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# In Step PC

Mental Health & Therapy Services in Fairfax, VA

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://insteppc.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [PARENT COACHING & SUMMER GROUPS](https://insteppc.com/blog/parent-coaching-summer-groups) - NEW GROUPS FORMING: Parent Coaching group; 12 weeks
- [Overcoming School Refusal and Anxiety in Fairfax VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/overcoming-school-refusal-and-anxiety-in-fairfax-va) - Overcoming School Refusal and Anxiety in Fairfax VA - InStep PC specializes in helping Fairfax students face their fears and return to the classroom.
- [Restoring Family Peace with Parenting IQ in Northern Virginia](https://insteppc.com/blog/restoring-family-peace-with-parenting-iq-in-northern-virginia) - At InStep PC, we created the Parenting IQ program to help parents move from a state of frustration to a state of connection.
- [Turning Screen Time into Social Time with Minecraft Therapy](https://insteppc.com/blog/turning-screen-time-into-social-time-with-minecraft-therapy) - The Clinical Power of Minecraft Minecraft is more than just a game. It is a world governed by rules that requires cooperation to survive.
- [Managing Executive Functioning Challenges in Fairfax Students](https://insteppc.com/blog/managing-executive-functioning-challenges-in-fairfax-students) - In Step PC provides specialized coaching to help students in Fairfax and the DMV area master the art of getting things done.
- [Raising Social IQ in Northern Virginia Children](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-social-iq-in-northern-virginia-children) - Social IQ is a Skill Not a Trait Many people believe that children are either born social or they are not. Social skills are like a muscle that must be trained.
- [The "Launch" Challenge: Transitioning to Independence in Northern Virginia](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-launch-challenge-transitioning-to-independence-in-northern-virginia) - At InStep PC, our Skills Development Groups for young adults focus on the "Soft Skills" that are actually "Hard Skills" in the real world.
- [Navigating the "Digital Fog": Why In-Person Social Skills Matter More Than Ever in 2026](https://insteppc.com/blog/navigating-the-digital-fog-why-in-person-social-skills-matter-more-than-ever-in-2026) - For many kids in Fairfax and the DMV, social interaction has become filtered through screens, leading to a "connection gap | In Step Skills Development Groups.
- [Brighter Than Their Grades: Solving the Executive Functioning Puzzle in Fairfax](https://insteppc.com/blog/brighter-than-their-grades-solving-the-executive-functioning-puzzle-in-fairfax) - In Northern Virginia, the primary barrier to success isn't a lack of intelligence—it's a gap in Executive Functioning. At InStep PC, Fairfax.
- [Beyond the Classroom: Maintaining Social Growth During School Breaks in Northern Virginia](https://insteppc.com/blog/beyond-the-classroom-maintaining-social-growth-during-school-breaks-in-northern-virginia) - For children in Fairfax and Loudoun County with ADHD, Autism, or social anxiety, the loss of a structured school day can lead to social Regression.
- [Navigating the "Middle School Minefield": Teen Social Anxiety Support in Northern Virginia](https://insteppc.com/blog/navigating-the-middle-school-minefield-teen-social-anxiety-support-in-northern-virginia) - InStep PC, our teen Skills Development Groups provide a safe space to drop the mask and build genuine confidence. DMV can feel like a high-stakes competition.
- [Does Your ADHD Child Struggle to Make Friends? How We Build Social IQ in Fairfax](https://insteppc.com/blog/does-your-adhd-child-struggle-to-make-friends-how-we-build-social-iq-in-fairfax) - For many children with ADHD in Northern Virginia, the challenge isn't a lack of desire to be social—it's a gap in Executive Functioning.
- [Stepping Stones for Homeschoolers](https://insteppc.com/blog/stepping-stones-for-homeschoolers) - Our homeschool families have asked and we have answered. In Step is now offering Stepping Stones™ Social Skills training groups for our homeschool families
- [Digital Balance in 2026: Navigating Screen Time and Social Skills in Northern Virginia](https://insteppc.com/blog/digital-balance-in-2026-navigating-screen-time-and-social-skills-in-northern-virginia) - Parents are not just trying to "ban" screens; Healthy Digital and social healthy by integrating a child’s digital interests into their therapeutic growth.
- [Is Your Child Struggling with School Anxiety? A Parent's Guide to Support in Northern Virginia](https://insteppc.com/blog/is-your-child-struggling-with-school-anxiety-a-parents-guide-to-support-in-northern-virginia) - School Anxiety | At InStep PC, we specialize in helping children and teens manage the unique stressors of the DMV educational landscape.
- [Professional Counseling in Fairfax, Virginia: Compassionate Care at InStep PC](https://insteppc.com/blog/professional-counseling-in-fairfax-virginia-compassionate-care-at-instep-pc-2) - Professional Counseling in Fairfax, Virginia | Finding the right counseling in Fairfax, Virginia is the first step toward reclaiming your mental well-being.
- [Professional Counseling in Fairfax, Virginia: Compassionate Care at InStep PC](https://insteppc.com/blog/professional-counseling-in-fairfax-virginia-compassionate-care-at-instep-pc) - Professional Counseling in Fairfax, Virginia | At InStep PC, we provide a sanctuary for growth, evidence-based therapy tailored to the DMV community.
- [#1 Skills Development Groups in Northern Virginia: Building Social IQ at InStep PC](https://insteppc.com/blog/1-skills-development-groups-in-northern-virginia-building-social-iq-at-instep-pc) - #1 Skills Development Groups in Northern Virginia | InStep PC, we have spent over 30 years perfecting a approach that moves beyond traditional therapy
- [Social Skills Groups for Kids in Northern Virginia: The Power of LEGO & Minecraft Therapy](https://insteppc.com/blog/social-skills-groups-for-kids-in-northern-virginia-the-power-of-lego-minecraft-therapy) - Discover how In Step in Fairfax, VA uses LEGO and Minecraft therapy to help kids build social skills and confidence. Join our Northern Virginia groups today!
- [Why "Parenting IQ" is the Missing Piece in Your Child’s Success](https://insteppc.com/blog/why-parenting-iq-is-the-missing-piece-in-your-childs-success) - Parenting IQ - Our program helps parents in Fairfax and the DMV move from a state of constant "firefighting" to a state of proactive connection
- [Building Friendships Brick by Brick: LEGO & Minecraft Therapy in VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/building-friendships-brick-by-brick-lego-minecraft-therapy-in-va) - Discover how LEGO and Minecraft therapy at InStep PC help children in Northern Virginia build social IQ, collaboration skills, and lasting friendships.
- [Slow Down- You Move Too Fast](https://insteppc.com/blog/test) - It’s that time of year where endings and beginnings criss-cross—we’re saying goodbye to the academic year and hello to summer. June means shifting out of homework, soccer practice, piano lesson, tutoring mode into hunting down enough engaging activities to fill your kids’ summer schedule. Many of us started thinking about summer camp plans back in
- [Adult Group Therapy in Fairfax](https://insteppc.com/blog/adult-group-therapy-coaching-fairfax-dmv) - Why Group Therapy for Adults? Adulthood brings unique pressures. From balancing demanding careers to raising children and maintaining relationships, the responsibilities of daily life can feel overwhelming. Many adults in Fairfax and the surrounding DMV area are searching for ways to manage stress, improve their emotional health, and strengthen family connections. One effective option is
- [Teen Depression Treatment in Fairfax, VA: Therapy for Adolescent Depression at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/teen-depression-treatment-in-fairfax-va-therapy-for-adolescent-depression-at-in-step) - Teen depression Fairfax treatment at In Step: Evidence-based Professional therapy helping adolescents overcome hopelessness & build lasting skills.
- [Therapy in Fairfax VA: Finding the Right Mental Health Support](https://insteppc.com/blog/therapy-in-fairfax-va-finding-the-right-mental-health-support) - Looking for therapy in Fairfax VA? In Step PC offers individual, group, and family therapy. DBT, social skills programs, and more. Call 703-876-8480 today.
- [DBT Therapy in Fairfax, VA: Dialectical Behavior Therapy](https://insteppc.com/blog/dbt-therapy-in-fairfax-va-dialectical-behavior-therapy-at-in-step-pc) - Searching for DBT therapy in Fairfax VA? In Step PC offers individual and group Dialectical Behavior Therapy. Call 703-876-8480 to schedule your consultation.
- [Anxiety Therapy in Fairfax, VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/anxiety-therapy-in-fairfax-va-effective-treatment-at-in-step-pc) - Anxiety therapy Fairfax VA at In Step PC. Specialized CBT, mindfulness, and more for adults, teens and children. Call 703-876-8480 to schedule today join quick.
- [The Best Social Skills Therapy in Fairfax VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/social-skills-therapy-for-kids-in-fairfax-va-in-step-pc) - Social skills therapy for kids in Fairfax VA at In Step PC. Small group programs for autism, ADHD, anxiety, and more. Call 703-876-8480 to enroll your child.
- [Mental Health Counseling in the Fairfax VA area](https://insteppc.com/blog/mental-health-counseling-in-fairfax-va-in-step-pc-services) - Mental Health Counseling in Fairfax VA. Our proffesionals provide therapy for anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, and family issues. Call 703-876-8480 to schedule.
- [Child, Teen, and Family Therapy in Fairfax, VA: Inside In Step's Comprehensive Mental Health Services](https://insteppc.com/blog/child-teen-family-therapy-fairfax-va) - Child and family therapy Fairfax VA - In Step PC. Individual, family & group therapy for kids, teens & adults. 30+ years serving Northern VA. 703-876-8480
- [DBT Therapy in Northern Virginia: Dialectical Behavior Therapy Skills Groups at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/dbt-therapy-in-northern-virginia-dialectical-behavior-therapy-skills-groups-at-in-step) - DBT therapy Northern Virginia at In Step PC. Dialectical Behavior Therapy skills groups for teens and adults. Call 703-876-8480 in Fairfax VA.
- [ADHD Treatment and Support in Fairfax, VA: Therapy, Skills Groups, and Testing at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/adhd-treatment-and-support-in-fairfax-va-therapy-skills-groups-and-testing-at-in-step) - ADHD treatment in Fairfax VA at In Step PC. Therapy, social skills groups, parent coaching and psycho-educational testing for children and teens. 703-876-8480
- [Social Skills Training in Fairfax, VA: Stepping Stones Groups for Kids and Teens at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/social-skills-training-in-fairfax-va-stepping-stones-groups-for-kids-and-teens-at-in-step) - Social skills training Fairfax VA at In Step PC. Stepping Stones groups for kids and teens build confidence, friendships and social IQ. Call 703-876-8480.
- [Social Skills Groups for Teens in Fairfax, VA: Building Confidence and Friendships at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/social-skills-groups-for-teens-in-fairfax-va-building-confidence-and-friendships-at-in-step) - Social skills Fairfax at In Step: Teen groups teaching communication, friendship-building & confidence in Northern Virginia.
- [Anxiety Treatment for Teens in Fairfax, VA: Therapy for Adolescent Anxiety at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/anxiety-treatment-for-teens-in-fairfax-va-therapy-for-adolescent-anxiety-at-in-step) - Anxiety treatment Fairfax at In Step helps teens overcome worry, panic & social anxiety. Evidence-based therapy for adolescent anxiety in Northern Virginia.
- [DBT Therapy for Teens in Fairfax, VA: Dialectical Behavior Therapy at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/dbt-therapy-for-teens-in-fairfax-va-dialectical-behavior-therapy-at-in-step) - DBT therapy Fairfax at In Step helps teens manage emotions, anxiety & depression. Evidence-based dialectical behavior therapy for adolescents in Northern VA.
- [Parent Coaching in Fairfax, VA: Support for Raising Children with ADHD, Anxiety, and Behavioral Challenges](https://insteppc.com/blog/parent-coaching-in-fairfax-va-support-for-raising-children-with-adhd-anxiety-and-behavioral-challenges) - Expert parent coaching in Fairfax VA at In Step PC. We help parents raise children with ADHD, anxiety, and behavioral challenges. Call 703-876-8480.
- [Anxiety Therapy for Children and Teens in Fairfax, VA: Treatment at In Step](https://insteppc.com/blog/anxiety-therapy-for-children-and-teens-in-fairfax-va-treatment-at-in-step) - Anxiety therapy Fairfax VA for kids and teens at In Step. CBT, group skills training & parent coaching to manage worry. Call 703-876-8480.
- [Group Therapy in Fairfax, VA: How In Step Helps Children, Teens, and Adults Build Stronger Lives](https://insteppc.com/blog/group-therapy-fairfax-va) - Group therapy Fairfax VA at In Step PC. DBT skills groups, Stepping Stones social skills, support for kids, teens, and adults. Call 703-876-8480.
- [Stepping Stones to Building Friendships](https://insteppc.com/blog/stepping-stones-to-building-friendships) - Many children have difficulty making friends on their own; they need help. Research has shown that social skills can be taught and the most dramatic improvements are accomplished in a group setting. Camp, with its new people and activities, is a natural setting to develop social skills and build strong friendships. Buy now: Link to
- [Outnumbered. Not Outsmarted!](https://insteppc.com/blog/outnumbered-not-outsmarted) - Working with groups of kids can be tremendously satisfying—it can also be challenging and frustrating. If you’re a teacher, an athletic coach, a camp counselor or anyone responsible for overseeing a group of kids, this book is for you! Outnumbered, Not Outsmarted! gives you the comprehensive resources you need to deal with the most common
- [Raise Your Child Social IQ](https://insteppc.com/blog/raise-your-childs-social-iq) - Parents, this book offers direct, sense-making, step-by-step exercises that you can do with your children to increase their social skills and awareness. Based on the highly successful social skills taught for many years in Cathi Cohen’s training groups, Raise Your Child’s Social IQ provides parents with the structure to work on skills at home—how to
- [Raise Your Parenting IQ](https://insteppc.com/blog/raise-your-parenting-iq) - In order to provide crucial social and emotional scaffolding for our children, we need to start by taking a look at ourselves as parents. And I mean really look. This is not about how many of their soccer games you attend or the number of times you screamed at them and took away their phones.
- [Therapy Groups for Teens in Fairfax County](https://insteppc.com/blog/therapy-groups-for-teens-in-fairfax-county) - Discover Our Therapy Groups for Teens in Fairfax County Adolescence is a time of rapid change: physically, emotionally, and socially. Many teens in Fairfax County face challenges such as school stress, social media pressure, and relationship struggles with peers and family. Without proper support, these challenges can affect self-esteem, emotional health, and even academic success.
- [Family and Marriage Therapy in Fairfax, VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/family-and-marriage-therapy-in-fairfax) - Strengthen your family and marriage with group therapy programs in Fairfax, VA. Explore our Family and Marriage Therapy in Fairfax options. In today's fast-paced world, families face unique challenges that can strain relationships. From financial pressures to career transitions, it’s essential to have a supportive environment where all members can express themselves and work through
- [Interpersonal Process Therapy Groups in Fairfax](https://insteppc.com/blog/interpersonal-process-therapy-groups-in-fairfax) - Why Interpersonal Therapy? Interpersonal Process Therapy (IPT) is a time-limited, focused treatment that emphasizes the interpersonal relationships of patients and the role of these relationships in the development and maintenance of psychological symptoms. By identifying problematic patterns in relationships, IPT encourages individuals to express emotions and understand how their feelings affect their interactions with others.
- [Social Skills Groups for Children in Fairfax, VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/social-skill-groups-children-fairfax-va) - Helping Kids Build Confidence and Connection The Importance of Social Skill Groups Social Skill Groups play a crucial role in children's development, helping them to foster meaningful connections and navigate the complexities of social interactions. By participating in Social Skill Groups, children not only learn essential skills but also gain a sense of belonging and
- [DBT Group Therapy in Fairfax, VA](https://insteppc.com/blog/dbt-group-therapy-in-fairfax) - What Is DBT Group Therapy in Fairfax? Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based approach designed to help individuals regulate emotions, cope with stress, and build stronger relationships. It combines cognitive-behavioral techniques with mindfulness practices, aiming to enhance emotional well-being. DBT is particularly effective for individuals struggling with mood disorders, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD),
- [Learning How to Learn](https://insteppc.com/blog/learning-how-to-learn) - Advances in neuroscience have given us more insight into how the brain processes and retains information. We’re constantly understanding more about how we learn. But because education and cognitive science have only been cross-pollinating in the last decade or so, how we educate students has been slow to change. The way schools have delivered information
- [Making Life Easier for Kids with Learning Challenges](https://insteppc.com/blog/making-life-easier-for-kids-with-learning-challenges) - Having a kid with learning and behavior challenges requires a lot of learning on your part. What are the best treatment options, best learning environments, how do you locate the best support and resources for you, your child and your family? Most importantly, how do you help your child learn? Technology to the rescue! There
- [Sibling Rivalry](https://insteppc.com/blog/sibling-rivalry) - If you have more than one child, then you have experienced the fire and fury of sibling rivalry. Do any of these impassioned claims sound familiar? She got more (fill in the blank) than I did! He always gets to go first! Why don’t I get as much allowance as she does? Why does he
- [The Physiology of Temper Tantrums](https://insteppc.com/blog/physiology-temper-tantrums) - Have you ever wondered what is happening inside your child when she’s having a full-blown temper tantrum and ends up an exhausted emotional puddle on the floor? Have you ever wished you could just figure out what flips the switch in his brain so you could avoid his ill-timed meltdowns in the middle of the
- [What Should I Say to My Kid About Sexting?](https://insteppc.com/blog/say-kid-sexting) - The “sex talk” you have with your teen should now include a digital form of sexual exploration: sexting. To start, what is the best way to broach the topic? Dr. Megan Moreno, a pediatrician and vice chair of digital health at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, suggests parents try to put sexting in context before
- [What is Selective Mutism?](https://insteppc.com/blog/what-is-selective-mutism) - If you visit her at home you would never guess that Sarah has Selective Mutism. She’s bubbly and talkative and interacts with her siblings and parents like any other five-year-old. But as soon as Sarah enters her kindergarten classroom she goes silent. When she’s at school, or in other social settings where she is expected
- [If At First You Don’t Succeed...](https://insteppc.com/blog/first-dont-succeed) - Failing is an important experience for kids to have, yet letting them fail goes against the central tenet of being a parent: making sure our children succeed in life. Resilience and problem solving skills only develop when kids have to work things out on their own —whether it be how to tie their shoes, ride
- [Be Careful!](https://insteppc.com/blog/be-careful) - If I had a dollar for everytime I warned my kids to be careful I'd be a wealthy woman. Isn't it the default parent response when we watch our kids exit the house with a skateboard in hand or witness them climbing up a little too high in a tree, or see them take a
- [Why Didn't I Think of That?](https://insteppc.com/blog/why-didnt-i-think-of-that) - Being a parent often feels like being a mix of a motivational speaker, stand-up comedian, and drill sergeant. Sometimes I speak without thinking first — never a good idea — and other times I'm just stumped as to what is the right or best thing to say. For a Job Well Done Instead of offering
- [Mom, What is a Learning Disability?](https://insteppc.com/blog/mom-what-is-a-learning-disability) - Even though your child realizes it’s harder for him to concentrate and focus in school than his classmates, or is aware that she has more trouble reading than her older brother, being diagnosed as learning disabled is still hard news to swallow. As a parent, being told that your child is LD elicits a lot
- [Magical Thinking](https://insteppc.com/blog/magical-thinking) - Dear Cathi- My mother recently passed away after several months of decline from an illness. My five-year-old, Max, was upset that I was spending so much time at grandma’s because she was sick. One day he said, “I wish grandma would just go away so you could be home with me more!” Several weeks later
- [Praiseworthy](https://insteppc.com/blog/praiseworthy) - Praising your child is always a good thing, right? Well, it turns out that for learning and attention-challenged kids effort-based praise is often more meaningful and effective than personal praise. Personal praise focuses on natural talents —saying things like, “You’re such a good reader”, or “You’re a gifted piano player”. This type of praise can
- [Carrying Shame](https://insteppc.com/blog/carrying-shame) - Shameful feelings stick with us as if they’re glued to our insides. They can distort how we feel about ourselves and impact choices we make as adults. Feeling defective or that there’s something intrinsically wrong with us is unbearable so, as adults, we often try to bury the feelings by over-eating, over-working, or over-scheduling. Without
- [It’s Okay To Be Bored!](https://insteppc.com/blog/its-okay-to-be-bored) - As a parent, hearing the refrain, “I’m bored” makes us want to leap into action to figure out an activity to keep our kid entertained. But, it’s more than okay for your kid to be bored. In fact, kids need to have unstructured time. Because their (and our) lives are filled with external stimulation —
- [Happiness Is…](https://insteppc.com/blog/happiness-is) - Happiness: it’s been endlessly written about, researched, been the theme of movies, and the promised goal of self-help seminars. Its pursuit is even written into the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Happiness means different things to different people and in different situations. Being happy with your work is different than being happy in your marriage,
- [The Art of Patience](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-art-of-patience) - "Patience is not simply the ability to wait - it's how we behave while we're waiting." - Joyce Meyer Patience is an art. Cultivating it takes practice and intent. Being patient, with ourselves, our children, our co-workers, our neighbors or our own parents requires remembering that not everything can happen according to (our) plan. Take
- [The Impact of News on Kids](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-impact-of-news-on-kids) - Your kids can’t help but encounter the news — they may hear about scary stuff on the playground at school, they may see the newsfeed on your phone or tablet, overhear the videos you play on your laptop, or read the headlines. Once they’re able to read, you can’t really shield them from it, but
- [Should You Punish Your Kids?](https://insteppc.com/blog/should-you-punish-your-kids) - Imagine this scenario: You overhear an argument between your two daughters going on in the next room. When you go in to see what’s happening you witness your older daughter pulling her younger sister’s hair. In the heat of the moment you say, “I’m sending you to your room until dinner time for pulling your
- [Coping Strategies for Parents in a Hurry](https://insteppc.com/blog/coping-strategies-for-parents-in-a-hurry) - There’s an old Simon and Garfunkel song with the lyric, “Slow down, you move to fast. You’ve got to make the morning last…” If you’re a parent reading this, you’re probably thinking, “Right. Making the (school) morning last is not on my agenda!” I understand. Mornings that require getting kids up, fed, dressed, and out
- [It’s My Fault](https://insteppc.com/blog/its-my-fault) - Do you feel guilty about the way you parent? Do you constantly ask yourself questions like, “Why can’t I handle my child’s behavior differently?”, “What am I doing wrong that my child behaves like this?” and “What is the matter with me- no matter how I discipline my child, he/she continues to misbehave.” If this
- [Five Tips for Resolving Conflicts in Front of the Kids](https://insteppc.com/blog/five-tips-for-resolving-conflicts-in-front-of-the-kids) - As with everything else you do as a parent, how, where and when you argue with your partner impacts your children. Of course, disagreements aren’t planned and often don’t happen behind closed doors, when the kids are out of the house, or asleep. So, how do you handle it when your children see, or hear,
- [I’d Rather Not Talk About It](https://insteppc.com/blog/id-rather-not-talk-about-it) - How to have tough conversations with tweens and teens If you’re the parent of a tween or teen you’ve likely experienced the dread that comes with talking to your kid about a touchy or difficult topic. You’d rather avoid it, and, without a doubt, they would too. However, there are ways to approach subjects you’d
- [It’s Routine](https://insteppc.com/blog/its-routine) - Routine is appealing to us humans. Think: your morning coffee, (afternoon coffee!), your exercise routine, family movie night. For children, routine, and predictability aren't just appealing, they’re important to development. Routines provide kids with a sense of security and help them self-organize. Things like putting away toys after playing with them, taking a bath every
- [What Would Wonder Woman Do?](https://insteppc.com/blog/what-would-wonder-woman-do) - At the box office, June has belonged to Wonder Woman. Her blockbuster story has sparked a lot of conversation, some of it about how awesome girl power is, and the choices Wonder Woman makes about how to use it. Without a doubt, Wonder Woman is a force to be reckoned with. Gal Gadot, the actress
- [On the Front Lines](https://insteppc.com/blog/on-the-front-lines) - Hi. I’m Ashleigh McPherson. You may know me from In Step as the woman at the window. I am the fortunate one who gets to greet all of the parents and children as they check in for their groups. From my unique vantage point, I am able to see kids and teens coming and going
- [Slow Down- You Move Too Fast](https://insteppc.com/blog/slow-down-you-move-too-fast) - It’s that time of year where endings and beginnings criss-cross—we’re saying goodbye to the academic year and hello to summer. June means shifting out of homework, soccer practice, piano lesson, tutoring mode into hunting down enough engaging activities to fill your kids’ summer schedule. Many of us started thinking about summer camp plans back in
- [Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word](https://insteppc.com/blog/sorry-seems-to-be-the-hardest-word) - Cathi- On a recent play date, in a moment of anger, my son stepped on his friend’s toy and broke it. After that there was a lot of crying— both kids were in tears, and even when I asked him to say he was sorry, he refused. Needless to say the play date ended badly.
- [How Do Girls Get Girl Power?](https://insteppc.com/blog/how-do-girls-get-girl-power) - Even though cultural attitudes have changed a lot since our mothers were growing up, it’s still not a given that our daughters will mature into confident, resilient, and courageous women. Phyllis Fagell, a school counselor and mother of a 13-year-old, wrote a recent article in the Washington Post addressing the challenges of raising a girl
- [Meltdowns Mindfulness](https://insteppc.com/blog/meltdowns-mindfulness) - Shopping at Target the other day, I heard a little boy, frustrated at not getting the toy he wanted, having a world class temper tantrum. "I want that toy! Give me that toy!", he wailed at his mother and threw himself on the ground. She already literally had her hands full—she was holding his sister’s
- [Decisions, Decisions!](https://insteppc.com/blog/decisions-decisions) - Allowing your kids to make their own decisions is an essential component of raising a solid adult. Of course you’re not going to allow your 6 year old to decide if he wants to walk home alone from school, or your 10 year old to decide she wants unlimited access to the internet. But giving
- [Can’t Sit Still!](https://insteppc.com/blog/cant-sit-still) - Anyone who knows kids knows that they aren’t designed to sit still for extended periods of time. There’s a reason for that! Movement stimulates more blood flow to the brain and enhances attention span and learning. The parts of the brain that control thinking and memory (the prefrontal cortex and medial temporal cortex) have greater
- [How to Navigate the Digital Universe](https://insteppc.com/blog/how-to-navigate-the-digital-universe) - Being a parent in the digital age presents a dizzying challenge: keeping on top of all of the potentially inappropriate, time-wasting, irresistible-to-kids internet sites, video games and apps. What should you do about google searches that may lead your kids to sites that ought be guarded by a big “Keep Out” sign? Then there’s the
- [Mindset and Shyness](https://insteppc.com/blog/mindset-and-shyness-2) - Carol Dweck’s book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success focuses on how our mindset profoundly influences the way we approach life. Rather than being a quirk in our character, our mindset creates our entire perception of what’s possible. According to Dweck, a fixed, inflexible, mindset causes us to avoid failure, at any cost, and a
- [Is Punishment Old School?](https://insteppc.com/blog/is-punishment-old-school) - Remember being sent to bed without dinner, grounded and forced to stay in your room for the day, or banned from watching TV for a week? I do. But does punishing kids actually change their behavior for the better? New research shows that threatening punishment actually encourages another unwanted behavior: lying. It makes sense. If
- [Girls and Sex: Making "The Talk" an Ongoing Conversation](https://insteppc.com/blog/girls-and-sex) - As parents of teens, we question ourselves about the best way to approach the subject of sex and intimacy with our kids. It’s hard to know when the right time is to bring it up and how to even start the conversation. I just finished reading Peggy Orenstein’s book, Girls and Sex and wanted to
- [Post-Election Blues](https://insteppc.com/blog/post-election-blues) - “Javier says the president is going to make him move back to his country. Is that true?” “The school was on lock down this afternoon because somebody threatened to blow it up.” “This kid was beaten up on his way home from school. And they posted it on YouTube. Everyone was laughing about it?!?” “There
- [No more homework? Absolutely!](https://insteppc.com/blog/no-more-homework-absolutely) - I cannot tell you how many families struggle, and I mean STRUGGLE with homework each and every night. For our families with kids who have special needs or learning differences, homework and studying are a cause of tremendous misery, conflict, and stress. From the moment kids wake up in the morning, they are rushed, pushed,
- [Finding Common Ground to Grow Together](https://insteppc.com/blog/finding-common-ground-to-grow-together) - Thinking about our current political quagmire through a group therapy lens. Like in any group, conflicts between members are natural and healthy. Without verbalized AND respectful conflict, things stagnate and nobody grows and changes. And, in an atmosphere of unmitigated anger, safety is lost. Opponents stop listening to each other and instead see each others'
- [The lights are out, but the day goes on](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-lights-are-out-but-work-goes-on) - When we talk to parents about the work we do in group, and individually, they often ask us what we are doing specifically to help their child cope with the struggles they face everyday. This whiteboard picture is a perfect example of a powerful cognitive behavioral technique in action. It was the result of a
- [Are Today's Parents Too Overprotective?](https://insteppc.com/blog/are-todays-parents-too-overprotective) - Between kids being over-scheduled with structured activities and sports and those who stay inside on their social media all day, kids aren't able to learn the valuable lessons that come automatically by exploring the world independently. In this article, Michael Ungar discusses how despite the world being safer than ever, that parents insist on "bubble
- ["I have needs, too!"](https://insteppc.com/blog/i-have-needs-too) - In Step hosted a "Siblings of Special Needs Kids" workshop led by Melanie Kaplan, LCSW, this weekend at our Sterling office. It was a huge success and I asked Melanie to talk a bit about what the kids discussed and to put a date on the calendar for another session. "The workshop was a great!
- [Comfort with Food vs Comfort Food](https://insteppc.com/blog/comfort-with-food-vs-comfort-food) - With the New Year comes a fresh batch of resolutions. Along with the more esoteric of the bunch-like spending more time sky-diving, or learning to speak Chinese-is the time honored tradition of losing weight. In many cases the addition of exercise comes the vilifying of food. So many people struggle with their feelings about what
- [Accept and Encourage, Avoid Overload](https://insteppc.com/blog/accept-and-encourage-dont-overload) - We recently posted an article on Facebook about diagnosing girls on the spectrum and it yielded some good questions. Dear Cathi, My daughter, Emily, is an eight-year-old second grader who was recently diagnosed on the spectrum. We have always known that Emily is a unique little girl, but I had no idea she might have
- [Growing Your Child's Sense of Morality](https://insteppc.com/blog/growing-your-childs-sense-of-morality) - I was reading the Psychotherapy Networker magazine over the weekend and this article about kids moral development jumped out at me as being a thorough and understandable explanation of how to respond to our children when they engage in troubling behavior.
- ["I'm Bored!"](https://insteppc.com/blog/im-bored-2) - Kids! What’s the matter with kids today? Do any of these questions sound familiar? “I’m bored.” “Who cares?” “Why do I have to do this anyway?” “This is stupid.” Our kids seem to think it’s our responsibility to keep them charged-up and engaged every moment. They look to us to provide them with constant stimulation,
- [What are you grateful for?](https://insteppc.com/blog/what-are-you-grateful-for) - With Thanksgiving looming in just two days (with preparations always underway for many), try to set aside some time to think about what you are grateful for, no matter how big or small. For me, it's a 140lb lap dog on a cold winter night. This New York Times Op-Ed, "Choose to Be Grateful. It
- ["A Teen's Perspective on Motivation"](https://insteppc.com/blog/a-teens-perspective-on-motivation) - Ann Dolin, of Educational Connections, has written an interesting article about the idea of motivation in teens (or lack thereof). What I love about it is that it comes directly from a young man who has struggled with this. His advice that no amount of bribery or yelling is going to help is one that
- ["Stop Googling. Let's Talk."](https://insteppc.com/blog/stop-googling-lets-talk) - I have some major concerns about how communication through technology influences a child’s ability to empathize and communicate in a fully present way. Much of what we do with Stepping Stones (the Social Skills Group Therapy program we run here at the practice with parents and kids) is to help children develop the skills they
- [Getting Past the Candy Aisle](https://insteppc.com/blog/getting-past-the-candy-aisle) - We had a huge crowd of parents who took time out of their work day to come and talk about how to manage their child's anger. Sharon Williams, LCSW, one of the therapists helping with the workshop found this great story about managing outbursts in public. I got a chuckle from it and it also
- [Raising a Resilient Young Adult](https://insteppc.com/blog/resilient-young-adult) - In this article in Psychology Today, "Declining Student Resilience: A Serious Problem for Colleges", Peter Gray, PhD discusses how we've raised a generation of "Young people, 18 years and older, going to college still unable or unwilling to take responsibility for themselves, still feeling that if a problem arises they need an adult to solve
- [In Step Celebrates its 20-year Anniversary](https://insteppc.com/blog/in-step-celebrates-its-20-year-anniversary) - In Step is celebrating its 20th birthday this year! Yippee! Wahoo!! Yeah!! Thank you for allowing me that splurge of emotion. As I get older, I find myself employing diverse tactics to ward off each birthday. But not this year. In Step’s 20th Birthday is a welcome marking of time. We are celebrating an organization
- [Take a Deep Breath](https://insteppc.com/blog/take-a-deep-breath) - Sports is an interplay between physical and mental. This New York Times article describes the work that Jonathan Fader does with athletes to get their heads in the game so their natural talents and disciplined hard work can shine. We work with our kids on relaxing during times of extreme stress just like Fader does
- [Cooperation versus Compliance](https://insteppc.com/blog/cooperation-versus-compliance) - I get a lot of questions from girl scout leaders, youth group advisors and camp counselors about how to get their charges to cooperate. Gaining cooperation from children is one of the most difficult tasks of working with children in groups. There is a subtle difference between the words: “cooperation” and “compliance”. When children are
- [In Memoriam](https://insteppc.com/blog/in-memoriam) - I am so sad to learn that Margaret King passed away a few days ago of cancer. As the first mother of In Step, Margaret King will always hold a very special place in my heart. Margaret has been in my thoughts a lot lately with In Step marking its 20th year. I am absolutely
- [Today is the Big Day!](https://insteppc.com/blog/today-is-the-big-day) - This is the culmination of In Step’s summer long fundraiser in honor of Maya Rigler and Alex’s Lemonade Stand. Today we will pick from the raffle tickets that represent the hundreds of families who have come to us over the summer and participated in this important work to raise money for pediatric cancer research. For
- [Mass Exodus](https://insteppc.com/blog/mass-exodus) - My facebook page looks like an evacuation drill. There is picture after picture of college kids moving into their dorms, cars packed full of room decorations, and happy smiles all around. It could be because the people taking the pictures are not in them! I feel pretty certain that if the college goers turned the
- [Reentry](https://insteppc.com/blog/reentry) - Ah. Vacation. Oy. Coming back. My friends and I call this “reentry”. Whatever the definition of that word is in the dictionary, there should really be a picture of a parent ripping their hair out. While vacation brings the promise of relaxation, spontaneity, and less laundry, coming back seems to mean testy kids, mountains of
- [Setting Limits on Parenting](https://insteppc.com/blog/setting-limits-on-parenting) - Sparing our children pain is one of the main tenants of parenting. We teach them to avoid danger. We stand with our hands out, literally and figuratively. This instinct to protect them is a healthy part of any parent/child dynamic. The question is, how far does this extend? Should we as parents try to pave
- [The Potty Wars](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-potty-wars) - Potty training can be frustrating enough without the challenges of potty training extending past the toddler years into pre-school, kindergarten, and beyond. Typical struggles of near misses, soaked sheets, and poopy pants preparing for pre-school are messy, time-consuming, and frustrating, but when the challenges extend into school years, the resulting power struggles are easily fueled
- [Kindergarten Prep](https://insteppc.com/blog/kindergarten-prep) - There is some great information out there about how to prepare your child for kindergarten. These are some of the ideas I think are really valuable. Create a routine over the summer. Give your child a bedtime (8:00 PM is great!) and stick to it. Have your child practice writing their first name. If your
- [Rise and Shine, and Don’t Check Your Email](https://insteppc.com/blog/rise-and-shine-and-dont-check-your-email) - I am going to embark on an experiment this week. I encourage you to join me. This week I am not going to roll over in the morning and check my email before my eyes have focused. That is my routine; I wake up, I check my phone, and I let it dictate not only
- [Over-stimulated, Yet Empty](https://insteppc.com/blog/over-stimulated-yet-empty) - The inner emptiness that Lisa Schlesinger highlights in her article "Over-Stimulated Yet Empty" is a concern I have for kids as well as adults. In our highly connected, disconnected society (or perhaps our highly disconnected connected society), our kids race around like chickens with their heads cut off from one activity to another with barely
- [Our Emotions; Inside Out](https://insteppc.com/blog/our-emotions-inside-out) - CC White LPC, one of In Step's wonderful clinicians saw the movie Inside Out this week and has written this week's blog post about the film. Some children's films hit that sweet spot between supreme entertainment and emotional authenticity. I haven't seen this film yet, but after reading CC's post, I'd say that Inside Out
- [Alex's Lemonade Stand](https://insteppc.com/blog/alexs-lemonade-stand) - So many of us have been touched by cancer; mothers, brothers, children and friends. I have family members and close friends who are fighting right now, and sadly some of them I have lost. I sometimes feel helpless in the face of their suffering. One of the "fighters" has inspired me to mobilize the resources
- [...And they're off!](https://insteppc.com/blog/and-theyre-off) - I know that for many of you, there may not be time to read this blog as we race to finish for the end of the public school year this week. I call it Christmas in June. There are more activities, plays, concerts, championship games, etc. going on than what seems like the whole previous
- [No "buts" about it](https://insteppc.com/blog/no-buts-about-it) - Every day I talk to new families about the services we provide at In Step. I routinely ask moms and dads to tell me a little bit about what is going on at home and school to get a sense of whether our practice is the right next step. I hear from a lot of
- [In Step; Out and About](https://insteppc.com/blog/in-step-out-and-about) - One of the things that gives me great pleasure as the director of In Step is our therapist’s dedication to community education. So many of them speak at schools, churches, and local events throughout Loudoun and Fairfax counties. They volunteer their time to educate families and professionals about topics we see every day at the
- [Animal Yoga; Reducing Stress One Crocodile at a Time](https://insteppc.com/blog/animal-yoga-reducing-stress-one-crocodile-at-a-time) - One of the phases in Stepping Stones-our social skills training program for kids and parents-is Stress Management. When we reflect on childhood, we often think of it as a carefree time compared to adulthood. We can’t help but think that kids have it easier. We’re wrong. The average child experiences stress on a regular basis.
- [Happy Mother's Day](https://insteppc.com/blog/happy-mothers-day) - Recently, Salima Jiwa, LCSW, one of our In Step clinicians, took a trip to New York to attend a workshop on the relationship between herself and her daughters. She was deeply inspired by this experience and wanted to share some of her thoughts. Happy Mother’s Day As I celebrate mother’s day and honor the women
- [Get Moving. Get Learning.](https://insteppc.com/blog/get-moving-get-learning) - Now that the end of school is in sight, kids are starting to get fidgety. Restless kiddos are a population I know something about. Having worked with hundreds of ADHD kids over my 25 years as a clinician, I know how challenging it is for the ADHD child to sit still in school, in church,
- [Get Your Qi Flowing](https://insteppc.com/blog/get-your-qi) - Most of you already know, Dara, our Associate Director, but she is taking the Qi Gong class being offered in Sterling and has some fun insights on the experience. She contributes to the blog on occasion and this is one of hers. Holding a grudge? Maybe it’s your liver’s fault… Haven’t ever thought of your
- [Q & A about In Step's Elementary Age Anxiety Group](https://insteppc.com/blog/q-a-about-in-steps-elementary-age-anxiety-group) - I've had a lot of questions come up as a result of the article about anxiety that I wrote for the newsletter. It's obvious this hits close to home for a lot of our families. In case you didn't get a chance to see the Q & A about the group, I am posting it
- [Spring Forward](https://insteppc.com/blog/spring-forward) - As I walk through the offices this time of year, I feel a sense of change and excitement in our kids and families. It’s that sweet spot after the winter school closings, but before we have our summer plans set in stone. For many of our families, this is the time they start to notice
- ["You don't know what you don't know"](https://insteppc.com/blog/you-dont-know-what-you-dont-know) - This is something my mom used to say to me. It's one of those mom'isms that you just kind of shake your head at, but it does actually have some value. I spent the last few days in Florida visiting my parents. The sun and warmth was such a wonderful contrast to the dark and
- [Before Your Group Goes to War, Try S.O.A.R.](https://insteppc.com/blog/before-your-group-goes-to-war-try-s-o-a-r) - I am still thinking about the conference I attended recently and thought I would offer this set of strategies for my teacher/school counselor/youth group/girl scout leader/group therapy colleagues. (Even those of you with multiple children!) We use this method to encourage cooperation, to highlight positive social interactions, or to get help from group members in
- [No More Bullying](https://insteppc.com/blog/no-more-bullying) - Presenting at the Annual Special Education Conference is always a highlight of the year for me. Elaine, Gail, Janet and the team at the Parent Resource Center consistently strike that balance between warmth, efficiency, and professionalism. Nearly 2,000 devoted, eager parents and professionals attended the conference this year! While I only met the few hundred
- [The Roller Coaster Ride to Fulfillment](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-roller-coaster-ride-to-fulfillment) - I found this excerpt and think it really speaks to Girl Power! I am starting a new group for women that addresses issues like these and thought you would find this interesting. Roller Coasters Last weekend, I had a day where there was nothing on my family's calendar. This never happens. There is always hockey,
- [Happiness is an Inside Job](https://insteppc.com/blog/happiness-is-an-inside-job) - Sixteen-year-old Jack was brought into therapy because his parents thought he might be depressed. Until this year, Jack had been a straight A student, played cello in the orchestra, ran track and cross country and volunteered his time daily at the local Y. When asked why he was seeking help from me at this time,
- [Spoiled Rotten](https://insteppc.com/blog/spoiled-rotten) - Elizabeth Kolbert's article in The New Yorker "Spoiled Rotten: Why Do Kids Rule the Roost" is almost painful to read. Comparing our society's parenting methods to other cultures somehow demonstrates our struggles in bold relief. This reminds me of the story of the complacent frog lounging in his pot of gradually warming water. He doesn't
- [A Wonderful Saturday Afternoon in Ashburn; Developing Social IQ Skills in the Gifted Child](https://insteppc.com/blog/a-wonderful-saturday-afternoon-in-ashburn-developing-social-iq-skills-in-the-gifted-child) - While appearing mature and self assured on the outside, intellectually gifted children often feel confused, lonely and misunderstood. Frequently, their intellectual abilities are not in sync with their social abilities. The goal of bringing these kids together in groups is not to force them to conform to peer pressure but rather to help them develop
- [Priceless](https://insteppc.com/blog/priceless) - Here’s a snippet of interaction from a recent teen group: Laura: He broke up with me through a text message! I was totally blindsided. Allison: That is so wrong! What a wuss! Lisa: He didn’t even have the respect to talk to you in person. Laura: I know. I don’t know what I did to
- [Creating a Homework Habit](https://insteppc.com/blog/creating-a-homework-habit) - The real point of homework doesn’t lie in the completion of the homework. It lies in learning how to sit yourself down and get it done. Read the article from The New York Times
- [Does Your Group Cooperate?](https://insteppc.com/blog/does-your-group-cooperate) - How is cooperation established in any group of kids? In the classroom? On the ball field? What I keep coming back to is this: Before there can be cooperation, there has to be agreement between you (the group leader), and your participants about the mission of the group. At In Step, our shared mission is
- [New Autism Study](https://insteppc.com/blog/new-autism-study) - "Impairments that we see in autism seem to be partly due to different parts of the brain talking too much to each other," neuroscientist, Ralph-Axel says. Scientists at Columbia University Medical Center are looking closely at how the brain development of autistic children may help explain some symptoms like oversensitivity to noise and social behavior.
- [Here’s The Thing That ‘Lasting Love’ Is Really About](https://insteppc.com/blog/heres-the-thing-that-lasting-love-is-really-about) - New research suggests that seeing love as a journey, rather than as a union of soul mates, could help people in how they deal with relationship conflicts. Does this mindset start in Childhood? Jenny Anderson in her Motherlode blog thinks so: “Kids who are told they are smart care more about performance goals and less
- [She Is So Much More](https://insteppc.com/blog/she-is-so-much-more) - Sixteen year old Emily viewed ADHD as her curse, an albatross around her neck causing her to struggle in school and question her ability to succeed in life. In her initial sessions with me, she described in painful detail how out of control her ADHD made her feel. In class, she knew she should have
- [She Is So Much More](https://insteppc.com/blog/she-is-so-much-more-2) - Sixteen year old Emily viewed ADHD as her curse, an albatross around her neck causing her to struggle in school and question her ability to succeed in life. In her initial sessions with me, she described in painful detail how out of control her ADHD made her feel. In class, she knew she should have
- ["Boyhood"](https://insteppc.com/blog/boyhood) - Saw Richard Linklater's, "Boyhood" last night. Filmed over a 12 year period with his lens focused on Mason (non-actor, Ellar Coltrane), Linklater allows the simplicity of the story to unfold organically through the eyes of this soulful boy.
- [Watch Out For Creepers](https://insteppc.com/blog/watch-out-for-creepers) - I love what Erica Craig LCSW, RDT is doing in her Minecraft Emotional Regulation groups. Take a look at her session outline and the posters from one of her recent groups! Erica helps her group members understand and express their feelings using tools and guidance from the popular online game, Minecraft. The kids love it! Erica
- [Wake Up Call](https://insteppc.com/blog/wake-up-call) - A few weeks ago, I was in the middle of my morning coffee when I realized I was ten minutes late to wake my daughter. I rushed upstairs and woke her and was greeted with, “Mooom, why didn’t you wake me up on time? Now, I’m not going to have enough time to get ready.
- [Me Want It (But Me Wait)](https://insteppc.com/blog/me-want-it-but-me-wait) - Sesame Street does not just help kids learn their ABC's and numbers these days. Now, they help pre-school kids develop early self-regulation skills. In this video, Cookie Monster helps kids devise self-talk strategies to manage the need for immediate gratification. There are other videos too, like "The Spy Who Loved Cookies." This one focuses on
- [He's Ready. Me? Not So Much.](https://insteppc.com/blog/hes-ready-me-not-so-much) - My eldest son drove away yesterday, his car piled high with clothing-stuffed trash bags and boxes filled with newspaper wrapped Pyrex dishes and mismatched drinking glasses. He is off to a foreign land, South Texas, where his first "real" job awaits. I resisted the urge to chase him down, jump into the passenger seat, and
- [Keep It Conscious](https://insteppc.com/blog/conscious-parent) - Shefali Tsabary Phd writes a lovely, thought provoking book that every parent should read. “The Conscious Parent – Transforming Ourselves/Empowering Our Children” (Namaste Publishing, 2010) offers a soulful, spiritual approach to parenting. Tsabary challenges parents to enter the world of parenting with eyes wide open, undistracted by the hurried pulse of every day life. She
- [Parents of children with autism often have autistic traits](https://insteppc.com/blog/parents-of-children-with-autism-often-have-autistic-traits) - Just read an interesting article in Medical Xpress. Lyall Constantino headed up a team of researchers looking at the social skills of the parents of autistic children. Using the SRS (Social Responsiveness Scale) which identifies the presence and severity of social impairment, the study indicates children with autism are more likely to have one or
- [Try These Activities At Home](https://insteppc.com/blog/try-these-activities-at-home) - Parents often ask to observe their kids in group. Confidentiality precludes us from allowing this, but here are a couple of social skills activities that our kids love and you can play them at home to help beef up their skills: Dance Party: Play music and when the music stops, everybody freezes. After the first
- [Mindset and Shyness](https://insteppc.com/blog/mindset-and-shyness) - In Carol Dweck’s Mindset – The New Psychology of Success, she speaks briefly about how mindset can influence the course of shyness. Shyness is not uncommon in kids and teens, of course. Some children warm up more slowly than others. With time, the initial discomfort in meeting new people melts away. Dweck highlights interesting research
- [Am I Sending a Growth Mindset Message to my Child?](https://insteppc.com/blog/am-i-sending-a-growth-mindset-message-to-my-child) - “Parents think they can hand children permanent confidence — like a gift — by praising their brains and talent. It doesn’t work, and in fact has the opposite effect. If parents want to give their children a gift, the best thing they can do is to teach their children to love challenges, be intrigued by
- [Mind Over Stinkbug](https://insteppc.com/blog/mind-over-stinkbug-2) - I can’t be the only person who struggles with stinkbugs. They are prehistoric looking, difficult to get rid of and well, stinky. While I’m not wild about them, my daughter is totally freaked by them. Any time she spots one, she begs me to get rid of it. Inevitably, she asks me at the most
- [As Heard In The Waiting Room](https://insteppc.com/blog/as-heard-in-the-waiting-room) - Over the years, I have been privy to a lot of stories from the parents of kids in group. Sometimes the information comes by way of the group leaders and other times from the parents themselves. The other day, I was in the waiting room, in between meetings, and a mom was there waiting for
- [Small Acts of Courage](https://insteppc.com/blog/small-acts-of-courage) - My 14 year old daughter went to her friend Elizabeth's birthday party recently and her Mom greeted the guests at the door with a basket to drop off their electronics as they entered. Lyana had to add her phone to the pile. She was shocked and appalled. In retelling this story to me, she was
- [Teach Your New Dog (I Mean Child) Old Tricks?](https://insteppc.com/blog/teach-your-new-dog-i-mean-child-old-tricks) - Your children may look at you kind of funny if every time they did what you asked you gave them a chunk of a chicken hot dog. You: “Jack, sit.” (Jack sits. You pop a chunk of chicken hot dog in his mouth) You: “Jack, open your book to Page 234.” (Jack opens his book
- [Facebook Posts Last Forever](https://insteppc.com/blog/facebook-posts-last-forever) - One last pic from China. The book! This is the version that Beijing's Green Bean Books published recently in simple Chinese. As many of you know, we just updated it and added sections about cyber bullying and social media. I am hopeful that they will decided to publish this new version as well. The topics
- [A Hippo in a China Shop](https://insteppc.com/blog/a-hippo-in-a-china-shop-2) - Hi Everyone! I wanted to take a moment, on this, my first attempt at this style of "blogging", to thank everyone for the comments you sent on my travel log about China. If you haven't seen it, you can check it out here. I'm so glad you liked it because it was a surprisingly difficult
- [Does Facebook lower self-esteem?](https://insteppc.com/blog/does-facebook-lower-self-esteem) - Teenagers' sense of self is not yet stable and can be reliant for some time on external reinforcements like peer approval. In the short term, being ignored on Facebook or Instagram reinforce feelings of invisibility and low self-worth. Should you like, post and comment on Facebook? Read this article from The New York Times and
- [The Problem With Confidence](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-problem-with-confidence) - Girls take less credit for their successes than boys. Freedom from self-denigration is a powerful protector against stress-related debilitation. Girls need to feel inter-personally effective by evoking a sought-for response in another person, starting with their parents. This article from The New York Times is an interesting look at over-confidence vs. under-confidence. Enjoy, Cathi Cohen,
- [Psst...Look Over Here.](https://insteppc.com/blog/psst-look-over-here) - Eyes are the window to the soul. And eye contact is the first step towards social connectedness. Read on. Enjoy, Cathi Cohen, LCSW, CGP
- [Raising Your Child's Self-Esteem: Step 8](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-8) - Help your child learn from mistakes Children with low self-esteem are terribly afraid of making mistakes. And this fear makes it very difficult for them to take chances. It also can make it hard for them to follow through with activities. Instead, they become quitters because they’re afraid they won’t perform the activity perfectly. You
- [Raising Your Child's Self-Esteem: Step 7](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-7) - Encourage Socialization As children develop, healthy peer relationships begin to have a greater impact on how they see themselves. In the elementary years, it’s no longer enough just to have parental love. The respect and acceptance of friends is almost as important. For this reason, you must develop your child’s social networks early. Start by
- [Raising Your Child's Self-Esteem: Step 6](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-6) - Provide Opportunities for Self-Monitoring A basic component of high self-esteem is the ability to observe ourselves and to change our behavior to fit the demands of a particular situation. To encourage this ability, you can provide opportunities for your child to observe his own behavior and then make decisions about how to proceed. Children rebel
- [Raising Your Child's Self-Esteem: Step 5](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-5) - Encourage Positive Self-Talk Perhaps you have heard your child say things like, “I stink at this” “I can’t do this” “I hate myself” These words perpetuate feelings of hopelessness. When your child is experiencing an emotional situation, the thoughts that go through his head can be either helpful by urging him forward, or hurtful by
- [Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem: Step 4](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-4) - Praise and discipline your child, choosing words carefully Your words are very important to your child. The way you offer praise and deliver criticism can help your child develop high self-esteem. Try the following techniques: Be specific with your praise Praise your child immediately following a positive action Make sure you praise genuinely Children will
- [Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem: Step 3](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-3) - Encourage Your Child Constantly It may seem obvious that parents need to encourage their children if high self-esteem is to develop. But often in our hectic lives we tend to focus solely on discipline, rather than on guidance and encouragement. We tend not to pay much attention when behavior is positive, but we exert a
- [Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem: Step 2](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-2) - Promote Physical Fitness Regardless of your child’s particular areas of competence, physical activity must be a part of your child’s normal routine. If your child is opposed to playing team sports, that’s okay. How about horseback riding? Or martial arts? Or bike riding? American children are more obese now than ever, and a major reason
- [Raising Your Child’s Self-Esteem. Step 1](https://insteppc.com/blog/raising-your-childs-self-esteem-step-1-encourage-areas-of-competence) - Encourage Areas Of Competence Help your child find areas of competence as stepping stones on the road toward high self-esteem. Support your child in finding his strengths (sports, computers, music, drama, and so on) and encourage his involvement in these activities. If your child struggles in areas that society highly values, such as school or
- [Did I Create Low Self-Esteem in My Child?](https://insteppc.com/blog/did-i-create-low-self-esteem-in-my-child-2) - Being a parent is an enormous responsibility and we often wonder if we’re doing a good job at it. Often I have heard parents say, “I dearly love my child, I’m always encouraging her and praising her, and yet she is still so hard on herself,” or “Why does my child have such low self-esteem?
- [The Role of Self-Esteem in Good Social Skills](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-role-of-self-esteem-in-good-social-skills) - Much research has been published in recent years stressing the importance of high self-esteem to a child’s emotional development. You may already know that self-esteem is important, but you may not know how to help your child develop high self-esteem. This series of blog posts will focus on how self-esteem affects the quality of your
- ["Why Is Everyone Always Mad At Me?"](https://insteppc.com/blog/why-is-everyone-always-mad-at-me) - Not being able to read social cues is a problem for many children. Everyone learns at their own pace, and learning to read social cues is no different. But, like with any new skill, reading social signals may need to be taught. By learning to read social cues more accurately, kids are more able to
- [What is EQ and Why is it Important?](https://insteppc.com/blog/what-is-eq-and-why-is-it-important) - We all know what IQ stands for, but do you know what EQ stands for and why it can be important in your child’s educational development? Emotional Intelligence (EQ) is a measure of how effectively a child controls his or her emotions in a learning environment. In other words, how well a child self-regulates his
- [Helping Kids on the Spectrum Read Facial Expressions](https://insteppc.com/blog/helping-kids-on-the-spectrum-read-facial-expressions) - This article is a fitting follow up to the previous article regarding facial expressions of children with Asperger’s. In this article, Pat Crissey, a leader in the field of autism describes the importance of first learning how to read facial expressions and then teaching children what these expressions mean. The article breaks down the process
- [Reading the Social Signs of Children with Asperger’s](https://insteppc.com/blog/reading-the-social-signs-of-children-with-aspergers) - Frequently, children with Asperger’s Syndrome exhibit a flatness in their affect. Their faces and voices take on an almost robotic kind of expression. This makes it very difficult for others to understand what is being communicated. Even feelings of happiness which are typically understood through smiles and laughter may be limited in a child with
- [Is Your Child a Shy Child?](https://insteppc.com/blog/is-your-child-a-shy-child) - Dear Cathi, I’m worried about my 14 year old daughter, Megan. Megan has always been a shy child. Teachers have always said that she doesn’t participate in classroom discussions and is extremely reluctant to do any kind of oral presentation in class. When she gets invited to parties, she seems to find excuses not to
- [Reading Social Signals](https://insteppc.com/blog/reading-social-signals) - Tune into non-verbal communication. Sometimes words and body language don't match, and you might miss the real message if you aren't paying attention. It's not just children who have difficulty understanding the motivations and feelings of others. Deciphering the messages communicated by faces and bodies can be tricky business. Just like any other skill, reading
- [E.G.N.O.G. To The Rescue](https://insteppc.com/blog/e-g-n-o-g-to-the-rescue) - Jackie: I had the worst day EVER!! Mom thinks but does NOT say: Oh no. This sounds bad. Did she get in trouble with the teacher? Did she do terribly on her spelling test? Hold on now. I used to jump to conclusions which would only upset Jackie even more. I need to empathize and
- [E - Empathy](https://insteppc.com/blog/e-empathy) - “You stink!” Carlos shouted. “I’m always stuck on his team,” Joseph grumbled. Patrick doesn’t know what to say when the boys are mean to him like this. He wants to play with the neighborhood boys, but he hates that every time he kicks the ball, someone catches it. He sulks off, red-faced and humiliated after
- [Setting the Stage for Your Child’s Good Behavior: Step #5](https://insteppc.com/blog/setting-the-stage-for-your-childs-good-behavior-step-5) - Step Five: Develop Conflict Resolution Skills Fighting with your child is easy; fighting fairly is not. One mistake we make as parents is to assume that our children, through modeling or osmosis, should be able to resolve conflicts peacefully with us and others. The irony is that many adults haven’t learned the vital art of
- [Setting the Stage for Your Child’s Good Behavior: Step #4](https://insteppc.com/blog/setting-the-stage-for-your-childs-good-behavior-step-4) - Step Four: Use “Time Out” to help your child regain control. Rosa and Javier make it very clear early on in their parenting work with me that they want no part of using the time-out system with their children. “We’ve tried those before. They do not work for our children.” With further exploration, Javier and
- [Setting the Stage for Your Child’s Good Behavior: Step #3](https://insteppc.com/blog/setting-the-stage-for-your-childs-good-behavior-step-3) - Step Three: When you want to alter behavior, make your statements short, direct, and focused on behavior Your words are very important to your child. Even after you have established a positive communication pattern with your child, you will still need to actively shape behavior from time to time. When this happens, take the minimal
- [Setting the Stage for Your Child’s Good Behavior: Step #2](https://insteppc.com/blog/setting-the-stage-for-your-childs-good-behavior-step-2) - Step Two: Let your child know your expectations of her in advance If your child is made aware of behavioral guidelines and expectations in advance of situations, she feels more a part of the decision-making process and also learns to take responsibility for her actions. As a parent, you are more able to anticipate potential
- [Setting the Stage for Your Child’s Good Behavior: Step #1](https://insteppc.com/blog/setting-the-stage-for-your-childs-good-behavior) - Children want to do what is right. They want to please you. When expectations are laid out clearly in advance and are realistic, children typically meet them. It is when the goal line keeps shifting, the guidelines are vague or the demands are too high that children may falter. Front load your behavioral expectations with
- [Finding Your Voice, Losing Your Holler.](https://insteppc.com/blog/finding-your-voice-losing-your-holler) - When all else fails: Holler. Who can blame you? It’s exasperating being ignored after repeating a request umpteen times without response. Frustration mounts when your child dilly dallies before school, making you late for work, AGAIN. It’s terribly trying managing yourself and your child when you are being treated with disrespect and brashness. You’ve tried
- [How Many Times Do I Have To Tell You?](https://insteppc.com/blog/how-many-times-do-i-have-to-tell-you) - Beth wakes up every morning with the same thought, “I’m not going to yell at the kids once today.” And, by lunchtime, she has broken her promise to herself. “They don’t listen to a word I say”, she exclaims. “How many times do I have to tell them to hang their bathing suits on the
- [Good Winners](https://insteppc.com/blog/good-winners) - Winning is everything in our society. This “take no prisoners” philosophy pervades the media. Dreadful unsportsmanlike behavior of athletes and coaches in professional sports is condoned. It is not at all surprising that parents and coaches of our youth show a parallel increase in outrageous acts of violence and trash talking. Our kids are influenced
- [What Does Knowing Myself Have to Do With It?](https://insteppc.com/blog/what-does-knowing-myself-have-to-do-with-it) - When you take on the enormous responsibility of having a child, your buttons are going to be pushed. You are going to get upset with your kids from time-to-time. This is OK, even desirable perhaps. Just because frustration and anger with your kids is unavoidable doesn’t mean it’s healthy to vent on them. Anger is
- [Is Your Child at Risk for Web Addiction?](https://insteppc.com/blog/is-your-child-at-risk-for-web-addiction) - Parents are expressing more and more concern about their children's preoccupation with the video gaming world. This article lays out pretty clearly how to assess whether or not your child is struggling with a very serious issue. Although there is not yet a formal diagnosis of video game addiction in this country, China is taking
- [Keeping Your Kids Safe Online](https://insteppc.com/blog/keeping-your-kids-safe-online) - Dear Cathi, I need your help. My 6th grader is begging for me to allow her to open an Instagram account. Sienna says she is totally left out because the only way her friends communicate with each other is through Instagram. I don’t know how Instagram works. Is she old enough to have an Instagram
- [Social Media and Your Teenager](https://insteppc.com/blog/social-media-and-your-teenager) - Teens naturally want to communicate with their friends without oversight from their parents. Parents, on the other hand, worry about what information their children are sharing and want to keep them safe. So, how do you, as a parent, navigate through this tricky terrain with your teenager? You'll need two essential parenting skills: the ability
- [Fathers Parent Differently](https://insteppc.com/blog/fathers-parent-differently) - We tend to devalue the critical role fathers play in healthy child development. Fathers and mothers communicate differently, and the child benefits greatly from both. In this article Jenny Tyree and Glenn T. Stanton highlight some important areas where Dads and Moms contribute balance to a child's life. Enjoy, Cathi Cohen, LCSW, CGP
- [Opening the Lines of Communication](https://insteppc.com/blog/opening-the-lines-of-communication) - Are your kids using their phones or tablets at the dinner table? Are you checking your work email or texting a friend? Just being in the same room is not the same as spending time together and communicating. Finding time to have dinner together is a big first step. Using precious dinner time to share
- [Communication Takes Practice](https://insteppc.com/blog/communication-takes-practice) - Kids, just like adults, long to connect with others. Effective communication gets them there. You, as parents set a powerful example of good communication for your kids. Children learn necessary communication skills by seeing and hearing the skills you model for them. In our Stepping Stones program, the communication phase is one of the most
- [No! Yes! Maybe? Why Is It So Hard To Say No?](https://insteppc.com/blog/no-yes-maybe-why-is-it-so-hard-to-say-no) - It's more difficult saying "no" to other adults than it is to say "no" to my kids. I may periodically cave in to my children's demands in a moment of weakness but I generally don't carry the same level of guilt and responsibility that I do when another adult asks me to do something I
- [Coaching Your Child to Listen and Communicate](https://insteppc.com/blog/coaching-your-child-to-listen-and-communicate) - All elementary-school-age children need guidance to improve communication skills. Some children require more assistance than others. How do you determine if your child needs extra help developing conversations with peers? Ask yourself these questions: Does your child look the person she is speaking to in the eyes? Does your child actively listen when spoken to?
- [Coaching Your Child on Joining In](https://insteppc.com/blog/coaching-your-child-on-joining-in) - "Nobody wants to play with me." "The kids were teasing me today at school." "I never get invited to birthday parties." "I don’t fit in." Sound familiar? We’ve all heard our children say these things from time to time. These comments usually reflect normal growing pains. In some cases, though, children say these things on
- [My Children Would Never Do That](https://insteppc.com/blog/my-children-would-never-do-that) - This blog from Scary Mommy is a hilarious look at parenthood. I’m sure you have a few of your own “My Children Would Never" to add to this list. Here's one mine: #1 No matter what my child does , I will ALWAYS maintain my sense of humor. Well, I had to dump this one after about
- [Got Summer Plans Yet?](https://insteppc.com/blog/got-summer-plans-yet) - Many of you have children who will attend camp this year for the very first time. You'll want to get your child started off right so that they will have the best experience possible. When you choose the camp together, your child will have more buy-in from the get go. You can involve your child
- [Perfection Isn’t the Goal](https://insteppc.com/blog/perfection-isnt-the-goal) - Like it or not, as parents we are our children's most influential role models. Our behavior is what they see as normal and what they mirror. Being a role model is a critical responsibility, and all of us forget from time to time that our children are watching and imitating our behavior every day. We
- [Happy Relationships? Happy Self?](https://insteppc.com/blog/happy-relationships-happy-self) - You may find it surprising to hear that social isolation is not a factor that is predictive of future bouts of depression. Many people lead rich, fulfilling lives without regularly socializing with others. For the extroverts among us, distance from family and friends makes us feel sad and upset just thinking about it. Research suggests
- [The Pursuit Of Happiness](https://insteppc.com/blog/the-pursuit-of-happiness) - What is happiness and are happy people doing something differently from unhappy people? Is there an insider key to happiness that some have figured out and others have not? You might think so with the bevy of books, videos, seminars and self-help gurus out there, but the real truth is happiness has a different definition for each
- [Big Brother Should Be Watching](https://insteppc.com/blog/big-brother-should-be-watching) - As the parent of a teen you are well aware that teens love their privacy and the ability to communicate with their friends without interference from "Big Brother," AKA, mom and dad. While giving teens their own space is very important to their personal growth, the explosion of social media, the myriad of ways teens
- [Are Our Teens Too Stresed Out?](https://insteppc.com/blog/are-our-teens-too-stresed-out) - Stress. We all experience it, we all hear about it, we all read about it; it is part of our lives. More importantly it is a big part of our teenager’s lives too. Teens face different forms of stress than adults and it is important for parents to understand the types of stress our teens
- [A Cry for Help](https://insteppc.com/blog/a-cry-for-help) - Dear Cathi, My 14 year old son has been texting another 8th grader who says she is bulimic and cutting. He has told her to tell her parents, and she says she won't because she doesn't want to "shame them." Do you have suggestions on how my son should respond to this girl? I'm very
- [Teachable Moments From The Olympics](https://insteppc.com/blog/teachable-moments-from-the-olympics) - Imagine training your entire life for a competition that lasts only a few minutes. You strive for perfection, but do you achieve it? Do you stand on the podium with a gold medal around your neck, or do you go home with nothing but the disappointment of failure? Olympic athletes may feel that they have
- [Managing Stress During the Holidays](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-managing-stress-during-the-holidays) - The holidays can be at once exciting and stressful; magical and daunting; loving and tension filled. During the holidays, we gather at the hearth with family and friends to celebrate warm and special traditions. How lovely, sweet, and uncomplicated. Right? Wrong! Research says that the holidays frequently lead to stress and depression. The triumvirate --
- [Dear Cathi: F.O.S.T.E.R. Peace at Home with Your ADHD Child](https://insteppc.com/blog/bog-dear-cathi-f-o-s-t-e-r-peace-at-home-with-your-adhd-child) - Dear Cathi, I am a pediatrician in Reston and I see a lot of kids with ADHD. Some of them require medication and all of them need help coping with the issues around their diagnosis. I have referred patients to your practice for help with social skills and I know you work in a very
- [Bullying: How Your Kid Wants You to Respond](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-bullying-how-your-kid-wants-you-to-respond) - Bullying is a huge topic in the news, in your kid’s schools, and in their lives. They have assemblies, campaigns, and zero tolerance policies in place. Obviously, much of what you hear about how to combat bullying is told from the vantage point of the adults. But what do the kids think? “I get teased a
- [Friendship: A Buffer Against Depression](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-friendship-a-buffer-against-depression) - One way to give your child a greater chance of living a happy, productive life is to make sure he/she has the pro-social skills training necessary to make and keep friends. The research is very clear: Life success is determined less by IQ and good grades than it is by a child’s social skills and
- [Dear Cathi: Social Skills Harry](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-dear-cathi-social-skills-harry) - Dear Cathi, My son, Harry, is a loving, bright, outgoing eleven year old who doesn't know how to make friends. He is rarely invited over to other kids' homes and has been invited to a handful of birthday parties since first grade. His 5th grade teacher tells me that he "comes on too strong" and
- [Dear Cathi: How to Deal With a Lying Child](https://insteppc.com/blog/dear-cathi-how-to-deal-with-a-lying-child) - Dear Cathi, I don’t know what to do about my 10 year old’s lying. He is always telling me he has finished his homework when he hasn’t. I’ll literally catch him with his hand in the cookie jar, and he still won’t fess up. How can he lie when I’ve caught him red-handed? I’m worried
- [Whose Homework Is It?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-parenting-through-homework) - Dear Parents, Most everyone has heard the quote: “Feed a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” While this expression is not usually applied to helping kids with homework, I feel it really does fit. All too often, when we choose
- [Anger is not a Four Letter Word](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-anger-is-not-a-four-letter-word) - Dear Cathi, I worry about my daughter, Claire. She seems to keep things bottled up inside. Her teachers always tell me how “easy going” she is, letting slights just roll off her shoulders. From our point of view, she is hurting inside but just doesn’t know how to express it. For example, her friends seem
- [Does my Child Need Social Skills Help?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-does-my-child-need-help-with-social-skills-and-what-do-i-do-if-the-answer-is-yes) - As parents, we are very tuned in to our child’s social and emotional development. There is almost nothing more difficult than watching your child experience discomfort or anxiety. So many children with social skills deficits feel alone, frustrated and angry. They want friends. They aren’t aware, for the most part, what it is they are
- [How to Stop Bickering Siblings](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-how-to-stop-bickering-siblings) - Dear Cathi, My children have been home from school for almost a month now. I am enjoying our time together as a family, but my son and daughter are bickering constantly. I feel like I've tried everything under the sun to get them to stop. I've tried bribing, yelling, separating them, cajoling. You name it;
- [Best Apps for your Children](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-best-apps-for-your-children) - We get a lot of questions from our parents about what the best apps are for their children. We thought we would compile some resources here for you to use as a reference. There a many free apps out there, but most of the really specialized applications do charge a fee. Take a look and
- [Keeping the Peace at Home](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-keeping-the-peace-at-home) - With all of the “togetherness” of summer, it can be a challenge to keep harmony in your house. With the e-book, “I’ve Had It: Six Surefire Ways to Keep the Peace at Home”, I outline the specific steps you can take to create a cooperative, peaceful environment at home. As a bonus, there are interactive
- [Face Your Fears](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-face-your-fears) - Dear Cathi, How does a parent know when to keep encouraging a child to do an activity vs. letting the child decide to avoid or "opt out"? Certainly I realize crying and resisting an activity are pretty straightforward and may be telling me there is cause for concern. However, my 10 year old son, Connor often
- [Congratulations Stepping Stones Graduates!](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-congratulations-stepping-stones-graduates) - The school year is coming to a close and with that end comes the opportunity to reflect on all that our children have accomplished. At In Step, many of the groups that formed when school started, are also coming to an end. We have graduations and pizza parties and discuss the accomplishments of our kids
- [Make the Most of Summer](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-ah-summer) - Remember when you were a child and you couldn’t wait for school to end and the long days of summer to begin? I would bet that you never wondered what school ending meant for your parents. As a kid, that was not a concern of yours. Now that you are a parent yourself, summer probably
- [Ready for Kindergarten](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-ready-for-kindergarten) - Dear Cathi, My son, Eric, is starting kindergarten next fall. I’m not sure who is less ready; him or me. He is a very bright child. The academics will be no problem for him. But, his behavior is another story. Eric’s pre-school teachers say that he has trouble sitting still during circle time. He frequently
- [When “the Work” is Play](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-when-the-work-is-play) - “Creeeeeeeak!,” shrieks Eddie as the group members pull him back further, further, stretching the giant slingshot to its very limit. “Ok, I’m the Red Bird. Make sure to aim me carefully. We can’t miss this time!” The group members negotiate their places; John and Aidan direct the others to maximize the impact of the shot.
- [Co-Parenting](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-co-parenting) - Dear Cathi, I have recently separated from my wife of 11 years. We have joint custody of our three children. Forgive me if I sound frustrated, but I just don't see how this can work. My ex-wife and I couldn't agree on anything when we WERE married. How are we suppose to work things out
- [Resiliency: What's Love Got to Do With It?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-resiliency-whats-love-got-to-do-with-it) - By Mary Shuffleton, LPC, MA "When my teenage daughter said she was trying out for the school play, I immediately started to worry about what would happen if she didn't get the part. Anytime she is faced with disappointment, she becomes incredibly anxious and upset. She isn't just bummed, like some other kids. She can't get
- [Dear Cathi: Anxiety Meltdowns](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-dear-cathi-anxiety-meltdowns) - Dear Cathi, We don't know what to do with our 9 year old son. He is a really good kid with no school problems, but when he gets home, he falls apart. The second he walks through the door, the littlest thing sets him off. Settling down to do homework is a nightmare. He fights my
- [Learning the Secret Handshake](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-learning-the-secret-handshake) - By Bob Axelrod, LCSW When you listen to your kids talk about school and their friends, does it sometimes feel like they are part of a secret society that we, as parents, cannot understand? Have you watched a group of middle schoolers interact with each other? There are so many unspoken rules of communication between
- [Help! My son is bored.](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-help-my-son-is-bored) - Dear Cathi, I am so frustrated with my son. I could scream! He is very bright and perfectly capable of doing well in school. My wife and I put no pressure on him to get good grades, but we would like him to put in his best effort. Instead, he clowns around in class, rushes
- [Parents as Allies](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-can-we-talk-fellow-parents-are-your-allies) - I can’t tell you how often I hear parents, teachers, counselors, and coaches alike complain about managing parents. We are constantly around other people’s children. Whether we coach our child’s soccer team or lead a Girl Scout troop or chaperone on a field trip, we are interacting with children. We all know that parents love
- [Dear Cathi: Sibling Rivalry Blues](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-sibling-rivalry-blues) - Dear Cathi, Before I had children, I didn't understand what the big deal was about sibling rivalry. I myself have an older brother and a younger sister, and I don't remember us fighting all that much. Sure, we would argue and bicker sometimes, but I never saw it as anything besides normal. So, when I
- [Parenting: What Does Knowing Myself Have to Do With It?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-parenting-what-does-knowing-myself-have-to-do-with-it) - When you take on the enormous responsibility of having a child, your buttons are going to be pushed. You are going to get upset with your kids from time-to-time. This is OK, even desirable perhaps. Just because frustration and anger with your kids is unavoidable doesn’t mean it’s healthy to vent on them. Anger is
- [Dear Cathi: Boosting The Asperger's Child's Self-Esteem](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-dear-cathi-boosting-the-aspergers-childs-self-esteem) - Dear Cathi, My daughter, Emily, is an eight-year-old second grader who was recently diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome (AS). I've always known that Emily is a unique little girl, but I had no idea she might be on the spectrum. I was thrilled that Emily was reading by age four, but curious that she only read
- [Finding Your Voice, Losing Your Holler](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-finding-your-voice-losing-your-holler) - When all else fails: Holler. Who can blame you? It’s exasperating being ignored after repeating a request umpteen times without response. Frustration mounts when your child dilly dallies before school, making you late for work, AGAIN. It’s terribly trying managing yourself and your child when you are being treated with disrespect and brashness. You’ve tried
- [Why Parent Groups?  The Role of Parent Groups in Helping Children Make and Maintain Friends](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-why-parent-groups-the-role-of-parent-groups-in-helping-children-make-and-maintain-friends) - Parents play a very active role in our Stepping Stones group therapy program. We commend our parents for their commitment to their children. In their involved roles here at In Step, parents work hard in their weekly coaching groups as they share issues and concerns with other parents, follow through on practice exercises and activities
- [Dear Cathi: Middle School](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-dear-cathi-2) - Dear Cathi, My 8th grade daughter, Jocelyn is driving me crazy. If I thought it was bad in 7th grade? Well, 8th is just like 7th except on steroids! She is so moody. I would even call it erratic. I never know which child is going to walk in the door. Will it be my
- [Subscribe to InStep's Monthly Newsletter](https://insteppc.com/blog/subscribe-to-insteps-monthly-newsletter) - Subscribe to Cathi's monthly newsletter to stay in-the-loop with InStep news and upcoming events.
- [Dear Cathi: Being a Step-Parent](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-dear-cathi-1) - I am having a real problem with my husband's 7 year old son, Jack.
- [Coping With Back-To-School Blues](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-coping-with-back-to-school-blues) - "Have you finished your homework?" "It's a school night. Time to get ready for bed." "Mom, where is my assignment book?" "Drop-off is at 4:30. Pick-up is at 8:30." "Save dinner for me. I'll eat after practice." "Hurry up. You're going to be late for the bus." "I need lunch money." "Don't forget to sign
- [Cyber Bullies - Not Your Typical Bully](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-cyber-bullies-not-your-typical-bully) - Just as we are beginning to understand and prevent bullying on a systematic level, along comes a unique and cruel form: cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is an entirely different animal. Contrary to traditional bullying that occurs in the open, cyber bullying often occurs in the privacy of a victim’s home, where few adults are present.
- [ADHD: Understanding social differences between boys and girls](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-adhd-in-girls) - For the child with ADHD, there are many common characteristics in both sexes but they surface and get played out quite differently between boys and girls. In addition, male and female peers react to these characteristics disparately as well. Generally, there is a bit more social rope given to boys than to girls. After all,
- [Testing Your Child for ADHD](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-testing-your-child-for-adhd) - If your child’s teacher tells you that she thinks your child may have AD/HD, you may want to consider getting him/her diagnosed. A diagnosis of AD/HD is not made until a thorough evaluation is conducted by a qualified professional. At times, teachers give feedback that is difficult to hear. Although this may be difficult to
- [The Resilient Child](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-the-resilient-child) - Life throws us many unexpected events and situations, and it has often been said that a situation doesn’t define a person, it’s how the person handles the situation. As adults, our life experiences and lessons learned often guide our actions when we are faced with such situations, but for children, it can be an entirely
- [Outdoor Summer Social Skills Programs](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-outdoor-summer-social-skills-programs) - Our outdoor summer social skills program that is offered is a unique outdoor social skills training program for elementary school-age children. With its major focus on team building and cooperation training, this group can benefit already existing Stepping Stones group members or children who have never been involved in a social skills training group before.
- [Sibling Rivalry](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-sibling-rivalry) - Sibling rivalry is without a doubt one of the toughest problems parents have to handle in the raising of their children. We all know from our own experiences that our siblings can have a profound effect on our early lives, and these feelings about ourselves can well persist into adulthood. As parents, we want the
- [Drama Therapy: What is it?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-drama-therapy-what-is-it) - In Step takes the time and strategic approach to each one of our client’s concerns and needs. Since every client is different, we utilize a variety of different methods that allows us to better communicate and get to the heart of the issue in an effective and meaningful manner. Often times, our clients have difficulty
- [Anger Management Groups for All Ages](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-anger-management-groups-for-all-ages) - Anger is often the emotion most difficult to understand, to “manage,” and most importantly, to control. It can take away our breath, start our heart racing, and engage our defensive armor when someone says, “I’m angry.” All too often this misunderstood and much disliked feeling can wreak havoc on our minds, bodies and relationships --
- [Developing Good Sportsmanship and Learning Social Skills](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-developing-good-sportsmanship-and-learning-social-skills) - Spring is upon us and children are flocking to soccer fields and baseball diamonds. For some, this will be an entirely new experience while many have been looking forward to the next sports season as soon as the last one ended. With the desire to get back to playing sports comes the desire to win.
- [Social Skills and Jealousy in Children](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-social-skills-and-jealousy-in-children-2) - Jealousy encompasses the thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that occur when a person believes a valued relationship is being threatened. Jealousy usually involves anger and possessiveness, and can negatively affect social skills in children. We all feel jealousy from time to time; it is a normal human emotion. It's when jealous feelings are not kept in
- [Why Parent Groups for Social Skills Training?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-why-parent-groups-for-social-skills-training) - Parents play a very active role in our Stepping Stones (social skills) group therapy program. We commend our parents for their commitment to their children. In their involved roles here at In Step, parents work hard in their weekly coaching groups as they share issues and concerns with other parents, follow through on practice exercises
- [Cyber Bullying: Not So Typical Bully](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-cyber-bullying-social-school-phobias-2) - Just as we are beginning to understand and prevent bullying on a systematic level, along comes an entirely unique and cruel form: cyber bullying. Cyber bullying is an entirely different animal. It happens in private while traditional bullying typically occurs in the open, where there are few adults present. The bully, the bystanders, and the
- [Social Skills Training and the Power of Friendship](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-social-skills-training-and-the-power-of-friendship-2) - One way to give your child a greater chance of living a happy, productive life is to make sure he/she has the pro-social skills training necessary to make and keep friends. The research is very clear: Life success is determined less by IQ and good grades than it is by a child's social skills and
- [Conflict Resolution and Social Skill Development](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-conflict-resolution-and-social-skill-development) - We often argue with friends and family members when we are angry, frustrated, or upset about something. Do you ever wonder of arguing in front of your children might negatively affect them? Perhaps you think fighting in front of children could adversely affect their mental health or even your child’s social skills. Maybe you think
- [Social Anxiety in Children](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-social-anxiety-in-children) - Everyone experiences some level of fear and worry. This isn’t a bad thing. These feelings actually signal us to change our behavior in potentially threatening situations. For instance, most of us worry if it suddenly begins to thunder and lightning while we are swimming. Our fear signals us to get out of the pool! This
- [The Benefits of Group Therapy](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-the-benefits-of-group-therapy) - Group psychotherapy is a unique form of therapy in which a small number of people meet together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist. During this time, patients are able to increase their social development skills and also help others develop their skills as well. Group therapy has been a common practice for over
- [Effective Social Skills Groups for Your Child](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-effective-social-skills-groups-for-your-child) - In such a socially-focused culture, it is essential to find the right social skills training groups for your children. The ideal atmosphere will teach your children how to carry their newly learned social skills and apply them to their everyday lives. With new friendships, teachers, parents and beyond, a child’s social skill development will affect
- [Helping Children Navigate Divorce](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-helping-children-navigate-divorce-2) - Divorce is never an easy situation for the parties involved – especially for the children. Understanding how to interact with your children and helping them understand the situation is essential. Communication is key and during a time of such stress and emotional highs and lows it can be difficult to clearly express the dynamics of
- [Concurrent Parent and Child Therapy Groups](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-concurrent-parent-and-child-therapy-groups-2) - In years past researchers have found that parenting self-efficacy is an important potential contributor to the emotional and social developmental of children. PSE is defined as beliefs or judgments about one’s competency or ability to successfully carry out one’s parenting roles. In one Study at BYU a professor of psychology, examined parenting self-efficacy and
- [Parent Involvement is Critical in Social Skills Development](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-parent-involvement-is-critical-in-social-skills-development) - Social skills training groups vary tremendously in their ability to help children not only learn but also transfer skills from a group to a home and school environment. For many children, learning new social skills is like learning a foreign language. Similarly to acquiring a new language, it's important that the kids are immersed in
- [Socially Anxious Teens](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-socially-anxious-teens) - Socially anxious teens desperately want to interact and connect with their peers. Sadly, "wanting" is not "doing." These teens struggle with a challenging and painful irony: the desire they have to belong, to fit in, to be more in-sync with their peers leads to the very feelings of anxiety they are trying to avoid. With
- [Is the Merry Missing from Your Holidays?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-is-the-merry-missing-from-your-holidays) - Here are some ways to reduce your stress and bring back the joy. Identify what is meaningful. Make room for what you enjoy, spend time with the people you love, and seek out what is most spiritually meaningful to you during the Holidays. Discard old traditions that are meaningless, and avoid rote tasks that are
- [Holiday Stress](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-holiday-stress) - "Ah, come on, dad, this could be the miracle that saves The Simpsons Christmas! If TV has taught me anything, it’s that miracles always happens to poor kids at Christmas. It happened to Tiny Tim, it happened to Charlie Brown, it happened to The Smurfs, and it's gonna happen to us!" ~ Bart Simpson Even
- [Winter Blues](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-winter-blues) - As I look out my window right now and see the overcast, gray sky I’m reminded of the seasons changing and that winter is just around the corner. While it’s a wonderful practice to be in the present moment, at times it’s good to look toward the future so we can use this moment for
- [Working on Social Skills](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-working-on-social-skills) - Many children and adolescents who present for therapy services here at In Step experience difficulties in their peer relationships. They may encounter problems making and keeping friends, have trouble noticing social cues, or have a hard time expressing themselves. Both individual and group therapy can assist children and teens to gain skills for navigating their
- [How To Stand Up To a Bully](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-how-to-stand-up-to-a-bully) - Bullying is a big problem that affects both kids and adults. Whether at school or work, we've all seen it ... a shun or punch on the playground, taking credit for a co-worker's work in the big meeting. We love this anecdotal video that empowers kids (and adults alike) to stand up to bullies!
- [Is Perfection Causing Stress?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-is-perfection-causing-stress) - In American culture, we are bombarded with symbols and messages about striving for perfection—just take a look at the Photoshopped models on magazine covers, or the idealized relationships on television. All of this can drive us towards the idea that we’re supposed to achieve perfection in school, with our families and in other relationships—in every
- [Know the Signs of Bullying](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-know-the-signs-of-bullying) - You know your child the best. You will probably be the first one to notice any changes in your child’s behavior. As soon as you notice any changes, start keeping a diary. The changes to look out for: Refusal or reluctance to go to school Requests for you to drive them instead of catching the
- [Shy, quiet, anxious??? Is your child being described with these words?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-shy-quiet-anxious-is-your-child-being-described-with-these-words) - As a parent, you want your kids to get good grades. But you also want them to be happy, to have friends, and to enjoy going to school each day. Making friends is an important part of your child’s school experience and may even have an impact on her grades. If your child has found
- [No LOL Matter, Balancing Safety with Social Media Access](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-no-lol-matter-balancing-safety-with-social-media-access) - I knew it was a matter of time. My 11 year old wasn't just asking for her own Facebook account, she's lobbying for one. Her arguments were the standard ones: 1. "ALL of my friends have had Facebook accounts FOR YEARS." 2. "If I don't have a Facebook account, I will lose all of my
- [Mindfulness Meditation](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-mindfulness-meditation) - Mindfulness is about being fully aware of whatever is happening in the present moment, without filters or the lens of judgment. It can be brought to any situation. Put simply, mindfulness consists of cultivating awareness of the mind and body and living in the here and now. There are two kinds of mindfulness: formal, which
- [Tired, But Can’t Sleep? Learn to Turn the Thoughts Off.](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-anxiety-in-teens-tired-but-cant-sleep-learn-to-turn-the-thoughts-off) - Sleep deprivation in teens has been linked to depression, anxiety, moodiness, and other mental disorders. As we all know, sleep is essential. It affects our mood, anxiety level, stress, weight, and energy. Just like eating and breathing, sleep is natural and should be treated as equally important. Without proper sleep, we are on track for
- [Is your child’s ADHD causing social problems in school?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-is-your-childs-adhd-causing-social-problems-in-school) - Confused, wanting to know how you can help? Here are some things you can do: (An abbreviated excerpt from Cathi Cohen’s book “Raise your Child’s Social IQ”) Make sure your child has been properly evaluated and is being treated for his/her AD/HD. AD/HD literature stresses the need for a multidimensional approach to treatment (medication management, social
- [Is Group Therapy Right for You?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-is-group-therapy-right-for-you) - Unless you have been sheltered from the media you have heard about the benefits of individual therapy but I wanted to touch on all the benefits of group therapy. The approach in group therapy is different but still leads to self discovery. Amongst a group of peers often times deeper self discovery occurs along with
- [Tormented by Your Teen?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-tormented-by-your-teen) - Let’s face it, as a parent raising a teenager is going to be one of the toughest challenges you have ever faced in your entire life. All of a sudden this cute little child wants to be their own person and no longer wants you hovering over them. It can be quite a shock for
- [“Mom, I just don’t fit in...”](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-mom-i-just-dont-fit-in) - Information for Parents Many children feel like they don’t fit in at some point. Even adults feel that way occasionally: we all experience being “alone in a room full of people.” With kids, the need to be part of a group is instinctual; it’s survival. They want to fit in and be like everyone else
- [Social Skills in School, the Hardest Subject](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-social-skills-in-school-the-hardest-subject) - “That’s mine!” “You like him better than me.” “I won’t be your friend!” Social skills are the personal skills needed for successful social communication and interaction. In day-to-day activities these represent the degrees to which children are able to establish and maintain friendships, work and play with others, and terminate negative relationships. As children develop
- [Back to School, Routines, Sports and Anxiety](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-back-to-school-routines-sports-and-anxiety) - Summer is coming to a close quickly and it's back to school time again. In all the stores and in many of the commercials, you can’t avoid it, the sense of a summer’s "end" is near. As the start of the school year approaches, perhaps you have seen your first grader go into meltdown mode
- [Why Group Psychotherapy Works for Children](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-why-group-psychotherapy-works-for-children) - Group psychotherapy is a special form of therapy in which a small number of people meet together under the guidance of a professionally trained therapist to help themselves and one another. The therapy has been widely used and has been a standard treatment option for over 50 years. Reasons Why Group Therapy Works Group therapy helps children
- [What is a Psychotherapy Group?](https://insteppc.com/blog/blog-what-is-a-psychotherapy-group-2) - Groups are everywhere. Our daily lives are filled with various groups of people, from families to work groups to church groups. What distinguishes these groups from one another is their purpose. The purpose of a psychotherapy group is to promote the personal growth and psychological health of its members. Although the composition, theme and length

## Pages

- [About Us: Our Founder and Team](https://insteppc.com/about-us-founder-and-team/) - Why In Step In Step is the rare therapy practice that specializes in individual, family, and group therapy services. We know through experience that each of our clients is unique in their needs, and we tailor our services accordingly. We pride ourselves on listening to you and if we don’t have the service you need,
- [Resources: Articles & Posts](https://insteppc.com/essential-mental-health-resources-articles-blogs/) - [vc_row gap=”1″ row_title=”Posts” css=”.vc_custom_1740074804910{border-radius: 10px !important;border-color: #1E73BE !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1745946999094{border-right-width: 2px !important;border-left-width: 2px !important;padding-right: 2px !important;padding-left: 2px !important;background-color: #88C0F2 !important;}”][blog count=”3″ style=”masonry” columns=”3″ category=”summer-camps” more=”1″ filters=”1″ pagination=”0″ greyscale=”0″ margin=”1″][blog count=”3″ style=”grid” columns=”3″ category=”dear-cathi” more=”1″ filters=”1″ pagination=”0″ greyscale=”0″ margin=”1″][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- [Specialized Group Therapies](https://insteppc.com/groups/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Our highly experienced clinicians offer services to the following age groups. Adults Adolescents / Teenagers (14 to 19) Preteens / Tweens (11 to 13) Children (6 to 10) Toddlers / Preschoolers (4 to 6) [/vc_column_text][vc_text_separator title=”Types of Group Therapy Available” css=””][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_column_text css=””]PreK/Elementary Early Childhood Social Skills Groups Stepping Stones Social IQ Groups
- [In Step Book Store](https://insteppc.com/store/) - [vc_row][vc_column][gravityform id=”2″ title=”true” description=”false” ajax=”true”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- [Parenting & Parent IQ Coaching](https://insteppc.com/groups/parenting/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As parents, you play a vital role in the social, emotional, and behavioral development of your child. As such, for many of our programs, we require group parent coaching in conjunction with your child’s treatment. The in-person and virtual parent groups at In Step are led by parenting experts who intimately understand the challenges of
- [Getting Started](https://insteppc.com/getting-started-in-step/) - [vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Welcome to the In Step family [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” el_class=”invert-cl-mobile”][vc_column width=”3/4″ el_class=”left-margin-fullwidth”][vc_column_text css=””]We understand that looking into therapy options is a very important process and can be a daunting one. There are a number of factors to consider when finding the right fit for your family’s needs. Your first step is to call,
- [Our Team](https://insteppc.com/meet-our-dedicated-team-at-in-step-pc/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text][wpgb_grid id=”1″][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- [Contact Us: Happy to help](https://insteppc.com/contact-us/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text css=””] Get Started Now Interested in Joining our Team? Apply Now![/vc_column_text][gravityform id=”1″ title=”false” description=”false” ajax=”true”][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_empty_space height=”6px” el_class=”show-mobile”][vc_column_text] In Step Office 8500 Executive Park Avenue, Suite 204 Fairfax, VA 22031 703-876-8480 703-876-8482 admin@insteppc.com [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row]
- [Stepping Stones](https://insteppc.com/groups/stepping-stones/) - [vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][vc_column_text] Stepping Stones Stepping Stones is an evidence-based social skills group therapy program developed by In Step’s Founder, Cathi Cohen LCSW, CGP in 1990. Parent and child groups run simultaneously and are led by licensed clinicians. The groups meet once a week for approximately 40 weeks. Stepping Stones is geared towards elementary and middle
- [Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills](https://insteppc.com/groups/dialectical-behavior-therapy/) - [vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][vc_column_text] DBT Skills Our social skills groups provide a structured therapeutic setting designed to help individuals improve their social interactions, communication abilities, and relationship-building skills. We take special care to match individuals up with the appropriate group chronologically, developmentally, and emotionally. Sessions provide age-appropriate support and activities to help members develop social skills such
- [Social Skills Therapy](https://insteppc.com/groups/social-skills/) - [vc_row disable_element=”yes”][vc_column][vc_column_text] Social Skills Groups Our social skills groups provide a structured therapeutic setting designed to help individuals improve their social interactions, communication abilities, and relationship-building skills. We take special care to match individuals up with the appropriate group chronologically, developmentally, and emotionally. Sessions provide age-appropriate support and activities to help members develop social skills
- [Individual Therapy](https://insteppc.com/individuals/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””] Individual psychotherapy is provided for children, adolescents and adults. Psychotherapy is highly individualized, focusing on the unique needs and experiences of each client. Clients often seek help for a wide variety of psychological, emotional, and interpersonal challenges. Our therapists tailor their approach to match the client’s personality, preferences, and specific issues, ensuring a
- [Interpersonal Process](https://insteppc.com/groups/interpersonal-process-therapy/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text css=””]Our Interpersonal Process groups are intended for those who have a grasp on conversational and social skills, but desire extra support to develop interpersonal skills and confidence. Groups focus on exploring and improving interpersonal relationships within a small group setting. Our trained therapists provide a space for individuals to interact and work on understanding
- [Psychological Testing & Evaluation](https://insteppc.com/psychological-testing-evaluation/) - [vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” el_class=”invert-cl-mobile subhero”][vc_column width=”3/4″ el_class=”left-margin-fullwidth”][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1751559511084{margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”] What does Psychological testing do? For children with a complex constellation of symptoms, psychological testing provides insight into the roots of a child’s challenges and can provide clarity for therapeutic intervention. Testing starts the process of deeply understanding a child and provides essential data
- [Families, Parents & Couples](https://insteppc.com/families/) - [vc_row full_width=”stretch_row_content_no_spaces” content_placement=”top” el_class=”invert-cl-mobile”][vc_column width=”3/4″ el_class=”left-margin-fullwidth”][vc_column_text css=””] Family Therapy Frequently, the most appropriate way to solve a family issue is to meet with the family together. This approach emphasizes such factors as relationships and communication patterns rather than traits or symptoms in individual members. Family therapy requires a unique set of skills and expertise on
- [Home](https://insteppc.com/home/) - [vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” el_id=”announcements” css=”.vc_custom_1713554940050{background-color: #ffcc41 !important;}”][vc_column css=”.vc_custom_1713561356022{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 0px !important;padding-bottom: 0px !important;}”][vc_column_text css_animation=”none” css=”.vc_custom_1728322459621{margin-top: 0px !important;margin-bottom: 0px !important;padding-top: 15px !important;padding-bottom: 15px !important;}”] GROUPS are NOW FORMING! Contact Us for More Information. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row full_width=”stretch_row” content_placement=”middle” el_id=”hero”][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text css_animation=”none” css=””] WELCOME TO IN STEP [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css_animation=”fadeInLeft” css=””] Walking in step with you on your
- [Privacy Policy](https://insteppc.com/privacy-policy/) - [vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Who we are Our website address is: https://insteppc.com/. Media If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website. Cookies If you visit our login page, we will set

## Categories

- [Uncategorized](https://insteppc.com/category/uncategorized/)
- [Activities](https://insteppc.com/category/activities/)
- [Cathi’s Books](https://insteppc.com/category/cathis-books/)
- [Group Therapy](https://insteppc.com/category/group-therapy/)
- [Family](https://insteppc.com/category/family/)
- [DBT Therapy](https://insteppc.com/category/dbt-therapy/)
- [ADHD](https://insteppc.com/category/adhd/)
- [Anxiety](https://insteppc.com/category/anxiety/)
- [Social Skills](https://insteppc.com/category/social-skills/)
- [Teenagers](https://insteppc.com/category/teenagers/)
- [Depression](https://insteppc.com/category/depression/)
- [Communication](https://insteppc.com/category/communication/)
- [Social Skill Development](https://insteppc.com/category/social-skill-development/)
- [Anxiety in Children](https://insteppc.com/category/anxiety-in-children/)