Posts by Della Pope
Parenting Through Helene: Six Things I’m Grateful For (…and glad will be gone soon)
Water came back on at my house and I can’t tell you the relief it brought. Until the brown tinted liquid came spilling out of my shower head late last night, I was unaware of just how much my cognitive and emotional functioning was impacted by the lack of running water to my home. Like…
< Read More >Parent Stress and Dissatisfaction: What Can Be Done?
Becoming a parent is supposed to make you happy, right? But what if you are like many American parents and just not feeling it? There is an unspoken expectation out there, one that is easy to believe, that says beinga parent should be the best, most fulfilling aspect of your adult life. A 2023 Pew…
< Read More >Supporting Your Tween With the Transition to Middle School
It’s that time of year already – Fifth Graders are finishing up their last few weeks of elementary school. Summer is coming and then after…Middle School! Helping tweens with this transition can be daunting for parents. Perhaps, as the parent of an up and coming middle schooler, you can relate to these challenges: Middle School…
< Read More >How to Support Your Burned-out Teen
I am seeing more and more tired, stressed, and even burned-out teens in my office lately. It could be due to the time of year (Spring Break feels so far away still), societal expectations, or maybe it’s just life. Whatever the reason, burn-out is real for teens. And there are ways to help. How do…
< Read More >Homesick Tween or Teen: 8 Ways Parents Can Help
It’s that time of year already, time to make summer plans. Maybe you find yourself sitting with your hand hovering over the ‘submit’ button on the Sleepaway camp registration form–do you do it? Will your child just survive the two weeks (and then add it to a list of things they will NEVER do again)…
< Read More >Must Read Parenting Books In 2024
Anyone who knows me knows that I love taking an evidence-based approach to just about anything–parenting being one of them. I have a stack of books on my bedside table, many of which fit into the genre of ‘Parenting Books.’ I read them for guidance both as a mom and as a therapist supporting parents.…
< Read More >Teens and the Holidays: Keeping It Special
As the parent of two teens, I’m finding it challenging to make the holidays special. I realized this when we were packed into the car a few weeks ago, ready to go to an annual holiday Christmas Lights event. “We don’t want to go look at the lights, mom!” came a desperate appeal from my…
< Read More >EMDR Can Help Teens With Stress
What Do Veterans and Teens Have in Common? Both benefit from EMDR EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. It is the top mental health treatment recommended by the Veterans Affairs for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD). Studies also demonstrate its effectiveness with developmental trauma caused by difficult…
< Read More >How to Talk to Your Kids About Mass Violence and Traumatic Events
The recent shooting in Maine, the Israel-Hamas War, the War in Ukraine…what do we say to the kids? Silence Is Not An Option In early October 2023, I was driving my regular route from home to school with my eight-year-old in the back seat. He was bundled up in a coat for the first time…
< Read More >Don’t Tell Me to Breath! How Parents of Teens Can Help Lower Anxiety In Their Kids
Deep breath…here comes the truth. I’ve been a Child and Adolescent Therapist for over ten years and have talked to hundreds of tweens, teens, and parents about the power of taking deep breaths to calm their nervous system. That is a fact. What’s also true is that I struggle to practice what I preach–I have…
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