The world can be complex, and sometimes the news throws even grown-ups curveballs. Difficult or upsetting stories can leave us wondering how to talk to our kids about them. It’s natural to want to shield them from negativity, but staying informed is important too. Here’s how to navigate these conversations and help your children understand sensitive news topics safely and healthily. Before...[ read more ]

Ever wonder why you and your partner clash over raising the kids? It might boil down to your parenting styles. Clashing over discipline, schedules, or screen time is all too common. But don’t worry — having different parenting styles doesn’t mean you’re doomed to constant conflict. There are four main parenting styles: authoritative, authoritarian, permissive, and uninvolved. Authoritative parents are like...[ read more ]

Panic attacks can be sudden and unexpected. They are episodes of extreme fear and anxiety, most often based on a perceived threat — even if that threat doesn’t actually exist. Unlike anxiety attacks, panic attacks tend to occur without warning rather than a feeling of fear building up over time. While panic attacks are at their core associated with anxiety,...[ read more ]

You’re a parent, so you know those moments—the ones where your kids are screaming at each other, throwing toys, or flat-out ignoring you. In those heated moments, staying calm and handling the situation constructively is hard but essential. Here are some tips to help you stay centered in the face of tantrums and defiance. Take Deep Breaths Taking deep, calming breaths...[ read more ]

Finding out you’re pregnant is a rollercoaster of emotions. First, you will inevitably be shocked at the news, which may be quickly replaced with excitement. This is a new chapter of your life, and even if you’ve experienced pregnancy before, there are a lot of unknowns that come with this experience. While pregnancy is often touted as a special and cherished...[ read more ]

Let’s face it: being a parent is hard. While meaningful, bringing in a new life into this world can result in both anxiety and distress around the unknown and the additional responsibility of caring for the well-being of a newborn. Whether this is your first, second, or third child the postpartum phase is often difficult for parents. Many new parents...[ read more ]

Emotional regulation skills are incredibly important for maintaining our overall health and well-being. These skills not only help us to work through difficult emotions, but they also facilitate positive and enriching emotional experiences. While there are various techniques that can be utilized to navigate challenging emotions, this article will focus on a strategy that aims to reduce emotional vulnerabilities to...[ read more ]

Emotional regulation skills are incredibly important for maintaining our overall health and well-being. These skills not only help us to work through difficult emotions, but they also facilitate positive and enriching emotional experiences. While there are various techniques that can be utilized to navigate challenging emotions, this article will focus on strategies that aim to reduce emotional vulnerabilities to overwhelming...[ read more ]

Emotions are very complex experiences, and they are closely connected to our thoughts, our body sensations, and the actions we choose to take. Our emotions are vital to our survival as they facilitate effective intrapersonal (occurring within the self) and interpersonal (between people) communications. Emotions also help us to make sense of our environments and other people within those environments. We...[ read more ]

On March 13, OAC therapists Dina Scolan, LCPC, Stacy Gronek, LCPC and Colleen Pipia, LCPC gave a three hour continuing education presentation to a room full of professionals on Exposure Therapy.  They provided information about various anxiety disorders and how to treat them using exposure therapy basics.  Thank you to Aurora Family Counseling Services for hosting us! If you would...[ read more ]