimistic that my new year’s resolution will be achieved this year. It’s a noble, worthwhile goal but it requires more self-discipline than I can probably muster. My resolution is to cut back on the amount of time I spend on Facebook. One reason for the resolution leads me to the focus of this piece. Through Facebook, I’m back […]
» Read moreIt Will Never Stop Being a Struggle – But It Will Get Better
Back in December, Academy MetroWest hosted a parent workshop called Young Adulthood – Looking Forward, Looking Back. It featured 3 Academy MetroWest alumni, now in their early or mid 20’s, reflecting on the struggles they faced during their school years and the challenges they face now. This is our 3rd year of presenting parent workshops and we’ve had some good ones. […]
» Read moreThe Welcome Back Kotter School of Limit Setting
On the morning of September 10, 1975, as my fellow classmates and I streamed in to Iroquois Middle School for another enthralling day of 6th grade, we found ourselves enthusiastically comparing our favorite moments from a sitcom that had premiered the evening before. At least 12 hours after we had all feasted our eyes and ears on it for the […]
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