The reasons for child loneliness are varied and many. Some kids spend time between two family homes and with the transitions back and forth, it is more difficult to make time for friends. Some kids are so over-programmed that they have little social time left over. And some kids spend too much time online or hooked up to some kind of device or video game and miss out on real-life relationships. Developing and nurturing relationships is critical for a child happiness. Children learn integral social skills from childhood friends that last a lifetime. Interpersonal success is also an important pr ..read more

If you follow pop culture at all, you’ll know that this week, Adidas announced it was terminating its lucrative relationship with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, as a result of his recent horrific anti-semitic statements. In doing so, the ultra-popular global sports company pronounced to the world’s youth that hateful speech is wrong and won’t be tolerated. Adidas’ decision signals to kids that there is, in fact, a stark difference between right and wrong—and that it does not matter how much money may be lost, we must all stand up for what is right. What a powerful message. As a child psycho ..read more

According to a recent CBC news article, the recent pandemic gave many individuals a needed “push” to get an ADHD diagnosis.  It is also common for people to seek support or potential diagnosis during major life transitions such as entry to school, post-secondary, or launching into the professional work world.  If you or a loved one has received an ADHD diagnosis, you may be faced with a rollercoaster of emotions including overwhelm, confusion, relief, and/or uncertainty of how to move forward.  It is also common for individuals, as well as caregivers of children with ADHD, to fe ..read more

Like many Canadians, I’ve been crushed to see how Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc on the Maritimes. The sight of washed-out bridges, demolished homes and uprooted old trees has made me heartsick. Kids are exposed to more and more news like this, which can be especially difficult for parents, as we struggle to explain what’s happening. You may find yourself constantly wondering, how much is too much information? Your first instinct may be to try to protect them by diverting their attention or maybe even avoiding the question. But, when a kid asks a question, it’s always best to try and provide an ..read more

With the death of the Queen, there has been much interest in Harry and Meghan’s return to the UK. Like many, I have been deeply saddened by the accounts of how Meghan Markle has been racially targeted for being a woman of colour. Worse yet are Harry and Meghan’s concerns that their children will be discriminated against because of the colour of their skin. I’ve spent more than 20 years working on the front line as a child psychologist with children who have some form of difference: mental health challenges, developmental/learning challenges, changing families, variances in sexual and gender or ..read more

Opening the conversation: The purpose of a psycho-educational assessment is to figure out how someone learns and what their unique learning profile entails. Now that the process has wrapped up and findings are documented in a report, this information can be useful for: Educational planning purposes (i.e., the IEP process) Accessing resources Parents understanding how to best support their child Students learning their strengths and having their challenges validated Explaining the results: The psychoeducation assessment report is dense with information and can be difficult to navigate and com ..read more

A psycho-educational assessment is a process to determine an individuals learning profile. How they best learn, what their learning strengths are, and what areas are presenting as challenges. It is a comprehensive process that takings into account all factors that may be contributing to learning challenges–cognitive, academic, attentional, and socio-emotional. Once all data is accounted for, a diagnosis may be made which can help to unlock supports and potential funding to help make the education process more successful for the individual. A psycho-educational assessment provides parents and t ..read more

Opening the conversation:  The purpose of a psychoeducational assessment is to figure out how someone learns, what are their learning strengths, and where do they have learning challenges. This information is useful for: Teachers to know how to best teach you Parents to support you Knowing how to advocate for your own needs Explaining the process:  The assessment process includes a wide range of activities. Some are like school such as reading, writing, and math, and some tasks present more like games such as working with blocks, puzzles, and looking at pictures. There will also be ..read more

According to a recent CBC news article, the recent pandemic gave many individuals a needed “push” to get an ADHD diagnosis.  It is also common for people to seek support or potential diagnosis during major life transitions such as entry to school, post-secondary, or launching into the professional work world.  If you or a loved one has received an ADHD diagnosis, you may be faced with a rollercoaster of emotions including overwhelm, confusion, relief, and/or uncertainty of how to move forward.  It is also common for individuals, as well as caregivers of children with ADHD, to fe ..read more

Like many Canadians, I’ve been crushed to see how Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc on the Maritimes. The sight of washed-out bridges, demolished homes and uprooted old trees has made me heartsick. Kids are exposed to more and more news like this, which can be especially difficult for parents, as we struggle to explain what’s happening. You may find yourself constantly wondering, how much is too much information? Your first instinct may be to try to protect them by diverting their attention or maybe even avoiding the question. But, when a kid asks a question, it’s always best to try and provide an ..read more