Child Psych Central

Dr. Beth Onufrak

Child Psych Central: Discover the KidBrain explains and demystifies child mental health issues in young children. From diagnoses to discipline, from family relationships to challenges of millennial life, Child Psych Central arms parents with preventive, accessible information for the critical early years. Dr. Onufrak and her expert guests discuss child psych matters of the day. We break down confusing concepts and explain how child development drives kids’ behavior and thinking. We peek inside the brain to reveal how brain function affects children’s choices. Finally, we describe diverse child treatments and offer parenting solutions and resources. Dr. Onufrak believes the greatest improvements in child behavior arise when parents change their view of a child. Child Psych Central may help you see your child in a different light, the first step toward greater compassionate competence in parenting. Tune in to Child Psych Central to change your view and what you think, say and do! read less

Kids & FamilyKids & Family

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Gifted Children

Gifted Children

Parents of gifted children often say their child’s extraordinary intellect is “not a gift.” That may sound strange because high IQ is generally presumed to confer only advantages. In reality, giftedness brings significant challenges - for the children themselves and for adults trying to understand them. Gifted children experience the world in a very intense way. Their strong emotions and unusual behaviors can perplex adults and lead to misdiagnosis. In this episode, we discuss gifted children and explain their unique characteristics and under-recognized needs.

Episodes

Gifted Children

Gifted Children

Parents of gifted children often say their child’s extraordinary intellect is “not a gift.” That may sound strange because high IQ is generally presumed to confer only advantages. In reality, giftedness brings significant challenges - for the children themselves and for adults trying to understand them. Gifted children experience the world in a very intense way. Their strong emotions and unusual behaviors can perplex adults and lead to misdiagnosis. In this episode, we discuss gifted children and explain their unique characteristics and under-recognized needs.

Play Therapy: Value Beyond Words

Play Therapy: Value Beyond Words

Young children do not use words as readily as adults to express their feelings. Play therapy is a prime treatment modality for this reason. Children use play in the context of play therapy for very weighty purposes: for making meaning out of their experiences, even tragic events; for expressing & releasing intense emotion; and for coping with big challenges early in life. My guest Teri Krull is the former president of the Association for Play Therapy (APT) and the Arizona Association for Play Therapy (AzAPT) and a leading national figure in the field. This episode serves as an introduction to the very deep service of play therapy and the history of this unique and powerful treatment.

Divorce Talk: Pick a Card, Any Card

Divorce Talk: Pick a Card, Any Card

Divorce is a painful topic for kids, who often avoid talking about it at all costs. A parenting expert has created new tool to help kids and families communicate together about intense feelings and life and family changes. Sue Atkins is the author of 48 conversation cards called Talking To Children About Divorce. This product was created in conjunction with the FINK company in the United Kingdom. The cards can be used at home and at school to start conversations about the changes that children and families face when going through a divorce. In this episode, the author Sue Atkins discusses her divorce conversation cards and their utility for children and parents in painful family transitions.

Building Resilience: Growing Children’s Gifts with StoryPlay®

Building Resilience: Growing Children’s Gifts with StoryPlay®

What’s going right is often less evident than what’s going wrong ~ especially in kids with emotional & behavioral challenges. But exclusive focus on child problems and potential diagnoses can cloud the vision of both parents and child professionals. Encouraging inner gifts and hidden skills is the key to building children’s resilience - of mind, heart, body and spirit. Resilience buffers and helps children heal from adverse events, realize their potential and thrive in life. And the search for gifts rather than a focus on problems uplifts troubled parents and warms parent-child bonds. In this episode, Dr. Joyce Mills discusses the powerful theme of resilience in children and families and describes her own unique and powerful therapy, StoryPlay®.

Naturopathic Medicine: A Helping Hand in Child Mental Health

Naturopathic Medicine: A Helping Hand in Child Mental Health

Is it time for medication? Many parents face a crossroads in their child’s mental health care - when psychotherapy and behavioral guidance have helped, but not enough. When medication is suggested, many parents are leery about strong drugs in their young children's bodies. They may have heard of Naturopathic medicine but not understand what it is, how it works, and what evidence exists. In this episode, I am joined by Dr. Jamie Oskin, a naturopathic physician who practices homeopathy. In this episode, Dr. Oskin and I define naturopathic and homeopathic approaches. We discuss child mental health problems that improve with naturopathic care, the evidence base, and natural recommendations a parent try at home without having to consult a physician.

Anxious, Angry, Over-the-Top Kids: They Can Bloom!

Anxious, Angry, Over-the-Top Kids: They Can Bloom!

Young children's meltdowns, freak-outs and volcanic tantrums can challenge the resources of any parent. Age-old parenting logic has always dictated “Behavior First, Consequence Second,” advising parents to reside in a primarily reactive mode. But the newest brain science teaches that proactive parenting can create a whole new dance. When parents understand developmental origins of challenging behavior, their responses diffuse conflict rather than fuel it. And when parents provide emotional coping assistance and skill building, the need for consequences and punishment plummets. These are the premises of an exciting new book co-authored by Wendy Young. In this episode we’ll discuss how parents can view and respond differently to young children in the throes of intense emotion.

Unique Education for Unique Learners: Lexis Preparatory School

Unique Education for Unique Learners: Lexis Preparatory School

Each child has his or her own learning style. Many children struggle in traditional schools, particularly if they are hampered by problems paying attention, learning certain subject matter, organizing their work and time, and managing intense feelings in the learning day. At Lexis Preparatory School in Scottsdale, Arizona, staff tailor their approaches to different learning styles, creating an environment in which each child can achieve success. Lexis Preparatory School embraces children K-8 of average or above-average learning ability who struggle with ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, dyslexia, and executive function problems. In this episode, Lexis Prep is featured as a example of customized education for children with significant learning differences. We will explore how managing the educational environment - rather than managing the child - can help students thrive despite considerable special needs.

You Don't Say: Speech & Language Therapy for Your Child's Social LIfe

You Don't Say: Speech & Language Therapy for Your Child's Social LIfe

Many parents think speech therapy is just for stuttering, late talkers, or poor pronunciation. But those elements are just the most obvious communication troubles. Speech and language are complex processes in the child's developing brain that govern not only the child’s production of words, but the understanding of words spoken to them. Not to mention the constant significant judgments about when and how to say things. When speech & language processes aren't running smoothly, children's social development can suffer. This episode will shed light on the multifaceted nature of speech. AND explain the notion of social thinking, where social skills are born.

Home Organization for Family Peace

Home Organization for Family Peace

Many families are lost in clutter and chaos that inflames family tensions. Home clutter can even curtail progress in child mental health services. Breakthroughs often cannot occur until home organization improves. Danielle Wurth knows that home organization can bring rich rewards including enriched family relationships and a relaxed, calm lifestyle. Wurth Organizing, LLC is a hands-on Professional Organizing Company that services families and businesses. It has been featured on Fox 10 News, Channel 3 Good Morning Arizona, ABC15 Sonoran Living and The Arizona Republic. With on-site visits, Danielle and her team guide a structured, supportive process that transforms living and working spaces. This episode focuses on Professional Organizing as a service that can complement mental health services in families of young kids. Find Danielle Wurth at WurthOrganizing.com

Choosing a School: Help for Parents!

Choosing a School: Help for Parents!

For the young learning brain, the fit between child and school is of paramount importance. But the thought of having to choose a school – the right school – can feel overwhelming. Parents have a million questions, but only one really matters: Where will my child thrive? My guest Elie Gaines, a former principal and award-winning educator, joins me to talk about the unique business she created to help parents through this process. All Schools Considered provides customized family guidance for school selection. We'll discuss how her process unfolds, unique aspects of PreK-12 education in Arizona, and whether certain children are best suited by certain kinds of educational environments. Elie Gaines can be found at AllSchoolsConsidered.com as well as Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter & Pinterest.

The Brain Eats Too: Food Rx for Attention, Behavior & Mood

The Brain Eats Too: Food Rx for Attention, Behavior & Mood

The public is inundated daily with information about nutrition and general health. Less often do we hear about nutrition and brain health ... and seldom about this link in kids. The average parent does not necessarily know what food a brain needs. And most families overlook nutrition as a factor in their child's problems when considering mental health services or medication. For the growing child, Brain Health equals Mental Health. And food makes all the difference. Children's ability to focus, learn, manage moods and regulate their behavior is enhanced or undermined by the foods they eat -- hour by hour. Nutritionist Jan Katzen believes inadequate nutrition is in part responsible for ever-growing pediatric mental health diagnoses. In this episode, we will discuss how to feed the growing child brain for learning, emotions and balanced self-regulation in every domain of life.

Autism: Early Detection for Promising Outcomes

Autism: Early Detection for Promising Outcomes

The CDC prevalence rates for Autism are now 1 in 68 children, up from 1 in 88 in 2012. Despite such rising numbers, there is ever increasing hope for Autism treatment. Autism may be missed by child professionals who are untrained in specialized diagnostic procedures. Paradoxically, casual observers may informally “diagnose” Autism by mistaking one symptom for the larger condition. Accurate early detection is the key to changing the developmental trajectory of young children on the Autism Spectrum. In this episode, Dr. Terrence Matteo and I will discuss Autism detection and intervention in the early years of life. We will discuss early signs of Autism in very young children and diagnostic methods used by qualified Psychology practitioners. We’ll talk about where parents can turn when they suspect Autism and some early intervention approaches a parent can use at home.

The Birth-to-Five Brain: What It Needs From Us

The Birth-to-Five Brain: What It Needs From Us

In the early years of a child's life, every domain of development is growing at the same time, all mediated by the incredible brain. From a child's birth through 5, we adults can nurture and promote brain growth in far easier ways than we may imagine. What do young children's developing brains need from us? As Deborah McNelis explains, Brain development is a lot less complicated than we think. In this episode, educator and early brain specialist Deborah McNelis, founder of Brain Insights, LLC joins me to discuss the developing brain from birth to age 5. In this time period, children's brains primarily need warm, dependable loving interactions with adults, opportunity for lots of movement, rich independent play experiences, and nutritious food. Deborah McNelis will describe her award-winning Brain Insights Activity Packets that teach simple engagement activities that foster brain development in the critical first 5 years.

Girl Drama: Sensible Solutions

Girl Drama: Sensible Solutions

Is your daughter getting tossed about on stormy social seas ... the target of mean girl antics, clinging to unhealthy friendships, retaliating in destructive ways or just trying to keep her BFF? Parents are lost and looking for ways to support their girls, especially in the digital age. Reflexive avoidance advice like just ignore it or stay away from her doesn't cut it. To navigate today's social world, a girl needs strong communication skills and an even stronger sense of self. Annie Fox M.Ed. is an internationally respected author, blogger, media developer, parent educator and teen advisor. In this episode, she advises parents how to guide girls through friendship challenges - elementary through high school - and teach them to be good people in the process. Join us to learn how parents can strengthen their girls' communication skills - for today and for every future relationship of their lives.

Busy Bodies: Why Kids Need to Move

Busy Bodies: Why Kids Need to Move

Children's movement and activity levels are a concern of educators, physicians and mental health clinicians in different ways. Health experts want children to be more active in an age of skyrocketing child obesity and transfixing on-screen life. Yet the average teacher wants kids to sit still to learn. Mental health offices are filled with children with suspected ADHD and hyperactivity, who fidget and wiggle, roam the classroom, who can't sit still at desks or keep their hands to themselves. So when is movement good or bad, and how much is too much? My guest Dr. Lynne Kenney is an author and practicing pediatric psychologist, and subject of movement is near and dear to her heart. In fact, Dr. Kenney believes children actually need to move in order to learn. In this episode, we will explore how movement and learning are interrelated and what our growing knowledge of the brain can teach child professionals in all professions about the young learning body and mind.

Meet Dr. Onufrak

Meet Dr. Onufrak

In this debut episode, Dr. Onufrak introduces herself and this new show. She discusses her academic background and journey into private practice. Dr. Onufrak explains her specialization in the preschool and primary years and why this age group captivates her heart and clinical interest like no other. brbr She describes her current clinical private practice, the range of presenting problems, and her radio show play therapy technique that helps young children open up. Dr. Onufrak outlines key clinical philosophies which inspire and shape the show, gleaned from more than 20 years as a Clinical Child Psychologist. brbr Finally, she outlines plans for expert guests from her local Phoenix, Arizona region and around the country with topics covering mental health conditions, issues and services related to young children. Dr. Onufrak describes her hopes of educating parents and demystifying young children's behavior for more rewarding parenting and optimal child mental health.