New Year, New You: Physical Activity Can Make a Big Mental Difference

on January 2, 2019 at 1:42 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic: At the beginning of the year, I told myself I’d be hitting the gym a lot more often. The goal was to stay active and keep those extra pounds at bay. The first few weeks were great! I was jogging at least three times a week and lifting weights as often as I could. Sure, I was a little tired when I’d get home, but I was feeling better both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, as the year went on, I started cutting back on the exercise and soon I was...

Lawnmower Parents: What They Are and Why You Shouldn’t Be One

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on December 14, 2018 at 11:36 AM /

Parenting

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. A few nights ago, I mentioned to my pregnant wife that I would do everything in my power to ensure that our baby never struggled with anything in life. She immediately agreed. But then we began speaking about becoming too overprotective of our soon-to-be daughter. A growing part of me says we wouldn’t be doing her any favors if we kept her completely away from any sort of inconvenience or struggle that she encounters in life. My oldest sister and her husband constantly hover over their kids to the...

‘Tis The Season to Manage Your Impulse Shopping!

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on December 5, 2018 at 1:38 PM /

Blog

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Last week, I took a look at our credit card bill and was completely floored! I knew it would be high, but this was far beyond previous years. When I spoke to Chris about it, he apologized but tried reasoning with me about the charges he made for holiday decorations and gifts. He also attributed much of it to “amazing deals.” I think he just got a little credit card happy. The results of Chris’s extravagance means that we will have to manage our funds much more carefully going forward...

A Few Dos and Don’ts to Consider if Your Child is Feeling Lonely

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 28, 2018 at 5:59 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. When I was a kid, I wasn’t very popular in elementary school, middle school or high school. I had a few friends, but I remember feeling jealous of the more popular kids because I was rarely invited to parties. And because I felt so awkward and out of place, I always avoided school events like pep rallies, football games and dances. Things changed in college and now I’m married with a teen son. I’m noticing, however, that he’s very much like I was back then. What can I do to...

To Spank or Not to Spank: What’s the Best Way to Discipline Your Child?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 15, 2018 at 12:54 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I met with my friend Mary recently and she mentioned that she and her husband had just had a disagreement. They were discussing their views on discipline and she said she’d never lay a finger on her baby girl, but her husband thought light spanking would be okay if she misbehaved. Mary believes corporal punishment could affect a child and brought up many good points. Is there a better way to discipline kids? Almost all children act up when they’re young, and many have probably been spanked as a result. But...

Thanksgiving: The Food, The Bad and the Ugly

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 8, 2018 at 12:48 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Thanksgiving is just around the corner and knowing that there will be plentiful amounts of food isn’t helping my anxiety. I tend to overeat when I get anxious, so you can see the problem I’m having. I try my best to keep a level head during this season, but it seems to get harder each year. I’m considering skipping Thanksgiving with my family this year, but at the same time, I want to try and figure out how to not let my anxiety get the better of me so...

Taking a Stand: My Personal Thoughts on the Tree of Life Synagogue Attack

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 1, 2018 at 3:35 PM /

Dr. Wendy Rice

While speaking with a college student on Thursday morning, I reflected on the fact that I did not take a stand or speak out publicly about the recent horrific attack at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh. I shared my sadness and outrage on my personal Facebook page and spoke about it with friends and family, but I did not take a public stand as a mental health professional. I am now left to ponder what stopped me. As a psychologist, someone who is invested in the safety of all people, and as a Jewish woman, why did I choose...

The Grey Area: Shedding Light on Learning Styles and Multiple Intelligences

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 10, 2018 at 4:52 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Karen has been a fan of paintings and portraits since before we began dating. I enjoy them, but art isn’t my cup of tea. Because I love Karen, I try to get excited when we go to museums and she tries to get me to understand what makes a specific piece so great. One day, at a museum, she finally stopped me in my tracks and told me I was confused about the concept of visual learning. She then confused me even further by telling me I was mistaken...

To Play or Not to Play: How Different Video Games Can Affect Our Kids

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 28, 2018 at 10:46 AM /

[bctt tweet="Work toward opening up a discussion with your kids about their video games." username="ricepsychology"]Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. At Diana’s party last weekend, the topics of conversation over dinner varied wildly, and you could say that a few were about some pretty touchy subjects. For example, we talked about how teachers have so much less time to be creative in their classrooms because of all the testing, how many families we know who have been touched by drug addiction and whether we should be tracking our kids by their cell phones. Surprisingly enough,...

Social Media, Teens and What it All Means in Numbers

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 20, 2018 at 11:16 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. It might be hard to imagine, but social media as we know it is a relatively new concept. It may have gotten its start over a decade ago, but its role in society wasn’t substantial until only a few years ago. Funnily enough, there is a generation that was born into these social media-driven times. What does this mean to them? And what can we do to better understand them? Our Tampa psychologists and counselors want to share some helpful information about this topic. The Stats [bctt tweet="Social media undoubtedly plays a...