As many of you know, I am writing a book – The Grit Guide for Teens. The good news is that I just gave the book into the editor today (5 minutes ago). The bad news is that writing an original blog was impossible. However, as you all know, I am a big fan of habits and my habit of producing a monthly blog needed to happen – so I am kind of cheating. I am sharing a blog I shared last September because it is still so timely and it was the only way a blog would be sent out before school started.  I hope you enjoy! Here it is…

“Hello.” It is such a simple word, yet so powerful. I recently experienced the power of “hello” while at Lake George. If anyone has ever been to Lake George, it is all about the lake and boating. I grew up on the water and have warm memories of boating with my family. For those of you who are less familiar with boating etiquette, it is boating protocol to say, “hello.” For little kids, adults, people on big boats, or small boats – when you see another boat or a person on land you say, “hello”, and give a big wave. The question is why? When you are in a car and you stop at a light you don’t say, “hello” to the other motorist or passengers. In fact, it is often the opposite. In a car, people would be put off by a “hello” and the only hand gestures I have seen motorists use have not been very pleasant. So my question to you is – is it the fun of boating that makes everyone so friendly, or does friendly make boating so much fun? I think it is a little bit of both. Boating is fun, which puts us in a good mood, and being in a good mood makes us friendly and happy.

Although summer vacation is over, here are three easy ways to keep the warmth and good feelings of summer alive, year round.

1. Smile and say, “Hello” 
Smiling is contagious. The underlying, neurological reason for this reaction is that we all have mirror neurons. Mirror neurons mirror back the emotions of others. Therefore, when we are in the presence of smiling people, we feel happy (boat people). The converse is also true. When we are surrounded by irate and impatient people (often motorists), we mirror that emotional energy as well. So how can we use mirror neurons to our advantage? We can smile. At school, I smile and say, “hi” to all. I have trained the kids so that when they see me, they smile too and say “hello.” The exchange of smiles and hellos starts our days off on the right foot. It’s so easy and costs nothing, so if you want to improve your mood, the mood of your family or the larger community, say, “hello” with a big smile.

2. Be Bucket Fillers, not Bucket Dippers, and Use Your Lid 
At the school that I work, we have made a commitment to be bucket fillers. You can fill a bucket by acts of kindness to yourself and others. When you fill a bucket, you and the other person feel good. When you dip into someone else’s bucket, you dip into your own. Lastly, protect your own bucket and the bucket of others by putting a lid on it. When we fill others’ buckets (by being kind), we not only bring joy to them, but also reward ourselves. It nurtures us and makes us feel good.

3. Focus on the positive 
Human beings have a tendency to focus on the negative. This negative focus may have helped us in our caveman days to ward off saber-tooth tigers, but can be detrimental in our current lives. It is important to proactively change our focus and search for the wins rather than the losses. If we focus on the negative, this negative focus will become prominent in our lives, and without meaning to, it will change our moods and attitudes. Conversely, if we focus on the smiles, the laughs, and what we are accomplishing, we will feel happier and more fulfilled.

So my challenge to you is even though the summer is fading, let’s create the same cheer and warmth year round. Whether young or old, big, or small, make sure you give a warm greeting, be a bucket filler, not a bucket dipper, and always try to focus on the positive.

Wishing everyone a terrific beginning of the school year, one filled with joy and happiness. I promise you that when you see me I will be saying, “hi” and waving to you as if we were passing each other in boats.

It was great…, it was hard!” Katie Ledecky, age 6

I fell off the bike. It happened. My greatest fear had occurred. However, instead of being the disaster I had created in my head, it was freeing. But wait, let’s travel back a little earlier in the day for some context.

I had decided for my last day of my spa vacation, that instead of getting another massage, I would challenge myself with some mountain biking (yes, I know some of you are thinking – she is crazy). I signed up for the beginner class, feeling both confident and apprehensive: confident because I had mountain biked twice before; but nervous because mountain biking does not come easy to me. To be totally honest, it freaks me out. You may be wondering given my lack of both skill and confidence in this area, why would I choose mountain biking instead of sitting by the pool? Because I believe strongly that there is no better feeling than accomplishing something that takes courage and strength.

So with this in mind, here are three things I learned about facing my fear through mountain biking.

1. You need grit!
To face a fear you need to be gritty. I needed a combination of persistence mixed with perseverance. When I literally could not get on the bike seat (the bike seat on a mountain bike is much higher than on a street bike), I needed to try and try again. When I fell off the bike while trying to get on the seat, I needed to pick myself up and learn from the experience. What I learned was that although it felt safer to stay closer to the ground, this approach was not working. I needed to stand up taller and be further away from the ground to get on the seat. What helped me to do that was staying present as opposed to freaking out in my head. Breathing and looking at where I needed to go was better than spinning in my head. What also helped me was making this ride about purpose. Although I wanted to get on and stay on this bike for myself, I also chose to engage in this activity because it helps me with my patients. Mountain biking helps me tap into the feeling of, and be more empathetic, with my many patients who struggle with fear and anxiety. Thinking about how this activity could benefit others gave me the needed drive to continue and persevere.

2. You need an optimistic mindset.
When riding the bike, I needed to make a conscious effort to maintain a positive mindset and note my improvements as opposed to focusing on what was still not achieved. It is human nature to focus on the negative and what has not been accomplished (e.g., making s-turns in the sand or riding over bigger rocks). I tried to focus on my growth and progress. I am glad to share with you that eventually I was able to consistently get on the bike and stop jamming the bar of the bike into places that cause pain. Having this optimistic and positive mindset allowed me to persist, be more resilient and grow from the experience.

3. You need your cheerleaders.
My ability to fall and pick myself up would not have been possible if I had not been in the company of my best friend and a supportive guide. My cheerleaders set high expectations for me: “Go back and practice those s-turns because we know you can do them!” while at the same time singing my praises when I was able to stop on a dime and go over logs on the road. Their combination of high expectations and unwavering support was essential for this journey.

So it may still seem a little crazy that the highlight of my spa vacation was one in which I fell. (Just so you know, there were awesome massages, food and classes too). But, if you are like me, there is no greater reward than rising to a challenge and mastering it. Thank you Miraval, Marcia (my best friend) and my husband and kids (who took care of the house and dog) for this awesome experience.

Spoiler Alert- Parts of Finding Dory, the movie, will be revealed in this month’s blog. Although I don’t think Finding Dory is a “thriller” that can be spoiled (you all know there is a happy ending), you may not want to read this blog if you don’t want to know details from the movie.

For those of you not familiar with the story, Dory is a fish who has short-term memory loss. As a result of this condition, Dory loses her family. In Finding Dory, Nemo and Nemo’s father, Marlin, (from Finding Nemo) try to help Dory reconnect with her parents.

Four aspects of the movie made an impression on me. I believe we can all learn Persistence, Perseverance, the Power of Family and Friends, and Purpose from Dory.

Persistence

Dory was persistent. She had a goal and was passionate about it. She was undeterred even when she faced many setbacks. What enabled her to persist is that she felt her goal was important; she was confident in her success; and she did not get deterred by the costs (how scary or overwhelming this journey would be). Her mindset allowed her to be persistent! In order to be persistent try thinking like Dory.

Perseverance

Not only did she persist, Dory was also resilient. She faced many obstacles; however, she did not let these challenges define her. If anything, she became stronger and more equipped because of the challenges she faced. When Nemo and his father were really in a jam, they asked themselves, what would Dory do? Looking to what Dory would do, helped them to persevere.

Throughout the movie, Dory became stronger, braver and more independent. Interestingly, it was at her lowest and darkest point that her greatest growth occurred. That feeling of being in a dip – being confused, lost, and overwhelmed — can make you feel bad. But if you can reach a place where those feelings inspire you, that’s where people (and fish) grow.

The Power of Family and Friends

It is important to note that Dory could not have accomplished her goal alone. She had Nemo and Marlin to inspire her initially, and then received support from Hank the Octopus. She also had the warm, loving memories of her parents that provided confidence and reassurance. It was by tapping into all this support that Dory could ultimately grow more independent and handle any obstacle she faced.

Purpose

Dory had purpose. What do I mean by purpose? Her behavior was not just meaningful to herself (finding her parents), but to the world at large (strengthening others). By having purpose, she was able to both persist in her goal and be resilient in the face of setbacks.

At the end of the movie, you see Dory bravely sitting at the edge. What I found striking was that not only did Dory change and benefit from the support of others, but she also influenced others around her (e.g., Marlin, Hank) to be braver, more resilient, and to grow. When we reach out and support others, not only do they benefit and grow, but we benefit and grow as well.

In the words of Dory: “just keep swimming” and remember it is always best to swim with purpose and not alone.

Wishing everyone a great summer – Caren

“So…be your name Buxbaum or Bixby or Bray or Mordecai Ali Van Allen O’Shea, you’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting. So…get on your way!

Dr. Seuss, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

This year is very special for my family- both my son and my daughter are graduating: my son from high school and my daughter from middle school (the school she has attended since nursery school). It is true what everyone says, “They grow up so fast.” But, what does not have to be true is focusing on the more immediate, but less important aspects of raising children without reflecting on what is important in the long-term. Graduations and transitions naturally lend themselves as periods of reflection. So even if you don’t have a child or student who is experiencing a big graduation, I ask you to stop, reflect, and ultimately share with the children who are in your care what you want for them in the long run, and not just today.

How can you do this? What if instead of one or two select students having to write commencement speeches, the parents teachers, and coaches of the world wrote to their children and students. What would we want to say? Ask yourself, if I needed to write a speech to a child in my life as he or she moved from one transitional place to another, what would the message be? Would it be pick up your coat? Don’t forget to study for math? How did you do on your English test? Or would it be different? Would the content be more about being a person of leadership and support to others? Would it be about finding balance and strength in their lives? Would it be about love and pride? I think you all would agree that the message would be more about the latter questions rather than the former.

So my question to you is, how do we avoid the trap of letting all or most of our conversations with our kids be about the small daily occurrences instead of the long-term picture? As humans we have a natural tendency to focus on the immediate, but not earth shattering, activities in our lives. Stephen Covey labels this tendency as “urgent, but not important” in his book, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. How can we focus instead on what Stephen Covey calls, “non-urgent, but important.”

One way to accomplish this is to stop, take a moment, and reflect. Even better, write your own commencement speech to your children. In this speech, let the children in your life know how you feel about them. How proud you are of them. What your hopes are for them in the future. Even if the child in your life is graduating from 1st to 2nd grade, write a commencement speech for him or her. Let what you write be a shining light that gives your parenting, teaching, or mentoring its focus and direction.By the way, as many of you know, I am a big believer of not just “talking the talk,” but also “walking the walk.” So today after I told my son, “he could not leave the house until the clothes were picked up from the bathroom floor,” I also (not right after, but a little later) told him, “I am proud of you and the choices you have made,” and “I love you.” Although the urgency to say the words of love and encouragement was not the same as my request that he clean up and, the fact remains that my son still did not pick up his clothes after I reminded him, I know that ultimately it will be my words of love, encouragement, and pride that will shape my son. Happy graduation to all the graduates and their very proud parents,teachers, and mentors.

Wishing you all the best during this busy, but IMPORTANT time of year.

If you choose to do this activity, I would love to hear from you. Send me an email with your commencement speech. And remember, “you’re off to Great Places!” – Caren

I need to apologize. I was hit by March madness. If you know anything about me, you know it could not be the March Madness associated with college basketball. It was college basketball right? No, it is the other March Madness – the one that hits all psychologists in March, especially those who work in schools. Even though I am still in the madness that started in March, I wanted to get back to my “habit” of writing and delivering a monthly blog to you.

This month, I want to focus on what I gained from the tri-state camp conference where I was a presenter and attendee. I had so many wonderful experiences. I got to hear and meet Dr. Angela Duckworth, whose research comprises the backbone of my upcoming book on “teen grit.” I had the opportunity to reconnect and spend time with friends and colleagues. I also had the opportunity to meet and attend the workshops of Bob Ditter, a clinical social worker, consultant and camp guru. In addition, to being a true mensch, Bob Ditter shared some important concepts at his workshops about working with children. I would like to share some of his thoughts, together with my spin on them, in this month’s blog. If you are a parent, educator, or have anything to do with children, I am sure you will find them helpful.

Here Are My Favorite Three:

• Talk to Kids in Ways They Can Hear

In the words of Bob Ditter, we need to “connect to kids before we redirect them.” How can we do that? Specifically, we need to “connect through empathy and validation, before we redirect.” As adults we often go quickly into “fix-it” mode or problem solving before we take a moment to empathize. However, it is often the case that until both children and adults feel validated, they will feel stuck. When they feel validated, children and adults are more willing to problem solve and be redirected. Remember, it is not enough to be empathetic only when you believe the feeling expressed is the correct one. Even when you don’t understand or agree, you should validate your child’s and spouse’s feelings. Although some behaviors are not acceptable, feelings are always acceptable.

I also connected to the concept shared by Ditter that you need to “take care of the right side of the brain (the emotional side of the brain) before you can deal with the left side (language/problem solving). You can do this by not discussing the challenging behavior at the “point of the struggle.” We often, (me too), try to have lengthy (one-sided) talks (lectures) when our kids are too emotional. They are not available! It is much better to have this important conversation outside of the moment. When you finally have this conversation, do it by “hooking a compliment to a concern.” What do I mean? Before telling children you are upset about their behavior, share with them what is going well. When I see kids in my office, I always try to start with what worked before we delve into what did not.

I am also a big believer in the concept that everything starts and ends with a positive relationship. Whenever I work with parents and/or children, I always emphasize that nothing can be accomplished without first establishing a positive relationship. Think of the people in your life you felt cared about you and treated you with respect and fairness. Weren’t you willing to do things for them because of your positive relationship? Remember, in the words of Rita Pierson, “Kids don’t learn from people they don’t like.” Therefore, before you try to get children to “hear” you, make sure that you have established a positive relationship.

• Our Expectations Shape People’s Behavior

Ditter shared a study that was written in Adam Grant’s terrific book, Give and Take. The study shows us the power of our labels and how they can affect our impressions. Specifically, Dr. Dov Eden, an Israeli psychologist, conducted a study that showed he could predict with unbelievable accuracy which young recruits in the Israeli military would become top performers. Dr. Eden studied the skills and aptitudes of one thousand recruits. He then selected a group of soldiers he labeled as “high potential.” Dr. Eden then told the commanders that they could “expect unusual achievements” from these soldiers. Sure enough, Dr. Eden was right. Over the next three months, Dr. Eden’s group outperformed their peers. It looked like Eden had an impressive way of identifying talent – or did he? In fact, there was a twist: the high potential soldiers were not really high potential, but rather chosen completely at random. By labeling them as “high-potential,” both the commanders and the soldiers saw themselves as “special,” which led soldiers to act “special.” The phenomenon, known as the Pygmalion Effect, is seen often in educational setting. How so? For example, when we put the “robins” (our high readers) in the “Robin’s Reading Group,” we expect more from them than from the “toads” (our low readers) in the “Toad’s Reading Group,” resulting in them meeting our expectations. In addition, do you really think the “toads” and the “robins” really don’t know what is going on when we “disguise” the names of their reading groups in this way? What can we learn from this? Treat all our students and our children like they are rock stars. By having high expectations for all, more often than not, they will become rock stars.

• Drop the Rope or My Spin – “Drop the Leash”

How many of you have heard of the concept of “drop the rope”? Ditter put this term on the map. “Drop the leash” is a variation on this concept. For those of you who are not familiar with this phrase, many children and adults will approach you with a rope that they want you to grab. They are looking for a debate and someone to grab their “leash” and their negative energy. Don’t grab onto this leash. Instead drop it and react in a way you can be proud. Model an appropriate way to handle frustration rather than mirror out-of-control behavior. To accomplish this goal, try to understand what underlies the person’s actions. Understanding leads to empathy, and empathy erases anger. By pausing to understand the reasons why someone may have said something inappropriate, you can better control your response. Remember, you can be a tremendous role model if you are able to pause to understand before you react, especially when you are feeling frustrated. Instead, mirror back to the person the way you want to be seen and remembered.

I hope you too got something out of this blog as I did from the conference, and thank you BOB DITTER!

HAPPY APRIL! Caren

If you enjoyed these concepts from Caren, check out her videos in ExpertOnlineTraining’s video library.  If your camp doesn’t currently subscribe to ExpertOnlineTraining, contact them at 877-390-2267 to schedule a demo.  

This month I had the opportunity to participate in one of my favorite activities as a school psychologist: working with my fifth grade student leaders to turn-key important school wide messages to our younger students. Specifically, fifth grade students partnered with me to teach “ways to achieve happiness” to fourth grade students.

The three elements we focused on were 1) bucket filling, 2) developing a positive and growth mindset, and 3) engaging in activities that make us happy.

1.      Bucket Filling – First, we discussed bucket filling, a concept originated by Carol McCloud. We discussed the importance of being a community of “bucket fillers” and not “bucket dippers.” The fifth graders demonstrated for the fourth graders, how you can use your own lid for your own protection by not overreacting. You can also use your lid to protect others, when someone tries to dip into another person’s bucket.

2.      Positive Mindset and Growth Mindset – The fifth graders also led a discussion about how you can’t always change a situation, but you can always change your thinking about it in a positive way. Furthermore, we discussed growth mindset, a concept developed by Dr. Carol Dweck. Specifically, the students learned that their brain can “grow.” They learned that when they work hard and challenge themselves, their brains get stronger and smarter. They learned to see the word F.A.I.L as a “first attempt in learning,” and that mistakes can be their friends.

3.      Activities that Lead to True Happiness – Lastly, the fourth graders participated in an activity that spread joy and smiles throughout our building. The students were asked to pick one adult from our school and to let that person know how he/she positively touched their lives. For example, the students wrote notes to their teachers, the lady who makes them sandwiches, bus drivers, and the principal (people who don’t always get to hear positive feedback from students). It was rewarding for me to hand deliver these notes to the recipients and to see the students’ notes hanging proudly in the recipients’ work area.
Being part of this work made me feel proud of working at Harrison. Even writing this article brought a smile to my face. We should all take a moment to let the people who have touched our lives know how important they are for us. Let’s maintain this chain of good feelings even after Valentine’s Day has passed by filling someone’s bucket today and every day.

Wishing you a Happy Valentine’s Day.

Please check out my website at Drbaruchfeldman.com for additional blogs, articles, and presentations. Follow me on twitter: Caren Feldman@carenfeldman.

“Hello.” It is such a simple word, yet so powerful. I recently experienced the power of “hello” while at Lake George. If anyone has ever been to Lake George, it is all about the lake and boating. I grew up on the water and have warm memories of boating with my family. For those of you who are less familiar with boating etiquette, it is boating protocol to say, “hello.” For little kids, adults, people on big boats, or small boats – when you see another boat or a person on land you say, “hello”, and give a big wave. The question is why? When you are in a car and you stop at a light you don’t say, “hello” to the other motorist or passengers. In fact, it is often the opposite. In a car, people would be put off by a “hello” and the only hand gestures I have seen motorists use have not been very pleasant. So my question to you is – is it the fun of boating that makes everyone so friendly, or does friendly make boating so much fun? I think it is a little bit of both. Boating is fun, which puts us in a good mood, and being in a good mood makes us friendly and happy.

Although summer vacation is over, here are three easy ways to keep the warmth and good feelings of summer alive, year round.

1. Smile and say, “Hello”

Smiling is contagious. The underlying, neurological reason for this reaction is that we all have mirror neurons. Mirror neurons mirror back the emotions of others. Therefore, when we are in the presence of smiling people, we feel happy (boat people). The converse is also true. When we are surrounded by irate and impatient people (often motorists), we mirror that emotional energy as well. So how can we use mirror neurons to our advantage? We can smile. At school, I smile and say, “hi” to all. I have trained the kids so that when they see me, they smile too and say “hello.” The exchange of smiles and hellos starts our days off on the right foot. It’s so easy and costs nothing, so if you want to improve your mood, the mood of your family or the larger community, say, “hello” with a big smile.

2. Be Bucket Fillers, not Bucket Dippers, and Use Your Lid At the school that I work, we have made a commitment to be bucket fillers. You can fill a bucket by acts of kindness to yourself and others. When you fill a bucket, you and the other person feel good. When you dip into someone else’s bucket, you dip into your own. Lastly, protect your own bucket and the bucket of others by putting a lid on it. When we fill others’ buckets (by being kind), we not only bring joy to them, but also reward ourselves. It nurtures us and makes us feel good.

3. Focus on the positive

Human beings have a tendency to focus on the negative. This negative focus may have helped us in our caveman days to ward off saber-tooth tigers, but can be detrimental in our current lives. It is important to proactively change our focus and search for the wins rather than the losses. If we focus on the negative, this negative focus will become prominent in our lives, and without meaning to, it will change our moods and attitudes. Conversely, if we focus on the smiles, the laughs, and what we are accomplishing, we will feel happier and more fulfilled.

So my challenge to you is even though the summer is fading, let’s create the same cheer and warmth year round. Whether young or old, big, or small, make sure you give a warm greeting, be a bucket filler, not a bucket dipper, and always try to focus on the positive.

Wishing everyone a terrific beginning of the school year, one filled with joy and happiness. I promise you that when you see me I will be saying, “hi” and waving to you as if we were passing each other in boats.

This blog was originally published by Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman on her web site drbaruchfeldman.com

This blog was originally posted on Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman’s website: http://drbaruchfeldman.com/are-you-ready-to-take-my-happiness-challenge/

It has been really hard to smile this winter with one cold, snowy day after the other. For the first time, I really thought that there may be some benefit to moving to a warmer climate. The weather and cold can really alter our moods and outlooks. I am hopeful that we have reached the tail end of this weather; however, regardless of the weather, there are real ways we can improve our mood and outlook. Here are three easy strategies.

Smile and say, “Hello”: Smiling is contagious. A number of years ago, I had the pleasure of hearing Shawn Achor conduct an experiment with the audience. He asked people to find a partner. He then asked one person to smile genuinely at the other person, while his/her partner was instructed to keep a still face. Guess what happened? Despite that instruction, most people couldn’t do it – they smiled. Why did this happen? Because behavior (both negative and positive) is CONTAGIOUS. The song, “when you are smiling the whole world smiles with you” was right. The underlying, neurological reason for this reaction is that we all have mirror neurons. Mirror neurons mirror back the emotions of others. Therefore, when we are in the presence of smiling people, we feel happy. The converse is also true. When we are surrounded by “Debbie Downers,” we pick up that emotional energy as well. So how can we use mirror neurons to our advantage? We can smile. At school, I smile and say, “hi” to all. I have trained the kids so that when they see me, they smile too and say hello. The exchange of smiles and hellos starts my and the students’ days on the right foot. It’s so easy and costs nothing so if you want to improve your mood, the mood of your family or the larger community, say hello with a big smile.
Focus on the positive: Many of you have heard me do the red experiment, but for those of you who haven’t or for those who need a reminder, here it is… Look around the place you are in right now and try to find all the examples of RED that you can see. Give yourself 20 seconds to look around. Now tell me, what did you see that was GREEN? “Green,” I thought you said, “red.” I did say, “red,” however even though I said “red” you all looked around the room with your eyes, so why couldn’t you tell me what was “green”? The reason is that our focus causes us to note only the object of our focus and everything else fades into the background. So what does this have to do with a positive outlook? If we focus on the negative, (the whining children, the household or work chores, or the stress of everyday life) this negative focus will become prominent in our lives. Without meaning to, it will change our moods and attitudes to the negative. Conversely, if we focus on the smiles, the laughs, and what we are accomplishing, we will feel happier and more fulfilled.
Write it down: Journal the positive and what we are grateful for: We learned from the red experiment that our focus causes us to note only the object of our focus and everything else fades into the background. So if we focus on, but even better, WRITE DOWN what is positive in our lives or what we are grateful for, than this positive outlook will be prominent. Human beings have a tendency to focus on the negative. If your children are playing quietly, nothing compels us to give our kids positive feedback. Be honest, we often see that scene and breathe a sigh of relief. However, if our kids start fighting, we are quick to get involved. That is why we have to make concerted efforts and use active strategies, such as writing things down, to focus our attention on the positive and what is good in our lives. The act of writing is a powerful tool that solidifies our thinking, creates changes in the brain, and makes new muscle memory. So specifically, take a moment and journal the positive; or write down three things you are grateful for; or do what we did with some of our second graders at Harrison Avenue School – write a letter to a person for whom you are grateful. What we found, and what the research supports, is that when we are kind to others and share positive feelings, not only does the other person respond positively, but just as important, our own happiness meter is boosted.
So, I think you are now ready to take my happiness challenge. Here is your challenge.

1) Say hello and smile each day to people you know and yes, to people you don’t know. Even we New Yorkers can do this.

2) Focus on the positive (remember the red experiment).

3) Write down what is positive in your life and what you are grateful for. If you really want the happiness meter to swing all the way, take a moment and write a letter to someone who has touched you in your life and let him/her know how grateful you are. Use the power of writing to your advantage.

All the best,

Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman, Psychologist

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Please check out my website at drbaruchfeldman.com for additional blogs and articles and follow me at twitter at Caren Feldman@carenfeldman.

Dr. Caren Baruch-Feldman has had success using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help children and adults with depression, anxiety, stress, ADHD and weight loss. She maintains a private practice in Scarsdale and works part-time as a school psychologist in Westchester County, New York. Caren is expert in conducting and interpreting psycho-educational evaluations. For many years Caren was the Camp Psychologist at Camp Ramah in Nyack, NY. Caren has trained hundreds of teachers, administrators, parents and heathcare professionals giving in-service workshops and lectures throughout the country. Caren can be reached at (914) 646-9030 or by using the Contact Form.