It’s Mental Health week. As a psychologist, I am honoured to hear the most sacred of stories – but the only one I have permission to share here is mine. So to raise awareness, here it is. I remember the moment I learned I had a Mental Illness. Sitting midway back in an auditorium full …
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Getting to “Sorry”
Many years ago, friends of mine were adjusting to having their second baby at home. They were distressed that their older child seemed to delight in hurting their newest family member. They asked her why she kept hitting/pushing/pinching her sister. Her reply: “I like the sound she makes when she cries.” One of the lessons a …
Teaching Mindfulness to Kids: Resources to Get You Started
Imagine if you could create some space between your child and the thoughts and feelings that rush through him/her like an endless stream. Imagine what it would be like if your child could pay attention on purpose, without judgement, just to the present moment – right here, right now. Imagine if you could too. This is what …
Making a mess and finding a way back – A reflection on parenting
There’s this moment where I’m standing in Hiccup’s* classroom and a part of me suddenly wakes up and says “Tiff, you’ve got to go”. Something’s gone wrong. Something’s going wrong. It’s been a long, hard morning, a battle of wills, following on from a couple of hard weeks and somehow I’ve found myself standing over …
Do You Walk the Walk?
A recent New York Times article “Raising a Moral Child” by Adam Grant went viral last month. In it, he summarised a 1980 study on altruism development in children: “Psychologist J. Philippe Rushton gave 140 elementary- and middle-school-age children tokens for winning a game, which they could keep entirely or donate some to a child …
Through the Eyes of Someone Else… Taking Perspective on Parenting
Are you sitting comfortably? I’m not sure how this experience is going to be for you – possibly entirely pleasant, or maybe a little uncomfortable – are you willing to come with me for the ride? When you’ve finished reading this sentence, close your eyes for a moment, and visualise in as much detail as …
Parenting by the Seat of Our Pants
That’s what today’s felt like – parenting by the seat of my pants. People comment sometimes that what with being a clin psych with a wealth of training and experience with development, parenting, and families, that being a parent must come a bit easier – decisions easier to make, courses of action easier to choose. …
Playful Thinking Part 2 – Just like riding a bike
Happy New Year! I hope the festive season has brought you some time for rest and relaxation, along with some space to consider what you would like 2014 to be about. Having encouraged you last month to start playing with developing more of an awareness of what your thoughts were busy doing, I thought I’d …
The Brain that Lies
I was deeply touched by the warm response many of you gave my first blog post. Clearly it was enough positive reinforcement for me to attempt again 😉 Not without those scary voices showing up, of course. A past client asked me if I could watch the pilot episode of Offspring (Channel 10): “It’s me!”, …