Recent Posts

How Students Are Learning to Consider and Update Beliefs

Joanne Calder shares more methods that help students improve their thinking.

Joanne Calder shares more methods that help students improve their thinking.

Practical Parenting Tools for Traumatized Children

In her second classic work, Dr. Karyn Purvis and co-author Lisa Qualls explain how to address the exceptional needs of adopted and foster children calmly, firmly, and respectfully.

In her second classic work, Dr. Karyn Purvis and co-author Lisa Qualls explain how to address the exceptional needs of adopted and foster children calmly, firmly, and respectfully.

“That’s So Traumatic!”

What does it say about how youth are being socialized in our culture that they have become so apt to use clinical language to describe their everyday experiences?

What does it say about how youth are being socialized in our culture that they have become so apt to use clinical language to describe their everyday experiences?

How Schools Can Teach Kids to Think, and Disagree, Better

Educator Joanne Calder shares strategies that can improve thinking and our world.

Educator Joanne Calder shares strategies that can improve thinking and our world.

Helping Your Teen Survive Their First Heartbreak

Your teen's first breakup can be emotionally devastating. Their grief and trauma can affect them for years. What can parents do to help their teen get through this difficult time?

Your teen's first breakup can be emotionally devastating. Their grief and trauma can affect them for years. What can parents do to help their teen get through this difficult time?

Play Is Serious Business: Let Kids Have Fun!

As we've moved from three recesses a day to one or none, academic achievement has fallen, and obesity has risen. Maybe we should take play seriously and let kids have fun.

As we've moved from three recesses a day to one or none, academic achievement has fallen, and obesity has risen. Maybe we should take play seriously and let kids have fun.

When Praising Is Processed as Pressure and Backfires

Wondering why your child tells you not to say "Good job" or to clap for them? Or tells you to stop bragging about them? Because praise can be processed as pressure, not as support.

Wondering why your child tells you not to say "Good job" or to clap for them? Or tells you to stop bragging about them? Because praise can be processed as pressure, not as support.

The Trouble With Time-Outs

Time-outs are often touted as an effective discipline strategy for unwanted behaviors. But if you have ever experienced a time-out failure, this is for you.

Time-outs are often touted as an effective discipline strategy for unwanted behaviors. But if you have ever experienced a time-out failure, this is for you.

Today’s Kindergartners Have Never Known a Screen-Free World

Today’s children are growing up surrounded by screens, so it's more important than ever to protect time for reading, play, and human connection, starting from birth.

Today’s children are growing up surrounded by screens, so it's more important than ever to protect time for reading, play, and human connection, starting from birth.

Childhood Wasn't Meant to Be Public

Sharing kids' photos online may seem harmless, but it's essential to think before posting and potentially putting them at risk. Perhaps some life experiences should stay their own.

Sharing kids' photos online may seem harmless, but it's essential to think before posting and potentially putting them at risk. Perhaps some life experiences should stay their own.

Climate Change Is Changing the Conditions in Which We Parent

Climate change reaches farther into family life than we may realize. What happens when extreme heat adds stress to parents already stretched thin?

Climate change reaches farther into family life than we may realize. What happens when extreme heat adds stress to parents already stretched thin?

Why 'Relational Foreclosure' Matters in the Age of AI

Adolescence is when people learn conflict, repair, and boundaries, and those skills protect mental health. New research names two ways AI use may interrupt how they form.

Adolescence is when people learn conflict, repair, and boundaries, and those skills protect mental health. New research names two ways AI use may interrupt how they form.

Dealing With a Bully? What the Science Says to Do

It’s the informal networks that affirm the self-worth and status of those who are bullied that are most effective at preventing psychological harms.

It’s the informal networks that affirm the self-worth and status of those who are bullied that are most effective at preventing psychological harms.

Why Rewards May Be Hurting Your Child’s Motivation

Rewards can buy compliance. But what happens to motivation when the reward disappears? Research on why rewards can undermine genuine motivation.

Rewards can buy compliance. But what happens to motivation when the reward disappears? Research on why rewards can undermine genuine motivation.

Can You Save Your Family by Ending the Marriage?

Choosing this middle path between staying and going is healthy but not easy for all parents. See if you are good candidates.

Choosing this middle path between staying and going is healthy but not easy for all parents. See if you are good candidates.

The Science of Making Music Therapeutic

What makes music a kind of therapy is the trained professional assessing why it is being used, observing how the patient responds, and adapting it to support a therapeutic goal.

What makes music a kind of therapy is the trained professional assessing why it is being used, observing how the patient responds, and adapting it to support a therapeutic goal.

What Is the Link Between Climate Change and Child Abuse?

Extreme heat doesn’t just affect children’s bodies. Emerging research suggests it may also increase stress inside families—and the risk of child maltreatment.

Extreme heat doesn’t just affect children’s bodies. Emerging research suggests it may also increase stress inside families—and the risk of child maltreatment.

9 Things the Emotionally Attuned Parent Says to Their Child

Children's behavior grows out of their feelings. Here are nine small changes in what you say that can help raise an emotionally healthy child and stop neglect from passing down.

Children's behavior grows out of their feelings. Here are nine small changes in what you say that can help raise an emotionally healthy child and stop neglect from passing down.

Farewell to Summer and Playing With Sand

On the beach, the mind will drift creatively. Here's why that is so important—especially for children.

On the beach, the mind will drift creatively. Here's why that is so important—especially for children.

4 Lessons I’m Learning as a Second-Time Mom

Personal Perspective: Six weeks into being a mom of two, I’m learning that the second time around brings its own surprises, challenges, and lessons I never saw coming.

Personal Perspective: Six weeks into being a mom of two, I’m learning that the second time around brings its own surprises, challenges, and lessons I never saw coming.

Guess Where You Got Your Microbes

Your microbiome is so important to your health — both physical and mental — that nature goes to extraordinary lengths to make sure you get a good one from your mom.

Your microbiome is so important to your health — both physical and mental — that nature goes to extraordinary lengths to make sure you get a good one from your mom.

What Is a Parent’s Job, Really?

What if our job as parents isn’t to make our children happy and successful, but to help them build the character, resilience, and resources they need for life?

What if our job as parents isn’t to make our children happy and successful, but to help them build the character, resilience, and resources they need for life?

Daily Cannabis Use Is at a Record High Among Young Adults

More teens than ever are using marijuana daily while their brains are still forming. Adolescents' developing brains may be particularly vulnerable to lasting damage from the drug.

More teens than ever are using marijuana daily while their brains are still forming. Adolescents' developing brains may be particularly vulnerable to lasting damage from the drug.

4 Surprising Ways Your Anger Makes You Stronger

Anger is the feeling emotionally neglected people often fight hardest to avoid. But research shows it can motivate you, strengthen your relationships, and make you more powerful.

Anger is the feeling emotionally neglected people often fight hardest to avoid. But research shows it can motivate you, strengthen your relationships, and make you more powerful.

5 Simple Steps to Learn Mindfulness That Really Work

A psychologist who once dismissed mindfulness explains why it feels impossible for emotionally neglected people, and a simple exercise that makes it work.

A psychologist who once dismissed mindfulness explains why it feels impossible for emotionally neglected people, and a simple exercise that makes it work.

The 5 R’s for Easing Back-to-School Stress

Back-to-school brings big feelings for parents and kids. The 5 R’s offer a mental health checklist for managing stress, maintaining connection, and embracing growth.

Back-to-school brings big feelings for parents and kids. The 5 R’s offer a mental health checklist for managing stress, maintaining connection, and embracing growth.

The Hidden Cost of Providing Too Much Comfort

As paradoxical as it may sound, there is such a thing as providing too much comfort to kids when they're struggling. They need to be allowed to work through the discomfort.

As paradoxical as it may sound, there is such a thing as providing too much comfort to kids when they're struggling. They need to be allowed to work through the discomfort.

What I'd Tell My Inner Child Now

Personal Perspective: Psychodrama's empty chair just got filled with an AI-generated version of my inner child at six, cowboy hat and all.

Personal Perspective: Psychodrama's empty chair just got filled with an AI-generated version of my inner child at six, cowboy hat and all.

Therapeutic Flexibility is Important in Clinical Hypnosis

Patients can express their feelings and develop coping skills while playing videogames within therapy.

Patients can express their feelings and develop coping skills while playing videogames within therapy.

How the Scent of Childhood Takes Root in the Brain

Early, positive, repeatedly experienced scents can form memories anchored in newborn neurons and later sustained by broader networks for reward, emotion, and memory.

Early, positive, repeatedly experienced scents can form memories anchored in newborn neurons and later sustained by broader networks for reward, emotion, and memory.