Being human together. Showing up for what matters.
Being human together. Showing up for what matters.
At the recent Australia/New Zealand Association of Contextual Behaviour Science conference, I was enthralled by guest speaker Dr Tim Kasser (Professor of Psychology at Knox College, Galesburg, Illinois), who spoke on the contradiction of what society tells us will improve well-being, and what actually does. I’m cut from the same cloth as Dr Kasser when it …
It’s Mental Health week. As a psychologist, I am honoured to hear the most sacred of stories – but the only one I have permission to share here is mine. So to raise awareness, here it is. I remember the moment I learned I had a Mental Illness. Sitting midway back in an auditorium full …
Many years ago, friends of mine were adjusting to having their second baby at home. They were distressed that their older child seemed to delight in hurting their newest family member. They asked her why she kept hitting/pushing/pinching her sister. Her reply: “I like the sound she makes when she cries.” One of the lessons a …
Imagine if you could create some space between your child and the thoughts and feelings that rush through him/her like an endless stream. Imagine what it would be like if your child could pay attention on purpose, without judgement, just to the present moment – right here, right now. Imagine if you could too. This is what …
There’s this moment where I’m standing in Hiccup’s* classroom and a part of me suddenly wakes up and says “Tiff, you’ve got to go”. Something’s gone wrong. Something’s going wrong. It’s been a long, hard morning, a battle of wills, following on from a couple of hard weeks and somehow I’ve found myself standing over …
A recent New York Times article “Raising a Moral Child” by Adam Grant went viral last month. In it, he summarised a 1980 study on altruism development in children: “Psychologist J. Philippe Rushton gave 140 elementary- and middle-school-age children tokens for winning a game, which they could keep entirely or donate some to a child …
Today I’m writing against a backdrop of recent conversations with people who are all struggling in one way or another. One struggles with the behaviour of her tantrumming toddler; another with her imposing mother-in-law; a couple who are both stressed and somehow pull away from each other when they want to draw close… and that’s …
Are you sitting comfortably? I’m not sure how this experience is going to be for you – possibly entirely pleasant, or maybe a little uncomfortable – are you willing to come with me for the ride? When you’ve finished reading this sentence, close your eyes for a moment, and visualise in as much detail as …
Did you watch the ABC’s three-part series “Kids on Speed“? It detailed a 9-week intervention for four families with children who are suspected of having ADHD. When the ABC does Reality TV, their point of difference from commercial stations is that they tend to be well-researched, grounded in science, using field experts, and delivering content …
That’s what today’s felt like – parenting by the seat of my pants. People comment sometimes that what with being a clin psych with a wealth of training and experience with development, parenting, and families, that being a parent must come a bit easier – decisions easier to make, courses of action easier to choose. …