One Year Later, A Message of Gratitude
A year into the pandemic, I’m happy to report that we’re not going away anytime soon. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
» Read moreCategory: Mental Health
Preventing Social Atrophy
Now that we’re well into our 9th month of the pandemic, I’ve been noticing a growing phenomenon among many of the kids I know. I’ve seen an emerging reluctance among children to reach out to their friends and an even greater reluctance to reach out to make new connections. Particularly as the weather gets colder and COVID numbers keep going […]
» Read moreThe Kids are (Mostly) Alright (I Think)
My career as a fortune-teller is doomed. When the COVID-19 quarantine was just getting started, I figured that kids with neurodevelopmental issues like Autism Spectrum Disorder and ADHD were going to have an especially difficult time of it. Gone was the routine, structure, and predictability that these kids rely on to guide them through the day. Taking their place would […]
» Read moreA Long Walk Down a Winding Road: An Appreciation
Few things frustrate me more than wasted potential. Seeing smart, capable, hardworking people who, through no fault of their own, are denied opportunities to live their lives to the fullest, motivate me to come to work as a counselor each day. When I met Sam Farmer about 2 months ago, it occurred to me that he could easily have become […]
» Read moreBook Review: Outside the Box: Rethinking ADD/ADHD in Children and Adults
Simply put, there are two types of books about specific social/cognitive issues that publishers market to parents and professionals. Entries from both categories attempt to answer a couple of very broad questions. The first category is one that I’ll call the “What’s the deal with ______?” genre. These books try to provide the reader with information about the characteristics, underlying causes, […]
» Read moreImmaturity is a Sign of Maturity
For the past few years, the membership in one of my Monday groups has remained consistent. It’s a group of 5th and 6th grade boys, some of whom have been in the group since 1st grade. These boys are a cohesive bunch but they can be pretty contentious. A former colleague of mine had a funny way of describing groups […]
» Read moreBook Review: Bright Kids Who Can’t Keep Up, by Ellen Braaten and Brian Willoughby
A few years ago, I was going through some kids’ files and noticed a pattern in the results on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children or WISC. The WISC is a commonly used test of cognitive functioning consisting of 10 subtests, which yields a full scale IQ, as well as 5 indexes that provide scores in more specific aspects of […]
» Read moreBook Review: ADHD Nation, by Alan Schwarz
“Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is real. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” Thus begins ADHD Nation, a challenging, thought-provoking book, written by Alan Schwarz, an investigative reporter from The New York Times. Taken as a whole, this eminently readable book traces the development of the ADHD diagnosis, the discovery and growth of medications aimed at treating it, and the emergence […]
» Read moreDonald Trump, Fonzie, and the Responsibility Imperative
Ok, by a show of hands, how many of you saw Donald Trump’s Access Hollywood video? You know, the one in which he expounds upon the joys of sexual assault and adultery, and celebrates freedom, uniquely held by celebrities, from any burdens of self-restraint? Most of you, right? Ok, how many of you caught the late night apology video he released in response? […]
» Read morePerpetually Groping – The Search for Uncertainty
“Albert Einstein admired (Niels) Bohr for ‘uttering his opinions like one perpetually groping and never like one who (believed himself to be) in the possession of definite truth.” Richard Rhodes […]
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