Insights from Edith Adams, M.S.W., LICSW

I recently met with a family whose 16-year-old daughter, Paige, was refusing to go to school. Her parents reported that Paige was a bright student with a history of strong school performance. Recently, her grades had dropped, and her parents were puzzled about what was going on. They also said that she had distanced herself from longtime friends and was spending more time in her room. Once a compliant, friendly girl, Paige was now fighting with her parents who felt she was being willful and defiant in refusing to go to school; they could not understand why she was not open to reason and why she was willing to compromise her bright future. Read more

I had been planning to refer a young adult to a transitional college support program in Texas when Hurricane Harvey threw a wrench into my plans.Read more

When my daughter was in high school, her physics teacher lamented that while she was not afraid of the most complex physics problems, she was stymied by remembering to bring a pencil to class.Read more

As I reflect back on professional experiences as both a social worker and learning specialist and personal memories of parenthood, I find myself coming back again and again to the words of a former boss and mentor that have rung true to me over the years. Read more