The Best Way To Light Your Kid's Path Forward

The best way I've found to create resiliency in kids is this science-backed approach. It's about boosting kid's skills (bonus: it works for adults too). ??????

As Dr. Stuart Ablon says, "kids do well if they can" (he's the Chair in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School).

First, let me explain what our ?? tells us about our kid's health:

? To your brain, perceived trauma is the same as "real" trauma. Whether one experienced an event or the brain thinks it did (or you were born with a certain wiring) - it's the very same thing!

? So, with your kids, it's better not to judge what's hard for them (or worse, suggest they "get over it") and instead use empathy to understand, and then help them come-up with their ideas to solve it. This builds neural pathways and resilience.

? 50+ years of brain science proves this. Here are a few photos to help understand (from my class). The top of the image is your prefrontal cortex where resources to solve issues and work with others are found.

? Notice on the "trauma brain" the lack of activity (red) there and the disconnected brain activity (black spots). When your kiddo (or you) are in fight/flight/freeze, your activity represents a trauma brain.

? For my own family, and people I serve, this proven approach of empathy, expressing parental concerns, and having the kiddo come up with solutions consistently produces results. Any parent can learn and do this, and much more frequently (and effectively) than weekly therapy. It literally builds new neural pathways.

So, if you want to be part of lighting-up your kid's resilience and setting them up for success, message me, and we'll get started. ????????