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“It is of great importance to recognize that my family and friends comprehend the challenges I face. Receiving assistance at an early stage is essential. It was my mother and father, through their patience, acceptance, and unwavering support, who facilitated access to the necessary help for me early on, thereby saving my life.”                                                   Paul, a 15-year-old. He is a teen battling an eating disorder As per the Wo

It is Friday evening, Saturday midday, or Sunday morning, and you started to feel: -       Sad, low mood -       Low self-esteem -       Emptiness -       Fatigue -       Changes in appetite or sleep -       Irritability, anger outbursts -       Difficulty making decisions, remembering things. You are not the only one to feel like this. These days, we hear more about people feeling sad and lonely on the weekends. Weekdays are spent in mode of doing, task to task, finishing ch

“I grew up seeing my father engaging wholeheartedly in small acts of kindness every day. He will keep a pot of water and glasses outside his home for passersby, will donate something to a street beggar before entering the restaurant, buy food for a needy passerby looking at us eating food, give away a few coins to street beggars, give extra coins to a balloon seller, sponsor a child at school, and much more. These acts of small donations and helping others seemed to help him.

The above ran as a headline in BBC News recently. “Small habits and small goals help keep us mindful. These small goals, such as knitting for an hour a day to make a scarf, painting for 30 minutes a day to create a piece, stitching to make a table mat, and running for 30 minutes to train for a marathon, are all achievable. These goals are low planning, no competition, and have a sense of achievement. They relieve stress and anxiety.”                                           

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition marked by varying difficulties in social interaction, communication, and the presence of restricted interests or repetitive behaviors. It may also include impairments in areas such as intelligence, language, and sensory processing. Overall, ASD encompasses a broad spectrum of symptoms and challenges that children and adults face in their daily lives.  The syndrome can significantly affect parent-child relationsh

Regardless of age, youngsters can begin working on developmental levels they have been unable to master, but only within the context of a close, personal relationship with a devoted adult.                                                               -Stanley Greenspan, M.D., The growth of the mind   13-year-old Avi is in Grade 6. He has irregular moods. He is angry one moment and happy another. When his parents ask him to listen, he covers both his ears with both

From early infancy, it appears that our ability to regulate emotional states depends upon the experience of feeling that a significant person in our life is simultaneously experiencing a similar state of mind.   - Daniel J. Siegel, MD Attunement starts from infancy, such as when a parent smiles back at a baby's smile or says “whoops” when a toddler drops someth

“I do not want to be late. However, it is only time that strikes, and I start to get ready to go. I am aware that I need to arrive at college for the 9:00 a.m. class. I started ordering my taxi 5 minutes before 9. When I could not find one, I began to curse. I run outside and struggle between hailing a taxi, cancelling the order, and sending an email to the professor explaining why I am late. I arrive 20 minutes late for class, hurriedly making apologies. My friends are smili

“My 16-year-old daughter has always been a picky eater, but recently, we've noticed a troubling change. She appears to be pushing herself to lose weight by exercising three to four times a day and watching videos and reels about weight loss. We suspect she might be forcing herself to vomit after meals. Additionally, she has become withdrawn, touchy, and moody, making it challenging to get her to talk about what she's going through. Sometimes, she even seems angry.”           

Many animals have memory, but how humans utilize memory, alongside other cognitive skills, distinguishes us in important ways. Human memory goes beyond a simple survival tool; it is closely linked to our capacity for abstract thinking, communication, and self-reflection, for making human life better. This advanced memory, the researchers believe, is one of the most incredible products of evolution. We may not give our memory much thought in day-to-day life; however, when comb

Repeat, Repeat, Repeat are the 3 R’s Brain habits encompass both beneficial practices for brain health, such as hope, positivity, and gratitude, and harmful habits, such as chronic stress, an all-or-nothing attitude, comparing oneself to others, and other forms of negative thinking. Acquiring a new healthy brain habit is learning a new skill, a new brain muscle. Additional examples of positive habits include engaging in mentally stimulating activities such as puzzles, maintai

“Singing and cooing, sing-song sentences, naming objects, and bringing them to your baby. Intentional eye contact, being musical, cradling, twinkling eyes, naughty smile, hide-and-seek, sideways glance, babyish noises, spontaneous laughter”.   We all do this with our little babies, encouraging them to enjoy the world and each other. Disco is more than just a dance; it’s an emotion! This style lets you relax, forget your problems, and just dance your heart out, connecting with

“Neurons that fire together, wire together .”                                                                                Donald Hebb, father of Neuropsychology Dr. Donald Hebb combined psychology and neuroscience, proposing that learning and memory activate neurons, strengthening their connections to form more stable neural links. Are you aiming to create a new health habit, mental or physical? Neuroscience says it requires consistent practice and repetition, leading to c

“My kids were raised by six to eight moms. A schoolteacher, a music teacher, two neighbours, a friend at netball, their godmother, my mom, and my sister. They did their own part…. called them on their birthdays, welcomed them for weekend lunches/dinners, hosted them during summers, took them on summer holidays. I am so grateful, my kids gained self-esteem and many life skills with these adult interactions.”                                                 Amy, mother of a 15-y

…..a delayed Uber, work deadline, traffic jam, a mismanaged household chore, argument with a family member, corner table at a restaurant, a spoiled dry clean shirt, loud neighbor, dismissive waitress, a malfunctioning kitchen appliance, electricity outage at home, printer not working, forgetting debit card at home, long queue, long wait at tele marketing, hung up call, missed deadline to pay bills, delayed doctor appointment…… How many of us face the above almost every day? T

Ruptures in relationships are inevitable. They happen when communication and understanding break down between two people. “Rupture” between a parent and child or teenager occurs when the parent and child/teen experien ce a loss of connection, resulting in misattunement. Ruptures resulting in the child shutting the door or the parent walking away- Scene 1    Child: “I forgot to clean my room today.”                      Parent: “You can never do anything responsibly.” Scene 2 

“Monday, I was hit by a nagging brain fog. Nothing seemed clear. The day was spent with a sense of aimlessness. Headaches and...

Ruminations, obsessions, and worry, which are recurrent, uncontrollable thoughts not aimed at a specific outcome and  are often associated with distress and can be part of conditions like obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) or generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). These thoughts are unwanted, intrusive, and often preoccupy the mind, making them hard to control. They can be distressing and trigger negative emotions like anxiety, fear, or disgust. Unlike constructive problem-solv

A: “I have lost my job. The financial instability is immense, and it is causing incessant anxiety. I worry and ruminate. I question my...

Anthony has difficulty with eye contact, as he often repeats words or phrases and fixates on specific interests. He finds himself distressed by changes in routine and notices that he has sensory sensitivities to lights, sounds, or textures. Anthony is diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, Text Revision  (DSM-5-TR), published by the American Psychiatric Association, the features