School Refusal
School refusal is different from truancy. Children who are truant refuse to go to school because they want to do something else. They will often concoct elaborate schemes to avoid going to school. However, school refusal is related to anxiety about situations or expectations at school.
Theraplay: Tools for the Connection Dance
Theraplay therapists create a space where your child can learn that you are a safe, trustworthy parent, and in this space, you can discover the ways your child is able to receive your love and direction in that moment. In Theraplay, this happens by having fun! Research has shown us that adults and children learn best through games, where everyone is having fun.
Emotional Co-Regulation
The really amazing thing about mirror neurons is that you can use your mirror neurons to help your child when they are struggling to regulate their own emotions. If you stay calm in situations which are causing your child distress (ie frustration, anxiety, fear, anger, etc) and maintain a supportive presence, your child will essentially “catch” your calm.
Protecting Yourself From Second-Hand Anxiety
It is important to protect yourself from second-hand anxiety because chronic stress can lead to long-term health problems. In addition, as a parent, you are not helping your child if you are taking on their anxiety.
Raising Body Positive Kids
Our culture is not just unfair, but in many cases dehumanizing, to people living in larger bodies. That’s the actual problem, not people’s bodies themselves. But in trying to spare our children’s pain and stigma by directing them to eat a certain way, especially amidst the forceful and persistent cultural focus on childhood weight, we unknowingly point kids toward a risky and unproductive path for their health and relationship with food and their bodies. It is a lot- so much of parenting is. But even though you can’t change what your kids will be exposed to (since diet culture is everywhere) you can change what’s happening in the home.
A Guide for Parents to Support Children’s Mental Health
As parents, we play an important role in shaping their emotional well-being but it can be hard to know where to start. This blog post will provide practical tips about how parents can actively support and create a positive mental health environment for their children.
How To Help Kids When Big Emotions Happen
When individuals are struggling with emotional regulation, their emotions feel very out of control to them. In young children, this can look like throwing tantrums, refusal behaviors and excessive worrying. Struggling to regulate emotions is pretty common, even us adults struggle with it at times. However, it is pretty easy to teach kids skills which help them to regulate their emotions.