David Shanks, LCSW

It’s time for kids and their adults to get out of the house and reconnect with nature.  It’s a great idea to teach kids the wonder of the natural world because it helps give them a sense of themselves and how they fit into the larger picture of life.  It’s very different to explore woods […]

We all look forward to the Holidays, right? The Holidays certainly provide lots of opportunities for good times and family togetherness. But family relationships can be complex & challenging, and Holidays tend to bring up all the tensions which may have been hiding in the closet. For some the problem is not having family connections, […]

We all naturally want to protect our children from some of the painful realities of life. But that is often not possible. It can be difficult to figure out how to handle these situations. How much do children need to know? What is the right way to bring up a difficult issue? I think the […]

What is meditation? Meditation involves turning down all normal sensory inputs and going inward. When you put your attention on what is happening inside, some remarkable things happen. Studies done at Harvard University and other institutions have shown profound changes in how the brain works with regular meditation. Most people turn to meditation as a […]

EMDR gets results Studies show EMDR is more effective over less time than other types of trauma therapy. In a 1989 study, patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced notable improvement after only one session of EMDR treatment. After receiving special training I have been using EMDR in my practice with excellent results. While […]

While we’ve been hearing about the supposedly deleterious effects or rock music, rap music, or video games on our children for years and years, there might be a more concrete reason to place limits on children and electronic media. There oughtta be a law! …. or should there? At the beginning of this year, Taiwan […]

Exercise is an effective treatment for depression A recent study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Practice found that exercise can be as effective as antidepressant drugs for major depressive disorders. Helping patients find an exercise program that aids their recovery is an important part of my treatment plan. Changing from a sedentary lifestyle to […]

More and more children are being diagnosed with ADHD. A study found a 24% increase in new diagnoses between 2001 and 2010 (www.addrc.org – ADD Resource Center). What’s happening? While there are different theories about the cause of ADHD, there is a definite connection between stress and ADHD. We don’t know for sure whether stress […]

Handling strong emotions can be a challenge for adults, but can be overwhelming for children.  I believe that the ability to tolerate feelings is a skill which can be learned, and which can materially contribute to your child’s happiness in life as well as their well-being and success.  Many studies have shown a connection between […]

Here you are, up at 3 a.m. indulging your secret pal – buying one more shirt on QVC (such a great price!); smoking a couple of joints or cigarettes, just enough to get you through the night; checking your Facebook one more time because who knows when something really important will be posted; plumping up […]