How to make hot cocoa cookies By Cassie (cynefin) For a few months, I had been thinking about making hot chocolate cookies. I wasn't sure how to go about it, but I did know I wanted to use hot chocolate packets in the cookie dough. When I got the time, I looked at recipes and decided to give it a try. I halved the recipe to make sure I liked them. Plus, it was late and I didn't want to be stuck with a lot of dough. These cookies have a dry dough and I was nervous up until the very end. I...

10 Important Driving Lessons for Your New Teen Driver Learning to drive is exciting. For most teens, it is something they wait for and anticipate for years. For parents, however, the situation can be nerve-wracking. While this is true, you can share some tips and lessons with a teen driver to help ensure they remain safe while behind the wheel and avoid being involved in car accidents. While teaching your teen to drive is challenging, you can ease the situation's stress by teaching...

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Essential Oils Brittany (.Brittany.) and Cassie (cynefin) What are they? Some people might think that essential oils are just another money grab, when in fact they are very useful in many ways. Essential oils are highly concentrated natural ingredients that can be found in different types of plants. These oils can give a lot of different health benefits than modern drugs can and they have no side-effects. Each essential oil fragrance has over 100 different compounds in it, which ...
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Using baking as a mindfulness & grounding technique By Cassie (cynefin) Baking is one of my favorite things to do. While I bake all sorts of foods, I primarily bake cookies as I have the most success with them. They are also not as difficult as other confections. A few weeks ago, I was baking some festive cookies from scratch and thinking about why I enjoy it so much. Baking is a great grounding technique, especially because it easily encompasses all five senses. Next time you find...

Common Mental Health Problems in Teens Whether you’re a teen yourself, have teen family members, or you’re the parent of a teen, it’s important to know the most common mental health problems that teens may face, in order to gain a better understanding and see the right recovery. Here are some of the most common mental health issues teens may face: General Anxiety There are many things teens may be worrying about in their lives during such an important time for development...

A review of Spilled Milk by K. L. Randis By Cassie (cynefin) source] Spilled Milk by K. L Randis is about a young woman named Brooke experiencing and surviving abuse. The title in itself made me think of the phrase "there's no use crying over spilled milk" which is synonymous with a turning point in the book when Brooke realizes that her home life is not normal or healthy. The book opens at a trial, and Brooke takes note of her Organic Chemistry flashcards in her pocket. Following...

Celebrating with the family we choose: What is Friendsgiving? By Cassie (cynefin) Struggling is common during the holiday season. There's a lot of activity and so little time. If you're anything like me, you may not want to be around your family: perhaps there are toxic people, conflicting views, or just a general sense of discomfort. Even if you do enjoy seeing your family, gatherings are likely to be limited this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Friendsgiving is how it sounds: it's a...

How to make Hocus Pocus buns By Cassie (cynefin) source] Hocus Pocus (1993) is a festive and friendly film for any age. Many people watch it around Halloween. Here is a recipe for Hocus Pocus buns, which are given their name because one of the ingredients disappears. These are separate from the movie, but are a fun way to celebrate regardless. Here’s what you’ll need:

Trees with a twist: Halloween tree décor By Cassie (cynefin) When people think of trees as décor, they typically think of Christmas or Christmas trees. After all, Christmas trees have been a tradition for many people for quite some time. Christmas trees have served as inspiration for other holidays, such as Halloween. Halloween trees are exactly what they sound like: they are similar to Christmas trees, but feature Halloween ornaments and lights. They often have a cute tree topper...

Interventions for Eating Disorders for Teens Teen years are not the easiest part of life by any stretch of the imagination. It can be exhausting. Not only is there the intense pressure to perform your best on academic work, there are also love interests, puberty, and the brain is still developing while all this is happening! One of the most difficult things for teens to deal with is possibly the intense social pressure that almost seems to come out of nowhere. All of a sudden,...

Surviving trauma and anxiety: how to feel safe at night By Cassie (cynefin) The darkness of nighttime brings a sense of uncertainty and anxiety with it. The world seems like a completely different place under the little bit of moonlight. Experiencing a trauma or having anxiety can sometimes make nighttime a little more challenging. Struggles at night can be prominent or frightening for anyone, regardless of whether they've experienced a trauma. Here are a few things to incorporate into your...