Smartphone Talk: Is it Time for a Screen Diet?

on January 10, 2018 at 4:36 PM /

My husband and I went to our anniversary dinner last night and had a great time! We talked about the last year, our goals for the future and even about the possibility of having kids! We’re both really excited, but just as we were discussing a family, we looked up to a sea of kids sitting with their families, with their faces glued to their phones. Now, I know smartphones are a huge part of life nowadays, but it was quite surreal to see so many glowing faces interacting with their screens but not their parents. We talked about potentially...

A Daily Routine: Helping to Keep Your ADHD at Bay

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on January 3, 2018 at 1:57 PM /

My wandering mind is no secret to any of my friends or family, and it can often keep me from completing even the smallest of things. However, my family told me that they started seeing a difference in me once I began to implement a routine for my days. You see, my ADHD can make things difficult, but by using a few strategies that I’ve learned from my therapist, I’ve been able to improve and keep things under control. It’s hard work, but now that my son has been diagnosed as well, I plan to help him, too. Difficulties with regulating...

Dyslexia: What it is and How it Can be Treated

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on December 13, 2017 at 10:03 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s piece. Today I received some worrying news. My 10-year old son, Christopher, was diagnosed with dyslexia. My husband and I were aware that there was an issue when his teacher brought to our attention that he was having some trouble in class. I’ll admit that we’re both terrified. Will he trail behind his schoolmates? Is he going to be held back a grade? Will he even be accepted into a college after high school? I know I’m getting ahead of myself, and Chris’s psychologist explained to us that he can still...

Social Tips: Helping Your Child Connect

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on December 6, 2017 at 12:49 PM /

I was at my mother’s yesterday and was telling her about how Brian can be pretty awkward when he’s with other kids. It’s not that he doesn’t like spending time with his classmates; it’s just that his social cues seem to be…off. I told her that two of his friends told him what appeared to be a secret, and he replied by repeating what he’d just heard loud enough for everyone to hear. While I laughed as I witnessed it, I realized that this might be a sign that his social skills are not exactly honed. I want Brian to...

A Smartphone Holiday: What You Should Keep in Mind Before Making a Purchase for Your Child

By Rice Psychology Group

on November 29, 2017 at 5:10 PM /

Written by Matthew Rigberg, LHMC Susan is the mother of a 12-year old boy and 14-year old girl. She finds herself in a difficult spot. Both of her children have given her a list of gifts that they’d like, and a smartphone is at the top of each. Susan understands the utility of a smartphone; it allows her and her children to remain in contact throughout the day, it’s great for emergencies and will allow her kids to communicate and interact with their friends. She and her husband have worked hard to raise responsible, conscientious people, though she wonders if they...

Kids and Smartphones: When is the Perfect Time for Them to Own One?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 16, 2017 at 11:08 AM /

Last night, I participated in another showing of Screenagers. This time, it was presented at Hillel Academy in Tampa with co-sponsorship by Tampa Day School and Keystone Prep High School with over 100 people in attendance. I led the discussion following the movie and one of the questions that was asked was, “At what age is right or best to give your child a smartphone?” Deciding When the Time is Right Not having an exact age to offer and being well aware of the challenges smartphones come with, my answer was that there would need to be extenuating circumstances to warrant giving...

Multitasking: Not as Good as You May Think

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 8, 2017 at 6:42 PM /

We are wondering if you can relate to the following vignette: I hate to admit it, but I was reprimanded at work the other day for making a mistake right before one of our biggest presentations. The thing is, I honestly thought I was doing a very good job leading up to the big moment. I was taking all of the calls I needed from our clients, making pages upon pages worth of notes and doing my research online almost simultaneously. I guess I must have skimmed over some really important information that set back our entire team. My boss was...

Feeling Angry: Dealing with Your Feelings and Moving On

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 31, 2017 at 4:46 PM /

I consider myself to be a pretty calm and relaxed individual, but throughout my life, I’ve always had difficulty dealing with anger. It’s not so much that I always lash out when I’m angry (I rarely do this), it’s more that I have trouble getting over things that anger me. For example, last month, my sister made a passing comment during a family get-together where she poked fun of my blouse. It seemed like harmless fun but it was said in front of many people who laughed. At first, I was embarrassed but then I became angry. Rather than talk...

#MeToo: To Share or Not to Share Your Personal Experience on Social Media

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 19, 2017 at 11:09 AM /

I woke up at 3:00 AM the other morning, and while I know this is not good for getting back to sleep, I grabbed my cell phone. Of course, I ended up perusing Facebook and saw a post from a dear friend. She noted that she’d posted the previous day on the topic of #MeToo. “…Me too. And on and on and on…if all the women who have been sexually harassed or assaulted wrote "Me too" as a status, we might give people a sense of the magnitude of the problem...

An Introduction to Understanding Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

By Rice Psychology Group

on October 17, 2017 at 3:23 PM /

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive-compulsive disorders (OCD) are difficult to understand by family, friends and loved ones, as well as by those suffering from one. OCD often does not make much sense, and “rituals” can be confusing for others to understand. As a result, those who suffer from OCD may struggle to express their obsessions and rituals. And this often furthers the misunderstandings of the condition. Understanding OCD is the first step to overcoming it. What is OCD? Obsessive-compulsive disorder is often stereotyped as extreme cleanliness and orderliness, much like Oscar in The Odd Couple. While fears related to contamination are common, this stereotype drastically reduces...