Hello Calm™ Blog
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Why does homework turn into a meltdown every night with my ADHD child?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Homework is the hardest possible task for an ADHD brain, handed over at the hardest possible time of day. It is boring, slow to pay off, and has no real deadline until bedtime turns it into a crisis. And it lands after your child…
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Why does my teen with ADHD struggle so much with self-esteem?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Teens with ADHD struggle with self-esteem because they have spent years collecting evidence that something is wrong with them. Redo it. Sit…
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How do I stop overthinking at night?
Written by Ryan Greenwood The fastest way to stop overthinking at night is to give your brain what it needs earlier in the day: time to…
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Does couples counseling actually work, or are we just paying to fight in front of a stranger?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Couples counseling works, and the numbers behind it are strong. In research on emotionally focused couples therapy, roughly 70 to 75 percent…
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Can couples counseling help after infidelity, or is that too far gone?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Couples counseling can help after infidelity, and the evidence is stronger than most people expect. In a large community study of couples…
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What actually happens in child therapy: will my kid just sit there and talk?
Written by Ryan Greenwood No, and that is by design. If you are picturing your eight-year-old on a couch answering questions for an hour, you can…
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How do I know if my child needs therapy or is just going through a phase?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Look at three things: how long it has lasted, how big it is, and how much it gets in the way. Most…
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Could my child’s anger and meltdowns actually be anxiety in disguise?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Yes, and it happens more often than most parents expect. In kids, anxiety rarely announces itself as worry. It often comes out…
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Can you be depressed and still function normally?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Yes. Many people hold a job, raise kids, pay bills on time, and stay depressed the entire time. Functioning does not rule…
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Why can’t I just snap out of feeling depressed?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Because depression is not a mood you are choosing to stay in. It is a health condition that changes how your brain…
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What does depression actually feel like?
Written by Ryan Greenwood For many people, depression does not feel like sadness at all. It feels like heaviness, numbness, and a tiredness that sleep does…
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Can therapy help my child with ADHD, or do they just need medication?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Therapy helps, and for young children it is what experts recommend first. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends parent training in behavior…
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Why does my child with ADHD have such big emotional reactions?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Big emotional reactions are part of ADHD itself. The same wiring that makes it hard for your child to pause before acting…
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How do I know if my child has ADHD or is just an energetic kid?
Written by Ryan Greenwood An energetic kid can settle down when the moment calls for it. A child with ADHD cannot, even when they are trying…
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What do we do when one of us wants couples therapy and the other doesn’t?
Written by Ryan Greenwood Do not force it, and do not drop it. The most useful move is to get curious about the no, because refusing…
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Is couples counseling only for relationships that are in crisis?
Couples counseling is not only for relationships in crisis, and it usually does its best work before one arrives. The Cleveland Clinic notes that counseling can…
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How do we stop having the same argument over and over?
If you keep having the same argument over and over, the way out is changing the pattern, not the topic. Research from The Gottman Institute found…
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Is it normal to feel nervous about starting therapy?
Yes. Feeling nervous before starting therapy is one of the most common experiences there is, and it says nothing about whether therapy is right for you.…
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How do I find the right therapist for me?
The right therapist for you checks three boxes. They are licensed. They have real experience with what you are facing. And they feel like someone you…
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How do I know if I need therapy or if I can handle things on my own?
Look at how you are functioning, not just how you are feeling. That is the clearest test. The National Institute of Mental Health suggests weighing how…
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Why does my anxiety get worse at night?
Your anxiety gets worse at night because the competition disappears. All day, work, driving, conversations, and screens keep your attention spoken for. Worry cannot compete with…