How a Simple Summer Routine Can Support Your Child’s Mental Health
Summer is often seen as carefree—but kids still need structure to feel emotionally safe. Learn how a flexible routine can reduce anxiety and bring calm to your home.
Summer is often seen as carefree—but kids still need structure to feel emotionally safe. Learn how a flexible routine can reduce anxiety and bring calm to your home.
The sun is out, the temperatures are climbing... yet maybe you or your child don't quite feel like yourselves. While most people think of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) as something tied to the colder months, emotional struggles can pop up in spring and summer too....
When someone you care about is struggling with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), you naturally want to support them. But if you’ve never experienced OCD yourself, it can sometimes be hard to know the right words to say—or what to avoid saying. At its core, offering support...
Rumination happens when a child or teen gets stuck thinking about the same upsetting thoughts over and over again. Instead of letting go and moving forward, their mind keeps replaying worries from the past or imagining worst-case scenarios about the future. Maybe your child keeps...
Discover a Christ-centered approach to emotional healing using IFS and the Set Free Method. Learn how every part of you is welcome and loved.
he loss of a parent can shake a child's entire world, leaving them feeling confused, vulnerable, and alone. Grieving children need compassionate support to help them express their emotions, adjust to changes, and find hope again. In this blog, we explore the unique struggles children face after losing a parent — and how, with the right care, healing is possible.
For some, Easter is filled with joy. But for others, it’s complicated. In this Good Friday reflection, I share what it means to honor sorrow as part of the story—and how Jesus shows us a love that doesn’t rush past pain but enters into it. He is the God who weeps, and we are never alone.
The word neurodivergent describes someone whose brain works differently from what’s considered typical. That might mean they see the world in a unique way, process information differently, or react to situations in ways that stand out from their peers.
Does your child seem talkative at home but shuts down in public or around others? They may be struggling with selective mutism—a childhood anxiety disorder that makes speaking in certain settings feel impossible. In this post, I share how play therapy can gently help children feel safe, express themselves, and begin to find their voice again.
Counseling: A Safe Place to Be Real National Counseling Awareness Month matters. Counseling offers a space where children and teens can speak freely, be heard deeply, and begin to heal. Therapy isn’t about “fixing” them. It’s about equipping them.It gives them tools to manage anxiety, name their feelings, build self-worth, and believe in tomorrow.
I was 9 when a doctor told me I was a perfectionist. My mom and I were confused. We were looking for answers to physical symptoms like stomach aches, trouble sleeping, and constant tension — not a personality diagnosis. But years later, I understood exactly what she meant. I had grown up as the youngest of four kids — always trying to catch up, to prove I was just as smart, just as capable. As a girl, the pressure to be “perfect” came with extra layers: be smart, but not too smart. Be pretty, but not vain. Be accomplished, but effortless. And having ADHD only made that pressure heavier.It took me twice as long to get anything done.I’d forget things, lose things, zone out, fall behind.I always felt like I was running just to stay in place — and still behind everyone else. Why is it so easy for others? Why is it so hard for me? I lived in that comparison trap for years.
What Is Autism, Really? Let’s Talk About It. According to the CDC, autism affects about 1 in 44 children in the United States. It’s not rare. It’s not a mystery. And it affects people of all races, genders, and backgrounds. More people than ever have...
Growing up is different for every child, but what happens when your child struggles with big emotions? Outsized responses to small things can be a symptom of a lack of emotional regulation. The good news is that help is possible.
"‘Til death do us part.” It’s a beautiful thought—until about three years into marriage when you realize you don’t really know the person you married. Maybe it’s a disagreement that escalates in ways you never expected. Maybe it’s unspoken expectations, different approaches to finances, or...
The Weight of Winter This past year brought with it some unique challenges. And this winter? It felt long. Heavy. Weighty. Not just in the weather, but in my soul. As a therapist, I often carry the weight of other people’s pain—and this season, I...
Change has been a constant in my life. I moved often, at times every two years, growing up as a missionary kid in France. Each transition brought a mix of emotions—the sadness of leaving behind friends, the nervousness of starting at a new school, the...
Faith is a powerful source of strength, but does trusting God mean we don’t need therapy? Not at all. Mental health struggles like anxiety and depression require both spiritual and practical support. Therapy is one of the ways God provides healing. By seeking help, we are not lacking faith—we are using the resources He has given us. Explore how faith and professional counseling can work together to support your journey toward emotional and spiritual well-being.
Growing up as a missionary kid, constantly moving from one country to another, life was full of incredible experiences—but also real challenges. Being a Third Culture Kid (TCK) shaped my worldview and strengthened my ability to connect with different people, but it also left me...
Imagine this: A child falls off their bike and scrapes their knee. They run to a parent for comfort but hear, "You're fine, stop crying." Or maybe they grow up in a home where every disagreement turns into shouting and slammed doors. These early experiences...
Expressive therapy helps kids cope with big emotions through art, play, and movement. Learn how this creative approach supports children's mental health.