Our Latest Blogs

Being the Perfect Parent Congratulations, you have a new baby in your home! Now you are on center stage spotlighting your parenting skills for all the world to see. With each visitor to your home, the need to demonstrate your knowledge and skill of raising your child is important. Comments made by parents, relatives and visitors are […]

When two people make the decision to get married and start a family, their intentions are likely to spend a life of bliss together. Unfortunately, love isn’t always the utopia we’d like it to be — marriage sometimes ends in divorce. When you make the decision to get divorced and you have teenagers, this can […]

The Stressed Years of Their Lives: Helping Your Kid Survive and Thrive During Their College Years A review of the new book by Janet Hibbs, PhD, MFT and Anthony Rostain, MD, MA A depressed young adult named Nick lives at home with his parents, playing video games all night and rarely venturing outside of the […]

When parents decide to dissolve their marriage, the children can feel as if their universe has been turned upside down. So, what are the impacts of divorce on children’s mental, emotional, and physical health? While divorce is stressful to all kids, some children rebound or recover faster than others. The level of upset can vary […]

Rape and sexual assault are never the victim’s fault. It can feel that way, though. If your teen has been through sexual assault, this is an incredibly confusing and painful time for both of you. Victims often feel alone, ashamed, and scared. They may get flashbacks or nightmares, or feel haunted by the memory of […]

Sleep and mental health go hand in hand, especially when it comes to the mental and physical well-being of teenagers. Unfortunately, not enough teens across the country are getting the sleep they need. It’s recommended that teens get nine hours of restful sleep each night, but between 60% to 70% of teenagers in the United […]

Most seniors don’t seek treatment or even help because they view their mental changes as a natural part of aging or partly because they are ashamed of their condition. While it’s normal for elderly people to experience some level of forgetfulness, it’s important to seek professional help if they show obvious changes in behavior or […]

An eating disorder is a huge problem for anyone, but it is so much more devastating when your child develops one. It can be a prelude to tragedy, considering that every 62 minutes a person dies as a consequence of this condition. Therefore, it is essential that you provide your child with treatment and support […]

Parents have always been concerned about the impact of technology on their children, and this is also the case with social media. In fact, the Family Online Safety Institute claims 43% of parents believe that the harmful effects of social media outweigh its benefits. Its link to mental health issues, in particular, has sparked a number of […]

When I was 9 years old, I was playing with friends in my backyard in Minnesota.  I was having a great time until I saw a dog running towards us.  I could see his owner in the distance, but this dog was loose and headed right for us.  To me, he was scary looking. I’d […]

Any parent knows the difficulties that arise when trying to communicate with your child, but frequently these challenges are only amplified when your offspring suffers from anxiety. You want to help your children as much as you can, but you also don’t want to say the wrong thing. If you are looking for better ways […]

The teenage years can be a tumultuous time for many young people.  Dealing with growing bodies, the transition to middle or high school, and increased academic and social demands can make teens feel anxious about who they are and their ability to handle new challenges.  For most of us, anxiety is a familiar emotion that […]

Learning that your child is engaging in self-harm might be one of the most frightening discoveries you can make as a parent. You would also not be alone. Across the country, the number of reported episodes of self-inflicted non-suicidal injuries among young people has seen a startling upswing in recent years. Today, data indicates that […]

Roughly 45 million American adults are living with mental illness every year. But adults aren’t the only ones dealing with these issues. Teens also grapple with illness such as anxiety and depression, and these conditions can make life even more difficult for individuals going through a transitional period of life. Depression The National Institute of […]

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 18.1% of the population each year. They’re the most common mental health disorders of children and adolescents, affecting young people at different times throughout development. Though anxiety is prevalent among the teenage population, there […]

A common parenting philosophy is to reward or punish children based on their behavior. This strategy has proven to be effective so often that it has become the natural approach to raising children for many. However, if you have a young adult child struggling with developmental trauma you might find this strategy ineffective or maybe […]

Anyone know what day of the year sees more phone traffic than any other? That’s right, Mother’s Day, which this year falls on May 13 in the United States. Calls on that day can rise by as much as 37%, as dutiful sons and daughters across the country get on the phone to convey something […]

In an age where everything is nearly instantaneous – food, movies, communication, etc. – you would think more time would be left to find an inner peace that so many are searching for. Unfortunately, for most, this tranquility is harder to find than ever, with more and more Americans reporting higher levels of stress than […]

When I was little, my mom used to make my siblings and I put on jackets whenever she felt cold, even if we weren’t cold at all. She didn’t want us to get sick, so, even though we lived in Southern California and it was barely ever chilly, she always made sure we were protected […]

When I was a teenager suffering from major depression, my parents tried their best to support me, yet ended up doing all the wrong things. This isn’t something they can be blamed for — understanding another person, even those closest to us, is difficult enough even when mental health issues don’t come into play. When […]

My daughter is 14 years old, and was diagnosed for bipolar disorder with psychotic features when she was 11. The last three years have been the most difficult times I’ve experienced in my life. I grew up with a bipolar father, but with him the disease was on the periphery for me. With my daughter […]

Joining the workforce is a challenge for anyone. For someone with ADHD, it can seem like an uphill climb with no end in sight. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. It is important for parents and caregivers to prepare the student for the transition into real life before college ends. A critical study […]

October is National Bullying Prevention Month, a month-long observance to encourage communities nationwide to unite and raise awareness of bullying prevention through events, activities, and education. In recognition of this event, www.rtor.org has engaged psychologist Todd Griffin, Director of TG Psychology in Penrith, Australia to write a guest blog on bullying and depression in teens. […]

For kids, moving from one school to the next without any training or warning is tougher than adults remember. Because of fast moving technological advances and new teaching styles, it’s almost impossible for students to stay current in learning curves and social trends. Things like the common core are giving both children and young teens […]

I saw a college bound young adult in my practice last week who described needing to create emotional distance between him and his parents in order to make the experience of leaving more manageable and palpable. He effortfully tried to create tension, but his parents would either apologize, try to be supportive or attentive toward […]

There are many mental health websites for families. So why did we at www.rtor.org create a new one? The answer is our Directory of Family-Endorsed Providers. The Directory is a listing of mental health providers that have been recommended by a family member of someone who has used their services and vetted by rtor.org’s Advisory Board of […]

Last Thursday, families, friends and agency staff met at Laurel House to hear Licensed Clinical Social Worker Stephanie Raia speak on Family Coping Strategies in the fourth and final installment of the Family Seminar Series. Stephanie opened her talk with two great quotes: the Serenity Prayer, which many of us associate with Alcoholics Anonymous, and […]