Kim has worked with children and families for more than 25 years. Kim is a member of multiple organizations including the Michigan Association of Children’s Alliances, Trauma Response Teams in Schools and a Volunteer Mental Health Trauma Specialist for the Red Cross.
Kim works closely with inner city schools, runaway shelters and court systems. She is a frequent expert speaker for radio and television on topics such as bullying, parenting and a variety of family mental health topics. Kim specializes in providing treatment to individuals dealing with a loved one’s addiction. She is currently a counselor in private practice in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Kim has experience parenting an oppositional defiant teen into adulthood and has lived with substance abuse throughout her family.
You can learn more about Kim’s life experience in:
Kim received her Master of Social Work Degree from Wayne State University, with a concentration in Family, Youth & Children.
She is a Certified Trauma Consultant and certified in grief and loss therapy.
A Word from Kim Abraham, LMSW
“I think we have to go back to the basics. Other than providing food, shelter and clothing, your responsibility as a parent is to educate your children and provide consequences and discipline when it’s appropriate. You can teach them your values and morals and let them know what your hopes and dreams are for them. Give them an opportunity to meet those expectations and those hopes. And then model it—and live your life that way so your child sees how it can be done. But beyond that, there isn’t anything more you can do—not really.”
Parents are often left wondering if their child’s argumentative, limit-testing, back-talking, rule-breaking behavior is “typical” teen or pre-teen defiance—or if it’s something else.
What is Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)?
Clinically speaking, Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD) is “a pattern of angry/irritable mood, argumentative/defiant behavior or vindictiveness lasting at least six months.” But what does that mean, exactly?
Limit-testing behavior crosses... Read more »
Summer vacation. This favorite time of the year for kids is often the most stressful time of the year for parents. Whether your child is off for three full months or attends school year-round, if he is oppositional or defiant, you’ve probably learned to dread school breaks.
Here are the top concerns we hear from... Read more »
What do you do when your teen is intimidating you? Not just throwing a tantrum to get something he wants, but outright trying to scare you? How do you respond to an adolescent who gets up and blocks your way when you’re trying to leave the room, towering over you and looking at you in... Read more »
The holidays can be a tough time for everyone. And when you're parenting an oppositional, defiant, or challenging child, the holidays can be more than tough—they can be downright awful.
My son is in his thirties now, but all I have to do is close my eyes, and I can remember so clearly the arguing... Read more »
Do you have an ODD child or teen who constantly argues and fights your authority, refusing to follow the rules of your home? When the number for their school shows up on your caller ID, do you cringe in fear of what trouble they're in now?
When you have an oppositional, defiant child, it's painful... Read more »
Does it seem like every time you tell your child “No,” it turns into a tug-of-war? One mom shared with us recently, “Absolutely everything’s an argument with my son. Even the simplest request. He just can’t take no for an answer. It’s so frustrating!” Many parents find themselves in a negotiation with their children when... Read more »
“Have you ever wondered what’s going on inside your teenager’s head?” What was she thinking when she made that choice? Why won’t he listen to what I’m telling him? It can seem as if an adolescent is completely wrapped up in a separate world, feet planted firmly in the air instead of on the ground. ... Read more »
“I love my son, but things are getting really rough. I never expected him to still be living at home in his twenties. I don’t mind helping him while he gets on his feet, but most of the time he acts like he’s still thirteen – and he’s twenty three! This is not what I... Read more »
If you are the target of parental abuse, you’re probably living in fear every day of what your teen will do next, always waiting for what will set off a volcanic eruption.
Parental abuse occurs when a child — usually a teenager but sometimes a pre-teen — engages in behavior that is abusive toward a... Read more »
Everyone gets angry at times—children and adults alike. Anger is an emotion that can range from slightly irritated, to moderately angry, to full-blown rage. And it can happen quickly.
A child's anger naturally makes us feel uncomfortable. As a result, we may try to appease our children, give in to their demands, or avoid certain situations... Read more »
