20 Holistic Healing Lessons for Your Mental Health Journey
Every person’s journey is different, especially when it comes to finding personal health and well-being. These holistic lessons below are helpful reminders when your mindset may be struggling, when you're having difficulty finding positive momentum forward, and needing to change your perspective.Read More
The “Why” Behind Your Child’s Behaviors
When you see or experience a child or teen acting out, what is often your first thought? For most, that first reactionary thought is not one of empathy nor is it thinking about the deeper meaning behind the behavior. If you take a step back and search to understand why a child may be having a certain “undesirable” attitude or outburst, it can solve the problem in a faster, friendlier, and less stressful way.Read More
How To Help My Child’s Anxiety
It feels like the last three years have seen an uptick in anxiety, especially for children. This time has been scary for adults, let alone developing children who are just beginning to learn and explore the world outside of their home. With all these recent stressors, how can we help keep kids feeling safe and secure in today’s world?Read More
Ending Summer With Gratitude
Labor Day has come and gone, and while for many this means the end of summer – we still have a few weeks left of sunshine and warm temperatures before fall truly sets in. If you are struggling with the idea of transitioning seasons like I am, maybe these practices will help you find your own gratitude and move into fall and winter more peacefully.Read More
When the Only Solution Is to Just Be There
Some days feel full of doom and gloom, others are full of light and humor. As soon as we get used to what we think will become the “norm,” he reminds us that there is still a lot that he is silently dealing with. I have yet to find “normal” as a foster parent.Read More
Back to School: Bubbling Excitement or Anxiety Provoking?
As parents, caregivers, or guardians, the aspect of going back to school is often exciting. While this can be exciting for students, too, anxiety often rears its ugly head. There are simple things parents, caregivers, and/or guardians can do to minimize the anxiety students feel about going back to school.Read More
Making Time for Family Fun
Often the fun activities in life get pushed to the bottom of the priority list. When this happens, I encourage caregivers to take a few minutes to complete the following activity adapted from the “Together Facing the Challenge” curriculum.Read More
How to Have Genuine Conversations With Your Teen
Getting your teen to open up and participate in a genuine conversation can be difficult. So, how do you foster a genuine conversation based on truth, mutual respect, and understanding?Read More
The Amygdala Hijack
Over the years, I have noticed the increased worry, anxiousness, and what-if patterns among my loved ones when it comes to awaiting information from their healthcare provider. The reality is the degree of worrying we apply in our lives has never and will never impact the outcome—either for the better or worse.Read More
What's Feeling Got To Do With It?
“Humans first, work second,” is often how I move into check-ins. In work meetings I facilitate, I ask the question: “How are you feeling?” at the start of the meeting. A common response is: "I don’t know how I’m feeling. Can I see the wheel?” because they know I’m expecting more of an answer than “well,” “fine,” or “good.” This is where the feelings wheel comes into play.Read More