Caffeine and its effects are a very common source of concern in the current day. Through all of the hustle and bustle of the modern world, caffeine has proved itself useful for many people at one point or another in their life. It is the most widely used central nervous system stimulant in the world. As of 2015, approximately 75% of children age 5 or older consume caffeine on a daily basis in the United States. Many people might stop and picture a 5-year-old drinking coffee in the morning before getting on the kindergarten bus– but that’s not the case! Caffeine is added to all kinds of beverages including sodas, teas, sparkling waters, and energy drinks marketed towards the younger generations. How does caffeine affect the body?

Caffeine is a part of a majority of people’s daily routines, especially in the United States. We all know someone (or maybe we are that someone) that cannot be spoken to until they’ve had their coffee! Coffee is commonly referred to as liquid gold or liquid energy, but how does it work?

Caffeine acts on the nervous system as well as the cardiovascular, renal, and respiratory systems. It blocks the uptake of a substance called adenosine. This substance is what builds up causing us to feel tired. For some people, caffeine can increase alertness, stimulate wakefulness, provide a prolonged ability to sustain intellectual activity, and decrease reaction times by blocking the uptake of the adenosine. These are the effects that draw the consumer in, but what if you knew that these effects might only be fleeting and could potentially leave you with some very unfavorable feelings in the future?

Anxiety is a condition affecting approximately 40 million American adults and 4.4 million children aged 3-17. Adults with anxiety disorders have been shown to react negatively to caffeine due to its role in affecting the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis). This system of the body regulates things like stress hormones and blood pressure, which directly affect how someone is feeling. For someone with an anxiety disorder, this can induce feelings of panic and even a panic attack. Because it blocks the uptake of adenosine and alleviates feelings of being tired, it can cause detrimental issues related to sleep and rest for many people. That crash you might feel after it wears off? That happens due to the rush of the adenosine finally being able to bind to those receptors making you feel very tired very fast. Not everyone experiences this, but many people do.

Sleep is the body’s way of restoring and repairing. This is the way in which we re-charge and perform necessary metabolic functions, especially those that repair and detoxify.  When it comes to anxiety and related conditions such as depression, sleep hygiene is very important. When sleep is off, hormone production can also be dysregulated including the stress hormone cortisol. Caffeine’s stimulatory effects can disturb sleep hygiene making repairing, detoxification, revitalization, and hormone balance difficult for the body to regulate. When these functions and processes are not being performed optimally, this can show up as issues such as brain fog and trouble concentrating, poor detoxification, skin issues, disruptions within the microbiome, hormone dysregulation, weight gain, and more.

Consuming caffeine should be limited to the beginning of the day and an appropriate amount. The full effects of caffeine are typically felt within 1 hour of consumption and can be felt for up to 6 hours following consumption.  This is why it is very important to be mindful of your caffeine consumption in relation to your desired bedtime if you are having trouble falling or staying asleep.

General amounts of caffeine in common beverages:

What is an appropriate amount of caffeine for the average person? The average person can consume up to 400mg per day of caffeine without any harmful side effects. Keep in mind that everyone is different and unique in their other environmental factors as well as their genetics. Children, those with heart conditions or heart disease, women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, those with chronic headaches or migraines, people with peptic ulcers or GERD, and those on certain stimulant medications and even some antibiotics should be very careful in regard to consuming caffeine.

Because children are smaller they are especially sensitive to caffeine compared to adults. Studies have shown that children are especially susceptible to the effects of caffeine in regard to immediate effects as well as how they might be affected as they get older. Because most children consume caffeine through the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages such as sodas and teas, they are more likely to be overweight or obese into adolescence and adulthood when they consume these beverages on a regular basis. These beverages have empty calories, lack vitamins and minerals, cause inflammation from added sugars, colors, dyes, flavorings, and act as diuretics leading to increased urination and possible dehydration. It’s best for kids and adults alike to stick to water as their main beverage of choice!

What about genetics? The genetic component to how someone might process caffeine relates to what are called single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These polymorphisms are very common within human DNA. This means that single amino acids are altered in the DNA sequence. These SNPs can be beneficial in some ways, but also harmful depending on the SNP as well as other factors such as diet, lifestyle, stress, etc. The CYP1A2 gene plays a role in the body’s ability to process exogenous substances including aflatoxin B1, acetaminophen, and caffeine. Those who have an SNP in this gene might process caffeine at a much slower rate compared to the general population. This might look like someone feeling the effects of caffeine far beyond the general 6-hour window after consumption.

For those who have this SNP and do not know, this might manifest as anxiety, restlessness, trouble concentrating, insomnia, and other behavioral and psychological issues as well as physical ones. If you or someone you know is struggling with anxiety, sleep issues, trouble concentrating, trouble losing weight, or hormone imbalances consider eliminating caffeine from your diet to see how it might help.

Keep in mind that for those who consume caffeine on a regular basis, caffeine withdrawal might happen after they discontinue consumption of caffeine, typically one or two days after they stop. This might include headaches, drowsiness, irritability, nausea, and trouble concentrating. This typically improves as time goes on and resolves itself after a few days.

If you are looking to learn more about Caffeine and its effects on mental health or nutrition, call us at 201-488-6678!

References

ADAA. (2021, April 21). Facts & Statistics. adaa.org. https://adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/facts-statistics

CDC. (2021, March 22). Anxiety and depression in children: Get the facts. cdc.gov. Anxiety and depression in children: Get the facts

Institute of Medicine (US) Committee on Military Nutrition Research. Caffeine for the Sustainment of Mental Task Performance: Formulations for Military Operations. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2001. 2, Pharmacology of Caffeine. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK223808/

Nemours. (2017, February 1). Caffeine. Nemours Kids Health. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/child-caffeine.html

O’Neill, C. E., Newsom, R. J., Stafford, J., Scott, T., Archuleta, S., Levis, S. C., Spencer, R. L., Campeau, S., & Bachtell, R. K. (2016). Adolescent caffeine consumption increases adulthood anxiety-related behavior and modifies neuroendocrine signaling. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 67, 40–50. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.030U.S. National Library of Medicine. (2021, July 2). Caffeine: Medline Plus. medlineplus.gov. https://medlineplus.gov/caffeine.html

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For many children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety, the thought of returning to school and other in-person interactions has triggered increased anxiety symptoms. Early on in the pandemic many children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety may have experienced relief. They may have experienced relief from bullying and social anxiety and may have worried less about their performance and how they are perceived by others.  Studies show that some children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety reported an improvement in their symptoms of anxiety and depression since the start of the pandemic and their ability to attend school and other events remotely. Attending school virtually has decreased unpredictability and uncertainty which is the trigger for anxious symptoms in many children and adolescents. Many children and adolescents have become accustomed to attending school remotely. Therefore, some may be experiencing intensified anxious symptoms as they emotionally prepare to return to in-person school and activities.

What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety also referred to as Social Phobia, is a mental health condition where you may suffer from increased anxious symptoms and self-consciousness in social situations. You may experience a persistent fear of social situations and be watched or judged by others. This may affect work, school, and your other everyday activities and functioning. For children the median age of onset is 13-years-old, however, onset can also occur between the ages of 8 and 15-years-old (Psycom.Net).

For children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety, they may be easily triggered by numerous situations, including engaging in conversations with others, speaking in public, making eye contact, entering rooms, using public restrooms, reading out loud, reading out loud, going to parties, eating in front of other people, starting conversations, and going to school or work. They may experience fearfulness of being judged in social situations or embarrassment, accidentally offending another person, experiencing increased anxious thought processes during conversations, or being the center of attention. Children may experience intensified worries in social situations, including school, play dates, and sports teams.

Those who experience social anxiety may avoid social stimulation and social events engaging in the cycle of avoidance. This can later lead to low self-esteem, poor social skills, depression, and increased negative thought processes.

Social Anxiety can cause many children and adolescents to experience high distress and may harm social relationships, academic performance, self-confidence, and academic performance.

What symptoms do those with Social Anxiety Experience?

Many children who struggle with Social Anxiety experience fear and anxiety manifested as meltdowns/tantrums, clinging, crying, freezing, or refusing to speak (psycom.net).  They may also experience several physical symptoms including:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness/Lightheadedness
• Stomach distress
• Muscle tension
• Inability to catch a breath
• “Out-of-body” sensation/ Disassociation
• Shakiness/Trembling

How you can support your socially anxious child?

Parents can assist children to cope with their Social Anxiety by helping them understand the nature and meaning of their mental illness and coping with their symptoms. Parents and mental health professionals can assist children to make connections between emotional responses, physical symptoms, and triggers to begin learning how to cope. Providing psychoeducation and providing normalcy in how anxiety impacts thinking and behavior can significantly impact the ability to cope with negative emotional experiences.

Helpful Coping Mechanisms for Children and adolescents who Experience Social Anxiety:

• Relaxation Strategies
  • The first step is to assist your child to understand physical responses to anxiety within their body and relax to utilize adaptive coping strategies.
    • Deep Breathing: Deep breathing has been effectively proven to calm the rapid heart rate and slow down breathing and feelings of dizziness. You can teach your child numerous deep breathing strategies, including ocean breathing, balloon breathing, and deep belly breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold, exhale for 6 seconds).
    • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: For those who experience intensified anxious responses they may experience tension and stress within their muscles. Progressive Muscle Relaxation teaches children to relax muscles and release tension throughout the body from arms, neck, and shoulders to feet and legs.
    • Imagery: As our thoughts have a powerful influence on our feelings guided imagery focusing on a calming environment, such as the beach, mountains, or sky, can significantly reduce intensified anxious symptoms.
  • Problem Solving Skills
    • Children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety tend to engage in the cycle of avoidance. This may provide temporary relief, however, may worsen the anxious symptoms over time. Problems solving techniques can assist children to manage feelings of anxiety. Assisting your child to identify triggers that lead to social anxiety in order to discuss problem-solving skills can assist them to work through these anxiety-provoking themes or situations. For example, assisting your children to develop social skills through role-play and modeling can assist them to gain confidence and reduce anxiety symptoms.
  • Challenging Anxious Thoughts & Cognitive Reframing
    • Children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety are sometimes overwhelmed with negative core beliefs which magnify anxious thoughts. They may experience anxious thoughts surrounding assuming worst-case scenario, believing that others view them negatively/struggling to differentiate between self-image verse others perceptions, personalization, etc. Therefore, examining evidence of the thoughts can reduce anxious feelings. Teaching children to recognize anxious thoughts, examine the evidence which does not support anxious thoughts, and replacing them with positive thoughts can assist in reducing anxious thoughts and symptoms.

If you would like personalized support and guidance on how you can support your socially anxious child, please call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 to schedule your complimentary consultation.

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The impact of holiday stress and pandemic stress on your immune system and the role of perception.

We are undoubtedly living through a stressful time in history. The coronavirus has proposed new and unforeseen challenges to each and every one of us as individuals and collectively as a nation. Suddenly, our daily routine built on stability and predictability has taken a deep dive into uncharted turbulent seas and we have been left to tread water. Between staying on top of the rapidly evolving CDC guidelines, managing our newly virtual careers, keeping small businesses afloat, online schooling, and trying to stay socially connected at a physical distance, it is no wonder we are more stressed than ever!

On top of all that, the holiday season is upon us which proposes a whole new set of challenges. Stress levels tend to be higher this time of year due to the demanding nature of the holiday season. This increase in stress comes with an increase in the incidence of cold and flu, especially as we transition into the winter months. This is no coincidence because stress suppresses the immune system which increases our susceptibility to cold and flu⁴.

This year, we must consider the double affliction of holiday stress and pandemic stress on our immune system’s ability to cope with potential invaders like COVID-19. Therefore, in addition to eating healthy, getting enough sleep, and taking immune-boosting supplements like vitamin D, we must make sure we have our stress levels under control this holiday to make sure our immune system is in fighting shape.

To do this, we must first understand how stress suppresses the immune system so we can determine where and how we can intervene to alleviate its effect.

When we perceive emotional or environmental stress, our hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis becomes activated in our brain¹. Once activated, the brain sends a signal to the hypothalamus to release corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) which signals the pituitary gland to secrete an adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)¹. ACTH signals the adrenal gland to produce and excrete cortisol, the primary stress hormone^1,2. Cortisol is a steroid hormone that normal physiologic levels is anti-inflammatory ². This should be considered a good thing… right? In acute situations, yes! Glucocorticoids are so effective at reducing inflammation that they have been reverse-engineered into pharmaceuticals to be prescribed in conditions caused by inflammation like allergies, asthma, and autoimmunity.

However, in today’s world, we are faced with chronic stress which keeps our cortisol constantly activated, and our immune system chronically suppressed. So, the hormone with the initial intention of protecting us by lowering inflammation is causing more harm than good by chronically suppressing our immune system. The current state of the coronavirus pandemic on top of holiday stress comes at an incredibly high price to our immune system. So, what do we do?

The only way to mitigate activation of the HPA axis is to halt cortisol release is by intervening at the source- taking back control over how we perceive stress and what stressed us out. Of course, this is easier said than done, but research shows that people who are better equipped to handle stress with appropriate coping mechanisms have a heightened ability to fight off viral or bacterial threats to the immune system⁵.

There are thousands of studies that link mindfulness meditation to lowering stress levels and improved immunity. From a functional medicine perspective, this is an imperative intervention to bolster your immune response³. In addition, speaking to a licensed clinical therapist or making time for stress-lowering activities like biking, journaling, or painting are quintessential to prime your immune system’s defense and should become a non-negotiable part of your lifestyle- especially this year, this time of year, and always.

If you would like more guidance on how to beat the stress of the holidays, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678 to make an appointment. You can also visit us online at Specialized Therapy.

By Taylor Groff, MS Functional Nutritionist

References:

1. Katz, D. A., Locke, C., Greco, N., Liu, W., & Tracy, K. A. (2017). Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and depression symptom effects of an arginine vasopressin type 1B receptor antagonist in a one-week randomized Phase 1b trial. Brain and Behavior, (3). https://doi-org.uws.idm.oclc.org/10.1002/brb3.628. Retrieved from: https://uws.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=edsgao&AN=edsgcl.485132319&site=eds-live&scope=site
2. Sapolsky, R. M., Romero, L. M., and Munck, A. U. (2000) How Do Glucocorticoids Influence Stress Responses? Integrating Permissive, Suppressive, Stimulatory, and Preparative Actions. Endocrine Reviews 21(1): 55–89.
3. Black DS, Slavich GM. Mindfulness meditation and the immune system: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials. Ann N Y Acad Sci. 2016;1373(1):13-24. doi:10.1111/nyas.12998
4. National Institutes of Health (US), National Institute of Mental Health. Fact sheet on stress
   [cited 2013 Aug 21] Available from: URL: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/stress/index.shtml
5. Abdurachman, Herawati N. THE ROLE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL WELL-BEING IN BOOSTING IMMUNE RESPONSE: AN OPTIMAL EFFORT FOR TACKLING INFECTION. Afr J Infect Dis. 2018;12(1 Suppl):54-61. Published 2018 Mar 7. doi:10.2101/Ajid.12v1S.7

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Although kids are home with family, they still struggle with social isolation, feeling lonely and missing their friends. If you think about how children interact at school, they are frequently in physical contact, hugging each other or jostling in line, putting an arm around a buddy’s shoulder. Suddenly everyone is home away from all their friends. Suddenly, in quarantine, the closest we can come is 6 feet.

Self-Isolation

We know that in adults, social isolation and loneliness are correlated with premature death. In infants and toddlers, the lack of social interaction and physical contact can lead to “failure to thrive”, poor weight gain, and delayed development. We clearly all need ‘contact comfort’, a term coined by Harry Harlow in his research during the 1950s and 1960s.

So try to be patient with your children (and yourself!). Kids are home, trying to manage schoolwork without the teacher or only seeing teachers a couple of days each week on a Zoom conference. They feel lonely and keep trying to connect with friends through zoom, texting, or video games. Children can’t go out and play in the parks, get lots of physical activity and social contact. They are quarantined at home, struggling with schoolwork, struggling with parents who are feeling overwhelmed themselves, struggling with feeling lonely. No wonder tempers are short, tantrums are more frequent and whining is on the increase.

So, during this difficult time, take more time to cuddle with your child, give them backrubs, and quiet time together reading books. Encourage them to call friends, have face time visits, and tell jokes. Vary your routine on the weekends. Discover new activities and hobbies. And above all, be patient with your kids. They are suffering and struggling as much as you.

If you would like more information, visit specializedtherapy.com or give us a call at 201-488-6678.

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Protecting the Gift: Keeping Children and Teenagers Safe (and Parents Sane) by Gavin De Becker

 

DeBecker advises parents to trust their intuition about a situation and avoid engaging in denial about a situation’s danger. He tells parents not to rationalize, justify, minimize, make excuses or refuse to believe the signs of trouble. De Becker suggests that parents minimize their time spent worrying about risks to their children. If a person is worrying about something happening in the future, it probably isn’t going to happen. He points out that when a dreaded situation is actually about to happen, people don’t worry; they take action. Fear is a response to what is about to happen. Worry is something in your imagination or memory. Thus, trusting your intuition is the opposite of living in fear.

Survival Signals

DeBecker describes signals that indicate danger. He calls them forced teaming, charm and niceness. This includes offering too many details, typecasting, loan-sharking, an unsolicited promise and discounting the word ”No”. Some of these are just what they sound like. The others need to be read about to see what he is talking about.

De Becker looks at some rules that parents tell their children. For example, he discusses “Never talk to strangers”. He makes the point that when you tell your child what to do in your absence or that doing so will keep him/her safe, you are sharing a parental duty with the least qualified person available. De Becker says that if a child is lost in public, the ability to talk to strangers is the single greatest asset they could have. For him the bottom line is not strangers, it is strangeness. Therefore, something not seeming right is what triggers our intuition and this is what he advises us to trust.

Advice for Parents 

De Becker offers advice to parents about how to deal with potential danger from babysitters and nannies. He advises parents to get to know the parents in the home where their children want a sleepover. He gives advice to parents on how they should educate their children about sexual predators.
De Becker suggests to parents that they be assertive in assuring themselves about the trustworthiness of all of the adults in their child’s school. He talks about protecting a teenage daughter from those who won’t respect her rights and protecting sons from guns and from friends from troubled families.

I hope that this information has been helpful to you with some suggestions about protecting your children. Sadly, there’s no guarantee that even with the information from this blog or even from the whole book, which is definitely worth reading, that something bad could happen to a child. We all need to take personal responsibility for our safety and the safety of our loved ones when it comes to danger.
If you are dealing with one of the situations described in this book, you might want to discuss this with one of the therapists at Specialized Therapy Associates. Please call us at 201-488-6678 to speak to our intake coordinator to set up an intake for yourself and your child.

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“Play is a child’s work” is a quote that is attributed to Maria Montessori and Jean Piaget. Both these experts worked in the area of child development and learning. They recognized that when children play, they actively engage in the world. Toddlers play when they drop a toy off their high chair. Is out of sight really out of mind? Will mom or dad pick it up? When they push or pull toys they learn what noise the toy makes and develop cause and effect concepts. Play helps children develop motor skills, learn colors and shapes.

During kindergarten and early school years, children play to build physical and intellectual abilities. Aerobic exercise, like riding bikes, running or swimming triggers the release of brain derived neurotropic factor. This factor works like fertilizer for your brain – so play helps kids learn better. Several years ago, I talked to a kindergarten teacher who told me her students are not allowed free play time. There must be observations, goals and evaluations.

With less play in and out of school, children may be more sedentary. Sitting all day may establish a sedentary habit. Expectations for continued learning and high achievement in all areas of life pushes children to believe that nothing is good enough unless it is outstanding. This stress can lead to higher levels of anxiety, self-criticism and depression if they do not achieve perfect or almost perfect performance. Without play, children have not learned the vocabulary to talk about their feelings and stresses. They have not learned coping skills to reduce emotional distress. They may cry easily, be irritable with parents, yelling or snapping at dad when he simply asks about homework being finished. Children may run to find escape in electronics, further escalating the problem.

Play therapy is an approach used with children, incorporating the natural means for a child to learn what they may be missing. Toys used are based on the age of the child. Some games may be directive –asking a child to take deep breaths or think of puffy clouds. Others will just focus on being able to take turns, win or lose with grace and congratulate the winner. Some therapy may develop intellectual or philosophical ideas with teens. Other therapy will focus on having the child develop trust in a non-judgmental, non-critical adult. Therapy can help children play through trauma and abuse, changing from fear of police coming when mom and dad argue to trusting that police can help stop problems. Playing through problems helps to solve them.

If you would like further information on the benefits of play or play therapy, call us at Specialized Therapy, Exceptional You or FX Med, 201-488-6678 or see our website at .

References

Counseling Children, John Bonordock, Continuum Publishers, 1991
Piaget’s Theory of Intellectual Development, Herbert Ginsberg & Sylvia Opper, Shorter & Hall, 1991
Spark, John Ratey, Little, Brown & Co., 2013

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Matching- Matching means exactly what is sounds like.  Restate what they are expressing to you in a calm, non-judgmental statement, not a question… For example: “You’re afraid you won’t do well on your test tomorrow;” or “It hurts that you didn’t get invited to the party.” Don’t bother saying that you understand. Matching will do that for you. Matching statements make your child feel like you “get” them.  Matching also communicates that you are in this together, AND you are staying in control!  Don’t worry if they say your matching statement isn’t correct…they will correct it for you and then you match to that.

Empathize – Let your child know that what they feel is real and you can see it from their point of view.  “I would probably feel the same way if this was happening to me.” This communicates that their feelings are not strange or weird.

Acknowledge positive changes – Acknowledge ANY effort towards positive change, such as listening to your directives, using their words instead of yelling, or when they utilize the new skills learned in therapy.  A big changes occur in very small shifts in their perceptions and coping, over time.  Acknowledging when your child makes an effort on even a very small change, will further support their confidence and ease with self-soothing and emotional control.

If you would like to learn more about how to feel safer and get more advice about parenting an anxious child, call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 or check out our website www.specializedtherapy.com

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First, identify the problem. Giving it a name will help you organize it in your mind. Ms. Whitman then suggests thinking over the problem. Is it really a problem worth addressing or is your child’s behavior bringing back memories of your own parent(s)’ overreaction to this behavior in your childhood? Yes, people have their sore spots. You might want to discuss the issue with some parents of your child’s friends or classmates, parents who have values you agree with and whose opinions you trust. If possible, achieve an agreement with your spouse about the issue. Set your expectations for reasonable, age-appropriate behavior for your child. Make those expectations clear to your child at a time separate from when the issue is occurring. When you’re in the think of things, you may be too angry to explain your position calmly to your child, and he or she may be too upset to hear what you’re saying and process the information constructively.

Saying no and sticking to it- the heart of each of Ms. Whitman’s chapters. The general approach is to state clearly your desire to your child, e.g. start your homework, stop begging for a toy when she or he is with you in a store or get ready for bed. If your child starts to object, tell him or her that you are going to ignore their comments. Do something else in the immediate environment to break the direct contact with your child and show them that you are not going to continue the discussion with them. Don’t keep talking to your child about the issue and reinforce their persistence. If your child continues with their behavior, give a Warning of a Consequence. Ms. Whitman states that a consequence is a loss of a privilege. She points out that to be successful a consequence should: have meaning for your child, be something over which you have control, be something which you are willing to take away, and be something which can be minimal in duration. Without having these components, your consequence is likely to be ineffective. If your child continues to ignore you and persists in the behavior, apply the consequence with minimal comment by you. Yes, of course, it’s easier said than done, what difficult thing isn’t. That doesn’t mean it isn’t the right thing to do. This is where having the book can give you the needed support to do the right thing. Hopefully, your child will soon start to cooperate. Verbally reinforce this cooperation with a neutral comment, not one indicating that you have won. Don‘t launch into a lecture, just move on.

If you find that this approach isn’t powerful enough to have much impact on your child’s unacceptable behavior, perhaps there are other factors, like anxiety or attentional issues, involved and you might want to consider seeking professional help.  There are several therapists here at STA with expertise in helping parents to improve their children’s behavior. Give us a call at 201-488-6678 to schedule an appointment with our Intake Department.

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•    Classroom Behavior
•    Concentration
•    Effective Listening
•    Homework
•    Memorization
•    Note Taking
•    Procrastination
•    Reading
•    Test Anxiety
•    Test Taking Strategies
•    Time Management
•    How to study for:  HISTORY; SCIENCE; MATH; FOREIGN LANGUAGE
If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, Specialized Therapy Associates (STA) just might be able to help!  STA currently has openings in their widely acclaimed Academic Success Program.  This program was developed by Dr. Joshua Shifrin and Dr. Bonnie Adams, both of whom run our psychological and academic testing services for children, one of our many child services that we offer.

Dr. Shifrin received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in a combined School Psychology and Counseling Psychology doctoral program.  Dr. Shifrin is also a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, as well as a Diplomate of the American Board of School Neuropsychology.  Dr. Shifrin has done extensive research in this field, and is the author of ‘Study Skills 365: A Study Skill For Every Day Of The Year’.

Dr. Bonnie Adams received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Adams has extensive experience with adolescents and children undergoing academic, family, and legal challenges. She has provided testing services for school districts and Child Study Teams and counseling for adolescents, children, and families.

Register online today!

Click here for more information.

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The post Academic Success Program appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Since the program requires reading in the group itself and of
handouts given as homework, the program is not appropriate for children too young to read. The program teaches children the component
steps of each skill, gives each child the opportunity to practice the
steps of the skill in the group with the other children and fosters
generalization of the skill by encouraging the child to use the skill at
home and at school. Each week, a new skill is focused. We emphasize those skills that the children’s parents have indicated as one which their child’s needs to practice to
become more comfortable and more accomplished when using. Each group
provides a supportive environment for each child to feel safe practicing
the skill and an opportunity to discuss any issues bothering them on a weekly basis. The social skills training group is an excellent setting to put your little one at ease while building their confidence!

Register online today!

Click here to learn more information.

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