Do I like or dislike this thing happening? When your teen daughter is going through something difficult like an injury, a friendship struggle, a tough day at school, it’s natural for her mind to go straight to: What if this gets worse?What if I embarass myself? What if everything changes? And often, underneath those thoughts is another question: Do I like or dislike this thing happening? For an injured athlete, the answer is probably a resounding No. She doesn’t like missing practice.Or...

We can care deeply and take care of ourselves too. When Your Teen Is Hurting, You Feel It Too Recently, I signed my teen up for a program he was genuinely excited about. As the date got closer, though, his excitement shifted to- What if there are too many people? What if I don’t like it? What if I feel uncomfortable? I was trying to listen, make space, and support him without letting his anxiety take over. And then I noticed something. My throat was getting tight, too. I was anxious. It...

thanks for the therapy session! One of my favourite things about being a psychologist is that I never quite know where inspiration is going to find me. This week, it found me in a Spider-Man movie. No, really! I walked into Spider-Man: Brand New Day expecting popcorn, laughs, tears and superhero action. I walked out thinking about the teen girls I work with every day. There's a moment (very minor spoilers alert) where Spider-Man creates an inhibitor to control the overwhelming changes...