Even with a literal Ph.D., sometimes I still royally mess up at parenting. This is a story about parenting mistakes and what we can learn from them. Keep reading below to learn how a standard dentist appointment went wrong with my 9-year-old. 

Read more ...

Parenting has always been a challenging task, but with the rise of technology in recent years, it has become even more challenging. We live in an age where children are growing up surrounded by screens and digital devices, and as parents, it is our responsibility to ensure their safety and security online. In this article, we will discuss some tips on how to keep your kids safe in the digital age.

Read more ...

Every child deserves a safe and loving home. Especially when the child has experienced trauma in any form at an early age. Trauma can be anything from a natural disaster to an accident, to neglect and/or abuse, or being witness to abuse between caregivers, and more. Children who go through these painful experiences perceive and react to the world differently than children who had supportive, loving, and healthy upbringings. Keep reading below to learn about being supportive and working with your child to help them heal from trauma.

Read more ...

Over the holidays, many people throughout the United States were affected by power outages during frigid temperatures made even lower by the windchill. Many folks in Western North Carolina also struggled with cold temps and power outages, as remote power conservation measures took place to lessen the stress on the power grid. Some people were without power for only an hour or so, but others were without power for even longer than that.

During the winter, when the power goes out, it can be catastrophic, with children and the elderly being most likely affected by outages. The incidence of cold-related illnesses and injuries such as hypothermia and frostbite increases during extremely cold weather, which is why it’s important to be prepared if and when another winter power outage strikes. Keep reading below to learn how you can keep your family safe and warm if it happens again.

Read more ...

December 2022:

Dr. E’s Mental Health Moment: Create a 2023 Vision Board

As a psychologist, I can't help but love New Year's Resolutions, as imperfect as they can be.  Sometimes we are able to make good on our intentions, but just as often they fall by the wayside by February. Instead of picking a random goal and idealistically hoping to follow through, I prefer to instead do a more comprehensive review of what really matters, and then use this to guide choosing specific behaviors or outcomes that are manifestations of these values. Keep reading to learn more about creating a vision board!

Read more ...