Helpful Resources

The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary strategies to nurture your child’s developing mind

by Daneil J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, PhD

I personally loved reading this book over the summer. I found it fascinating and helpful, both as a parent and as a professional counselor. The authors explain how our interactions with our children impact their brain development, therefore, impacting their behaviors as well. They offer practical ways we can help our children cope with strong emotions by entering into their struggles and taking advantage of teachable moments.

The Optimistic Child: A proven program to safeguard children against depression and build lifelong resilience

by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph.D

This book talks about how pessimism has become rampant in our culture, and how pessimistic children are more likely to suffer from depression. The book includes a checklist that helps you determine how pessimistic your child is, along with step-by-step, practical ways to help your child become more optimistic.

Hand Me Down Blues: How to stop depression from spreading in families

by Michael Yapko

This book explains that there is not only a genetic component to depression, but a learned component as well. Yapko encourages adults to seek professional help, so that they, and their families, might experience freedom from the debilitating effects of depression.

Helping Children Cope with Divorce

by Edward Teyber

For parents who want to shelter their children from the potentially devastating effects of divorce, this book guides parents through the post-divorce parenting process. Teyber’s main point seems to be that “children’s long-term reactions vary greatly, depending on how the parents respond to the child during and after the breakup”.

Speaking of Divorce

by Roberta Beyer and Kent Winchester

This book offers guidelines for the daunting conversations that arise when parents make the decision to divorce. It is a short, practical book with tips on how to answer difficult questions about the who/what/when/where/why’s of the divorce.

The Unwritten Rules of Friendship

by Natalie Madorsky Elman, Ph.D., and Eileen Kennedy-Moore, Ph.D

Some kids seem to fit right in to the social scene, while others don’t. I work with many kids who just don’t seem to pick up on some social cues that seem obvious to others. If your child is struggling to make friends and fit it, this may be helpful. It is written to parents, giving practical ways to help your child try new strategies to make friends.