Recent Articles
“NO”vember—A Time to Start Saying “No”
November is all about the word “NO.” It is often challenging to set limits, create boundaries and say no when necessary. This month, the focus is to practice saying no when needed.
September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
Every 11 seconds someone dies by suicide. For every completed suicide, there are approximately 25 attempts. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in America. Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death amongst 15-24 year olds. 1 in every 60 Americans is a survivor of suicide loss.
Why You Need to Validate Your Children – and How to Do It
It’s important to be understanding of how your kids feel–even when you don’t get it. As parents, we have all been in the situation where we don’t understand why our child is losing it over something that seems so minor. Here's how to recognize their feelings.
Change is the Only Constant
The past year+ has been full of changes for all of us, with a ton of uncertainty tossed on top. One thing I know—change is the only constant and it's happening ALL the time. And, it can really trigger our anxiety.
How Do I Know if My Teen Is OK?
In the pandemic, many of the traditional measures that indicate a teen is thriving have been rendered irrelevant. Jennifer Hartstein, an adolescent psychologist in New York who specializes in anxiety and depression, said that in the absence of “age-old markers” of wellness, “we have to pivot and look at kids differently.”
Dealing with COVID-19 Fatigue
It’s been quite the year. That may be the understatement of all understatements. We’ve been locked down, shaken up and living in uncertainty for many months. Everyone is looking for, and hoping for, some stability.
World Suicide Prevention Day & National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month
National Suicide Prevention Week is September 6-12th, with World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10th. Suicide currently ranks as the second leading cause of death amongst those ages 10-24. Suicide is a preventable death. We
Back-to-School Success for Students (& Parents) in 2020
It’s back-to-school time. And this year is certainly shaping up to be different than any other. Planning is challenging and the news we receive continues to change. Just when you think you are ready to
10 Things to Know About Jennifer L. Hartstein, PsyD
1: Why did you choose to become a therapist? When I was young, I always knew that I liked helping people. In high school, I took a psychology class and everything just “clicked.” I knew
If You’re Feeling Stressed, a New Study Says, “Start Cleaning!”
Want to boost your mood this spring? Get cleaning - seriously! In addition to having a fresh and organized space, cleaning has been proven to improve your mood.
How ‘snowplow parenting’ can hurt child development
Dr. Jennifer Hartstein and Jessica Lahey joined MPR News to talk about snowplow parenting, what it is and how it affects children. They also gave some guidance for overeager parents who just want their children to succeed.
When to advocate for your child–and when to back off
It’s ridiculously hard to watch your child struggle. But being a “fixer” could hurt them more.
4 Things You Can Stop Worrying About If You Want Your Kids to Be Successful
It’s no secret that parents want their children to be successful. They’ve raised them and want to make sure they have the best opportunities in life. Different parents take this idea to different extremes, though.
Mind The (Dream) Gap – Helping Girls Follow, and Achieve, their Dreams
Several years ago, I was sitting with my niece, who was 9 at the time. I was doing some research on self-esteem in girls, and she was reading over my shoulder. She was surprised by
Put Down the Phone!
Putting down your phone, turning off your social media and email, and taking some time away from your phone screen may be just the break you need.
It’s Time To Change The Conversation About Mental Health
At the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, the rapper Logic performed a new song. The song, 1-800-273-8255, is the number to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. According to the director of the organization, in the three
The Importance of Setting Limits For Your Child
Rules are a natural part of life, and having guidelines helps kids learn how to manage in different situations. While parents know that this kind of structure is important, it’s often challenging to establish and maintain rules at home.
Taking The Bubble Wrap Off Your Child
Learn how to teach kids how to handle failure and disappointment, so they can persevere in an unfair world.
Spreading Kindness
“Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.” – Albert Schweitzer The past year+ has been challenging for us all. As we watched the