The Bernard L. Pacella, MD Parent Child Center

Resources: Expert Opinion

And the True Expert on Children is...

"I would say that a parent is the only expert for his or her child."

"A professional's role is to help parents locate tools within themselves so they can understand their own needs and the needs of their children, and become aware that they are the real experts with their children."

Leon Hoffman, MD

Thoughts, Articles, and Essays by Leon Hoffman, MD

Rules For Teenagers (New York Times, September 16, 2003)

Limit Setting (Letters to the Editor, USA TODAY, August 28, 2000)

Give fathers their proper due: Like father, like daughter (USA TODAY, JUNE 16, 2000)

Learning Disabilities (September 22, 1997) Nine times out of ten, children's problems are the result of knotty interactions among many, many factors.

Should A Mother Work Or Should She Be Home Full Time? (Wall Street Jounal, January 1997) It Depends!

The Key To Child Therapy (Forward, July 19, 1996) Parents should consider the value of long term treatment when their children have psychological difficulties.

Those Who Work With Teenagers Must Respect Boundaries (May 27, 1995) The person in that special position of trust (who works with adolescents) must respect the boundaries.

Parents are Not Buddies to their Adolescent Children

How Psychoanalytic Ideas Help Us Understand and Address Problems of Aggression (A Current Concern)

EMOTIONAL LEARNING: Relationship, Relationship, Relationship

Helping Ourselves & Our Children During the Holidays

PARENTING IN TIMES OF THREAT: The Power Of Calm Support During Times Of Stress

Parenting in the Press: Letters and Press Citations with comments by Leon Hoffman, MD

Wishing the Bully Away (HealthScout Reporter, Dec. 11, 2000) Longtime victims tend to use unsuccessful strategies, study shows.
By Julia McNamee Neenan

"One who is a bully a lot of times has trouble with his peers, and the only way he can get connected to his peers and get others to help him is by bullying."
- Leon Hoffman, MD

A Friend Indeed Is A Need For Kids (HealthScout Reporter, Nov. 13, 2000) One best buddy buffers depression, loneliness.
By Fran Berger

"Friendship is one of the most important parameters of mental health. It's much more significant than being accepted."
- Leon Hoffman, MD

Big Bad Bullies Can't Read Your Fear (HealthScout Reporter, Sept. 18, 2000) Study examines psychopathic behavior.
By Fran Berger

"The conclusion is consistent with psychoanalytic thinking. In order to develop empathy for another person, you have to accept the idea that you and I are two different people, and that should happen between the ages of 3 and 4. However, from a critical perspective, children need a lot of intensive work, and anything less than intensive treatment is often worse. If a child needs therapy, working with parents to develop a greater amount of socialization and empathy and getting the child to recognize the other person as a significant person is a difficult task."
- Leon Hoffman, MD

It's Not Easy Being A Teen (HealthScout Reporter, April 13, 2000) But having a mentor may keep youths out of trouble.
By Serena Gordon

"Parents underestimate how much influence they do have over their adolescents." - Leon Hoffman, MD