Dr. Hart recently conducted a School-Based Workshop for Parents of Strong-Willed Preschoolers at The Brooklyn Sandbox in Park Slope.
Participants learned to ...
Read MoreDr. Hart recently conducted a School-based Mindfulness Workshop for 5th and 6th grade students at The Convent of the Sacred Heart in the Upper Eastside neighborhood of Manhattan. The workshop was both skills-based and experiential ...
Read MoreBlame blocks us from connecting with others. This RSA short film features Brené Brown, one of the foremost researchers on ...
Read MoreWhen someone in your life makes the brave decision of being emotionally vulnerable with you, you can either choose to join them or choose to keep them at a distance. This RSA short film features Brené Brown, one of the foremost researchers on shame and emotional vulnerability. Ms. Brown describes ...
Read MoreFinding your way to the present moment, through breath, is both as challenging and as simple as these endearing kindergarteners describe. This short film on mindfulness, titled "Just Breathe" by Julie Bayer Salzman and Josh Salzman, features children ...
Read MoreMindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), developed by Dr. Zindel V. Segal, Dr. Mark G. Williams, and Dr. John D. Teasdale, has been found to decrease recurrent episodes of depression. Based upon multiple clinical trials, MBCT reduces relapse in individuals ...
Read MoreMindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) may be just as effective at treating individuals with recurrent depression as antidepressant medication, according to a recent study in the Lancet Journal. The possible impact for treatment recommendations was discussed in the article, Mindfulness holds promise for treating Depression, in the March 2015 Monitor on Psychology.
As illustrated in the Monitor article, "one characteristic of depression is a habit of thinking negatively about ...
Read MoreMany parents have strong opinions about medicating their children. It is rare that parents consider medication as a first line of treatment and the majority of parents hope to avoid psychopharmacological treatment entirely. One mother, Kathy Hennessy, shared her experience of choosing to medicate her child in a recent article in The Washington Post, Why I decided to drug my child .
Ms. Hennessy shared her experience, which started with her thinking her son was just ...
Read MorePositive phrases, such as “If you can dream it, you can do it,” can be detrimental to children and decrease their ability to meet their long-term goals. According to a recent article on MindShift, a website co-founded by NPR which covers current research on education and learning, "while inspiring words might provide a moment of motivation, it turns out they can have an adverse effect on achieving those goals."
Dr. Gabriele Oettingen, of New York University, reports ...
Read MoreDr. Hart recently authored her second article in a series on Suicide Prevention for Educators in the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Program's (NACCTEP) Newsletter. NACCTEP is a national association which supports training and preparation of K-12 educators. The series provides early career educators the knowledge they need to both accurately identify students at-risk for attempting suicide and information on how to effectively intervene.
Knowing how to effectively intervene once you have determined a student is at-risk for attempting suicide is crucial. Teachers need to ...
Read MoreWhen a parent learns that their teen is cutting themself, they are typically as confused as they are heartbroken. They are often aware their teen is "having a tough year" or "is a little out of sorts." Some parents report they had thought their teen was experiencing typical teen angst, and describe the emotional challenges they faced during their own adolescence. Nearly all the parents I have worked with feel ill-informed or equipped to parent a child who has cut themself, and are eager to better understand why their child has begun to intentionally self-harm.
A recent article in the New York Times, Why Teenagers Cut, and How to Help , interviews ...
Read MoreMost parents report wanting to raise a kind and generous child. The keys to increasing kind and generous actions in children are strategic reinforcement and modeling, based upon an article in the New York Times.
Studies indicate that ...
Read MoreOur daily actions, routines, and habits create the breadth of our lives. Making a significant change in our lives starts by making a behavioral change in ourselves. To start we must first identify our goal. Do you want to learn to speak Spanish? Would you like to improve your relationship with your spouse? Or would you like to improve your ability to manage conflicts with your mother? Although the goals may vary significantly, they can be met once you identify your goal, develop operational targets, develop a habit of self-monitoring, and commitment to change.
Once you have defined your primary goal you need ...
Read MoreSome worries are helpful. Thinking about anxiety provoking experience or situations can lead an individual to make decisions, to planning ahead, and to engage in effective problem solving. Helpful worries tend to be goal-oriented, solution focused, and often start with “How”. For example, “How can I help my daughter do better in school?”, “How can I get that promotion?”, or “How can I feel closer to my mom?”.
Harmful worries are those ...
Read MoreStudies have found evidence that excessive screen time can lead to increased rates of obesity, irregular sleep patterns, hyperactivity, and conduct problems in children. A recent study found that with a combination of decreased screen time and increased social interactions children were better able to ...
Read MoreExercise has long been known to improve physical functioning, longevity, and general well being. Many studies over the past 10 years have also found evidence that consistent exercise, most frequently cardiovascular exercise, positively impacts your ability to regulate your emotions and improves cognitive functioning.
A recent article in Time Magazine provided ...
Read MoreElementary school aged children with symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder demonstrate increased attentiveness after exercising, according to an article in the Wall Street Journal.
A recent study found that ...
Read MoreDr. Hart recently authored her first article in a series on Suicide Prevention for Educators in the National Association of Community College Teacher Education Program's (NACCTEP) Newsletter. NACCTEP is a national association which supports training and preparation of K-12 educators.
Teachers know their students. They are able to identify typical vs. atypical developmental behaviors within the age group they work with and they are able to identify significant changes in their students. Educators are uniquely positioned ...
Read MoreThe emotional environment in which a child is raised impact’s their ability to manage their emotions, control their behavioral urges, and feel confident in their ability to accurately assess their environment. Children raised in an environment in which they don’t feel accepted or understood are at higher risk for mood disorders, such as depression and anxiety, oppositional behavioral disorders, and substance use.
Invalidation is when ...
Read MoreSpanking, or corporal punishment, has long been associated with increased rates of depression, substance use, aggression towards others, oppositionality towards authority figures, and an increased tendency to identifying benign actions by others as hostile or malicious.
Recent studies have found that in addition to the well-established impact spanking has upon children's emotional and psychological well-being, it may also be correlated with...
Read MoreHolly A. Hart, Psy.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist with over ten years of experience delivering evidence-based treatments to children, adolescents, young adults, couples, and families.
Recommendations are intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered a substitute for informed medical advice.
Copyright 2022 by Holly Hart, Psy.D., PC | All rights reserved
