Mad River Behavioral Health

 Neuroplasticity  Environmental factors regulate the process of the growth of new neurons. ~ Exercise ~ Enrichment ~ Learning Tasks  … facilitate the growth of new neurons.  ~ Stress ~ Sensory Deprivation ~ Inflammation … have the opposite effect. Reducing stress is a good objective, but life requires advanced stress management skills.  Study and practice stress management skills daily.  This will serve you well.

I think for most parents, myself included, figuring out how to be the best possible parent, figuring out how to help our children become the best possible version of themselves that they can be ... is central to our existence as parents. In my mind, this purpose is an all-consuming obligation.  The whole purpose of this blog is directed toward fulfilling this purpose.  In this essay I offer thoughts on developing a constructive family culture.  I use the word constructive to describe a family that adds value to their children.  Not all families do this.  In fact, many diminish their children either subtly or in crushing torrents.    Family culture describes the rules, norms, values, customs, traditions, and leadership style of a family that guides and informs the way people behave on an individual basis and interact with each other. This essay is not prescriptive, an instruction on how to make a specific family culture.  It is a thinking too...

Anger management If you want your children to be able to take space in order to calm down, you will need to be very good at taking space to calm down.  Parenting is leadership by example. More on this soon.