Tips on Coping with Unsteady Relationships on Mother’s Day

on May 9, 2023 at 8:32 AM /

Mother’s Day is special to many of us. Our sweet and loving moms will be pampered and shown how grateful we are for everything they’ve done with some flowers and perhaps a bit of “me” time to break away from their motherly duties – if only for a day. In a perfect world, Mother’s Day passes without a single problem, but what is this day of celebration like for someone who doesn’t have a good relationship with their mother or mother figure? Should this day be a catalyst for fixing the relationship? If so, what steps would you take to get...

A Guide to Navigating Mother’s Day

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 6, 2021 at 3:50 PM /

We realize that Mother’s Day can be different for everyone. Maybe you’re close with Mom and Sunday is a day of celebration. Or maybe you’ve lost her or the mother figure in your life and it’s a day of pain. Or maybe you treat it like any other day the way I do with Father’s Day (I lost my dad over 30 years ago). Rice Psychology Group has explored different scenarios and relationships over the years and has shared some helpful advice and tips through our weekly blogs. To make these easily accessible so that you don’t end up taking time...

Thanksgiving Doesn’t Have to be a Write-Off

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 17, 2020 at 4:46 PM /

This week’s story isn’t just any story – it’s my story! I adore Thanksgiving. It may be my favorite holiday. It was my father’s holiday. With divorced parents, I loved traveling to Old Greenwich, Connecticut on Wednesdays after school to spend the fall weekend with my dad. He and his wife were the best feast-preparers, and we indulged in turkey, stuffing, and leftover sweet potatoes with extra marshmallows in little white ramekins all weekend long. Ever since my dad died, I’ve continued to celebrate this special day with family and friends of choice. However, this year, despite invitations, I’ve struggled with the...

Celebrating Mom at Home: What to do on Her Special Day in the Social Distancing Era

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 8, 2020 at 3:46 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I’m really close with my mom. We live nearly half a country apart but talk every day. Mother’s Day is our favorite holiday, and this year, it’s killing me that I can’t visit her to celebrate. We are both sheltering in place, which means I can’t visit. Even if I could, Mom is so protective of me that she wouldn’t let me make the trip out of fear of me or my family getting sick. I really want to do something special for her this year but have no...

The Benefits of Keeping a Four-Legged Friend Around During Home Isolation

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on April 17, 2020 at 3:25 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. The first couple of weeks of my city’s stay-at-home order were rough. I’m single with no kids, so my apartment was quieter than I could have ever imagined while working from home. It got so bad that I started feeling stressed and anxious from being cooped up all day. During a call with my sister, she suggested adopting a dog. She owns one, or actually tells me that her dog owns her, and says that there’s never a dull moment in her home. I went to my local animal shelter...

COVID-19: What to Expect During a Period of Uncertainty and Potential Panic

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on March 13, 2020 at 11:26 AM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. As a parent, worrying about the flu or common cold every year is nothing new. My husband and I are always prepared, but this year is different. COVID-19 caught us off guard and we aren’t quite sure what to do. Not only is the possibility of catching the virus scary, but it’s also causing our kids to ask a lot of questions that we don’t know how to answer. Also, my parents are getting older and they seem to be at the highest risk. Between news outlets, social media, and...

Bonding with Experiences: The Importance of Growing Closer with Your Family

By Rice Psychology Group

on December 6, 2019 at 1:22 PM /

I’d like to share a funny story with you this week. The other day on my way to work, I came to a stoplight and immediately noticed that the car in front of me had numerous bumper stickers strewn across it. This clearly caught my attention because there were so many, and in an effort to kill time at this long light, I proceeded to count them. After all, that’s what you do when you’re stuck at a light behind a car with a ton of stickers, right? In scanning the car over, I got to 100 and stopped, mainly because the...

The Benefits of Rinse and Repeat: How Sticking to a Routine Can Help Your Health and Well-Being

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 18, 2019 at 3:09 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. I started working from home a few months ago. It was great at first, but as the weeks went by, I noticed that I was beginning to get disorganized. I forgot about scheduled conference calls, fell behind on a project because I took too long of a lunch break, and so much more! Three weeks ago, my husband gave me a daily planner. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received! I now organize my time and responsibilities into manageable routines that leave me feeling less disorganized, stressed, anxious, and lost. Did...

Freddish: Mr. Rogers’ Guide for Talking to Kids

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 11, 2019 at 3:36 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Before Audrey was born, I was often told that being a parent would be tough, but it wasn’t the diapers, the sleepless nights, or the tantrums that proved to be difficult. Now that she’s older, I’m finding that answering her frequent questions about what certain things mean or explaining even the simplest of life’s moments can be difficult. She is so inquisitive, and I am having trouble finding the right way to explain things to her. How can I do a good job at communicating and explaining things to her...

Bringing Back Family Night: A Few Out-of-the-Box Ideas to Spend More Time with Those You Love

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on May 30, 2019 at 1:26 PM /

Consider the following story as it relates to this week’s topic. Last week, my wife and I spent our entire Saturday at my mother-in-law’s home for her birthday. We loved every minute of it, and I even got to see some of the family’s old photos! There were a ton of pictures of birthdays, Christmases, and Thanksgivings, but even more of just regular nights of them together as a family. My mother-in-law said they really enjoyed having “family nights” as often as possible doing fun and quirky activities. She says she misses them and hopes that Jackie and I do the...