New Series: Everything You Wanted To Know About Your Middle Schooler but Were Afraid To Ask

By Philippe Rey, Psy.D. Executive Director of Adolescent Counseling Services The goal for this blog series on middle schoolers is to provide you with the tools and information you need to have a more open and genuine conversation with your child.  Additionally, this blog series will prepare your family for the difficult topics of conversation […]

Read More

Living With a Teenager

Living with a Teenager by Robyn Alagona, MFT It can be difficult to predict daily life with a teenager. Teenagers have a reputation for being unpredictable, capricious, even inflexible. As an adult, living with an adolescent, it can feel frustrating, anxiety-producing and worrisome to experience the erratic changes teens go through in a week, a […]

Read More

Back To School Tips: Information You Can Use Now!

Back To School Tips   by Roni Gillenson, LMFT, Program Director ACS’ On-Campus Counseling Program As teens reluctantly head back to school and leave the lazy days of summer behind, we are reminded of the stress that lies ahead for our youth.  While returning to school can be an exciting time to get reacquainted with friends […]

Read More

Join Us For The Challenge Success Fall Plenary

Join our friends at Challenge Success for a conversation about how to honor and develop the unique capacities, skills, and interests of every child. Challenge Success Fall Plenary One Size Does Not Fit All: Each child is different. You are invited to spend the evening with nationally-renowned experts discussing academic stress, engagement, and well-being. Keynote […]

Read More
Breaking the Stigma: Teen Stress

Breaking the Stigma: Teen Stress – video and recap

On Tuesday, March 22, 2011, Adolescent Counseling Services hosted an intimate presentation and discussion on teen stress at the Cubberley Community Center in Palo Alto.  A presentation on teen stress was given by ACS’ Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program Director, Enrique Flores, MA and ACS’ On-Campus Counseling Program Director, Roni Gillenson, LMFT.  Other panelists included  Ursula […]

Read More

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 3): Talking With Your Children Effectively

A Parent’s Guide to Prevention (Part 3): Talking With Your Children Effectively As soon as your child begins to talk, the questions come: “Why is the grass green?” “What’s wrong with that man sitting in the park?” If you show your child that you’re ready to give answers at any time, even if the topics […]

Read More

Communicating With Your Teen

Most parents will agree that communication with their child is an important part of their relationship. Being able to communicate with your child will create a healthy bond within the family and allow for an environment in which your child will thrive. Somewhere around age 13, however, this communication may become challenging. Developmentally, children change […]

Read More

Adolescents in middle school (How to discuss sex)

Discuss definitions of sexual behaviors, puberty, physical changes,  oral sex. •Help your child to be responsible so they can make a decision. •Help them understand what their feelings about sex are. •Are they ready for sex and how do they know what that means or feels like? •Help them make up their own mind about […]

Read More

Adolescents in middle school (How to discuss drugs and alcohol)

Encourage choice •Allow your child plenty of opportunity to become a confident decision-maker. An 8-year-old is capable of deciding if she wants to invite lots of friends to her birthday party or just a close pal or two. A 12-year-old can choose whether she wants to go out for chorus or join the school band. […]

Read More