Meredith C. Murphy, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist

Some beautiful insights about raising children who are compassionate and kind:

Some fascinating research pointing to the need to better understand the transgenerational transmission of stress

An important perspective on the dangers of misdiagnosing ADHD:

I'm thrilled to announce that my practice has moved into a fantastic, spacious new office in the heart of Los Feliz! As of February 1, my new office address is: 4620A Hollywood Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90027

Social cliques may be less important in the formation of teens' friendships than we thought. New research shows that the classes teens take may also have a strong impact on who their friends are.

More and more, we understand that avoiding adversity is not what helps children thrive. Of course, it is impossible to keep children's lives stress-free and, in fact, "normal" stress is actually beneficial to children's development. But, chronic and/or extreme stress can become "toxic" for children, increasing their risk for a host of physical and mental health problems throughout their lives. What we are learning is that the crucial protective factor in helping children thrive even in the face of stress is relationships with emotionally attuned, responsive, supportive adults.

More evidence that it's not about whether your child is scheduled with too many or too few activities, but whether he or she is enjoying those activities and thriving (and still having some time to "just be"):

Tomorrow is the second annual National Psychotherapy Day. Let's continue to fight the stigma and change misperceptions of psychotherapy and mental illness. Please wear turquoise on Wednesday, 9/25 to show your support. For more information, visit:

It's so important to honor the process of dealing with trauma, both the big "T" traumas, and the smaller ones of everyday life...

A helpful piece on the dangers of over-parenting (yes, it is possible!)

Here's a great article on how helpful it is for individuals with ADHD to focus on their strengths (it's actually pretty good advice for all of us).

Laughter is therapeutic . . .