High School (9th-12th)

Featured | Fight For The Heart | High School (9th-12th) | School Life

What to Expect in Ninth Grade

When your high-schooler was in middle school, there’s a good chance their biggest motivator was acceptance. They moved in a herd, made decisions as a group, and desperately wanted to fit in. While some of that is still true, your high-schooler is changing and before long, his or... Read More

Celebrations | High School (9th-12th)

Graduation Gifts for Seniors That are Actually Meaningful (and Don’t Break the Bank!)

In light of everything that has been lost, it’s never felt more important to celebrate seniors (yes, with gifts!) in a way that is personal and meaningful. I feel that, too. That’s why I’ve put together a list[1] of senior gifts that can make a student feel celebrated... Read More

High School (9th-12th) | Mental Health | Middle School (6th-8th)

Helping My Middle and High Schooler Manage Their Emotions

As a counselor for teenagers, I see and hear a lot of stuff. But I bet you wouldn’t be able to guess what my most memorable and favorite sessions look like. I should say first that I truly love all of my clients and it is an honor... Read More

College and Young Adult | High School (9th-12th) | School Life

To the Parents of the Class of 2020

Watching the end of my daughter’s senior year in high school turn into something we could have never imagined has been difficult. Watching her cry and try to process the deep loss of it has been heart wrenching. Read More

Character and Values | High School (9th-12th) | Imagine The End

Developing Character and Responsibility in Your Teen

We must go through the process of releasing control over our teens so they can move toward responsibility. A person who never learns to take full responsibility for their own life and actions will never have the chance to develop healthy character, or to be fully alive, and... Read More

High School (9th-12th) | Middle School (6th-8th)

How to Not Embarrass Your Teen

How to not embarrass your teen? The truth is you WILL, but it doesn’t have to be all that bad. Learn 3 ways you can embarrass them less. Read More

Elementary (K-5th) | Family Life | Fight For The Heart | High School (9th-12th) | Middle School (6th-8th)

The Humility of Connection

Connection takes humility. Connection takes work. And connection takes time, cultivated in many invisible acts. Read More

High School (9th-12th)

One Surprising Thing I Say to My Kids All the Time

Being a teenager is not easy. There’s peer pressure like they’ve never experienced before. Suddenly, sitting at the right table at lunch is a big deal. You have to deal with mean girls. Cliques are rampant. Applying for college is always at a low-grade boil of anxiety. You... Read More

High School (9th-12th) | Middle School (6th-8th) | Special Topics

The Suicide Talk

Why should I talk to my kids about suicide? According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Around 45,000 people die every year by suicide. Comparatively, in 2017 there were around 17,200 reported homicides in the... Read More

College and Young Adult | High School (9th-12th)

3 Words to Repeat When Your Child Starts to Move Away From You

Whether it’s our third grader who no longer wants us to walk them to school, our seventh grader who no longer waves to us when we show up to practice, or our high school graduate who is physically moving out of the house, how can we parents continue... Read More