Please check back frequently, as we add new conversations with Dr. Sam twice weekly.

Talking with Children About COVID

Date Broadcasted Live: April 23, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"When you sit down to talk with your child, it's very important that you monitor your own anxiety. They will pick up on how you are feeling; if you are anxious, they will feel anxious."

 

Validating Emotions in the Age of Coronavirus

Date Broadcasted Live: April 27, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"You can't actually validate their feelings unless you really know how they're feeling. The first step is just to find out and listen. What you're doing with validation is restating what they're telling you."

 

Strategies for Family Success During Times of Uncertainty

Date Broadcasted Live: April 30, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"We can be helping our families be successful and manage emotions by visioning the day or week ahead while also being reasonable in what our expectations are for both ourselves and for each other."

 

Preparing for the COVID-19 Marathon Beyond the Initial Sprint

Date Broadcasted Live: May 4, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"We're not meant for our bodies to be in this heightened state for a really long time. When it hit in early March, a lot of people hit the ground running... now, it's clear this is an extended timeline and people are telling me that they 'hit the wall.'"

 

Being Proactive About Your Child's (and Your Family's) Mental Health

Date Broadcasted Live: May 7, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"Even if these depressive symptoms are situational, they're still important to work on because the more time you spend thinking negatively or getting in the habit of not doing a lot, the more likely that will happen again, even when this situation is over."

 

Help Your Child Stay Positive and Manage Anxiety

Date Broadcasted Live: May 11, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"Anxiety usually stems from feeling out of control and right now, we don't have control over things that we used to. In terms of your children and teens, look out for... 'what if' comments and extreme words like 'never,' 'always,' and 'forever.'"

 

Supporting Emotional & Behavior Regulation in Your Child

Date Broadcasted Live: May 14, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"Because of everything that we're going through, and the amount of stress that we are experiencing all the time, executive functioning is becoming a challenge for a lot of people -- children and adults alike."

 

Helping Your Child Thrive Emotionally

Date Broadcasted Live: May 18, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"Most of the questions are about your child's behavior because that's the distressing part of parenting, but really it all connected to emotion regulation. If you can't control your emotions, then you typically have a hard time controlling your behavior."

 

Practicing Emotional Regulation Through Limit Setting

Date Broadcasted Live: May 21, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"When your child is defiant or misbehaving in some way, it is often because your child is trying to gain control... if you think about it, when you're a child or teenager, a lot of your life is spent being told what to do and what not to do. All they hear is commands all day."

 

Talking with Kids About the "New Normal"

Date Broadcasted Live: May 25, 2020

Link to View on Facebook

"As school winds down and we're talking about what is going to happen this summer and next fall, there are a lot of 'what if's and a lot of questions. Certainly, anxiety can come along with that... here are some tips for parents to start this conversation with their children."