Koy Roberts, Ph.D.

I appreciate everyone’s understanding and patience while I am on vacation with my family. If you need anything please do not hesitate to call my office mgr, Catherine, directly at 972.313.0505. 

Kids and teens lamenting the end of summer often admit they look forward to a new school year.  It’s their opportunity for a fresh start, new goals, organization and a blank slate.  A “do-over” if need be.  The new school year also presents an opportunity for us parents to do the same.  Here are some habits I am going to work on.   We don’t have to wait till New Year’s.

Writer and mom shares 9 things you should not say to your children.

I was interviewed for articles in this month’s D Magazine along with their summer medical edition.  The annual medical edition is print only and not available online but it’s a separate, longer article where I suggested they also talk with Ian Kinsler of the Texas Rangers.  They contacted me in the spring looking for a mental health topic for the medical edition to come out this summer and I suggested ADHD in adults knowing their target audience.  I diagnose, evaluate and counsel many children and teenagers with ADHD but adults with it rarely get a mention.  I told them many famous and successful athletes such as Michael Phelps and our own Ian Kinsler have opened up about their condition…not to mention scores of successful business people and celebrities.  They told me they were going to publish a photo of me to go with the stories but I guess after seeing the proofs they wised up.  Hard to sell magazines using my mug. 

Principles for developing self-compassion in your child.

I am a big believer that the self esteem movement has caused much more harm than good over the past 30-40 years.  Today’s college students according to researchers are more narcissistic than ever.  Self-compassion is a new, budding area of psychological research.  A focus on self esteem alone results in increasing neuroticism, emotional fragility and narcissism.  Self-compassion may sound like your indulging yourself but it’s anything but that.  “It is not this nimby, bimby stuff,” said Paul Gilbert, a researcher at
Kingsway Hospital in the United Kingdom. “Compassion is sensitivity to
the suffering of self and others and a commitment to do something about
it.”  It involves mindfulness, common humanity and kindness.  People high in self-compassion tend to have higher standards, work
harder and take more personal responsibility for their actions.  That’s what I want for my children rather than becoming distracted by building their self esteem.

ADD/ADHD in adults.
Austic Spectrum Disorders in children.

I highly recommend “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother” by Amy Chua.  It’s a fascinating yet controversial look at the child-rearing differences between Western parents and their Chinese counterparts.
Western parents try to respect their children’s individuality,
encouraging them to pursue their true passions, supporting their
choices, and providing positive reinforcement and a nurturing
environment. By contrast, the Chinese believe that the best way to
protect their children is by preparing them for the future, letting them
see what they’re capable of, and arming them with skills, work habits
and inner confidence that no one can ever take away.

Too much specialization in sports at an early age comes with multiple risks such as injury, burn out, stress and anxiety.