We love to pick on the Mother: for any issue regarding their child’s behavior, addictions, mental health, failures, physical health, basically the lion’s share of care that backfires due to lack of societal support and infrastructure due to the patriarchy.

by Lisa Scimens, Founder, Family Sanity Do you have a difficult teen or young adult child who lives with you?  Do you have a hard time getting them to talk to you or engage in any way?  Do they spend most of their days in their rooms on the computer?  Do you really have very little idea of what they are up to? My next question:  Do you have family dinners? If not, you are not alone.  YouGov’s ( https://yougov.com/ ) research showed that about 29% of families report eating tog

New Beginnings by Virginia Shepley (From the Spicy Soul Mama  blog) This December, I celebrated my birthday the whole month. I leaned into the vibration of what it means to be a Sagittarius and the symbolism of the archer. Interestingly, I was born in a month that is the darkest one of the year. Maybe that’s why I’m on a journey to self-discovery and why I write the topics I do, to find the light within the darkness. You don’t have to be a Sagittarius to embrace the symbolic

(From the My Warrior Mom Life   blog) Self care is the key to a healthy, happy and balanced life. As a parent to a struggling teen or a care-giver to others (your own parents, a relative, a friend) we often neglect our own needs and forget that we have to focus on ourselves, too. We can only help others when we are whole. It isn’t selfish, but vital to our energy, stamina, mental health and spirit. Begin with the basics: eat a sensible diet, get enough proper sleep, exercise,

by Warrior Mom (from the My Warrior Mom Life blog) Thanksgiving is next week and I want to take a moment to give thanks! I am grateful for so many things. Here are ten reasons to be thankful during the holidays.

Photo by Diego Jimenez on Unsplash (From the Spicy Soul Mama blog) Our past is always informing our present, sometimes sneaking up when it is least expected. It’s all part of the healing process when depression might set in for a few days. I take this time to settle into deep rest, nurturing my memory cells, feeling the muscles on my bones, unclenching my fists and jaw, and sinking into the caress of the bed beneath me. I get through the day one breath at a time, multiple hu

by Shelley Durga Karpaty Photo by Fons Heijnsbroek on Unsplash ( read the original article ) Dear Parents, Please know that the healing and growth you do for yourself is a great gift to your children. Integrating that growth into your bloodline allows your children to discover who they are as individuals and to create their own path. There is no greater act of selfless love than this, I believe it, I’m here for it. Self compassion is only one facet of this path. Be love, She

Shelley Karpaty “It’s always been like this, I’ve always heard voices,” my son said matter-of-factly. It had been a year into the world of sleepless nights, mania, hospitalizations, and medications that didn’t work.  He was 14 years old.  My mind raced through moments of his childhood to find the signs. Everyone talks to themselves, and children play alone with their toys to create fantasy worlds and stories. He had always been one to think before engaging, observe the scene,

I have been following the SF Chronicle’s investigative reports into the closing of abusive behavioral programs operated by Sequel Youth and Family Services with great interest.   This week I read a NYT book review of “TROUBLED: The Failed Promise of America’s Behavioral Treatment Programs“ by  Kenneth R. Rosen, a man who was sent to one of these programs and is now a journalist.  In it, he talks to four people who had negative and sometimes abusive experiences at three differ

"A lot has happened in the eight weeks since my 17 1/2 year old was enrolled in the step down co-ed boarding school in Southern Utah. He is doing well and according to his advisor, he is not only compliant and respectful, he has become a favorite of the staff and fellow students alike. He is friendly to everyone, continues to make new friends and has stayed out of the normal drama which can frequently happen in a high school setting." (read more at My Warrior Mom Life)