Managing emotional meltdowns (aka temper tantrums for younger children) has been the most frequently requested topic in my 20 years providing family therapy and workshops for parents and childhood professionals. Similarly, most pediatricians cover the topic of temper tantrums at the 2-year wellness check-ups. To aid these conversations, the American Academy of Pediatrics created the…
Twenty years of working as a therapist and mental health consultant/trainer have taught me that wellness is a sequence of hardships and reparations. “A good life” is not full of joy and fortune; though we wish it would be, and the mass media leads us to believe so. Instead, any given person’s life is a…
Dr. Diana Bermudez will teach a 4-Part webinar series on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in Early Childhood, hosted by The Source for Learning. These webinars will be recorded and available to view in English and Spanish in the Fall of 2022. Webinars Schedule Be the Change you Want to See: Are you Ready to Advance…
Separation anxiety in young children (birth-8) has been one of the most common challenges I have worked with in 2021, as a family psychotherapist and early childhood mental health consultant, in the Washington, DC metro area. As we have returned to in-person school, extra-curricular activities and socializing after a year of social distancing, some of…
When my son was 2 years old, he loved letting himself fall forward on a mattress, over and over as he beamed with excitement. His entire body safely bounced up and down. He perfected his technique over the years, and then started teaching it to me. I took these “Lessons on Falling” as a challenge to…
Fellow parents, our new reality of chronic stress and isolation due to the pandemic calls for new parenting approaches. New approaches could be novel or modified ways of being, which stem from thoughtful reflection, rather than actions without a clear purpose. Please notice my emphasis on BEING, rather than DOING. We are spending more time…
Our lives have changed. The rug was pulled from under our feet. We have spent a few months hovering between safety and minimal risk — juggling new roles, learning ways to stay safe, and grieving multiple losses. Now, as we contemplate the possibility of returning to some activities, we wonder, what are we walking…
Upon 20 years as a psychotherapist and 45 years on the planet, I continue finding strength in the Serenity Prayer by Karl Neigbuhr (scroll down). In the past year, significant personal losses brought the value of this prayer to the forefront of my daily coping. I created the following adaptation that I’d like to share,…
In celebration of National Children’s Mental Health Awareness Day (May 10), I advocate for the most valuable gift we can give to our children…mindful parents and caregivers!!! Mindfulness does not require meditating regularly (though it is helpful). Mindfulness is a way of being, rather than doing. Being a mindful parent/caretaker means being fully present in the moment,…
Having a place for psychological safety is particularly beneficial during times of stress. Autumn is a season of many transitions that generate anxiety for children: new schools, new classrooms, new teachers, new routines, weather changes, etc. This is a prime time to proactively support our children emotionally. Here is an idea… Have you wondered why children love…