MSI Press Blog

  Every family has its contrasts. One child seems born with a calm center — easy to soothe, quick to laugh, naturally cooperative. Another seems wired for friction — testing limits, questioning authority, pushing every boundary. Parents often find themselves caught between gratitude and exhaustion, wondering how to nurture both without losing balance. The temptation is to label. The “easy one.” The “troublemaker.” Labels simplify chaos, but they also freeze growth. Once a child is cast in a role, the family unconsciously writes the rest of the script. The easy child learns that goodness means invisibility. The difficult child learns that attention requires disruption. And the parents learn to manage, not to connect. But families can rewrite that script. See behavior as communication, not character A child who challenges rules is often signaling unmet needs — autonomy, recognition, or emotional safety. When parents respond to the message rather than the mess, the child learns that c...

  Pre-order sales of Kindle ebook available on Amazon . Release date: June 30. Pre-order sales of paperback book available on Barnes & Noble and Amazon . Release date: June 30. Pre-order sales of paperback book available at 25 percent discount available at MSI Press webstore . Release date June 30. Book Description: They sold the farm, packed up seven children, and chased a promise called California. Based on Hazel’s journal, this true story follows a family that leaves Wisconsin hoping for relief from brutal winters—only to run out of money with hundreds of miles still to go. Stranded and desperate, they enter a world of labor camps, endless fieldwork, hunger, and exhaustion, where families are worked hard, paid little, and treated as disposable. Once respected and secure, they find themselves suddenly labeled vagrants. Pride becomes a liability. Dignity must be defended daily. And survival depends on grit, faith, and refusing to give up—especially for Hazel, who will not all...

  Grandma Ninja: 1 Flying Monkey Stunt: 0 Walking up the stairs, reading texts on my phone with my left hand, and pulling a heavy box with medical supplies with my right hand, I lost my balance when the big box ripped open, throwing me over the railing into the elephant ear plant below. Beside the plant was a metal garbage can. As luck would have it, I landed right on top of it. Crack...! Two ribs fractured. So, the ER doctor told me it would take six weeks for my ribs to heal. Six. Weeks. Grandma Ninja apparently heard “six days” and went with that instead. My PCP confirmed it this week. Lungs clear. Movement normal. No restrictions. (Except “no more flying monkey stunts,” which seems fair.) He asked how the plant I dove into was doing. I told him he should be asking how I am doing. He said I’m tough and would outlast it. I didn’t argue. Was it the calcium? The Fosamax? The prayers? Maybe all of the above. I suspect the real culprit is Grandma Ninja — the balance work, the breat...

  DBT: Learning to Ride Emotional Waves Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) teaches emotional regulation skills that help people respond to distress without turning to food for relief. When it’s used: DBT is especially helpful when binge eating feels impulsive or emotionally charged — when food becomes a way to escape shame, anger, or loneliness. How it works: DBT builds four skill sets: mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. Clients learn to pause, name what they feel, and choose a response that honors their needs without self‑harm or self‑punishment. Expected results: Over time, emotional storms lose their power. Binges become less frequent, and self‑compassion replaces self‑criticism. DBT doesn’t erase emotion; it teaches how to ride the wave safely. Post 4 — Medication: Supporting Neurochemical Balance Medication can be a valuable adjunct to therapy, helping regulate the brain’s reward and impulse systems that contribute to...