Have a Heart: Teaching and Cultivating Compassion When we show kindness, caring, and a willingness to help others, we are showing compassion. While often used interchangeable with sympathy being compassionate brings with it a desire to to assist someone else in a challenging situation rather than just feeling “pity”. We are all in need of compassion…
Cultivating Kindness and Service
Cultivating Kindness and Service We are often appalled at the callus approach and treatment of human beings throughout the world which we can see daily on a variety of technological devices. We see children going to bed hungry, in some places, actually, starving to death. We see the destruction of war impacting family members, homes,…
Understanding And Building Resiliency
Understanding And Building Resiliency Resiliency is the new “buzz’ word moving through many different fields and professionals from trauma and stress, to academic success to the workplace. But what is resiliency exactly and why is it important? Resiliency is defined as the capacity to recover quickly from difficulties; toughness, the ability of a substance or…
Taking Care of Dad
Taking Care of Dad From the time we are little we look to our Dads to take care of us and keep us safe. They seem so big and strong and invisible. Even when they are not with us or are not able to take care of us we still hold on to the expectation…
Supporting Father Inclusion through Father Friendly Services
Supporting Father Inclusion through Father Friendly Services “I need a Daddy to be a Child” Written by Adam Gettinger-Brizuela, MA, CATC-IV It has long been recognized that one of the foundations problems in our society is the absence – some say exclusion of fathers from their children’s lives. This separation has negative consequences for the…
Military Service: A Family Affair
Military Service: A Family Affair We often take the service provided by our Military for granted expected that people will commit to protecting us without much effort on our part. However, a great amount of sacrifice occurs by both the persons serving in the military, primarily men, and their families; wife (or husband), children, parents…
Divorce, Money and Parenting
Divorce, Money and Parenting Divorce is a common occurrence in our American culture with almost 50% of marriages being dissolved. Divorce courts, mediators and lawyers are kept constantly busy filing the necessary paperwork to end marriages. Counseling offices are filled with adults and children trying to cope with the emotional aftermath of marriages with unhappy…
Building Positive Social-Emotional Skills in Children
Building Positive Social-Emotional Skills in Children Children learn positive social emotional skills through example/modeling, practice of skills seen, and recognition of appropriate responses by adults. Children are motivated to learn and master skills through positive, fun interactions and experiences. Thus play situations offer the best situation in which to teach and have children practice and…
The Importance of Dads
The Importance of Dads “I need a Daddy to be a Child” states 4 year old Tara. Tara lived with her mother and did not know about Daddies in a home until she visited a friend with two parents in the home. What did you do with my Daddy? Tara asked her Mother. Children know…
When Parents Go To Prison
When Parents Go To Prison There are many challenges when relatives or licensed Foster Parents are called upon to raise children. One of those challenges is the “co-parenting” that occurs between the biological parent and the Guardian. Both parents feel a need to be the primary parent; one through birth right and one through legal…