Monday, December 18, 2017

Opportunities for Children at Princeton Montessori School


As a clinical psychologist practicing in New Jersey, Dr. Beth Grosshans has spent many years helping children reach their potential. Dr. Beth Grosshans also serves as an instructor at the Princeton Center for Teacher Education, which trains teachers for the Princeton Montessori School. 

Using the Montessori philosophy of instilling social confidence and a love of learning, the school provides several enrichment programs for developing life and academic skills. 

One such activity is Tune in Time. A trained yoga and mindfulness teacher guides primary and middle school students through de-stressing exercises that benefit them inside and outside class. 

Eco Binding uses ecological concepts to promote awareness of natural systems. The school’s own animals and plants (including chickens and a meditation garden) create an atmosphere that facilitates appreciation for the inter-relatedness of life. 

After-school clubs also encourage various student interests. Featured 2017-2018 groups include Tae Kwon Do, basketball, rock music, chess, ukulele, and French culture. Most clubs meet weekly at 3, 4, or 6:30 pm.

Friday, November 17, 2017

Identifying the Pushover Parent


While practicing as a clinical psychologist in New Jersey, Beth Grosshans, PhD, guided a practice that met the complex needs of families, including those dealing with out-of-control children. In her book Beyond Time-Out: From Chaos to Calm, Beth Grosshans, PhD, details corrective strategies that help parents halt the transfer of power to their children and develop effective leadership skills. 

One type of parent Dr. Grosshans defines is the “pushover parent,” who takes personally their children’s protests, such as, "You're unfair!” or “You're so mean.” These and more subtle forms of resistance can result in parents ultimately giving up and telling themselves, “There’s nothing more that I can do," as they give in to their children’s demands.

Lacking an internalized power structure, parents scrabble for authority through stock phrases such as, "Santa won't give you any toys this year.” Alternatively, they may provide children with a long list of the bad things that may befall them if they don’t heed their directives, such as “Wash your hands, germs will make you sick.” Dr. Grosshans’ book provides concrete ways in which parents can use the language and behavior that is effective in rebalancing the parent-child relationship.

Monday, November 6, 2017

An Overview of the Metropolitan Opera's 2017-2018 Season


A retired clinical child psychologist, Dr. Beth Grosshans worked with children and families for more than 25 years. Since retiring from her New Jersey-based practice, Dr. Beth Grosshans has focused on writing, speaking, and supporting community and arts organizations. She currently serves as an advisory board member of the Metropolitan Opera

The Metropolitan Opera's 2017-2018 season kicked off on October 2 with the season premiere of Puccini's La Boheme, which features a cast led by Angel Blue, Anita Hartig, and Sonya Yoncheva. La Boheme will run at the Met through March 10, 2018.

Other highlights of the 2017-2018 season include productions of Puccini's Madame Butterfly, Mozart's The Magic Flute, and Verdi's Requiem. On April 29, 2018, the Met will also host the National Council Grand Finals Concert featuring some of opera's rising stars. 

In addition to offering regular showings of 25 operas this season, the Met will host gala premieres of Mozart's Cosi fan tutte and Massenet's Cendrillon in 2018. The gala events will feature cocktails and dinner prior to the shows and will give attendees the opportunity to support the Metropolitan Opera's programming. More information about the Met's 2017-2018 season is posted online at www.metopera.org/season.

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

The New York Metropolitan Opera's Contemporary Art Gallery


Dr. Beth Grosshans, a retired New Jersey-based clinical child psychologist, has spent 25 years working with families and children. After retiring, she wrote the 2008 parenting book, Beyond Time Out: From Chaos to Calm, which connected troubling childhood behavior to parents giving over too much of their power. Outside of her child psychology and writing careers, Beth Grosshans serves as an advisory board member for the New York Metropolitan Opera. 

Best known for its stage productions, the Met Opera also features a contemporary art gallery in its south lobby. Named after advisory board director Marie Schwartz and her late husband, the Arnold and Marie Schwartz Gallery Met continues to showcase the Met Opera’s love of the visual arts. Exhibitions often feature work from renowned artists like Marc Chagall and David Hockney, while also fostering new collaborative opportunities for other artists. 

Gallery Met admission is free for both Met ticket holders and the general public. To learn more about the New York Metropolitan Opera and the Arnold and Maria Schwartz Gallery Met, visit the organization online at metopera.org.

Wednesday, February 15, 2017

Psychological Tests and Assessments


Dr. Beth Grosshans has 25 years of experience as a clinical psychologist operating a private practice in Flemington, New Jersey. Now retired from her practice, one key element of Dr. Beth Grosshans’ work consisted of using psychological tests and assessments of her clients to gain an understanding of their strengths, as well as areas that might need attention. 

Psychologists use these tools to diagnose a patient’s behavior and determine treatment. Examples include testing for learning disabilities that cause hardships in a schoolchild, or looking for personality traits that hinder successful relationships.

Testing often involves the use of checklists or questionnaires. These measures are “norm-referenced” - standardized to allow respondents to be consistently evaluated by comparing to various average results. These tests compare results between similar people, such as children at a given grade level. Research has shown norm-referenced tests to be good guides for diagnosis.

On the other hand, psychologists employ assessments to gain insight from multiple sources, such as tests, medical and school records, and observations. Assessments can help determine how respondents would perform in certain situations, such as a managerial job or a court appearance. 

One favored assessment technique is the clinical interview, in which the psychologist asks the client about his or her history and current concerns. With the consent of the client, the psychologist might also choose to interview family members, coworkers, or teachers.