We’ve all experienced the deep shame and sadness associated with feeling not good enough. When applying for a job we really want, but not getting a call back. When someone ends a relationship with us, and we obsess over everything we did wrong and what we could’ve done better to make that person stay. When there are so many demands on our time and attention—our children, work, friends, partners—and it feels impossible to meet everyone’s needs, that we are lacking in one, two,

Many parents fear that by setting firm and clear boundaries with their children that they will disrupt the positive, loving relationship they have. In fact, boundaries actually allow children a greater sense of freedom and safety. Children will naturally test boundaries so that they can learn where they are. This is their way of learning about their world, how safe it is, and if they can trust their caregivers to take care of them. If children are given too much control in a

Most of us, to some degree, have put ourselves in the position where we are completing a deadline at the last minute. If you are a parent, it may feel challenging to know how to handle your child’s procrastination. It could be a paper or presentation, an important phone call, attending a social event, or doing chores around the house. What happens in those final moments of rapid preparation for your child? Do they thrive under pressure, or do they engage in negative self-talk

Imagination is a bright and wonderful aspect of childhood. It feels like a quality that comes so naturally to children. Watching a child so completely immersed in an imaginative world and storyline often, for me, is accompanied by a sense of awe. To me, what would be an experience littered with self-consciousness and hesitation, for a child just seems to spill out with no second thoughts. There is a magic to imagination and to the freedom with which children use it. It is a c

Taking myself back to my 9-year-old self where the excitement of being invited over to a friend’s house for a sleepover was through the roof. It was during these sleepovers where I could eat junk food that my parents never allowed in the house, probably skip brushing my teeth, and of course stay up way past my bedtime with my friend. It was these fun things that over and over again led me to accept any and all invitations for sleepovers. However, it was a completely different

Summer is upon us, and with it comes the all too frequent “Moooooom, I’m booooooored!” The transition from school, structure, and constant social interaction to the wide open space of summer vacation can be a rough one for kids and parents alike. Boredom is the summer fun-sucker; it feels like the best days of the year are wasting away and nothing, NOTHING, can fill them with the joy you have all been expecting. But when you have 3 whole months to fill, boredom is unavoidable

The transition from daytime and its multitude of activities to the quiet solitude of bedtime and sleep can often be a challenging time for children and parents alike. Whether one is a child or an adult, our days are often filled with numerous obligations and tasks, people to interact with, television and computer screens to engage with and entertains us, and physical activities such as work, exercise, play, etc. For some people the activities of daily life may be exciting and

Even in childhood, there are so many things in life that provoke fear and anxiety. From small stressors like being alone in the dark or not knowing what activity comes next, to major life events and transitions, every child likely experiences some form of anxiety. Although experiencing fear is completely normal, many children do not have the skills to deal with anxiety when it comes up. Unprocessed fear can lead to many physical and behavioral symptoms, including: excessive e

Hyperactivity and ADHD can result in behavioral symptoms and distress. Often, it is not just something the child has to live with, but instead impacts the entire family system. At the Bridge Center for Play Therapy, we utilize a holistic perspective and are motivated to target underlying causes of distressing behaviors and to providing care for the individual, the family, and their unique experience. Where hyperactivity and ADHD are concerned, we view difficulty focusing, dif

There is a lot of buzz around “play” right now, or rather the scarcity of play in today’s world. Parents, educators, and experts in various fields of child services are witnessing unfortunate side effects of limited playtime, and their concerns are giving this weighty topic the attention it needs. With the decline of play in the daily lives of children comes increased levels of anxiety, depression, overall decline in feelings of happiness, as well as fewer overall skills, suc