Thanksgiving: The Food, The Bad and the Ugly

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...

An Introduction to Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

By Rice Psychology Group

on October 17, 2018 at 4:11 PM /

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) can be difficult to understand by family, friends, loved ones, and even those who have it, because symptoms rarely make much sense and “rituals” can be hard to explain. People with OCD struggle to express their obsessions and need for these habits, causing further misunderstanding about the condition. What is OCD? OCD is often stereotyped as extreme cleanliness and orderliness. While fears related to contamination are common, this stereotype drastically reduces the grand scope of obsessional fears as well as the true distress that they can result in. Obsessions can include anything you can think of. For example, you...

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,...

Major Tantrums: How to Help Your Child Remain Calm

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 13, 2018 at 12:46 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Last night, Susan and I went to the movies with my sister, Stella, and her 8-year old son, Anthony. I’m not a fan of bringing young kids to evening movies where there are mostly adults in the audience. See, the last thing I wanted to do was ignite an argument with Susan, so I didn’t say anything. As I feared, just as the movie started, Anthony started to fall apart. He began crying loudly about it being too dark and then crawled under the seats, upending our crazy expensive...

ADHD in Girls and Women: How it Differs from What We Typically See in Boys and Men

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 7, 2018 at 11:57 AM /

ADHD
Blog

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I just got off the phone with Maggie’s teacher an hour ago. It’s the third time she’s called me this month and it’s always for the same reason. Apparently, Maggie is extremely chatty. Like, too chatty. I kind of figured it was normal for girls to be chatty. After all, she’s been this way since she learned to speak and became more talkative when she started elementary school. I’m starting to wonder if this is in some way related to her ADHD. I always assumed kids with ADHD were...

Working Together to Create Safer and More Inclusive School Communities in Tampa

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 23, 2018 at 12:08 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. School just started for both of my kids. One is in middle school and the other is starting high school this year. They typically adjust well and handle both the academic and social ups and downs pretty well. But this year, my husband and I are feeling a bit more nervous than usual. I guess the daily news of cyberbullying, sexting and school shootings each day makes us hope and pray that they come home safely. It terrifies me to my core! What can we do to prevent things like...

Love What You Do, Because Doing Nothing is Not an Option!

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on August 1, 2018 at 10:01 AM /

As an academic counselor, I get to spend my time with students and see them take the next steps toward their futures. As much as I love my job, it’s also extremely draining. Sometimes when I get home, the only thing I do is plop down on the couch and watch shows until I inevitably fall asleep! Well, a couple of weeks ago, I found my old knitting kit while cleaning out my closet and decided to take it for a spin. It was great! It’s obviously a low-effort activity that lets me rest my brain after a long day...

Sideline Parenting: The Effects on Your Children and Their Performance in Sports

By Rice Psychology Group

on July 26, 2018 at 9:45 AM /

Parenting

The president of the American Youth Soccer Organization recently spoke about a teenager who had always played soccer, then one year refused to try out. He chose snowboarding instead. He was asked why. “My dad doesn’t know anything about snowboarding,” he said. “And, you know, it’s cold on the slopes, so he doesn’t come and watch me. So, I get to snowboard without someone yelling at me all the time.” Psychologist Kay Redfield Jamison is quoted as saying, “We play because we have an exuberance of spirit and energy, but we are also exuberant because we play.” I imagine that if...

Helping Your Child to Express Their Gratitude in Unique Ways

By Dr Ashley Diehl

on July 11, 2018 at 12:20 PM /

[bctt tweet="Scientific research has identified factors that determine a set point, or level, of happiness. " username="ricepsychology"]These factors can include life circumstances and intentional activity. A person’s set point is considered stable and linked to one’s genetics, temperament and personality. Life circumstances are also considered somewhat stable and include age, gender, personal history, etc. Lastly, intentional activity involves actions and thoughts that a person can engage in on a daily basis, such as exercise, being optimistic and setting goals. While a person’s set point and life circumstances are more stable, intentional activities are something that we can hone in on to...