The Active
& Connected Blog

The Realities of Parenting Teens with Phones, by Amanda Sovik-Johnston, Ph.D.

My 13-year-old has an iPhone. The reality of that sentence makes me deeply uncomfortable, almost ashamed. It makes me wonder if I’m a fraud. As a child psychologist who focuses on families and...

Workin’ with The Second Row – Amanda Sovik-Johnston, Active & Connected Family Therapy

A&C Family Therapy worked with Matt at The Second Row to help with the rebrand from Virginia Family Therapy to Active and Connected Family Therapy. Matt was such a joy to work with and I am so...

The Power of Small Talk

Let’s teach our kids the power of small talk! Research shows that good-old fashioned chatting and a brief moment of connection with people we don’t know well releases oxytocin and dopamine – our...

Reflections From A Psychologist (11/4/2023): Counting On Kindness For Kids’ Mental Health

We all know there is a mental health crisis out there. We have real numbers that highlight elevated rates of anxiety and depression for kids, teenagers, people of color, men, working mothers. The...

Reflections From A Psychologist (10/28/23): Halloween Is Here And The Holidays Are Coming!

Halloween is almost here, which means that many parents’ minds are racing about the joy and sadness that the holidays can bring. My sweet husband will attest that I think about holidays and...

The Active And Connected Summer – The Party Must Continue!

You all… it is September 25th and I need a vacation. My kids have been in school for four weeks and I’m already missing field trip permission slips, have overdrawn the kids’ lunch accounts (and have...

Reflections From A Psychologist (10/21/23): Showing Up In Our Community Amid Global Chaos

This week has been filled with deep sadness, grief, and fear about the innocent people suffering in the Middle East. Personally and professionally, I witness the intense devastation and...

Homework Issues Make Relationship Issues: Strategies To Help With Homework With Lara Dawn [Podcast Episode]

We’re about a month into being back to school and here’s what’s been coming up for me: homework issues. I was a bit hesitant about releasing an episode on this topic because to be fair, it sounds...

Weekly Reflection On Mental Health; September 10, 2023

Hi everyone! This has been one of the harder transitions to school for my sweet kids. Luckily, I work with some pretty bright people who offer me perspective and remind me I’m not alone. Here...

Start The School Year With Presence With Dr. Leah Katz [Podcast Episode]

As high-achieving moms, we’re living hectic lives, reacting to every trigger, thought, text message, and notification. How can we be more intentional about our lives and start the school year with...