22 News Mass Appeal: Improve your health by giving

Being a volunteer, making charitable donations, or even something as simple as holding the door for someone has positive health benefits. So, why not improve your well being by giving to others. Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Sharon Saline explains how the act of selflessness can have a positive effect on your health. Click logo below to read more.

Holidays and Family Estrangement

Lonely looking senior looking out the window at the treesFamily estrangement refers to the loss of a former relationship between parents and children, siblings or other extended family members. Holidays are times when this estrangement can lead to anxiousness, PTS and other conditions. Estrangement reflects physical or emotional distancing and minimal contact or communication for an extended period. It can result from many things: physical, sexual, verbal, child or elder abuse, neglect, divorce, trauma, money, inheritances, substance abuse or something else. When people are estranged from their parents, their feelings may often be complicated. There may be a mix of relief, grief, sadness or anger. Often they see the decision to cut ties with that family member as a life-saving measure.

Estrangement: An example

One young man I’ve worked with was sexually abused for 5 years as a Adolescent girl standing and looking bored with her face resting on her handchild by his older, schizophrenic brother after his father died. When he finally told someone at his school, the Department of Social Services intervened.  He was moved to his aunt’s house where he lived until graduation. Since he has no contact with that brother who currently lives with their mother, he also has no communication with her. This is a choice he made for his own mental health. He believes his mother chose his brother’s well-being over his own.  In order to move on with his life and cultivate healthier relationships, he needed to sever their communication. He still deals with his traumatic past when memories arise periodically, but he’s been able to find a loving partner and create his own family.

How to manage the holidays with estranged family members

If you decide to see estranged family members over the holidays, it’s critical to establish clear, firm boundaries about your contact. Consider emailing in advance. Let et them know what you don’t want to discuss and what you do. Often these visits can be very triggering and activate old wounds.

If you feel afraid that the contact will not be safe for you, it’s okay not to push yourself.

Ask yourself these questions if you choose to interact:

      • A mother and daughter sitting and looking distraughtHow long can I actually spend with this person before I start to feel overwhelmed or uncomfortable?
      • What is my safety plan for when I am triggered?
      • Who is my ally in this situation? What is my plan for checking in with them throughout the gathering?
      • How can I appropriately leave when I need to and where will I go?
      • Who will help me process this experience when it’s over just in case I need that?

Whether you choose to connect with an estranged family member or not, check in with yourself. This has been a hard year, make sure you aren’t putting more on your shoulders than you can handle this year.


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Source: Span, P. (2020, September 10). The causes of estrangement, and how families heal. The New York Times. Retrieved December 20, 2021, from https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/10/well/family/family-estrangement.html


 

22 News Mass Appeal: Tips on Beating Pandemic Boredom

COVID fatigue is a feeling many are experiencing with this extended pandemic lockdown. How do you deal with the boredom of your daily monotony? Clinical psychologist Dr. Sharon Saline of DrSharonSaline.com joins us with some family-friendly tips. Click logo below to read more.

22 News Mass Appeal: Tips to Make Online Learning Easier

With the cold weather approaching and COVID numbers rising, parents are facing the added responsibility of supporting our children’s online learning. Clinical Psychologist Dr. Sharon Saline, of doctorsharonsaline.com, joins us with four tips to help children and teens with school work. Click logo below to read more.

How ADHD Is Diagnosed

This content is excerpted from HealthCentral on How ADHD Is Diagnosed. I am one of the panel experts, along with Russell A. Barkley, Ph.D.Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Rosemarie Manfredi, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist and Certified School Psychologist Let’s Talk About How ADHD Is Diagnosed How ADHD Is Diagnosed. There’s no single test that can determine if you or your child has ADHD, but we’ll help you get the answers you’re seeking.   First, What Exactly Is ADHD?

Where Can I Get an Evaluation?

What’s a Comprehensive Evaluation for ADHD?

The Diagnostic Interview

Standardized Behavior Rating Scales

Interview With VIPs

DSM-5 Symptom Checklists

Are There Other Tests for ADHD?

What About School Evaluations?

What Are the Chances of a “False Positive” or a Misdiagnosis?

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about ADHD Diagnosis

Read the HealthCentral Article

Additional Resources:

https://drsharonsaline.com/2020/10/02/video-going-back-to-school-w-dr-sharon-saline-debbie-reber/

ExQ Infinite Know How: Confident and Curious Webinar

Now that the novelty of returning to school has started to wear off, our students are facing the reality of hybrid and online learning. The 2020-21 academic year promises to amplify anxiety that complicates a successful educational experience. Given the very real challenges students, teachers and parents are confronting daily, ordinary worries about academics, extracurricular activities and social relationships seem to be ballooning into troublesome anxiety. Steps taken by well-intentioned adults might actually be counterproductive for students coping with the unusual stress of this complicated time. Educators need new techniques for helping children and teens manage their anxiety so they can learn more effectively. Join Sucheta Kamath, CEO & Founder of ExQ and her collaborator an author and a clinical psychologist Dr. Sharon Saline, Ph.D. to learn about tips and tricks from their collective toolboxes to help improve daily interactions between anxious students and those who care for them. Click here to access the Webinar Guide. Click the logo below to watch the Webinar.

Re:Set: How Misrepresentation of Adderall in Pop Culture Impacts People With ADHD

From shows like “Grown-ish” to movies like “22 Jump Street” and “Bad Education,” ADHD medication like Ritalin and Adderall have become a mainstay in pop culture. The media has played a strong role in propagating the use of such stimulants as a performance-enhancing drug [for everyone], Dr. Sharon Saline, a Massachusetts-based clinical psychologist who specializes in ADHD, told Re:Set. “I think that stimulants have been depicted and popularized as a cure for poor concentration for anyone which is why they are being sold to students,” she observed. Click the logo below to read more.

ADHD Awareness Month Q&A: Why Should I Consider Parent Training?

Kids with ADHD benefit from direct tools and regular connection to improve their executive functioning skills. Parent training gives parents the techniques, strategies and confidence to empower their children and teens for success at home and school. Click logo below to read more.