The Psychological Price of Affluence

on July 14, 2014 at 6:17 PM /

By Megan Sutsko, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist A recent trend in social media has users following their statuses or captions with funny self-deprecating hashtags. Examples are, “My PureBarre class was cancelled #whitegirlproblems” or “iphone contacts deleted! #firstworldproblems.” The assumption is that when upper class Americans complain, their worries are really minimal compared to those with “real” problems. What could financially privileged families and individuals really have to complain about anyway? Well, as far as mental health is concerned, there is actually scientifically supported research that has found that the wealthiest families in our nation have some of the most at-risk children and...

Turning Anxiety into Coping

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 8, 2014 at 12:23 PM /

We all have worries – right? Regardless of our age, everyone has had a worry from time to time. A 10 year old girl named Sarah* worried daily about whether another child in her classroom would get sick and make her sick. An 8 year old boy named Rich* worried that his mom might get into a car accident after dropping him off at school. A teenager named Jessica* worried that people judged her all day long at school so she was afraid to speak much to anyone. Some common worries involve health and safety of ourselves or loved ones, job...

How to Teach Your Child Independence

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 2, 2014 at 8:10 AM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist When I went to college, I kind of knew how to do laundry, check the oil in my car, and use my trusty hotpot to make soup. I wasn’t quite so skilled at balancing my checkbook or managing my time effectively and, I was at a complete loss when it came to figuring out a tip in a restaurant. Over the years, I have met with several parents who are getting ready to send their children to college and wonder whether they have adequately prepared them for living independently. As part of an evaluation, we sometimes look...

Helping Children in Split Households Cope with Separation

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on July 2, 2014 at 3:41 AM /

Dr. Wendy Rice was interviewed on The Miguel Show with Holly & Mandy about children in situations with split households and how to help them cope with separation. ...

When to Seek Marital Help

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 24, 2014 at 8:00 AM /

With the divorce rate at 3.6 per 1,000 population, according to this CDC report, a lot of couples are asking when is the best time to seek marital help? When is it necessary or when is it too late? The easy answer is that you don’t have to be on the edge of divorce to seek some counseling. When your level of unhappiness is pretty pervasive, and it has been going on for more days than not, and if you are just feeling angry or frustrated, you don’t have to wait for things to go south to talk to somebody. “But what...

Father’s Day Observations

By Rice Psychology Group

on June 18, 2014 at 1:39 PM /

By Mary Ann Pickard Is Father’s Day a time to just buy another greeting card or a time to think about what Dad means to you? I have observed Fathers for close to 60 years. From my own father, to those of my cousins, classmates, students, friends, and especially the one who helped me raise my own kids. I am pretty sure I have personally seen the full range of the worst (those who deny, abuse or abandon) to the absolute best fathers (those who love, respect and protect).The one thing they all have in common is the power to impact their...

Do you fight fair?

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 16, 2014 at 7:00 AM /

The occasional dispute can be healthy for a relationship, but do you fight with a sense of fairness? It is healthy to discuss. It is healthy to have disagreements. It is healthy to have opinions. But it is important to fight fair. There are some people who get ugly and abusive when they argue, and there are others who can discuss and argue and be productive. Below are some evaluation questions to consider the next time you have an argument with your significant other: Do you communicate well? A lot of arguments stem from one or both parties not effectively communicating. Are you voicing...

Preventing Financial Fights: Tips on Financially Planning for Your Marriage’s Future

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 10, 2014 at 9:00 AM /

Every married couple has their spats (from scheduling, housework, in-laws, and pretty much everything under the sun), but fighting about certain things could spell trouble. According to a recent Kansas State University study, the arguments that are most likely to lead to divorce are centered around finances. And while disagreements about other topics can slowly chip away at a marriage’s foundation and lead to bigger issues down the road, fights involving money tend to do the most damage because they involve harsher language, last longer, and are more difficult to get over. Get your relationship started off on the right foot from...

Psychology and Confidentiality

By Dr. Wendy Rice

on June 3, 2014 at 4:09 PM /

Dr. Wendy Rice was interviewed on The Stinchfield Report with host, Grant Stinchfield, on 570 KLIF in Dallas/Ft. Worth about psychology and confidentiality around the shootings at UC Santa Barbara in May of 2014. ...

Summer Sanity

By Rice Psychology Group

on June 3, 2014 at 2:31 PM /

By Wendy Rice, Psy.D. Licensed Psychologist Ahhhh…the last day of school! What a magical thing that is. I have memories of streamers flowing out of school bus windows, and throwing overflowing notebooks into the trashcan. When you are little, summer seems like an endless open opportunity for fun, play, and relaxation. I distinctly remember the day in middle school when I figured out that summer was only eight weeks long. I was shocked. It had always seemed to take up at least 50% of my year. Now, as a parent, I have the joy of watching my children experience the building excitement of the...