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Children do not develop on their own - they only develop within relationships.

You cannot reason with someone who is being unreasonable.

Some hope their children will be like sponges soaking up the truth and wisdom imparted by their parents. However appealing this philosophy might be, it seldom seems to catch on with their children.

"Moody" and "unpredictable" are adjectives parents will often use when referring to their teenagers.

Relationships matter:  change comes through forming trusting relationships. People, not programs change people.

"The thing that impresses me most about North America is the way parents obey their children"    (King Edward VII , 1841-1910)

If you are headed in the wrong direction as a parent - you are allowed to make a U-turn.

The challenge of adolescence is to balance the right of the parents to feel they are in charge with the need of the adolescent to gain independence.

Whining and crying are employed by kids for the purpose of getting something. If it works, then it was worth the effort and will be repeated.

Removing a child from a traumatic environment does not remove the trauma from the child's memory.

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Asperger’s

  Asperger’s Syndrome   What is it?             Asperger’s Syndrome is a neurobiological disorder that results in behavioural  characteristics that are best described as “odd” or “eccentric”. The cause is not  known although there appears to be a strong genetic component as it has a high heritability rate. There is no cure. There are, however interventions that can yield positive results.   History Dr. Hans Asperger (Austrian pediatrician and psychiatrist) observed 4 children in his practice […]

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Differential Diagnosis – could it be something other than depression?

  DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The symptoms outlined above could be caused by other conditions:                   eg.           – parasitic diseases                               – Lyme disease                                     – virus                                                           – mononucleosis                                     – brain diseases                                       – lesions, tumor                                     – allergic disorders                                – hypothyroidism                                     – chronic infections                         […]

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Professional Development

I have attended 3 separate day long conferences in the last few weeks that all basically had the same prescription for troubled and troubling youth. Annette Kussin (MSW) was speaking in London on “Attachment in Adolescence”. Stanley Kutcher (MD) was at CPRI in London and his topic was “The Developing Adoscent Brain” and Stuart Shanker (Ph.D) presented “Bringing Self Regulation into the Classroom” in Mississauga. All three of these individuals emphasized that caregivers must develop […]

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Workshops

+ Behaviour Management (now available online)

This full day or 2 evening workshop will introduce you […]

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+ A Parent’s Guide to the Teenage Brain

  A teenager’s brain is not just an adult brain […]

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+ Reading Rescue

A program for children with reading problems

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+ A Guided Tour of ADHD (now available online)

This workshop will present the facts, myths, misconceptions, controversy and […]

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Contact

2720 Rath Street, Putnam, Ontario
NOL 2BO

Phone: (519) 485-4678
Fax: (519) 485-0281

Email: info@rickharper.ca

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Parents' Comments

“Our daughter was the joy of our life until she turned 13, then all hell broke loose. Rick helped us understand what was happening to her and we made some adjustments that helped us get through it. She’s now in University and doing well.”

(D.A. – St. Thomas)