Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Auckland

Big emotions aren’t just felt by our children. As parents and carergivers, it can be tough to stay calm when it feels like our children are challenging us. We know shouting isn’t the answer but what is?

I have partnered with Goodstart Early Learning to present a free virtual parent session on managing our emotions as parents when our children have challenging behaviours.

We will explore:
💛 The five reasons why it feels like your child isn’t listening to you … and they might surprise you!
💛 10 tips and listening hacks that will change your life.
💛 The psychology behind your child’s meltdowns, and why it feels like your child knows how to push your buttons.
💛 Simple strategies, that don’t involve having to shout.

Click “Going” to learn practical methods to communicate more effectively with your child and be guided on how to restore calm to your household: https://fb.me/e/1R8tLX7J7

Session details:
7.30pm
Thursday, 21 July 2022

Kia ora folks,

An exciting new TV series is looking for families to take part!

In collaboration with Faultline Films, I am excited to announce that we are filming a TV series “Kids Don’t Come with a Manual” to be broadcast on Māori TV.
I am in search for 6 families struggling to understand their children’s or teenager’s behaviour. With my guidance, I will draw on the synchronicity of Tikanga Māori and neuroscience to deliver an accessible strengths-based Māori parenting programme grounded in traditional values.

If you are facing challenges with your children or teenager's with any of the following matters or others eg: uncommunicative teenagers, anti-social behaviour, mental health, taming your toddler, grief, addiction, anxiety, issues at school or co-parenting concerns then get in touch with us with a short 1 min video clip telling us who you are and what you need help with.

Video requirements:
• Approx. 1 minute clip
• Title: Destination / Surname (eg: Auckland / Smith)
• Include your contact phone number so we can call you
• Email your video clip to: [email protected]
• Deadline is COB 27th March – so get in quick!
• Queries – please email: [email protected]

Note: if your video file is too large to email then try sending via www.wetransfer.com

A must watch to begin to understand childhood trauma

How childhood trauma affects health across a lifetime | Nadine Burke Harris Childhood trauma isn’t something you just get over as you grow up. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris explains that the repeated stress of abuse, neglect and p...

Riley and I have been so keen to get back to supporting clients in person but unfortunately with the move to level red and a further covid outbreak on the horizon we have made the difficult decision to remain working online via zoom or phone consultation.
The good news is we can now see people outside of Auckland so location is no longer a barrier to care
Pm me us for more information

All of you is welcome here. 💜
Such a great reminder for our children and for our selves.

📸 Mia Ohki Illustrations 💕

Why Do Kids Have Trouble With Transitions? - Child Mind Institute Why are transitions a nightmare for children? Child Mind Institute shows what's behind child transition issues and how to overcome behavior problems triggered by transitions.

Make a donation – Gumboot Friday There are multiple ways to donate and every dollar helps. All donations received by the Gumboot Friday Fund directly fund counselling for kids.

Dr. Susan David has introduced us to the idea of ‘micro emotions’ - the idea that big feelings are an accumulation of many less intense feelings. We are moving away from naming emotions on behalf of our children and this is one of the main reasons. If your child becomes more angry when we name their anger, it may be that they are angry that you haven’t noticed the micro emotions underneath their anger and that they want to address the build up, not the result.

What an angry child needs to hear...

Excited to say I’m back out on the road again today 🙂 I’ll be talking about the amygdala and the pre frontal cortex and their role in anxiety 🧠

"I went to therapy because I wanted to be fixed. Instead, there I learned I was never broken."

There is no shame in seeking support. Not now, not ever. 🌻

So important to stay connected and sit with all feelings

How we respond to a child's anger can impact on their ability to express angry feelings in healthy ways throughout their life.

Is anger a feeling that is allowed?
What does anger have to do to be heard?
Can other people handle our feelings?
Is there a safe way to be angry?

I work with a lot of teens and I talk to a lot of parents of teens and one thing that always surprises me is how often they 'miss' each other through misunderstandings and miscommunications.

Teens consistently tell me that one thing they wish was different in their lives is that they would like to be closer to their parents, spend more time together as a family, and feel pulled-in more into connection with their important adults.

At the same time, their parents/carers will often tell me that their teens are pulling away, reject them, don't want to spend time together, are always alone in their room and refusing to connect. Adults often feel rejected and resented and give-up on being close and spending time together.

The end result is a break-down in communication and in connection that hurts both teens and their adults. This two-page resource provides some great information on speaking and listening with teens in a way that re-opens and re-engages connections.

Download link for PDF: https://ahwg.org/download/talking-with-and-listening-to-teens-2003/

Culturally we're making progress normalizing the use of therapy and medication, but I wonder if we underemphasize that therapy takes time and effort to work. Quick-fix "breakthroughs" get glamorized in pop culture's version of therapy, but in real life, change comes slowly.

One study of 10,000 people showed that it took about 20 sessions (that's about six months of weekly sessions) for 50% of people to experience notable symptom improvement. With a full year of treatment, that number jumped to 75%. The numbers change depending on how researchers measure "improvement" and there are many studies that can be used to argue different timelines, but this massive study is the reference point I use in my work.

You can find more information, including the link to the research study, on my website:
https://lindsaybraman.com/therapy-takes-time/

How Covid-19 paved the way for online eating disorder service Covid-19 has prompted one Kiwi to launch an online support service to help people with eating disorders, which has now engaged with more than 300 patients.

One of the biggest issues I get asked about by professionals and parents alike is how to support children through bereavement.

The first step is to understand that grief in children can look quite different to what may be expected for adults. To that end, this 4 page resource from Child Bereavement UK looks at grief in children and young people, what to expect, and how you can help.

"As concerned adults, we would like to be reassured that children are too young to feel the deep sadness and despair that grief can bring. Sadly, this is not the case. Children and young people grieve just as deeply as adults, but they show it in different ways. They learn how to grieve by mirroring the responses of the adults around them. They rely on adults to provide them with what they need to support them in their grief."

PDF link: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1qLmzlR3w3D3qTn05XZlwRBctxzfxUxlT/view?usp=sharing

Image from online article at: https://www.verywellfamily.com/signs-of-grief-in-children-and-how-to-help-them-cope-4174245

Support available for whānau and communities affected by COVID-19 Whānau and communities affected by current COVID-19 alert levels are being encouraged to access support available through the Ministry of Social Development and Whānau Ora.

Incase anyone is struggling in Level 4, here are some places to call for help that are still open:

Support services that remain open:
• Women’s Refuge 0800REFUGE
• Shine 0508 744 633
• Alcohol and Drug Helpline 0800 787 797
• Oranga Tamariki (call centre) 0508FAMILY
• CADS 09 845 1818
• Narcotics Anonymous 0800 628 632
• Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 229 6757
• Lifeline 0800 543 354 or free text 4357
• Youthline 0800 376 633
• Samaritans 0800 726 666
• Outline (LGBT) 0800 688 5463
• Depression Helpline 0800 111 757
• Su***de Prevention Helpline 0508 828 865
• The Fono West (Social Services) 09 837 1780
• Counselling (free call or text) 1737
• Healthline for COVID-19 health advice 0800 358 5453.
Work and Income services centres are closed. However, you can apply for assistance via MyMSD or phone the contact centre on 0800 559 009.

If you need some assistance with food these food banks may be able to help. Call first for instructions of how they are operating to ensure physical distancing:
• Auckland City Mission (City) 09 303 9200
• Salvation Army (Henderson) 09 837 4471
• Vinnies Auckland (Newton) 09 815 6122 or 0800 6800
• Hope Centre (New Lynn) 02108048436
• Vision West (Glen Eden) 09 818 0716 – Mon, Wed, Fri only
If you’re in Auckland, the Auckland Emergency Management website may be useful.

Sometimes It’s Not Just Shyness Selective mutism is a common anxiety condition whereby kids who are normally chatty at home clam up around outsiders or at school.

The Science Behind Your Child’s Tantrums And how to nip them in the bud before they start.

Fantastic opportunity for those who have kids that meet the criteria that need some extra support ❤

LAST PLACES available for kids aged 8 - 10 yrs old in an eight week funded Resilience Program. Held at Mt Albert on Saturdays 11am - 12pm starting on Sat 14th August.

Caregivers Skills and Strategies Workshop on Wed 11th August at 6pm.

Find out more here and download an application form:
https://www.anxiety.org.nz/resilience-courses and email to [email protected] asap.

Applications close 5 pm Friday 6th August 2021.
CLOSING TOMORROW!

Happy to see the use of animals in health and mental health care getting the attention it deserves ❤

Not all doctors wear lab coats, some wear collars! Okay…Koopa the Golden Retriever might not actually be a doctor but, he is known around Ward 2 at North Shore Hospital for helping patients feel better. Koopa and his lovely human Jess will be on The Project NZ TONIGHT, alongside Waitematā DHB Physiotherapist Kate, talking about the ‘pawesome’ benefits of the St John Therapy Pets volunteer programme.

Who can relate 😅

👋Hey there I’m Bryce, I share about motherhood and everyday mental health.⁣⁣⁣⁣

Let’s talk multi-tasking. We’re all doing it as parents, because quite frankly we have to. We’re raising young children, working, taking care of our homes, navigating relationships and adjusting to a massive shift in how we live our daily lives.⁣⁣⁣⁣

The problem is, our brains weren’t meant to work this way. And as a result when we are deep in multi-tasking and trying to parent at the same time it might have the tendency to increase our anxiety, agitation and stress and as a result make us more likely to lose our temper with our kids.⁣⁣⁣⁣

Things you can do:⁣⁣
✨Simply notice that you’re multi-tasking. And take note of whether it is increasing your stress or agitation.⁣⁣
✨ Be present with how you are feeling in this moment. If multi-tasking is going ok, great! If you notice you’re starting to get agitated, irritable or you feel that anger rising when your kids “interrupt” your multi-tasking, consider stepping back and 👇 ⁣⁣
✨ Practicing “single-tasking”. Single tasking is exactly what it sounds like, doing one thing at a time. It might look like playing with your kids and leaving the phone in the other room. Or having a time (or times) dedicated to respond to calls or emails so you’re not checking 100 times a day. Or even having family clean up time so you’re all working on a project together. ⁣⁣
✨Define times during your day when you can schedule single-tasking. It just might help you feel more accomplished,⁣⁣ Productive and most of all more connected to those around you. ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Does trying to do too much all at the same time stress you out? Are you a multi-tasker?

Let us know 👇

⁣⁣⁣⁣📚Link in bio for my mini-course “Mom’s Temper Toolkit” ⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

Manaakitanga is all about sharing aroha with others. How can you practise manaakitanga? It can be as simple as sending a message to a loved one or surprising someone by doing their chores for them. Why not cook a mate some kai? By extending love and compassion to others, we can all feel a little bit warmer during these colder months.

Beautifully said connection is key

C O N N E C T I O N ...

Is the antidote:
- To loneliness
- To chronic stress
- To so many of the ‘issues’ that plague us in our modern lives

However, for many, connection with other humans feels like the most impossible of tasks. It’s like our body and mind is against us, creating a impenetrable wall between what we need and want. Between us and the very thing that will help us. Sometimes, it’s easy to feel like we’re our own worst enemy.

That, in fact, is not the case. Our bodies and our minds are wise and protect us in more ways than we could ever imagine. If we’re living in a seemingly endless cycle of loneliness, stress, anxiety, trauma or otherwise, our bodies may be responding as if our very survival is on the line. In survival mode we are set up to keep ourselves safe and this is where our energy goes. In this mode we aren’t geared for connection. Furthermore, if we have very real and valid reason to avoid connection with others, for example if we have been hurt or betrayed in the past or if we have had times where indeed our very survival WAS on the line, this pattern may be serving as a further protective barrier.

For many, animals can be a valuable support when relearning the art of connection. They can offer a safe space to share a moment with another being, to simply be or to connect on a deeper level. This, in time, may pave the way toward deeper connection with ourselves, with other safe people, with our communities and our world.

Riley doing what he does best ❤

Riley is excited to offer two free sessions!!! and I have one space left for a Wednesday, send me a pm if your interested