I have a friend who spends a month in the summer at the shore. She does it every year. Her kids come and go. Her mom comes a few times. Her husband makes a few weekend trips. But she loves the time alone. When the sun rises and spreads its sharp orange hue over the water on those early summer mornings, she likes to be there for the display. With the breeze, her body calms. That deep, sea-air inhale. Feeling the sand mold to her feet. The seashells in a band along the shorelin

I have been working with teenagers and their families for over 20 years! The adolescent stage is the whitewater rafting ride of parenting. Tumultuous. Unpredictable. Haven’t you felt it, coasting along and you hit a rapid? Out of nowhere, the boat flips and everyone grabs a hold of anything to stay afloat. I have heard parents express it over and over again. You are not alone. You are normal. Hang on, the rapid will pass. As kids are pulling away and moving toward independenc