It comes in different guises: toxic productivity, perfectionism, burnout culture, hyper-productivity, and overachievement syndrome, among other names. Regardless of the name, they all share a common root: the societal fixation on equating productivity with self-worth.

How do I know if therapy is actually helping?

This is the question we dive into in this month’s blog. You might be surprised: If you're feeling worse after starting therapy, you might just be doing some really good work.

When we demand something of our children, regardless of their age, we externalize our expectations. We want our kids to get good grades, participate in extracurriculars, and have a good group of friends. We want them to be healthy and happy and we have perceived expectations about how they should go about to achieve those things.

Herein lies the problem. Developmentally, teenagers have lower tolerance for managing frustration and other big emotions. Learn more about how Low Demand Parenting might be your answer to less stress for you and your teen.

If you’re a teen, you’re probably here because something about school isn’t working and you’re ready for a change. If you’re a parent, you’re here because you want the best for your child. Either way, welcome. I’m glad you’re here!

In this article, we'll investigate the different types of school options in Colorado and the pros and cons of each.

Suffice it to say, the teenage years are rough. Parents fear their teens are depressed, anxious, and stressed out, but struggle with how to support them in a healthy, sustainable way.

One of the things we hear parents ask is how to provide or teach their teens coping skills. "What tools can teach my kid so they can better manage their stress and emotions?" they ask. And while we're pleased to hear that parents are trying, we also internally groan.

It's that time of year again. Whether it makes you feel excited or anxious, hopeful or hollow (or any feeling in between,) the holiday season is upon us. For many of us, all of this can be overwhelming. Creating strong boundaries can help us navigate this often stressful time and help us regain that holiday joy!

Let's face it. We've grown up in a fast-paced and competitive world, where the pressure to excel and succeed has taken center stage in our lives as teenagers and young adults. The ideals of perfectionism and relentless productivity are so deeply ingrained in societal norms that it fosters an environment where the pursuit of success often overshadows any consideration for our mental well-being.

As a teen, you're surrounded by messages of what you should be. To say it's overwhelming is an understatement.

So while we all might want to wave a magic wand and "fix" everything, make the homework do itself, the drama disappear, and the painful feelings go away, we're stuck in this thing called reality. Thankfully, though, there's a space for us, a space for us to be brave, share our feelings and everyday stressors, learn coping skills that actually help, and maybe even meet new friends.

It's the middle of summer, school's out, and guess what? You're bored. You might have a summer job, be taking a summer class, and even get to regularly hang out with friends, but you still find yourself listless, "stuck," or just plain apathetic.

In this month's blog post, let's dive into what feeling boredom as a young person may really mean and what hides behind it.

Life and relationships are complicated. Duh, right? Sprinkle in the facts of being a teenager (first loves, high expectations, social pressure, and passionate decisions) and it might seem impossible to stay drama-free.

First, let's normalize that drama, well, is normal.

Breakups. Sometimes they creep--a slow, terrible fracture between people who once really loved each other. Sometimes they happen suddenly, seemingly without notice, leaving you suddenly alone and heartbroken. However breakups happen, they almost always leave you with a slew of emotions: grief, sadness, anxiety, fear, loneliness, and maybe even, some guilt and shame.

So how do we navigate these feelings? Especially when we're feeling incredibly vulnerable, broken and, well, just down right shitty? We might even think How do I learn to love again?

Developing a healthy parent-teen relationship can be s-t-r-e-s-s-f-u-l.

As a parent, it can be difficult to raise a teen with both compassion and firmness. As a teen, it can be hard to open up to your parents and understand their reasoning. Together, these challenges create the perfect storm for misunderstanding and distrust...and oftentimes, actually results in parents using reward systems as a punishment to try and change unwanted teen behavior.