Helping Children Manage Stress in the Aftermath of School Shootings Sadly, we've had another tragic shooting involving a school. Although we are quite a distance away, the 24/7 news coverage brings this tragedy into our immediacy. Two key principles for parents and teachers in disaster and trauma include: 1) Limit children's exposure to the television [...]
As a therapist working with children and teens, I have often seen young people paralyzed by fears, worries, and anxieties. They often experience insomnia as well. It is as if they cannot get a break from the consequences of anxiety. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that adolescents get 8-10 hours of sleep per night. Numerous [...]
Ensuring Your Child's Access to Education About the Author How to Ensure Your Child's Access to an Appropriate Education was written by Mary Ekdahl, Ph.D. She is a licensed psychologist and co-founder of Arkansas Families First, LLC. Dr. Ekdahl specializes in psycho-educational testing for learning disorders, as well as testing and treatment of [...]
The Truth About ADHD was written by Adam H. Benton, Ph.D.
Managing children’s behavior in public is a timeless struggle for parents. Having a child throw a major temper tantrum or act out in a public place, like Wal-Mart or Chili’s, is a horrifying event that most parents experience at least once, if not repeatedly with preschool and elementary children. It does not have to be [...]
Social Media, Internet and Youth: Tips for Parents As mental health professionals, we’ve come to view social media use as a modern developmental task in which all youth should become proficient. Most teens can be taught to use social media responsibly just like most learn to drive responsibly. As with driving, it takes education, supervised [...]
Is Your Cell Phone Coming Between You and Your Children? by Adam Benton, Ph.D. and Mary Ekdahl, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologists at Arkansas Families First, LLC. Children, smartphones, and social media have made the news again, but not in the way you might think! This time it is not about the risk of online predators, too [...]
