Loretta Ng: Registered Clinical Counsellor

Leave #RelationshipGoals in 2020 and form healthy habits that you and your partner can practice every day. Like many couples, you and your partner may be discu...ssing your 2021 relationship goals as you start the new year. If you've ever set a relationship goal, you know while exciting at first, it can be a daunting task stacked against the idea of "failure" or what you "should" be doing to achieve it. While shared goals are important for all couples, the realities and uncertainties of everyday life can make some relationship goals feel like disappointment rather than progress. What if you turned those goals into habits? Instead of focusing on one fixed goal, apply these habits to the areas you feel are in need of change or develop some of your own. Whatever your decision, commit to forming a healthy, loving relationship. Discover ways to nurture your partnership when you sign up for the free Marriage Minute newsletter: http://bit.ly/2qB8FAc

Children who cannot look to their parents for true understanding and support feel more vulnerable and out of control in moments when their difficult emotions ar...e invalidated or pacified. Picture this: you and your child are at the park for some fun playtime. As your child climbs to the top of the slide, they yell out, "I can't do it! I'm scared to go down!" If you get visibly impatient or ridicule them out of annoyance, the lessons that they will learn are that their emotions are unreasonable, shouldn’t be shown to anyone, and are fundamentally undesirable or problematic. Now imagine saying, I used to be afraid of slides too. This one is really big, huh? Do you want to slide down it with me or do you want to try something else? When you help them work through their emotional state, you show your child that their feelings are important and deserving of compassion and empathy. In doing this, you also help them to gain a greater understanding of their feelings and the awareness that they can deal with them. Read how to use Emotion Coaching and empathy in your conversations with your child, and see the differences it makes in difficult moments: http://bit.ly/3gUeJJT

Managing our own emotions and behaviors is the key to teaching kids how to manage theirs. Unfortunately, when you’re stressed out, exhausted, and overwhelmed, i...t's harder to be available for your child. Identify your triggers and show up with more presence when you practice mindful parenting. Mindful parenting does not mean being a perfect parent and is not something you can fail at. Mindfulness is about letting go of guilt and shame about the past and focusing on right now. Read about the three key factors to mindful parenting on the Gottman Relationship Blog: https://bit.ly/38spUay

ADHD 2013 ADHD ADHD ... # POPAADHD

Spending time with your children individually is so very important....

ADHD 2013 ADHD ADHD ... # POPAADHD

Spending time with your children individually is so very important....

Turning towards your partner's bids is one of the simplest ways to build trust in your relationship. It says, "I'm here for you, I see you, and I am a safe plac...e." Trusting that you and your partner will turn towards one another in emotional moments, as well as in everyday conversation, is truly what good relationships are all about. Try these 15 ideas to turn towards one another or come up with your own. Revisit this list when you both feel like you need to bring more opportunities to connect into your relationship. To discover more ways to turn towards one another through conversation, download the Gottman Card Decks app: http://bit.ly/36utsFz

What are the differences between guilt and shame? And how could it help our clients to have a better understanding of those differences? We thought it could be ...useful for you to have a side-by-side comparison of these powerful emotions that you could share with your clients. Because understanding these differences could help our clients begin to dismantle their negative self-judgments.

It can be hard not to take things personally, especially within a conflict discussion. The risk of feeling personally wounded may cause some couples to become c...onflict-avoidant. In an interview, Ellyn Bader, Ph.D. explains that conflict avoidance is a function of fusionwhen one partner attempts to merge with the other. The opposite of fusion is differentiation first acknowledging that you and your partner are two, separate individuals with different identities, and then developing a secure way to relate to each other. Differentiation requires the risk of being open to growth and being honest not only with your partner, but also with yourself. Listen to the full interview: https://bit.ly/2ZNzRu6

#POPA POPA... # #scaffolding www.popa.qa Kathy

"When we take good care of ourselves, we fill ourselves up, which in turn energizes us so that we can give to others." - Dr. Julie Gottman During these difficul...t times, we find ourselves at a loss: too busy or overwhelmed with stress to see the natural give and take of friendship as anything but obligation. When we notice these signs, It’s time to recognize our boundaries and give ourselves a break. In other words, it’s time for some self-care. Make self-care a priority and practice healthy communication skills, both internally and externally. When you're recharged and ready to reconnect, consider this list of ways to turn towards your loved ones: https://bit.ly/2RghuJo

You can't spell wholehearted without A-R-T. Thank you Andrea Pippins for using your talent and creativity to help us celebrate the 10th anniversary of the #TheG...iftsofImperfection by bringing the 10 guideposts to life. You can download this gorgeous flower and a version YOU color here: https://bit.ly/2GN8MAp

# ... # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #YMCA # Ref: Elena (2016) How to Have Healthy Personal Boundaries Snowden, K (2018) Boundaries: Why We Need Them & How to Create Them

Alternatives for "Be Careful" How we encourage our children to be mindful and vigilant through prompting questions can help their development and understanding of the world around them and as they engage in risky play!