The Sweet Side of Halloween: How To Go Through Your Child’s Candy and What To Look For

on October 15, 2023 at 6:40 PM /

Halloween is considered one of the most fun and creative times of the year. Allowing your little ones to dress up as their favorite monster or video game character is only half of it, though. The other exciting part is going out and trick-or-treating! Parents, while going house to house and grabbing as much candy as possible is a fun and exciting time for your kids, it’s important you are aware of the candy they are receiving and how much of it they are actually eating. Before your kids head out on Halloween night, Rice Psychology Group wants to share...

Halloween Jitters: 5 Tips for Parents to Take the Fright Out of this Fun Holiday

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on October 8, 2023 at 4:32 PM /

If you’re the parent of a young child and are dreading Halloween, then you’re not alone. Many parents fear exposing their young ones to scary things like costumes, masks, movies and such. But breathe a sigh of relief because our licensed mental health counselors and psychologists in Tampa want to offer five tips to make Halloween fun and not scary! Select the Right Costume Get creative with your child’s costume. This is the perfect time to sit down with your child and brainstorm together. If your little one frightens easily, try something fun and more traditional like a: Bedsheet-style ghost Friendly vampire...

Suicide Prevention: Knowing When & Where to Get Help

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 8, 2023 at 8:03 AM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Believe it or not, suicidal thoughts are frequent visitors to therapy sessions. At Rice Psychology in Tampa, we recognize that these thoughts typically arise when life’s stressors become too overwhelming for a person’s coping abilities. Some clients express thoughts of not wanting to be alive, thinking their family would be better off without them or having no hope for improvement in their life. While some of these statements may be vague, it is our duty to take the necessary steps to keep the person safe. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suicide is the...

Election Tension: When Families Flare Up with Politics

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 24, 2023 at 11:47 AM /

The political landscape of 2023 has been incredibly contentious, to say the least. It has forced us, as a nation, to have conversations about difficult topics, take sides, and frequently butt heads with others. Maybe you have noticed that sharing opinions and information is more intense than ever. How can we safeguard our friendships and bonds with family from political disagreements? Our licensed mental health counselors and psychologists in Tampa want to share some thoughts about this very important topic. The Party Defense Unfortunately, too many political discussions drift toward the unreasonable. Often, these discussions center around defending one’s political party and...

Navigating ADHD: A Guide for Every Struggling Parent

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 20, 2023 at 12:27 AM /

As a parent, we know you want to give your kid the best, including helping them succeed and making their struggles or pain disappear. However, when your child’s behavior seems uncontrollable and there’s a chance that ADHD could be playing a role, it could be a bit more complicated and we’re here to help. Our Tampa Psychologists know that dealing with a new diagnosis can be overwhelming and confusing. Disorders like ADHD can especially be difficult to navigate when there is a lot of information provided by different sources. So how do you know what is true or false? We’ve put together...

Tips on Coping with Unsteady Relationships on Mother’s Day

By Dr. Wendy Rice

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...

Solo Holidays: What You Can Do to Feel Less Alone During This Time of Year

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on December 13, 2022 at 9:00 AM /

As the popular song goes, the holiday season is “the most wonderful time of the year”. Yet, it’s wonderful only if you have people to spend it with. For those who don’t, the holidays can be lonely, sad, and depressing. If you’ve been in this position before, then you know how hard it is. This is why our team of licensed psychologists and mental health counselors want to provide some information to help you survive and, hopefully, feel less lonely during the holidays. Steps to Take If you find yourself alone during the holidays because of distance, your plans falling through, or a...

Thanksgiving Stress: How to Avoid Tension with Your Family

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on November 14, 2022 at 11:30 AM /

Soon countless families across America will be joining for the Thanksgiving holiday, and many of those get-togethers will end with flared tempers, angry words, and maybe even some regret. Unfortunately, that’s the normal cycle for many during the holiday season. Luckily for you, our team of licensed therapists and psychologists in Tampa have some tips to make your get-togethers stress-free. Conflict Approaching Where exactly does all the stress and tension come from around the holidays? It might be a result of the following: Strained relationships Nosy relatives Opinionated relatives Past grievances Financial issues Controlling (helicopter) parents Lifestyle disagreements Politics The reality is that...

Weathering the Storm: How You Can Ease Your Storm-Related Anxiety

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 30, 2022 at 12:00 PM /

As we recently watched Hurricane Ian make landfall in Florida, these storms not only impact our homes, and our safety, but can negatively impact our mental health. Anxiety and overwhelming fear about what is happening, especially if you have experienced weather-emergencies before, is common. If you struggle with anxiety or depression brought on by past events or can’t seem to calm your nerves every time storm season rolls through, then you aren’t alone. Our licensed Tampa psychologists and therapists are here to help by providing some clarity on how to maintain good mental health during hurricane season. Be Prepared Unlike our friends on...

9/11: Managing Your Emotions

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on September 9, 2022 at 1:28 PM /

Most of us remember exactly where we were on September 11th, 2001. To many, it seems like yesterday when we were learning about those devastating attacks and now it’s odd to even think that there are adults who weren't even born yet. This weekend will mark the 21st anniversary of this tragic event, and the mental health effects for those who were there and even for those of us who were watching it on the news, continues to linger on. Mentally letting go of the fear, anxiety, and depression caused by such an event isn’t easy. Fortunately, it can be managed,...