Katie Malinski

Good for him!

As an MSSW first-year intern, I worked at a residential treatment facility for teenage male sex offenders. I didn't ask for that job, and it was really-really challenging, but I definitely learned an enormous amount there. This is one of my favorite stories from that time. I worked with a psychiatrist who was a super smart guy. He was [...]

The pothole story… a metaphor for change

Once upon a time, on a Monday, a man was walking down a road. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, he found himself at the bottom of a big, dark place. It was scary! After several hours, he figured out that he had fallen into a very large pothole. He wasn't able to get out on his own--actually it required a lot of help to get out, but eventually he did get out. It was awful. The very next day--Tuesday,

You say you want a revolution…

When people come to see me, it’s generally because they are seeking change.  Something isn’t quite the way they want it to be: they want to grow, or help their child grow.  That desired change?—it begins in the brain. Scientists used to think that brains stopped growing after a certain age, but thankfully we now know better.  Modern neuroscience [...]

Anti-Racist Parenting Conversations

Parents, and especially White parents, have important work to embrace around being, and parenting, in anti-racist ways. Let's start with two steps. #1: Understand “anti-racism.” I believe that most everyone in my life would describe themselves as “not racist.” If asked, they would disavow racist ideas and actions. However, as I have learned embarrassingly recently, it is not enough [...]

Book Recommendations about Parenting & ADD/ADHD

Taking Charge of ADHD by Russell Barkley Super-parenting for ADD by Edward Hallowell.  (He also has a podcast with about a million episodes.  Free and easy to access!) Late, Lost, and Unprepared by Joyce Cooper-Kahn & Laurie Dietzel This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive compensation if you click the links and then buy. (and if [...]

Puberty Book Recommendations

The Care and Keeping of You (The American Girl book). These people know their market!  This book is known and loved by a gazillion people. There's also a "Part Two" version for older girls. This one was recommended to me as a more inclusive puberty book for girls: And for boys, I like this one but FYI it does [...]

After a Lockdown: Tips for Teachers

A mom friend got caught in a lockdown at her child's school recently, and she posted about her frightening experience on Facebook. Another friend asked if anyone helped the kids re-regulate their nervous systems when it was over. Unfortunately, the answer was no--kids were just released to go on to the next thing, probably still scared and with adrenaline [...]