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When I was a graduate student, I spent a number of hours observing other school counselors conducting classroom guidance lessons. One memorable lesson involved a counselor who used the idiom, “Before you judge a man, walk a mile in his shoes.” The lesson was designed to introduce the concept of empathy to first graders. While the students seemed to enjoy the lesson, there was still some confusion regarding the concept. Some even took the idiom literally. I can only imagine the interest …

My husband has been working from home for the last few months. Like many families, we have had to adjust our routines to accommodate the change. For us, this means my husband retreats to his “office,” a tiny room near the entryway of our home, for conference calls. In turn, I try my best to keep the kids quiet. Most of the time this works out well. But our house is small, and some days we all get an earful. I normally tune out the monotony of his meetings, but one particular call piqued …

As the holidays approach, people often take a moment to reflect on the year and give thanks for the blessings they have received. Whether it’s going around the Thanksgiving table to say one thing you are thankful for or assisting your kids with a gratitude-themed assignment, gratitude seems to be on everyone’s brain. But gratitude can be more than just an exercise during the holiday season. Many people believe cultivating an attitude of gratitude is a valuable life skill that can hel …

Have you ever started off the day with positive intentions only to find your mood spiraling downwards as life seemingly throws all sorts of obstacles your way? Last week, I was rushing to drop off my oldest child to an event. The event was about 45 minutes away not counting the awful traffic that is the norm in our area. When traffic finally broke, I managed to pick up speed only to be pulled over by a state trooper. It seemed we were destined to be late no matter what I did. The day …