The processes that we employ to learn are complex and remarkable. School is underway for many children and adults. This is when formal learning takes place. When my children were young, it was a time of appreciable anxiety and excitement for all us. This is common for many other families...
Author Archives: Scott DeValk
Telling Myself What To Do To Manage Distraction
Executive functioning in the brain involves several abilities to manage behaviors. This is where we tell ourselves ‘what to do’. We use this region of the brain when we plan to grocery shop, determine parking locations, make an agenda, and realize the long-term outcome of a potential decision. This area...
A Message To Fathers
When I was a child, fathers were often understood as leaders, knowledgeable individuals, and vital. Many male friends of mine have mentioned that today fathers are portrayed as bumbling, incompetent, and single-minded obstacles. Recently, the New York Times published an ‘op-ed’ that fathers were “not necessary”. Perhaps the topic is...
Important Considerations in the Treatment of Children and Adolescents
The way that we parent emerges from several sources. The influences for my parenting came from my parents, relatives, friend’s parents, teachers, and coaches. Yes, there are many texts, and I have read a few, but parenting is ‘on-line’, we respond ‘in-the-moment’! We usually don’t stop, read a book, or...
Marriage and Couple Therapy
Several decades ago, I was assigned to provide marriage counseling. I had some sound training for marriage counseling, so, thankfully, all went well. This early experience opened the door for realizing the complexities of marital and couple problems. In the course of further education, training, supervision, case discussions, and more...
Engaging Children In Counseling
When I began my doctoral internship, I was introduced to treating childhood disorders. I had worked in a variety of settings, under several conditions, but engaging children in treatment was a new challenge. I had to obtain the wisdom of others and remember my childhood as reference points. I was...
Basics of Counseling
Many years ago, I wondered “how to do counseling”. This included answering some tough questions from clients. I was fortunate to have learned from experienced therapists what was needed to reduce a client’s anxiety, depression, or some other disorder. As students in our doctoral training, we were told not to...
Connect the dots…
“Connect the dots.” “Stop, think, and act.” “Plan how this will play out.” These are simple phrases that help children govern challenging behaviors and emotions. At LifeWork Counseling, we blend counseling knowledge with creativity as an ‘art’. So, simple phrases, redefining problems, using graphics, and developing props as symbols, often...