Dr. Amy Stark

Child Psychologist, Author & Speaker

Specializing in:
Teaching Families How to Live Divorced
and Self-Esteem for Girls and Boys

Food For Thought

Food For Thought

Traditions

It is important to have a holiday tradition that you share with your child every year.

Dogs can help calm us down

When we are stressed and upset, dogs can help us calm down. My therapy dogs do that with patients in my office.

Dog Love

My dogs teach me so much about love. They are so accepting of everyone’s moods…

Transitions and the Family Pet

Whenever possible, its so helpful to send the family pet when a child goes back and forth between parents.

The Dinner Hour

I am amazed at how many families, divorced or otherwise have forgotten about the importance of the family meal. Lets look at what this magical time gives you and your family.

The Magic Age

Children and teens in divorced families often complain about their other parent. Since children often know their parents with alarming accuracy, they might even voice some ...

Dream The Dream

Parents in the midst of divorce conflict are missing the boat…and so are their kids. When the focus is on who gets the most time, who gets to pick the kid’s activities, who should make the medical decisions, there is often not enough time to help...

The Sensitive Child

Some children are much more sensitive than others. They react to feelings and changes in their environments much more than other children do.

Its Not Me

Very often parents come in, amidst court difficulties and immediately state that its really not THEIR fault. They point out they have done everything they have been asked to do, and IF ONLY their ...

Therapy Dogs To The Rescue

I am often reminded of how important animals are in the healing process when I see my dogs with children who come to work with me.

Un-common Courtesy

Common courtesy is NOT common. In fact, it is very rare. I think some niceities have been lost in everyone’s rush to multi-task. Even if you don’t have your kids full time, they can still learn simple yet elegant manners and kindnesses. One of the first things is ...

Try A Little Tenderness

Sometimes during a divorce, parents are so distraught and upset, they forget to consider that their children might be grieving in their own way. Children of all ages are just as impacted by the divorce as...

Gatekeeping

What does it mean to be a gatekeeping parent. The term is widely used among the family court judicial officers. When you are the gatekeeper parent you are the one that has the children the majority of the time. So, how can you do your job when ...

Promoting

Often times, either during or after a divorce, parents find it hard to feel positively about their ex partner. Because of the hurt or anger they feel, they then find it even harder to encourage their child to have a relationship with the other parent. Everything they do not like about their ex is ...

The Dream

It's the New Year. Have you taken the time to discuss goals with your child? I don’t mean just material ones like a new bike or more games for the gaming system. I means true goals that you might like to help them achieve and perhaps goals they might like as well. Right around this time of year I like to ask kids ...

* Disclaimer:
Dr. Stark's Web site is not intended to take the place of a court-ordered advice or the advice of another professional. Although you may use the input found here to your best advantage, we recommend that you do so in conjunction with the work that you are doing with your individual therapist. Remember: this Web site is not therapy; it's knowledge and support.

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