Blog for Better Living

Therapy Changes Welcomes Dr. Melissa Bernstein

By: Melissa Bernstein, Ph.D. | December 2, 2022

I’m so excited to be welcomed into the Therapy Changes family. The journey to become a child psychologist has been a true privilege for me. I’ve enjoyed the opportunity to support kids and families in different professional capacities as a therapist, professor, and researcher for over a decade. I find joy in creating a life […]

Compassionate Self-Talk for the Stressed-Out Parent

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | November 18, 2022

The tasks of parenthood can feel overwhelming. Whether you are a stay-at-home parent or balancing a job with parenthood, these years are trying. You’re managing your own mental and physical well-being as well as that of tiny humans. There are dozens of seemingly invisible tasks that add up and it feels like there’s never enough […]

Children, Family, Parenting, Stress

Indian Parenting: The Cost of Keeping Up Appearances

By: Kamaljit "Sonya" Virdi, Ph.D. | November 11, 2022

What happens when the approval of others comes at the cost of your child’s well-being and mental health? And would you recognize that it was happening? If you are an adult child of Indian origin, your parents likely encouraged you to become a doctor, lawyer, or engineer. You may have pursued a career in one […]

Anxiety, Family, Parenting

When It’s More Than the “Baby Blues”

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | July 22, 2022

Depression and Anxiety During and After Pregnancy Bringing a child into the world can be one of the biggest and happiest events in your life, but it can also be extremely stressful. Many physical and emotional changes happen during, and after pregnancy, bringing on unique mental health challenges. It is very common for pregnant […]

A Mom’s Perspective on Summer Vacation: Dream vs. Reality

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | July 15, 2022

Every year as summer approaches, I count down the days until school ends, awaiting the time when I have less on my plate. Exhausted from trying to balance my kids’ school demands, keeping the household functional, and keeping up with my own job, I look forward to not tracking almost daily COVID at-home tests, packing […]

Children, Family, Parenting, Stress

How to Avoid Common Thinking Traps in Parenthood

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | March 4, 2022

Parenthood is full of traps, some of which come in the form of inexplicably painful Legos that hide on the floor just waiting for you to stumble at the end of a long day. Some of these traps occur in our minds. They’re thinking traps, and just because they live in our heads does not […]

Children, Family, Parenting

How to Help Your Teen Become Their Own Person

By: Michael Toohey, Psy.D. | February 7, 2022

Individuation is a crucial developmental phase that starts in early adolescence. During this time teens and young adults begin to assert their own independent identity and establish a cohesive sense of self. Physician and psychiatrist Margaret Mahler describes this period of development as follows: “The child’s life begins in a symbiotic relationship with their primary caregiver before […]

Parenting, Relationships, Teens

The Art of Letting Go: Tips for Newly Empty Nesters

By: Natalie Rice-Thorp, Ph.D. | September 24, 2021

Do you find yourself looking longingly at your child’s baby pictures? Do the ads for “dorm room décor” bring you to the brink of tears? Have you recently helped your high school graduate pack up their belongings? If the answer is ‘yes,’ then you might be a new empty nester. If you are finding it […]

Family, Parenting, Relationships

Preparing for Parenthood: Myths vs. Reality

By: Kristen Lipari, Ph.D. | May 25, 2021

Parents-to-be often hear that becoming a parent is “the most wonderful and rewarding experience.” While possibly true, parenthood can also present challenges unlike any you may have experienced previously. If we put parenthood on a pedestal, we may find ourselves subscribing to unrealistic expectations that are impossible to fulfill. Dispelling myths that exist around parenthood […]