The Notes From Home Blog

It’s 2021, and parenting looks different than it has before. Over the past year, there have been countless changes that teens have had to face and parents have had to navigate through. Events were canceled, school was online for many teenagers, and more time was spent at home as a family. With all of the […]

A few months back, Homeward Bound Clinical Director, Kelly Olsen and I recorded a podcast discussing the challenges that arise when a teen returns home from treatment. All families experience different phases of recovery that can be difficult to navigate through. One particularly challenging phase is the testing phase. During this phase, there will often […]

Transition Coach, Shari Murray and I recently recorded a podcast discussing the Power of Positive Assumed Intent. We felt this was an important topic because we are all guilty at one time or another of assuming the intent of others actions. As a parent it’s common to ascribe negative intent to your child’s behavior when they act […]

Two weeks ago a reminder popped up in my email. It suggested that I might be interested in what I wrote in my online journal 10 years ago. Because I had made a mental note that journaling again would definitely be part of 2021, I opened the document with anticipation. I was surprised . . […]

It’s no secret that COVID-19 has impacted virtually every part of life. As we settle into this new “normal” and learn to find balance, one thing is certain—there have been a lot of different emotions surrounding the events of the past year. Society As a Whole is Experiencing Loss As human beings, one of the […]

Communication is one of the most important aspects of life. It allows for connection on every level. In order to be successful in any relationship, it’s important to be able to communicate well. The following suggestions can help to minimize or eliminate the misunderstandings, contention, and apathy that can often derail our family conversations. Be a […]

Everyone deals with stress from time to time—it’s perfectly normal. In fact, it helps us progress in life. If you don’t experience at least a little bit of stress, you should probably check your pulse because you might be dead. However, stress and overwhelm start to get unhealthy when there’s too much of it and […]

In today’s fully-immersed digital society, it can be easy to think of the use of technology as an addiction. But have you ever considered how technology can be used as a tool to help people overcome addiction and other mental health issues? When used effectively, technology can help individuals find the support they need to […]