How To Enhance Your Kids’ (and your own) Motivation: Part 1

“The curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”— Carl Rogers   There is something special about the beginning of a new school year. New teachers, new classes, new friends, fresh notebooks, and the promise of a fresh start can leave kids feeling excited and full of […]

Tips for Healthy, Effective Communication

“The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place.” – George Bernard Shaw   Written by Debra Manchester I’ve been a psychotherapist for over thirty years but I’m still struck, on almost a daily basis, by how very few people really know how to communicate well. If only we had […]

Mean Girls and Bullying Boys: Pitfalls and Lessons for Parents

“Isn’t it kind of silly to think that tearing someone else down builds you up?” – Sean Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens   Written by Debra Manchester Just a few days ago, I was meeting with two teenage girls and their mom and dad. The parents wanted counseling to help them lessen […]

The Healing Power of Nature

“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.”  – John Muir Written by Debra Manchester Given the growing numbers of kids being diagnosed with ADHD, I wondered out loud about the potential negative effects in our modern culture […]