Welcome to Our Blog
Check out the newest blogs from our McCaskill Family Services staff. Learn about relevant psychological topics, our treatments, and get inspired. Happy Reading!
My College-Age Child is Struggling! How can I help?
By Dr. Pam McCaskill
This is a question we often hear from parents who are wanting to let their...
Why we don't take insurance for mental health care: Insight for our families in Plymouth, Canton, Novi, Northville, Livonia Brighton, Howell, Wixom and surrounding areas
Why we don't take insurance for mental health care: Insight for our families in Plymouth, Canton,...
The Importance of Play
The Benefits of Unstructured Play by: Dr. Pamela McCaskillOver my last 30 years as a child...
The Language of Love
by Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP Falling in love with someone can be easy. It doesn’t take much to...
Feeling Physical? The differences between health-related anxiety disorders.
by: Jaclyn Rink, LLP It can be challenging when you are dealing with physical symptoms to know...
Filling Your Emotional Gas Tank
50 Simple Self-Care Ideasby Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
I hear it every day, “Jaclyn, I...
Adopting an Attitude of Gratitude
by: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP What is the first thing you think about when you wake up in the...
5 Reasons Why Your Relationship Health Matters
By: Jessica Peatee, Ph.D., LP
As a psychologist, I have had the opportunity to work with a variety...
Does an ADHD Diagnosis Require a 504 Plan?
by: Barb Dunn, LPC So, your child has just been diagnosed with ADHD, and your doctor mentioned...
The Power of Routines
Your Secret to a Calm and Organized Life. By: Barb Dunn, M.A., LPC Have you ever noticed how a...
Fueling for Activity: 10 tips to make sure you're eating enough
by: Daylan Wentland, MS, RD Exercise is well known for its health benefits. But did you know...
Healthy Boundaries for Technology
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
Social media and technology are powerful constructs of our daily...
Feeling Unmotivated? I get it, me too!
by: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP Thomas Edison said the following, “Genius is 1%
inspiration and 99%...
Journaling as a therapeutic tool
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
Psychology was born on the basis of catharsis. Catharsis...
4 Solutions to Any Problem
Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
After reading the title of this blog entry you might be saying to...
Food & Mood
The Ways Nutrition and Mental Health Interact
Written by: Daylan Wentland, MS, RD
...
Meet Your Mental Enemies: Part Two
(A 3-part series)
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
Welcome back to part two of my three-part-series...
Attachment Styles 101
An Explanation of Behaviors in Relationships
By Sydney Rumley, M.S., TLLP
Relationships are...
Meet Your Mental Enemies: Cognitive Distortions (Part One)
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
Lee Atwater described it best when he said, “Our perception is our...
Exercise and Mental Health
Too Much, Too Little, Just Right
By: Sydney Rumley, MS, TLLP
The weather is getting colder...
8 Fad Diet Red Flags
How to Tell the Difference Between Sound Nutrition Advice and Harmful Fads
Written by:...
Confronting Confrontation
Tips to Improve Your Ability to Effectively Communicate
By: Jacob Lowe, MS, TLLP...
Gentle Nutrition Tips From Our Dietician
By: Daylan Wentland, MS, RD
Do you ever find yourself feeling overwhelmed or confused...
Navigating Divorce
By: Nicole Wozniak, Psy.D., Licensed Psychologist
Deciding that you and your partner are heading...
Navigating the Back-to-School Blues
The Backpack Blues: Navigating Back-to-School Stress
By: Jacob Lowe, MS, TLLP
As the vibrant...
Excessive Video Game Usage
Dr. Amanda Klingensmith
School’s (almost) out for summer! And what does that mean for most...
Sexual Assault and Dating Violence Awareness
By: Dr. Jessica Peatee, Ph.D., LLP
At McCaskill Family Services, we often work with adolescents...
Job Grounding Parenting Method
By: Dr. Kenya Makhiawala
Parenting can be such a challenge! You hear so many different...
ARFID: The Eating Disorder You Need to Know About
By: Kim Hesano, RN-BSN
Do you find yourself or your child avoiding certain foods, even if...
(Easy) Ways to Enhance Quality Time with your Children
By: Dr. Danielle Dwyer
Spring Break is just around the corner! It's been a long, cold,...
Our Best Practices for Families after a School Shooting or Lock-Down Drill
With the recent tragic school shooting in our hometown at Michigan State University, our team...
Boost Your Romantic Relationship Through Gratitude
By: Jessica Peatee, Ph.D., LLP
In honor of Valentine's month, let's talk about romantic...
Beating the Winter Blues
by: Bismah Khan, TLLP
Here we are in the middle of winter: The holidays have passed and many...
Empty Nest: Now what?
By: Karla VanAssche
As a child who loved school, the end of summer was always a time of...
Common OCD Misconceptions: Debunked
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
You’ve probably heard someone say the following “Ugh! Sorry! I...
4 Tips to help cultivate a supportive body image environment
Empower your family to embrace joy and acceptance
By:...
Sensory Processing Issues In Children
By: Dr. Pamela McCaskill, Ph.D.
I am often asked “does my child have sensory processing...
Emotional Support Animals...Service Animals...Therapy Animals...Oh My!
By: Dr. Nicole Wozniak, Psy.D.
There is simply...
5 ways we can all help LGBTQ+ and questioning children navigate their identity
By: Aiden ZamZow, M.A, TLLP
LGBTQ+ youth are subject to unique negative experiences related to...
Assistive Technology for Dyslexia
by: Emily Kavanagh, MS, LLP
Individuals with dyslexia are often creative, out-of-the-box...
ABC'S of Reducing Emotional Vulnerability
A Proactive Tool for Managing Negative Emotions from DBT
By: Jaclyn Rink
Try...
5 Tips for Coping with Grief and Loss
The experience of grief and loss is highly individualized. There is no cookie-cutter amount of time...
Dyslexia: 10 Common Warning Signs (in the classroom, on the playground & at home)
In my 25 years of evaluating and treating individuals with Learning Disabilities (LD’s), I...
Fill Up Your Gas Tank: 50 Simple Self-Care Ideas
Fill Up Your Gas Tank: 50 Simple Self-Care Ideas
I hear it every day, “Jaclyn, I don’t...
How to Identify a School Shooter: A Psychologist's Perspective
By Drs. John and Pamela McCaskill
With the recent tragic school shooting in our...
10 Tips for Getting the ZZZzz's Back on Track
By Truc Nyguen, MS, LLP
We all know one thing for certain… getting kids back on their normal...
Autism Q & A with Dr. Nicole
Autism Q&A
With Nicole Wozniak, Psy.D
What is Autism?
A neurodevelopmental disorder...
The Pros & Cons of Technology Time
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
The CDC recommends limiting your tech time to 2...
GIVE: Skills for Social Success
By Dr. Amanda Klingensmith, PH.D.
Summer is finally here! What’s the number one priority on...
The Myths of Eating Disorders
By Alesha Miller, MS, LLP
Debunking some of the most common Myths about Eating...
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic On Mental Health Care: A Psychologist's Perspective
By Pamela A. McCaskill, Ph.D., LP
Have you ever wondered what this past year has been...
Social Media Checklist For Mental Health
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP
Follow someone who debunks “influencers” and how...
5 Tips for Managing Screen Time
By: Pamela A. McCaskill, Ph.D.
One of the most common questions parents are asking me...
Don't Judge Your Judgement: How to Practice Mindfulness During a Global Pandemic
By: Nicole Wozniak, Psy.D., LP.
What do you get when you add one part global pandemic, one part...
Top Ten Stress Management Tips For Teachers
By: Dr. Nicole Wozniak, PsyD.
It used to be that every year, August to June, people knew what to...
5 Tips to Beat the Holiday and Post-Holiday Blues
By Emily Brzak, MA, TLLP.
1. Think of the new year as a blank slate. This is an excellent time...
Cultivating Mindfulness during Covid-19
By: Ellen Barrett-Becker, Ph.D.
Covid-19 has created unprecedented stress for all of us. Balancing new work and school demands during the pandemic has been uniquely challenging. Luckily, mindfulness-based techniques can help you find your center and calm in the storm of stress and anxiety.
Making Meaning Out of a Crisis: What COVID-19 Has Taught Me.. Part One.
By: Jaclyn Rink, MSCP, LLP.
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind for our world. There...
What is Telemental Health and How Does it Work?
By Beverly M. Griffor, MA, JD, MS, MBA, TLLP
This is a time of changing rules and unsettled...
Overwhelmed by Your Teenager? Welcome the Club: Top Tips for Parents with Struggling Teens
By Jaclyn Rink, MS
It took me many weeks of merely thinking about this blog post before I...
Now Offering DBT Skills Training for Teen Anxiety, Depression & Anger.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is an empirically supported treatment that aims to teach...
A is for August and, apparently, ADHD!
This article in the New York Times is very interesting to read if your child was born in August...
How To Help A Child With An Anxiety Disorder.
We thought this was an excellent article to share – a recent report from the Child Mind...
Team Building Event at The Brighton Equestrian Club.
A few photos from our recent, very successful team building event at the Brighton Equestrian Club....
How Horses Help Humans Heal with McCaskill Family Services and the Brighton Equestrian Club.
It’s been an exciting couple of years at McCaskill Family Services! We have been helping people...
Assistive Technology: Are You Missing Something?
By Emily Kavanagh, M.S.
Limited Licensed Psychologist
Director, McCaskill Family Services...
C-BIT: An Alternative Treatment for Tics
By Dr. Amanda Klingensmith, Ph.D.
Many families have a hard time finding resources for their...
Habits: Making Changes that Last a Lifetime.
By Dr. Fred Upton, Ph.D.
I am a person who always wants to have more data.
I love...
Let's Care about Self-Care
By Truc Nguyen
Taking care of yourself first and making your mental and physical...
Why Am I Talking to Myself? The Skill You Need to Learn to Fight Anxiety and Depression
By Jaclyn RinkMSCP, Limited Licensed Psychologist
People tend to think they need help from a...
Thoughts from Hannah Burgol, Front Office Secretary, McCaskill Family Services
By Hannah Burgol
Ever since I was young I knew I wanted to work in a setting that was helping...
