When a child has obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) or significant anxiety, parents naturally want to help. You want to reassure your child that something bad will not happen, help them avoid something that feels overwhelming, change a family routine, or do something for them that they are afraid to do themselves. Sometimes these responses are simply…
If you are considering an ADHD assessment as an adult, you may already have spent considerable time wondering whether symptoms you have learned about ADHD could explain difficulties you have experienced for years. Perhaps you struggle to stay organized, routinely underestimate how long things will take, lose track of tasks, procrastinate until deadlines become urgent…
Receiving an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) diagnosis can sometimes bring relief for individuals. For a teenager who has been struggling with intrusive thoughts, rituals, reassurance seeking or avoidance, finally having an explanation for what has been happening may help things make more sense. But not every teenager responds this way. Some teenagers disagree with the diagnosis….
Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) in teenagers does not always look the way parents expect it to. A teenager with OCD may wash their hands repeatedly or check that a door is locked. But they may also repeatedly ask whether they have done something wrong, spend hours re-reading homework, avoid particular people or situations without explaining why,…
Ontario has introduced new attendance and participation requirements for secondary school students beginning in the 2026–27 school year. For parents of a teenager whose anxiety already affects school attendance, these changes may understandably raise questions. What happens when anxiety makes it difficult for a teenager to get to school? How should parents respond when their…
When a teenager is experiencing panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, intense worry, compulsive behaviours or increasing avoidance, parents often know that something is wrong before they know exactly what it is. The next question is often practical: Where do we go to get this assessed? In Ontario, there are several possible starting points. A teenager may…
When a teenager begins struggling at school, it can be difficult for parents to know what is happening. Maybe assignments are piling up, grades have dropped, homework is taking hours, or getting out the door in the morning has become increasingly difficult. A teen who once managed reasonably well may suddenly seem overwhelmed by demands…
Many adults begin wondering about ADHD after years of struggling with attention, organization, procrastination, time management, impulsivity, or feeling as though everyday responsibilities require far more effort than they seem to require for other people. Sometimes the question emerges for a parent after their child has been diagnosed with ADHD. Individuals may recognize themselves in…
Online therapy has become a routine way of accessing psychological treatment. Yet many people still wonder whether meeting with a psychologist through a screen can really be as effective as sitting together in the same room. It is a reasonable question. Psychotherapy depends on communication, collaboration, and the relationship between a client and therapist. It…
You notice a headache that feels slightly different than usual. You wonder whether it could mean something serious, so you search your symptoms online. At first, the information seems reassuring. Then you notice a rare condition listed among the possibilities. You open another page. Then another. Before long, you are comparing symptoms, checking your body,…
Experiencing violent or harm-related intrusive thoughts, including intrusive thoughts about hurting someone, can be deeply distressing, particularly when the thought feels completely inconsistent with who you are and how you behave day-to-day. After having such a thought, someone may suddenly think, “What if I actually hurt someone?” and immediately begin wondering why the thought occurred….
Hair pulling, also known as trichotillomania, is often misunderstood. Many people assume it is simply a bad habit, a sign of stress, or something that should be possible to stop with enough willpower. Individuals living with trichotillomania often believe the same thing. They may promise themselves that today will be different, only to find themselves…
