Have you been experiencing difficulty focusing, or been having difficulty with your motivation to do things you used to do or to plan for your future? These executive functioning skills are how our brains help us to set goals, create plans, and to carry out those plans. When we are experiencing a high level of stress, we hit a brick wall and all of those skills stop functioning properly.
With stress, an individual may feel overwhelmed and cannot make decisions, they may experience difficulty with organizing, planning, and getting started. An individual under extreme stress may lose interest in activities, have mood swings, and be unaware or deny poor decision-making.
To regain temporary focus, an individual might want to work on simple problem-solving strategies:
– First, they will need to identify what the problem is.
– Next, they can consider some alternatives and options and create a list of strategies to move forward.
– Next, they can create an effective plan by laying out the steps to that plan.
– Finally, they may consider creating the plan in writing and planning and initiating action for that plan.
Sometimes it is difficult to initiate these steps on your own and we can help guide you through that process. At Specialized Therapy Associates and Fx Med Centers, our therapists and specialists are trained to help guide individuals to carry out these goals and plans.
You may also be concerned about the way you are processing information, and at Specialized Therapy Associates we can evaluate the way you learn information for planning and processing potential. (What does she mean by processing potential?) Some of our evaluations include neuropsychological evaluations, ADHD evaluations, and dementia identification.
If you are interested in an evaluation, you can contact our offices at (201) 488-6678. All evaluations are being conducted virtually at this time.

Author: Jill Caruso, PsyD
Assistant Director, Specialized Therapy Associates
4 Forest Avenue, Paramus, NJ 07652
(201)488-6678

The post Dr. Caruso has advice for Pandemic induced stress first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Dr. Caruso has advice for Pandemic induced stress appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Our children are watching us model our resiliency right now for them during this difficult time. No pressure mom and dad. There are ways that we can increase not only their resiliency in difficult times but our own resiliency as well.

There are 7 areas that have been focused on in studies on children, called the 7 C’s of Resiliency (Ginsberg, K.R, Moraghan, M, 2006).

The 7 C’s of Resiliency

The first C is COMPETENCE 

This area focuses on how children effectively handle various situations, typically learned through experience. Someone feels confident when they are given opportunities to develop important skills they will become confident. To grow this area a parent would focus on their child’s strengths and how to let them safely make mistakes. Notice if you are focused more on your child’s mistakes than what they do well. If you have more than one child are you recognizing their individual strengths without comparing them to their siblings. We have a lot of time together while quarantining, help your child to identify their strengths.

The next C is CONFIDENCE 

A child needs to believe in their own abilities to face and cope with challenges and to navigate the world around them. To grow this area in their child a parent should help their child recognize what they are doing right and what they are doing well. Watch out to avoid shaming a child for their actions or giving them more than they can handle. With COVID-19 there are so many uncertainties for our “new normal”. Parents can continue to identify areas where their children are excelling during this time.

The next C is CONNECTION 

We are social beings and your child is looking for a connection to others – family, friends, and their community to give them a sense of security. Connection helps to prevent children from seeking attention from destructive alternatives. To grow this area allowing your child to express emotions openly, working with your child to address conflict for resolving problems. Sadly, we do not have an abundance of social interaction right now with the following safety measures during COVID-19. You can help your child connect to friends over online video conference (i.e., facetime, zoom)

The next C is CHARACTER 

Children with a fundamental sense of right and wrong will follow their own values and be caring towards others. They will have a larger sense of self-worth and confidence. To grow this area developing a sense of empathy and how their behaviors affect others will increase their character. They will watch to see how their parents model caring for others to make their own future reactions to others. During COVID-19 your children have a front row to all of your statements about what is happening in our world right now. Help by guiding them to see how they can possibly help with taking care of the safety requirements (i.e., washing hands, staying 6 feet apart, wearing a mask when out in public).

The next C is CONTRIBUTION 

This allows children to see how they can make a difference in the world. This motivates them to make choices that will help the world around us. As parents, we can model this for our children by serving others and volunteering our time. This will show them how to contribute to the needs of others. During COVID-19, we have seen how others are struggling during this time, but showing your children how they can help in small ways will show them how they can have an impact on the situation.

The next C is COPING 

When our children have various coping strategies it helps to protect them from unsafe behaviors. When children know how to cope with the stress they are better prepared to overcome the challenges they face. Remember that just telling a child to stop doing a negative behavior does not work. To grow this area, parents can look at their positive coping strategies. They can look to see if they are talking, listening, and sharing what is safe, comfortable, and productive alternatives to experiences their children are facing right now.

The final C is CONTROL 

When children know they can control the outcomes of their decisions they will increase their ability to handle adverse situations. When children think that control is out of their hands they become passive and pessimistic. To help grow this area, parents should look to see if they are making all of the decisions for their children. Helping your children to see how their decisions impact actions and choices will increase their feeling of control in their lives. Parents can show them how their actions produce consequences.

There are so many unknowns about our new normal but together we can help to shape the future for ourselves and our children. Specialized Therapy Associates can help you navigate this future for you and your children during these difficult times. Call 201-488-6678 for an appointment.

The post Increasing Resiliency for Children During COVID-19 first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Increasing Resiliency for Children During COVID-19 appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Does that sound worrisome to actually hear your child may have Autism? You may have been to a parent teacher conference and the teacher mentions that your child has odd behaviors or a certain type of “Quirkiness” which makes them unique. Having Autism is very unique. A person with Autism uses more of their temporal and occipital lobes than the frontal lobes of their brain. What that means  is that they are more adept at following patterns because of their perception and recognition of patterns. They may favor visual experiences because of this as well. By using less of their frontal lobes they may not have as much strength in planning and decision-making as someone without Autism. The result of this is that we have to focus on the strengths of the individual and not to try to have them fit into a preconceived model of learning. We may have to do it their way instead of them doing it the old way.

Your child may not have all of the symptoms to get a diagnosis of Autism but they may have some attributes. Understanding your child and supporting them will help them in their future development.
Here are some common symptoms of someone who may be on the Autism spectrum:

• Difficulty developing friendships

• Selective Mutism

• Lack of empathy

• Unable to make eye contact

• Being socially awkward

• Specific/Focused Interests

• Compliance with routines

• Pattern recognition

• Poor motor skills

The symptoms may sound limiting in today’s society but with awareness and understanding of an individual on the Autism spectrum, these symptoms can be perceived as strengths instead of weaknesses.
Here are some positive attributes that are also seen in someone who may be on the Autism spectrum:

• Honesty – whether they are giving someone positive or negative information their statements will reflect their feelings

• Living in the moment – Instead of distractions such as social cues, individuals on the spectrum depend on sensory input around them. They are practicing mindfulness by being in the present moment without years of studying how to do that!

• Not typically judging others – more accepting of other’s differences

• Less focus on materialism

• Less likely to play mind games with others

• Fewer hidden agendas

If you or your child could benefit from speaking to a therapist about issues associated with Autism, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201) 488-6678 to make an appointment.

The post Could your child be on the Autism Spectrum? first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Could your child be on the Autism Spectrum? appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Here are some fun tips on how to keep your child’s mind emotionally actively engaged over the next few months:

1. Ask your child what they would like to learn about over the summer (Creativity planning*)
2. Ask your child what they would like to do over the summer (More Creativity planning*) – Help with suggestions: Reading a book, Riding a bike, playing cards, photography
3. Explore museums, parks and the outdoors with your child… see the experience through their eyes
4. Close your eyes and allow your mind to wander – see where it takes you

Creativity Planning

Creativity planning helps your child to be curious and to learn how to do things independently. As with the suggestions above, lists can be helpful when your child is suffering from boredom and needs to find something to do on their own.

Boredom can be very healthy!

Boredom helps children to learn how to calm themselves down. In other words, when we allow our minds to daydream we stop thinking about the outside world and begin to think about the things that matter most to us. “Daydreaming is shifting attention from the external situation or problem to the internal representation of situations, memories, pictures, unresolved things, scenarios or future goals” (Mann, & Cadman, 2014, Ducharme, 2019). Spend some time daydreaming with your child this summer!

By Jill Caruso, Psy.D., Staff Psychologist

Resources:
Ducharme, J (2019), “Being bored can be good for you – if you do it right. Here’s how” retrieved on 5/20/19 from http://time.com/5480002/benefits-of-boredom/
Mann, S. & Cadman, R. Does being bored make us more creative? Creativity Research Journal, 26 (2), 165-173.

If you or anyone you know is having signs or symptoms of summer slide or depression or anxiety over the summer, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates, (201)488-6678.

The post Summer Slide Tips first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Summer Slide Tips appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

By Dr. Jill Caruso

What does it mean to have a fixed mindset?

Carol Dweck (Mindsets, 2007) defined this term as…

“Individuals believe their basic abilities, their intelligence, their talents are just fixed traits…A fixed mindset prevents you from failing in the short run but in the long run, it hinders your ability to learn, grow and develop new skills.”

Have you ever felt like you had to give up because you didn’t have the ability to solve a problem? Has your child ever quit an activity or a sport? What was your response to these scenarios? When you give yourself the option that you don’t have the ability to handle a problem you are setting a model for future scenarios.  When children are given the option to quit, if they believe they will not immediately excel, they will continue to perform this learned pattern throughout their life. How they handle the struggle may determine their future success in academics, sports, and future careers.

Recent research has shown that someone with a fixed mindset is more focused on the judgment that is made about their actions.  They want to prove that they have the ability to do something, but if they do not have that ability they are more likely to avoid the situation where they do not expect to be successful. The outcome is the only thing that matters, not the process.

Individuals need to know that the intelligence they are born with is not fixed but has great potential and grows as they get older with their new experiences and insight into problem-solving.

Carol Dweck (2007), defined a Growth Mindset as…

“A Growth mindset is the understanding that abilities and intelligence can be developed.”

With the thought that skills can be managed and improved, and are not stagnate, adults, teenagers, and children can understand that they have greater potential.  Someone with a growth mindset will turn towards problem-solving when confronted with a challenge.  By incorporating a problem-solving mindset you can outperform your peers and help your children with future skills to outperform their peers.  Instead of a mistake stopping you and hindering you from moving forward, you will begin to learn from the mistake and keep moving forward.

Come join us at the Reducing Stress and Achieving the Right Mindsets for Yourself and Your Child workshop on Saturday, April 13^th to learn more about fixed and growth mindsets and additional ways to aid in your own growth and your child’s success in and out of the classroom.

The post The Fixed Mindset and its Ability to Impact Life and Learning first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post The Fixed Mindset and its Ability to Impact Life and Learning appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

What is the object you find most valuable in your life right now? Is it your family, or your friends? Is it your home or your car? Or is it a smaller object that keeps you connected to all of these things? Is it your cellphone?

One day I left my cellphone at home when heading out to work. When I arrived at work, I realized that I suddenly felt as if I was having a panic attack. My heart raced, and I began to perspire. I had left my cellphone and I felt disconnected. How would I get in touch with anyone and how would they get in touch with me if they needed me? I couldn’t remember anyone’s number because they are all programmed into my phone. I can tell you what my home number is from my childhood home but I can’t remember any of my closest family member’s cellphone numbers. Everyone in the house would not recognize the number and would probably let it go to the answering machine. The landline was a dead zone where only requests for changing our heating source came through these days. Has this ever happened to you?

The terminology for fear of being without your cellphone is called Nomophobia. Yes, due to the increasing addiction to cellphones it has officially become a phobia. Phobias are defined as an extreme or irrational fear or aversion to something according to Webster’s dictionary. If your cellphone usage has created this fear in your life you may also be experiencing an inability to complete daily tasks, work assignments or impact your ability to focus on important issues.

Are you addicted to the games on your phone? You are not alone! The small rewards received in the games give you a burst of the neurotransmitter dopamine which impacts your emotions and emits a feeling of pleasure. This feedback loop in the brain is the same that is experienced with recreational drug addiction.

In the study by Roberts, et al, (2014), The Invisible Addiction: Cell-Phone activities and addiction among male and female college students, it was found that the average college student is spending 9 hours every day on their phone. The authors noted that the cell phone can be an example of Mick and Fournier’s (1998) “paradox of technology” where the cell-phone is allowing for freedom to obtain information, talk with others, and be social, can also be restricting and lead to addictive behaviors. They focused on the fine line between being “a helpful tool to one that enslaves both users and society alike”.

Cellphone addiction was not included in the recent update of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th Edition (DSM-5), but current research is showing similarities to a gambling addiction that was included in this version.

Cell-phone addiction signs and symptoms

• Using cellphones to escape interactions with others
• Increasing usage time
• Persistently failing to decrease usage times
• Using a cellphone when feeling anxious or depressed
• Losing sense of time while utilizing a cellphone
• Experiencing relationship or job difficulties due to preoccupation with cellphone
• Obsession with needing the newest version of a cellphone, needing more apps, and increasing time spent on a phone
• Withdrawal or separation anxiety is experienced when not able to use or reach a cellphone. Withdrawal symptoms include anger, tension, depression, irritability, or restlessness.

*Similar to Gambling Addiction (DSM-5, 2013)

Strategies for stopping the addiction

Modifying Behavior:

As with therapy for food, drug, or alcohol addiction, therapy for cell phone addiction focuses on the maladaptive behavioral patterns that an individual is using their cellphone for.

• Individuals learn how to identify and correct problem behaviors by considering positive and negative consequences with prolonged use of the drug or food. The same strategy would be helpful with extensive phone usage. Consider what you are missing in face-to-face interaction when you are staring at your phone.

Restricting usage:

Light from the cellphone impacts your sleep cycles. Bright light or blue light from cellphones which mimics daytime disrupts your circadian rhythm and impacts the production of the hormone melatonin, which alerts your body that it is time to sleep.

• Stop using your cellphone 1 hour before bed to reduce the activation of that daytime signal.

Focus on the present moment. Too often we are focused on past events, which trigger depression, or too focused on future events which are increasing our anxiety. We can not go back and change the past, we can learn from it so we do not repeat it. We also can not go into the future and know what to expect. Both entities consume most of our time and neither can we impact directly other than to learn from the past and plan for the future. The only difference we can make is in this present moment.

• Ask yourself what you are avoiding
• Sit for 10 minutes quietly and relax. Observe where your thoughts go without judging them.
• Think about what you could be doing to impact the present moment.

Shut off your phone

• What does that feel like? Is your heart racing?
• Get outside and go for a walk. Mindfully focus on the steps you are taking, the air you are breathing, the noises around you, and the sights you are taking in.
• See how long you can be without your phone and interacting with others. We are social beings and the increased use of cellphones is impacting how we relate and learn from others.

Challenge yourself to put the phone down a few minutes a day and build up to a longer period of time. Your health, significant others, work, school, and other interests will all prosper from it!

If you or anyone you know is having signs or symptoms of cellphone addiction, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates, (201)488-6678.

Jill Caruso, Psy.D.

Staff Psychologist Specialized Therapy Associates

The post What Does Cell Phone Addiction Look Like? first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post What Does Cell Phone Addiction Look Like? appeared first on Specialized Therapy.