As summer comes to an end and backpacks, lunchboxes, and earlier bedtimes return, many families are navigating one of the biggest transitions of the year…going back to school. As both a therapist and a mom, I know this transition is rarely just about getting children out the door on time. A new school year can bring excitement, worry, exhaustion, and a little chaos for children and parents. As a board member of Childhood Matters, both my clinical work and community involvemen

As we continue the conversation around mental health, I've been reflecting on something deeply personal. You see, I grew up in a family and a community where mental health was rarely, if ever, talked about. It wasn't because people didn't care. It was because many of us simply didn't have the language, the examples, or the permission to have those conversations. For many families, including mine, it was a taboo topic. Vulnerability wasn't modeled. Strength often meant staying

Meditation is the practice of calming the mind and cultivating a heightened state of awareness and presence. It is one of the most impactful habits I adopted during the post-COVID period. The practice helped alleviate the mental fatigue and cognitive “brain fog” that emerged from prolonged isolation and the excessive digital consumption that accompanied it. A resource I've found particularly beneficial is the meditation application Medito, a free, donation supported non-profi