Posted on October 24th, 2022 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

In a recent post we opened up the topic of divorce and what some of the reasons might be to consider it. In this post we’ll consider what the consequences of divorce could be. As […]

Posted on September 2nd, 2021 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

If your child is experiencing negative feelings that persist to the point that they are not functioning properly, then they might be suffering from a depressive disorder. According to the Centers for Disease Control and […]

Posted on June 7th, 2021 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Divorce stinks. Even when it’s the best option, it’s still a bad option. And this is doubly so when there are kids involved. (Actually, that’s probably an understatement. A divorce with no children is painful; […]

Posted on October 5th, 2020 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

When two people share a child in common, the relationship between the two of them is hard to sever entirely. Certainly when the children are young there is a lot of physical care that goes […]

Posted on March 17th, 2020 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Let’s be real. This is, in the true sense of the word, unprecedented. We’re all a little anxious. We all know people who are in the higher-risk category. Many of us are facing a good […]

Posted on September 4th, 2019 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Have you seen this alarming article yet? ‘Picky’ teen goes blind after diet of only fries and chips, study says. Apparently a British teenager refused to eat anything but “french fries, Pringles, white bread, processed […]

Posted on August 14th, 2019 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

There are many reasons adults may decide to stop talking to their siblings. Old wounds from their childhood interactions are a major culprit, as are ongoing personality differences that cause friction. Often a major life event will lead to a break, such as a Thanksgiving dinner gone awry, or, regrettably, the death of a parent and the inheritance squabbles that can ensue.

Posted on July 22nd, 2019 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

In our last post I offered some ideas on how parents can go about reconnecting with adult children who have become distant and disconnected. In this post I’d like to talk a bit more about […]

Posted on October 8th, 2018 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Recently I had the great pleasure of going to an escape room for a bit of family fun. If you’re not familiar,

Posted on August 9th, 2018 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

It is generally accepted in today’s generation of parents that praise and encouragement are the tools of choice in childrearing rather than some past methods such as yelling, shaming, and, of course, whupping. Praise and […]

Posted on May 8th, 2018 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Recently I was interviewed on the radio to discuss the question of how to prioritize your relationship with your spouse vs. your kids. You can listen to the 20-minute segment here. Here’s the spoiler: I […]

Posted on June 14th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Young children are constantly running to their parents to show them what they’re doing or playing with – “Mommy look! I put a hat on the baby doll!” “Daddy, see the picture I drew?”  Often […]

Posted on June 5th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

I’d like to share with you a handy parenting tool that is easier to use than it might sound.  It’s nothing brilliant or novel – just one of those things sitting under your nose all […]

Posted on May 25th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Another common battleground for parents with young children is mealtime.  Getting kids to eat their proverbial veggies has been a vexing problem since time immemorial.  Just as we noted with bedtime, it’s unlikely you will […]

Posted on May 16th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

If you have young children, you don’t need me to tell you what it’s like getting through bedtime.  The hassle, the arguments, the frustrations – it happens to all of us.  Don’t worry – it’s […]

Posted on January 24th, 2017 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Words of Affirmation is the first of the love languages described in Gary Chapman’s Five Love Languages system. For people whose primary love language is Words of Affirmation, it’s what you say that counts.  This […]

Posted on September 26th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

In the previous post we cited a number of examples of role changes that can lead to conflict in the home and the importance of family therapy for managing these transitions.  There we focused primarily […]

Posted on September 8th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Why do relationships between mothers and daughters that are warm, loving, and peaceable turn into battlegrounds of conflict and frustration?  What happens that causes such a drastic change, often in so short a time? The […]

Posted on August 24th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

We frequently get calls for family therapy, specifically regarding troubled mother/daughter relationships.  These include young parents with school- or preschool-aged children, middle-aged women with their teenage/young adult daughters, and even up to elderly women who […]

Posted on July 6th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

An amazing thing happened in my house last night. I was out for the evening, and I came home to find a tired but relatively cheerful wife and three sleeping children. This is what I […]

Posted on June 2nd, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Yes, this is an actual picture of me at something like 15 and my real-life mom. I believe we’re on a biking trip in one of the Carolinas.  The exceptionally poor quality is due to […]

Posted on May 2nd, 2016 By Caitlin Chana Hill

Life in the modern era has become more and more of a sophisticated juggling act. Time management skills have become increasingly important: work, family, leisure, health – managing all our responsibilities is no easy feat. […]

Posted on February 29th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Here’s another article I wrote for Marriage.com, offering a few simple tips for making life as a parent a little bit easier: http://www.marriage.com/advice/parenting/4-things-to-do-to-make-child-rearing-easy/ Learn more about our parenting support services here.

Posted on January 27th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

The last piece I’m going to post on the topic of why a good marriage is the best gift we can give to ours kids is probably the simplest: 4. It’s just nicer to live […]

Posted on January 11th, 2016 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Continuing on in our exploration of why a good marriage is so vital to your childrearing endeavors, here is reason #3: 3. They’ll do as you do. Jimmy’s parents were called into school, where Jimmy […]

Posted on December 28th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

In the last post, I opened up the topic of why a good marriage is good parenting and discussed the issue of household stability. Here is reason #2 that the best gift you can give […]

Posted on December 20th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

When I get a call from parents seeking help with problems with their children, it is not uncommon that a large portion of the work actually needs to happen with the parents themselves. Unrealistic expectations, […]

Posted on August 6th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Check out our latest article on the Maryland Addiction Recovery Center‘s guest blog! http://www.marylandaddictionrecovery.com/boundaries-inside-and-out

Posted on July 14th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

I recently posted an article on Kveller.com, a site I enjoy sharing my personal experiences on. Check out my fun and educational story of the day I spent one-on-one with my four year old! http://www.kveller.com/the-only-thing-i-can-give-to-my-daughter-that-matters/ […]

Posted on June 8th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

There is a difference of opinions out there as to whether it is important to use the proper names for private parts when teaching children about their bodies and discussing sexual abuse issues (i.e., not […]

Posted on June 1st, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

I recently chanced across an article by Andrea Nair and was so appreciative of it that I looked her up and ended up finding dozens more really helpful articles.  I agree with almost everything she […]

Posted on May 28th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

This morning while dropping my kids off at school I spotted a mom driving her minivan into the carpool line while talking on a handheld cellphone.  I don’t know what the laws are in other […]

Posted on May 6th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

I’m on TV! WBAL-TV interviewed me for my take on toddlers using iPads (See the accompanying article at http://www.wbaltv.com/news/limiting-childs-screentime-difficult-battle-for-parents/32819168).  Unfortunately, I think they did a so-so job representing my opinions, so let me clarify a […]

Posted on May 4th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

A local Maryland couple in the news has once again raised discussion and debate about the free-range parenting movement.  Read more about it, including my opinions as quoted therein, at http://jewishtimes.com/36553/free-range. Learn more about our […]

Posted on March 24th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

A friend of mine passed these along to me – coloring pages to be used in discussing sexual abuse with your children.  Check them out at http://themamabeareffect.org/coloring-pages.html. I think they are fantastic!  This can really […]

Posted on February 24th, 2015 By Caitlin Chana Hill

Have you seen this video yet? This entertaining video gone viral by Story of This Life is generating a lot of conversation – over 3 million views on YouTube as of this writing! Many Moms […]

Posted on February 8th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Another guest post I wrote on a friend’s blog has generated some interesting conversation.  See the article and subsequent comments at https://incensefromthealtar.wordpress.com/2015/02/05/the-importance-of-listening. Learn more about our couples counseling services here.

Posted on January 4th, 2015 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

My latest parenting article in the Where What When: Let me start with this question: How do you get your kids to brush their teeth every night? http://www.wherewhatwhen.com/article/how-to-get-your-kids-to-brush-their-teeth-and-other-stories Learn more about our parenting support services […]

Posted on December 10th, 2014 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

An article I wrote in a local paper on a modern-day topic: http://jewishtimes.com/31779/parenting-in-the-iphone-age/   Learn more about our parenting workshops here.

Posted on November 23rd, 2014 By Caitlin Chana Hill

Adoption is not just an event in the life of a person; it is on ongoing reality in the life of a whole family. The adoption experience does not begin or end with the adopted […]

Posted on November 14th, 2014 By Caitlin Chana Hill

This article made me both laugh and cry out loud! Becoming a mother brings children, mess, a larger wardrobe, and fewer friends.  For people (like me) who thrive on social interaction and friendship, making time […]

Posted on October 8th, 2014 By Caitlin Chana Hill

I thought this was a powerful article on positive parenting about the effect we as parents have on our children. Check it out: Young adults who had been criticized, insulted or threatened by a parent […]

Posted on August 28th, 2014 By Raffi Bilek, LCSW-C

Recently, I was sitting at dinner with my wife and kids and discussing the mundane issues of daily life.  At one point my wife mentioned to me something about putting the kids in camp for an […]