By Ariel Cohen-Mendelson, LPCC Somewhere along the way, our culture decided that dads deserve applause for “helping” — packing a lunch, changing a diaper, or “babysitting” their own kids — while moms quietly do it all. The bar for fatherhood remains shockingly low, even as modern moms work full-time, carry the mental load, and run the household. It’s easy to joke about, but in my clinical practice, I see the emotional consequences every day: burnout, resentment, and growing d

By Ariel Cohen-Mendelson, LPCC If your sweet, gentle toddler suddenly insists on being the “bad guy” during play — growling, stealing toys in pretend games, or declaring “I’m the monster!” — don’t worry. This phase is not only common, it’s developmentally healthy. Around ages two to five, children are discovering complex emotions: power, fear, fairness, and control. Pretending to be the “villain” lets them safely explore these big feelings in a world they can manage. When you

By Ariel Cohen-Mendelson, LPCC Let’s bust one of the biggest parenting myths: responding to your baby’s needs will “spoil” them. Neuroscience tells us the opposite — your warmth, responsiveness, and touch are literally building your baby’s brain. Myth #1: “If I hold my baby too much, they’ll become dependent.” Truth: When you hold your baby, their brain releases oxytocin — the “connection hormone” — which lowers stress and strengthens neural pathways for trust and safety. You

As a therapist, I often remind my clients that self-love isn’t indulgent — it’s essential. Yet, I learned that lesson the hard way. When my son was a baby, I spent so much time behind the camera, snapping photos of his chubby hands, his gummy smile, his little milestones. But when I look back now, there are very few pictures of us together. I avoided them — convinced I didn’t look good enough. I skipped getting in the pool because I didn’t feel confident in a swimsuit. I didn