Todd Smith

Many parents expect their children to listen, follow rules, and behave appropriately. Obedience might seem like the goal of effective discipline. But while obedience creates short-term compliance, it does not always lead to long-term self-control. Children who listen when a parent is present may still struggle to manage frustration or make thoughtful choices when on […]

You ask your child to do something simple, and instead of cooperation, you get pushback, tears, or silence. It’s easy to interpret this as defiance or inappropriate behavior. But many of these moments are less about discipline and more about a child’s reduced capacity to cope. The connection between stress, sleep, and self-control in children

Social media can affect our mood, self‑esteem, and sense of connection, but how do we move from feeling drained by our feeds to using them in a way that truly supports our wellbeing? Research increasingly shows that the effects of social media depend less on the amount of time we spend online and more on

In the modern world, it is unlikely that we can completely detox from digital technologies, as they are integrated into our everyday lives. So, it is important to focus on digital wellbeing to ensure we use technology in ways that align with our goals and values. You may wonder, “What does healthy use look like?”

Avoidant attachment style does not always look the way we expect it to. It can show up as independence, composure, and capability, qualities that are often valued and reinforced by society (Wardecker et al., 2016). With some of your clients, this seemingly high-functioning behavior belies a learned expectation that closeness is uncomfortable, unnecessary, or even

If you feel stuck in the same relationship patterns, it’s easy to assume that this is just “how you are” or “how relationships are.” While these patterns are often automatic, especially in moments of stress, they are shaped by experiences that can be updated with new ones. These attachment styles aren’t fixed traits, and with

One partner has a strong emotional reaction, laying everything out on the table. The other withdraws and shuts down. If this sounds familiar, you might be caught up in an anxious–avoidant loop. This pattern is rooted in attachment styles, which shape how we experience love, emotional safety, and connection. Although they have opposing needs, people

We often rush to help people grow after adversity. But forcing growth without establishing safety can retraumatize our clients. In the aftermath of trauma, grief, or heartbreaking betrayal, it’s easy to blur the lines between stabilization, resilience-building, and post-traumatic growth (Tedeschi et al., 2018; Worden, 2018). As a licensed trauma therapist and clinical consultant, I

Some clients don’t fit neatly into a crisis category, and yet they are clearly struggling in a way that is quiet, chronic, and wearing them down. They are functioning, mostly, keeping it together on the outside while something underneath is running low in an unsustainable way. They already know something needs to change; they just

Supporting clients to develop a range of coping skills is a common focus in therapy. Having effective coping tools helps to manage difficult emotions, overcome challenging situations, build strengths, and work toward personal goals. However, a big challenge of therapy is translating helpful ideas and strategies from sessions into real-world situations. It is therefore important