Disclamer
The statements contained in these blog entries are intended to educate and entertain. They do not represent psychotherapy, psychological assessment, or any other form of psychological intervention. They should not be used as a substitute for consultation with a licensed mental health professional. If you have questions related to the material contained in these entries, please contact me or a licensed mental health professional of your choice. Go back to Dr. Matt Mendel web siteCategories
Parenting Archive
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New Support Groups
Posted on April 26, 2010 | No CommentsFamily members taking care of special need child need tender loving care too. Thus, Ginger Poole is forming several support groups to address this need: Support group for moms with kids on the Spectrum Support group for brothers or sisters of a special needs child... -
Autism and Health Insurance
Posted on March 16, 2010 | No CommentsOn March 5th, 2010, Raleigh’s News and Observer published an article about insurance companies not covering mental health and “behavioral” treatment for individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD), including Aspergers. I have been leading social skills groups for children and teenagers with Aspergers and other... -
Parents: Talk to your Kids about Sex!
Posted on July 27, 2009 | No CommentsI know that this sounds like an utterly uncontroversial bit of encouragement; surely everyone believes that parents should speak to their children about sex – providing them with information, guidance, and moral direction. But here I’d like to bring up a somewhat trickier, more challenging... -
How my son taught me to shut up and appreciate the ocean
Posted on March 31, 2009 | No CommentsMy two year old son was so excited that we were going to the ocean that he couldn’t sleep the night before. “Idemo na more!” (Serbian for “We’re going to the beach,”) he kept calling out from his bed. When we got there, he took... -
Join Me for Expressive Arts Therapy
Posted on February 18, 2009 | 2 CommentsEach expressive arts therapy session is as unique as the child, adult, or family I am working with. Imagine a space in which you are safe and inspired to explore your self through your own creative process. This is my office and I am here... -
Social Skills Groups: The Cure for Social Avoidance
Posted on February 16, 2009 | No CommentsCraig had pretty much never had a friend. Every social interaction was torture for him. He had been a target of teasing, ridicule, and bullying from the time he was a very young child. He had been hurt so many times by social rejection that... -
How to Say No
Posted on October 25, 2008 | No CommentsAs you all know, I work with lots of kids with Aspergers Syndrome or High Functioning Autism. This advice applies particularly to these children, but I think it’s probably relevant for many if not most kids. I have had several experiences in which the children... -
Balancing the Two Essential Aspects of Parenting
Posted on September 28, 2008 | No CommentsI believe that there are two essential components of parenting: providing warmth, comfort, nurturance and affection; and providing structure, rules, discipline and a sense of responsibility and accountability. The necessity of both components – and a reasonable balance between the two – is certainly not... -
Advice to Divorcing Parents
Posted on August 19, 2008 | No CommentsOver the years, I have worked with literally hundreds of post-divorce families. I have led groups for children of divorce and worked with the children in both individual and family therapy. From these experiences, I’ve developed a sense of some of the most common challenges...