How Symptoms of ADHD Can Hurt a Kid’s Social Life

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

There are three identifying symptoms of ADHD: Distractibility, Impulsivity Inattentiveness or Hyperactivity All these symptoms have a significant impact on the development of social skills.  Many of those who are ADHD remember the pre-school years as happy years with few memories of feeling different or lonely, but certainly by fifth grade an awareness of negative…

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Child Play Therapy – Helping Children Cope with Abuse

Child Play Therapy – Helping Children Cope with Abuse 1

For countless children, facing abuse is a real-life nightmare that comes true time and time again. However, child play therapy can help resolve these issues and bring back peace and comfort to the life of a victim of potential abuse. By building a strong relationship between the counselor and the child, often between the ages…

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Coping Skills: Hard Times Make Them Strong

Life Tree Counseling Kathleen Mills

“Don’t you know the seed would never grow if there were never showers? And though the rain might bring a little pain, just look at all the flowers. Don’t you fret now, child, don’t you worry The rain’s to help you grow, so don’t try to hurry the storm along The hard times make you…

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Informing Kids About ADD and ADHD

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

“I knew as a kid that I was different from my classmates, but I didn’t know how I was different.”  People who are diagnosed as Adult ADHD often share this memory from childhood.  Unfortunately, with incomplete information, these people often have suffered anxiety, loneliness, helplessness, and low self-esteem.  Learning about ADD and ADHD and the…

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Understanding ADD and ADHD: Family Life

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

It is time for ADD and ADHD to come out of the shadows. When someone in a family is dealing with ADD or ADHD, everyone in the family benefits from information and understanding about ADD and ADHD.  With awareness of what behaviors are controllable and what are beyond self-discipline, inaccurate assumptions of intentions can be…

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Understanding ADD and ADHD: A Case for Counseling

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

Although the use of medication can improve the identifying symptoms of ADD and ADHD—distractibility, impulsivity, and hyperactivity, it does not automatically correct patterns of behavior.  The impulsive tendency to interrupt or talk over other’s who are speaking can be a well-established behavioral pattern that will require  therapy in order to replace the disruptive behavior with…

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Play Therapy: A Parent’s View Part 2

LaShondra Manning play therapy counselor

Play Therapy: The Approach So what are these toys for and what do they mean? That is the very question that play therapy can answer for you. In general, all toys in the play room are purposeful, meaning that they are in there for a reason. Play therapists have been trained to respond to children…

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Play Therapy: A Parent’s View Part 1

LaShondra Manning play therapy counselor

Play Therapy: The Approach So what are these toys for and what do they mean? That is the very question that play therapy can answer for you. In general, all toys in the play room are purposeful, meaning that they are in there for a reason! Play therapists have been trained to respond to children…

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ADD and ADHD: Positive Outcomes and Benefits

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

Strong Work Ethic and Perseverance Although dealing with ADD and ADHD can be challenging, there a number of positive outcomes that result from managing the symptoms. A strong work ethic is often developed through the acceptance that things do not always come easy. Reading, for example, often requires frequent re-reading and looking back in an…

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ADD and ADHD: Dealing with the Symptoms

Life Tree Counseling Pat Murray

ADD and ADHD: Behavior and Understanding A typical ADD and ADHD miscommunication conversation: “What’s wrong with you?  Why are you so grumpy?” “It’s Saturday, and I have things I want to do and now you’re telling me I can’t because you have made all these plans.” “Oh, no, don’t blame me! We made these plans…

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