Stop Scrolling: 5 Meditations That Take 1 Minute and Will Relieve Your Holiday Stress

Stop Scrolling: 5 Meditations That Take 1 Minute and Will Relieve Your Holiday Stress

HobbyScool Summit: Back to School Edition

The HobbyScool Summit: Back to School Edition

Are you concerned that your child isn’t quite ready for the new school year? Don’t worry – the Back to School Summit has you covered! This online summit will help you and your child be prepared for the upcoming school year. 

This free event kicks off on Tuesday, September 13th and features 19 speaker presentations that will cover topics such as how to set goals, how to study smarter, and how to get organized to set your child up for success in the school year.

Who doesn’t want that?

Our very own Dr. Liz Matheis will be speaking on the topic of: Managing Back to School Anxiety.

So why wait? Sign up today and guarantee your child’s success in the new school year! Get your free ticket by clicking the box below! Excited to see you there!

HobbyScool Summit: Back to School Edition

The HobbyScool Summit: Back to School Edition

Are you concerned that your child isn’t quite ready for the new school year? Don’t worry – the Back to School Summit has you covered! This online summit will help you and your child be prepared for the upcoming school year. 

This free event kicks off on Tuesday, September 13th and features 19 speaker presentations that will cover topics such as how to set goals, how to study smarter, and how to get organized to set your child up for success in the school year.

Who doesn’t want that?

Our very own Dr. Liz Matheis will be speaking on the topic of: Managing Back to School Anxiety.

So why wait? Sign up today and guarantee your child’s success in the new school year! Get your free ticket by clicking the box below! Excited to see you there!

HobbyScool Summit: Back to School Edition

The HobbyScool Summit: Back to School Edition

Are you concerned that your child isn’t quite ready for the new school year? Don’t worry – the Back to School Summit has you covered! This online summit will help you and your child be prepared for the upcoming school year. 

This free event kicks off on Tuesday, September 13th and features 19 speaker presentations that will cover topics such as how to set goals, how to study smarter, and how to get organized to set your child up for success in the school year.

Who doesn’t want that?

Our very own Dr. Liz Matheis will be speaking on the topic of: Managing Back to School Anxiety.

So why wait? Sign up today and guarantee your child’s success in the new school year! Get your free ticket by clicking the box below! Excited to see you there!

Don’t Be Afraid to Ride the Wave of Anxiety

Don’t Be Afraid to Ride the Wave of Anxiety

written by Dr. Liz Matheis, posted on Psychology Today

As a divorcing mom of three and a psychologist who specializes in anxiety, I feel anxious every day. Ironic, right? I don’t feel a high level of anxiety every day all day, but I do feel some level of anxiety about something, and by the end of the day, I am physically and emotionally exhausted. I also sit with and absorb other people’s anxiety, whether they are my patients, my children, my family, or my friends.

When we feel anxious, we often do things to avoid and distract rather than facing what it is that is triggering us or is creating fear, stress, and worry. Many people, adults and children alike, will eat, drink, or engage in self-harm behaviors in order to run away or quiet down their thoughts.

It’s part of our natural instinct to seek pleasure and avoid pain, but with anxiety, engaging in these actions doesn’t make it better or less. In fact, it creates more anxiety that sits, and finds a home, within our bodies. It impacts our mood, decisions, motivation, and our energy, whether we are aware of its impact or not.

How to Help Kids Who Are Too Hard on Themselves

How to Help Kids Who Are Too Hard on Themselves

written by Katherine Martinelli, posted on childmind.org

All kids say bad stuff about themselves sometimes. But when their inner voice keeps saying bad things, it can have a negative effect on them.

Children who expect a lot of themselves may be prone to negative self-talk. For older kids, saying things like, “I’m so stupid” or, “I’m so fat” can be a way of protecting themselves from social pressure. They may say bad things about themselves before someone else does it. And kids who are being bullied may start to believe the bad things other kids say about them and start saying them too.

While some kids may do this as a way of getting attention, others do it because they’re not good at bouncing back when something bad happens. They also might not want to try new or hard things.

What to Do (and Not Do) When Children Are Anxious

What to Do (and Not Do) When Children Are Anxious

written by Clark Goldstein, PhD – posted on childmind.org

When kids are anxious, it’s natural to want to help them feel better. But by trying to protect kids from the things that upset them, you can accidentally make anxiety worse. The best way to help kids overcome anxiety is to teach them to deal with anxiety as it comes up. With practice, they will be less anxious. 

When a child gets upset in an uncomfortable situation and their parents take them out of the situation, they learn that getting upset is a good way to cope. Instead, it’s helpful for parents to let kids know that they’re going to be okay, even if they’re scared. You can’t promise your child that nothing bad will happen. But you can express confidence that they can face their fears and feel less afraid over time. 

You can show your child empathy without agreeing with their fears. For example, you might say: “I know you’re scared to get this shot. It’s okay to be scared. You can get through this, and I’m going to help you.” It’s usually helpful to avoid leading questions (“Are you worried about the test tomorrow?”).  Instead, ask open questions (“How do you feel about the test tomorrow?”). You can use your tone of voice and body language to show your child that you’re calm, which can help them stay calm too. 

How to Calm Anxiety (When You’re Freaking Out)

How to calm anxiety (when you’re freaking out)

posted on fingerprint for success

Anxiety is a common struggle for many people. The good news is that mental health is finally becoming part of the broader well-being conversation among medical professionals and the public–which helps eliminate the stigma of mental health struggles and allows us to find ways to treat it and cope with it.

If you struggle with anxiety, know that you are not alone.

How to calm anxiety (when you’re freaking out)

How to calm anxiety (when you’re freaking out)

posted on fingerprint for success

Anxiety is a common struggle for many people. The good news is that mental health is finally becoming part of the broader well-being conversation among medical professionals and the public–which helps eliminate the stigma of mental health struggles and allows us to find ways to treat it and cope with it.

Accommodating Your Anxious Child in School and Home

Accommodating Your Anxious Child in School and Home

written by Dr. Liz Matheis, published on Psychology Today

Anxiety can be a debilitating emotional experience. It has the ability to take a pleasant moment and turn it into a disaster with all of the “what ifs” that could happen. Anxiety lies, and it creates a sense of danger or incredible discomfort in daily life that is exhausting and can be debilitating and limiting.

Since March 2020, anxiety for our children, teens, and young adults has reached disturbingly high levels. Masks, social distancing, vaccinations, etc. have been a part of our daily language, thoughts, and conversation. We fear for the academic skills that our children have lost as well as the social and emotional experiences that our children have missed due to isolation, quarantine, and shutdowns.

Since September 2020, many of our children, teens, and young adults have needed extra support in school due to the high levels of anxiety that have resulted in school phobia, avoidance, and emotional shutdown. Children who were once high achievers stopped logging into classes, turning in assignments, completing homework, participating in class lessons, and studying for exams. Our children and teens did not wish to turn their cameras on or participate in class discussions because of the perceived direct focus on each child and the attention that was created. Our kids struggled to keep up with the list of assignments listed on different online portals such as Google Classroom. How many children, including my own, have had difficulty in uploading a document and hitting “submit”? Many. Too many.

"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Julie C.
"Dr. Matheis has a remarkable ability to understand the unique needs of her patients and address them constructively. She builds strong, meaningful relationships with patients and their families, encouraging trust and collaboration. When working with my son who struggles with autism-related anxiety, she created an environment in which he was able to calm down and open up to her in ways I had not seen before. She was able to reach him and helped him work through his crisis/problem. Most importantly, she empowered him to move forward."
- N.L.
"Dr. Matheis is amazing. She has tremendous resources and loads of energy. She is not willing to accept anything less than the most effective results for her clients. She made me feel as if my son was her top priority throughout the entire process. I would, without reservation, give her my highest recommendations.  Thank you, Dr. Matheis!"
- Anonymous
"Dr. Matheis has an amazing ability to read kids and connect with them. She has been an invaluable resource for our family over the past several years and has helped us with everything from educational consulting, to uncovering diagnoses as well as family therapy. Working with Dr. Matheis never feels clinical and most importantly, our children love and trust her. We can not thank you enough Dr. Liz!"
- Anonymous
"My teenage son had been seeing Dr. Matheis through his senior year of high school, as he was only diagnosed with ADHD at 16 years old.  Dr. Matheis came highly recommended from our pediatrician and she has done wonders for our son as well as our family, navigating new ways for him to deal with his diagnosis without the use of medication.  She taught him ways to organize himself and even when something did not work for him, she patiently continued teaching him new ways to keep himself on track.  She has also helped us as parents to understand how his mind works so that we did not continue to blame his lack of focus on him, rather on his unique way of thinking.  Thank you Dr. Matheis!!!!"
- LG
"Dr. Liz is the best! Our family was directed to her by our Pediatrician to assist with figuring out severe mood changes, severe anxiety, strange new fears and food aversion that had come onto one of our children literally overnight. After just a couple of visits, she suggested that the issues may actually be rooted in a physical issue and suggested we immediately take our child to be swabbed for strep, because Dr. Liz suspected PANDAS (a pediatric autoimmune disorder brought on by strep). The same Pediatrician that suggested Dr. Liz would not do the swab (they do not believe in PANDAS and we no longer go there) but I took my child to my doctor who did the swab and it was positive for strep. When our child went on antibiotics, within 24 hours all symptoms went away and our child was back :-) Dr. Liz then recommended a PANDAS specialist who helped us and our child is in complete remission and is happy and healthy. We are incredibly grateful to Dr. Liz for her knowledge of all things, even the most remote and unusual and for helping us so much! Thank you!"
- Anonymous
"The various psycho-educational testing Dr. Liz conducted on our son gave us critical clues about where his learning strengths and weaknesses lie so that his needs could be better addressed at home and school. Moreover, because of their warm, kindhearted personalities, both Dr. Liz and her associate, Stephanie, formed an immediate bond with my son. He eagerly looks forward to his weekly therapy sessions. We are so lucky Dr. Liz came into our family's lives when she did! For stressed-out families trying to help their children as best they can, she is a calming voice of reason!"
- Anonymous
"Thank you, Dr. Liz. Although we have told you countless times, it will never feel enough. You have listened when J could barely speak and continued to listen when he was sad, angry and confused. You've challenged him and directed us in our roles as parents. You've helped J face his fears while the list evolved and changed, and yet you've stayed committed to 'the course.' We pray that your children realize that time away from them is spent helping children learn and that vulnerability is a sign of strength and bravery."
- June I
"My son was admitted to an Ivy League school when only 2 years ago, you assessed him and saw his struggles, his Dyslexia. We are grateful that he no longer has to carry that deep feeling of inadequacy or shame that must have kept him so self conscious and from reaching his potential. He has the PERFECT program for him. He has A's in high math and economics. He became a Merit Scholar, a Boys State legislature, the HEAD captain of the football team and help a job ALL while studying and managing his classes and disability. I am PROUD of you, a young doctor, who knows and sees the vulnerability of children and helps them recognize "it's NO big deal" God bless."
- Anonymous

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513 W Mt Pleasant Ave, Ste 212,
​Livingston, NJ 07039