Notes from our practice
Reflections from our psychologists on evaluation, development and the therapeutic process.
How to Explain Therapy to a Child: Steps Included
Talking to your child about therapy can feel daunting — especially when you’re trying to support their well-being without making them feel like something is “wrong” with them. When done with care and clarity, it can be one of the most empowering conversations you have with your kid.
Why Are Teens So Easily Influenced by Peer Pressure?
Peer pressure isn’t always some bad kid whispering “do it” from the back of a classroom. It’s the subtle (and sometimes loud) influence teens feel to fit in, match energy, or prove themselves. It can look like shared style, slang, music taste — and yes, sometimes risk-taking.
The Quiet Strength of Teen Counseling in Times of Crisis
Crisis doesn’t always arrive loudly. Sometimes it creeps in —through a broken friendship, a sudden family shift, or the quiet ache of feeling misunderstood. For teens, these moments can feel overwhelming, like the world is narrowing and there’s no clear way forward.
Parent Guide: Cyberbullying and Childhood Depression
Bullying has always existed—but it used to have limits. Kids could escape it once they left school or their neighborhood. Cyberbullying isn’t just an offshoot of traditional bullying—it’s a whole lot worse. It follows kids everywhere and turns their phones into weapons against them.
Understanding Child Therapy: A Guide for Parents
Being a kid can be tough. Every child experiences emotional ups and downs, but when challenges begin to affect their happiness, school performance, or relationships, therapy can help.
Social Media and Its Effect on Teen Anxiety
The relationship between teens and social media has become increasingly concerning. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Snapchat are powerful sources of anxiety and stress for adolescents.
Understanding Psychological Testing and Assessment
Psychological testing and assessment are tools for understanding human behavior and mental health. They help mental health professionals deliver the best possible treatment.
Reducing Friction to Improve Your Good Habits
Creating and sticking to good habits can be challenging, but one key strategy to make it easier is to reduce friction—the small obstacles and inconveniences that prevent us from following through on our intentions.
The Importance of Celebrating Your Wins
Whether it's completing a challenging project at work, reaching a personal milestone, or simply making it through a tough day, celebrating wins is an essential practice that fuels motivation, boosts self-esteem, and enhances overall well-being.
Creating Tech-Free Areas for Children and Families
In today's digital age, creating tech-free areas for children and families is more important than ever. These designated spaces can foster stronger family bonds, improve mental and physical health, and enhance overall well-being.
Navigating Teen Anxiety - Tips for Orange County Parents
As a parent in Orange County, you're well aware of the unique challenges your teen faces in this fast-paced environment. With the pressures of academics, social life, and the ever-increasing influence of digital media – it is clear to see why teen anxiety is on the rise and a legitimate concern for parents.
Is ADHD Causing Your Teen's Emotional Outbursts?
Life as a teenager can be pretty demanding. Keeping up grades, watching out for acne, managing a growing social reputation, and preparing for the grand adult transition can certainly take an emotional toll. Often teens with ADHD work extra hard to maintain focus and use appropriate behavior at school and work, which can lead to emotional “unloading” and attention dysregulation when they are home.
How To Help Orange County Teens with ADHD Be More Productive
When school is out, or the weekend is here, teens (particularly those with ADHD) tend to collapse into a puddle of poor productivity. Homework and chores fall low on their list of priorities – much lower than the beloved phone, social media, and video games.
Tips For Calming Teen Anxiety
Between getting good grades, building a social life, navigating technology and social media, and coping with the rapid changes that come with puberty, teens have a lot to deal with! Sometimes, the pressure becomes too much – and that’s when the anxiety takes over. Here at the OC Psychology Center, we know that when teens get overwhelmed with anxiety and worry, the entire family can be affected.
How Can I Help My Child Manage Anxiety?
Childhood anxiety is one of the most common reasons parents bring their children into our office here at the OC Psychology Center. Although accurate assessment and psychotherapeutic treatment are the most effective way to address pediatric anxiety symptoms, there are a number of things parents and siblings can do at home to help manage anxiety symptoms.