This little video explains why it’s SO HARD to calm down once we’re set off. Make the motions with your own hand to get a sense of how an amygdala overwhelmed by fear, danger, or any overwhelming emotion can blow up, making us seem to “flip our lid” and act in ways we…
It’s normal for parents to worry about kids, as they navigate shared spaces, learning, and the social aspects of growing up. Parents typically find that information can- temporarily, at least- soothe some of their worry. The temptation, then, is to have LOTS of questions for kids at the end of the day, but for kids,…
There is an enormous amount of pressure on parents to keep tabs on everything their teen does- especially online. But a little bit of privacy can be a good thing when it comes to healthy adolescent development. The mall, the skate park, the beach, the drive-in, the soda fountain. These aren’t just spaces where generations…
When brains experience trauma, they struggle to cope with it. It’s normal- and part of the healing process- to have flashbacks, nightmares, or intrusive thoughts immediately following a traumatic experience. Knowing this and normalizing this matters! Recent research found that kids who believed their response to trauma was bad, wrong, or a sign something was…
This is a continuously updated post about art group prompts and craft activities for expressive-therapies oriented groups. To the best of my knowledge, these are all new ideas not contained in other guides or manuals. These are appropriate for art groups in all sorts of contexts- from therapeutic groups to artists’ meetups and “paint and sip”…
