Introducing Loren Buckner, LCSW

Introducing Loren Buckner, LCSW

Loren began her career as a substance abuse counselor in Waitsfield, Vermont. In 1980, she and her husband moved to Barcelona, Spain, where they taught English for two years. From Spain, they moved to Tampa, Florida, where Loren worked in community mental health for many years. She is currently in private practice as a psychotherapist. Loren has spoken to parents locally, nationally, and internationally about the emotional challenges of raising children. Her book ParentWise offers parents professional counsel in the privacy of their own homes and is a valuable resource for parents to return to again and again.

Join Carol & Stacy for a live chat with Loren Buckner January 10th in their BlogFrog Parenting Community.

9 PM Eastern ~ 8 Central ~ 7 Mountain ~ 6 Pacific

~ Prizes ~

Did you miss Loren's guest articles on ICP? No problem, here they are.

Struggling with Motherhood

Childhood isn't something we get over.

Here's more praise for ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges Of Family Life And How To Deal With Them

Debra Blackburn, Step-parent. "Even if you're not a parent, you'll appreciate all you discover between the pages of this book. If you want to better understand yourself and your relationships with others, read this book!"

Cara MacMillan, Ecologist and Expectant Mother. "I love it already! I think that it is important for me to read this book, as I identify with the "conscientious parent" to-be, who also avoids some negative feelings."

Jeannie Cucher, Ph.D. Student and Mother. "It gave me hope, confirmed some of my beliefs, made me wonder about some others. I felt myself breathing in her definition of unconditional love, and wanting to retain her formulation in my mind."

Getting Clear In 2012 By Carol Lawrence

Do you write new years resolutions?
Do they usually work out well for you?
Do you commit yourself to your resolutions?


I can remember being a little kid thinking 2012 is so far away. I really thought back then we would all be driving hover crafts by now and that I would have grown up to be a "Solid Gold" dancer. (Past popular TV show).


Dreams change as we change with each passing breath. Like many of you I have written down my new years resolutions year after year. Some have been accomplished some have not. I'm pretty good at learning something new or completing a goal once I set my mind to it.


As I lay on my couch typing this blog post on my iPad and nursing a cold, I have been reflecting back on the past year. Many changes have taken place in my life and those around me. I'm grateful for

Review ~ ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them By Loren Buckner, LCSW

Review By Carol Lawrence and Stacy Toten


ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them By Loren Buckner, LCSW

All quotes in this review are from ParentWise.

Becoming a parent has many highs and many lows. Brand new babies do not arrive with a training manual. Through Loren Buckner's own experience as a mother and a psychotherapist she has gained the important life skills, tools and techniques that she willingly shares in ParentWise. Loren provides real raw parenting experiences that touch on darker parenting emotions that many parents themselves have yet to deal with until their parenting adventure begins.

"Internal security is a crucial building block of children's psychological lives, and it is the backbone of their developing personalities."

ParentWise: The Emotional Challenges of Family Life And How To Deal With Them dives in depth into some really great parenting subjects. Here is some of the ones that we would like to draw your attention too.

1. Your children depend on you, physically, emotionally, and psychologically.
This is so important. Some parents think as long as they are providing food, shelter and sending their child off to school for an education they have all their bases covered. Children need emotional connection and support!

"It's more difficult to teach your children to manage their feelings if you avoid or are afraid of your own."

2. Finding a new parenting perspective.
Loren gives prime examples of how to distinguish the difference between what the parent is wanting and feeling and what the child wants and feels.

3. Being "good enough" as a parent is a common affliction. There is no such thing as the perfect parent. However there is active parenting where the parent continues to educate themselves to strive towards parenting excellence.

"Good enough is an important principle to hold onto because as a caring parent you have your ideals about parenting. However, we all inevitably fall short. You can't be perfect, not because your a failure as a parent. Perfection doesn't exist. Perfectionism, therefore, isn't good for you or for your kids."

4. There's a father universe too! ParentWise takes a look at the way some fathers may feel upon arrival of a new baby and how fathers can stay emotionally connected.

A Special Interview With Dave Kerpen ~ CEO Of Likeable Media

Carol recently had the pleasure of interviewing Dave Kerpen. Dave is the CEO of Likeable Media and best selling author of Likeable Social Media: How to Delight Your Customers, Create an Irresistible Brand, and Be Generally Amazing on Facebook (And Other Social Networks)

Carol:  Dave, please tell us about yourself, your family and how you began your social media journey.

Dave: I am the very proud parent of two girls. Charlotte is 8 an amazing artist, loved and loving. Kate is 4 and so very full of life. Carrie is their incredible mom and my wife and partner in all things. I have always loved connecting with people and have always been very public, so social media was in many ways a perfect fit. Began with blogs and Facebook in 2007 and never looked back. 

Carol:  Who came up with the idea for your wedding? Can you briefly give us some juicy details?


Dave: Carrie and I came up with it together, but it was mostly her. It was a lot of fun - here is a link to one of my favorite media pieces from the wedding - http://tinyurl.com/kerpenwedding. The only juicy details I can think of was getting free stuff we didn't even ask for, like teeth-whitening from Bright Smile.  

Carol: How did you go about putting your wedding together and was there any doubt that it might not work?

Dave: We pitched the Brooklyn Cyclones first, because we needed a promotional partner that would have the inventory to trade. Then we approached contacts we had made through our radio and integrated marketing career. Once we landed 1-800-Flowers.com, Smirnoff and Entenmann's it was easier to get more partners. Once the NY Times piece hit, that led to other media. A few family members had their doubts, but we never doubted it  would work.

Carol: What inspired you to write Likeable Social Media?

Merry Christmas From Intentional Conscious Parenting

Enjoy your holiday. Be goofy, have fun!

Laugh about all your past problems. They are just that, past problems. 

Today's a new day.

Enjoy your family, your pets, your friends. 

Express Gratitude!

If you are reading this on Christmas day. Thank you for stopping by. 

We appreciate you, but please get off the computer and go visit family and friends.

If you are alone reach out to a neighbor,

Tips For Holiday Thrival By Nadine N.D., C.N.S

Tips for Holiday Thrival
(part of theEating with Purpose series)
By NADINE N.D., C.N.S
Creating RESULTS Holistic Center

A warm and festive Hello to each of you during this season of JOY
and PEACE. It can also be a season filled with land mines if we are
not present, and aware to make choices that serve us. During this
time of celebration,.we have the opportunity to gift each other with
self care. That self-care comes in the form of setting healthy
boundaries. When we set healthy boundaries around food, we allow
others to explore their own needs so that we are each taking
ownership for our health and well-being. Here are a few ways in
which you can claim ownership while making empowering choices
during this festive season.

• Pre-Plan your events: When you plan for an event, or meal, you have a structure to follow. One suggestion is to eat clean Monday through Friday so you can enjoy that one splurge meal on Friday night or Saturday. Then get right back to your structure the very next meal.
• Follow the 90/10 rule! Your body will respond to what you do 90 percent of the time. So one meal 'off' a scheduled program will not hurt you. Two meals 'off' will not hurt you. However having only one healthy meal a day will have detrimental effects on your progress.
• Notify your hostess or restaurant of any Wheat, Dairy, Nut or Soy allergies so they can better serve your needs.
• Ask for what you want in the restaurant rather than simply selecting off the choices provided within in the menu. As an example you can say “I would like 4 ounces of grilled salmon with two cups of steamed broccoli with no butter or salt added and a half a cup of rice.
• You can request your salad dressing be provided on the side. Remember this is about owning your nutritional needs.
• If the meal it at an awkward time
• Eat before you go. You can have a large salad with others, add some lean meat if you desire. Bottom line.
• DO NOT ARRIVE HUNGRY this will only lead to over eating then over groaning.
• If you are eating in a buffet style get-together, walk the entire food line before putting anything on your plate. Choose 2-3 items you would like to explore then put a small portion (tablespoon) of that item on your plate. You can always go back for more if you enjoyed it.
• Use a salad plate rather than a dinner plate at the buffet.
• Drink a glass of room temperature water before starting your meal. The water will aid your digestion and notify you sooner that you really are satisfied/full.
• Put your fork down between bites. Use smaller fork.
• Throw away your plate when you are finished eating. This will remove temptation of hand to mouth disease.
• Choose water or club soda with a twist of lime if you are at a group gathering where alcohol is being served. You do not have to have alcohol. Most folks simply want to make sure that you are OK...So if you are walking around with a club soda with a twist of lime or something similar you will most likely be left alone. Another consideration for alcohol is that it tends to turn your head towards high fat, high sodium and high sugared foods. By keeping to a club soda you will stick with your PLAN!!!
• Enjoy the conversation as you are eating. BE PRESENT!! BE CONSCIOUS!!

The never ending Office Cookie Plate ~ I used to laugh when I'd go into the conference room, see the table loaded with junk food, and listen to everyone complaining about gaining 30 pounds with grazing. With all that sugar in the body, not much work got done later either, but what to do with all that FOOD???

• Make a suggestion for all the food be placed in ONE spot, preferably a place you will not see or smell. Most over eating is a head game. If you can't see it, you won't want it. It is that simple.
• Suggest there be only ONE day for excess food.
• When you do eat the food, keep it to one room. Avoid taking it to your desk. That will only lead to mindless eating.