One of the most important aspects of working with adolescents is understanding the context of their behaviour. All behaviour has a context and all behaviour is communication. Often parents bring their children to me in the hope the behaviour causing them concern will be fixed. However, often what ends up being viewed is the…
Therapy_Institute
My 15-year-old son seems to be getting in a lot of trouble at the moment. He was recently suspended from school because he got into a fight, which is very out of character for him. He has become more withdrawn of late and he is very moody and can be quite mean to his older brother who…
ONE of the most fascinating elements of the play, Hamlet, is the fact that his presence on stage marks the very first appearance of the modern man, proper. Not only does this play give us some of the most profound and philosophical explorations into the nature of human existence but more importantly the presence of…
There has always been tension between the White House and the press corps charged with monitoring the motives and actions of the US president, writes Richard Hogan.
Over the years, both press secretaries and the press have said that this rigorous, at times combative relationship is healthy and essential, if the country is to remain steadfast in…
I was asked recently by a reader, what would I say is the single most important thing parents can do to make for a happy home? I have considered that question and this is my response.
In my experience, setting healthy clear boundaries that respect the individuality of your child is crucial for a successful happy…
The most positive people are the ones that can also see life for what it truly is; a beautiful wonderful gift, not without adversity, writes Richard Hogan
WHAT makes someone think positively? This is a question I often ask myself when I’m in the therapeutic setting with a client that is having difficulty seeing any good in…
How can it be that a father is told by the court that he has a right to see his child and yet remains without contact, asks Richard Hogan
IN last week’s article, I outlined parental alienation and how it devastates the family. I spoke about how children can be used by a parent in their war…
Children are far less likely to have psychological issues if the separating parents promote a healthy relationship, writes Richard Hogan
In the 1980s child psychiatrist Dr Richard A Garner coined a term to describe the process whereby one parent turns their child or children against the other parent; his term for this behaviour was ‘parental alienation’. And…
By Richard Hogan
One of the most difficult relationships to navigate is the one we have with our ex-partner in the immediate aftermath of a separation.
It brings with it so many new challenges and yet it is something that really doesn’t get written about that often. The issues that brought the relationship to an end can…
Richard Hogan suggests how to approach grandparents about boundaries
I’ve always tried to encourage my wife’s parents to be an important part of my children’s lives. But increasingly I’m finding the way they allow my children to eat and do whatever they want when they are at their house harmful to their development.
They are constantly allowing them…