Chelsea Bulik, LMFT, ATR

I am excited to launch the next Expressive Arts Therapy Workshop for youth between the ages of 12-17 years old. These two hour workshops are designed to explore feelings, connect with our inner self, and improve our verbalization of emotions through art directives, writing, and discussion. Group sessions are two hours long with a limited number of group members in order to create a more intimate space. Group therapy is known to reduce isolation and increase the sense that an individual is not alone in their experiences. Group therapy facilitates giving and receiving support from others. Sessions are confidential and members are never forced to share their personal experiences out loud.

What is Expressive Arts Therapy?
Expressive Arts is a discipline of helping and healing that uses the arts as its basis for discovery and change. All five disciplines of the arts include: visual/art making, dance/movement, music, drama/theater, and writing/poetry can give you a richer vocabulary to work, play and grow a life you love living. Previous experience is not required in order to participate.

Registration is now open for the next workshop, which takes place on Sunday, June 23 from 1-3pm in downtown Hayward. Please email me at [email protected] if you would like your child to attend and I will email you the required informed consent. The fee is $90 per person and includes art supplies and materials. Siblings are not encouraged to join together in order to encourage each member to express themselves openly in a confidential setting. Please let me know if you have any questions. Thank you!

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/defining-memories/202209/why-some-people-talk-too-much?utm_source=FacebookPost&utm_medium=FBPost&utm_campaign=FBPost&fbclid=IwAR1ieKd-lQJVczRBGQJqoXVWpkN-ZYDS7QrhW_g8PQId--AJ8dOlDuPGKog

Why Some People Talk Too Much Eagerness for control, fear of unexpressed thoughts, and more.

Sounds about right. 💯
📷 NaturalLife

Via• This is a lesson I learnt from my therapist. It is okay not to be happy with your situation, with the things that are happening or that have happened to you. Being sad or angry is a part of life, you can't avoid it for long, but what you can do is make things easier by being kind to yourself.
You don't have to put on a fake smile to be “positive,” just trying is positive enough.

"Studies show that shared-custody situations work best when both parents are cooperative, respectful, agree on shared custody, and manage their emotions," says JoAnne Pedro-Carroll, Ph.D.

9 Rules to Make Joint Child Custody Work

Santa's 'Naughty List' Has Been Canceled This Holiday Season The holiday season is meant to be a magical time, but often it is used as leverage to control a child’s behavior. We have a real opportunity to rewrite the narrative - to focus the holidays on family and giving and togetherness, keeping that separate from the developmental journey our children are...

Kids’ brains are underdeveloped. When they’re struggling, particularly with something you’ve asked of them, they often don’t have the words to say “Can you help me?” or “I don’t know how”. They say this with their behaviour.

Yet, often we are expecting them to oblige or comply because we said so, or at this time of year, because otherwise Santa won’t bring them a present, a fun holiday event will be cancelled, the Elf on the Shelf is watching, or they’ll go on the naughty list.

The thing is, using these threats do not give a child the tools that they need to do better. And sometimes we’re expecting change that their age and stage of brain development suggests isn’t possible.

The threats do not do anything for a child but break down their connection and trust with the adult who has these expectations, and make them feel bad about themselves for not meeting them, when they literally can’t. It teaches kids that they are loved and accepted based on their outward behaviour, and that the way they behave is dictated by the rewards they receive.

Of course, a “well-behaved” child would make the festive season much easier for us, especially when we’re often under a lot of stress ourselves. However, as adults, we're the ones with the mature brains capable of emotional regulation and problem-solving (even though we won’t be able to do this 100% of the time), not our toddlers; not even our teenagers.

I understand that a simple reminder that the Elf of the Shelf is watching can quickly make a child “behave”.

But remember that a child who has been threatened and looks “well-behaved” on the outside, is likely still feeling stressed on the inside, and is trying to keep it together for the sake of pleasing others, and for the sake of Christmas. We talk about behaviour as if it were a choice - but oftentimes, it isn’t.

You’re not a bad parent if you use these threats. This is just some information based on what we now know about child development that you might like to consider.

What can you do instead? It’s the same as any other time of year. Remember that all behaviour is communication. Empathise. Connect before you correct. Reframe attention-seeking to connection-seeking. Co-regulate. I’ve covered this in many previous posts and on my blog. And yes, you can still use Elf on the Shelf without the behaviour patrol aspect!
Also, don’t forget, you’re not going to get it right 100% of the time - no one can. Doing what you can with the resources you have is enough.

from Perth Children's Occupational Therapy
https://www.facebook.com/perthchildrensOT/

GenMindful.com | Raising An Emotionally Healthy World

Why Ghosting Is More Harmful Than We Thought It's not just the pain; it's this.

I am starting a support group on 9/21/21 for those who are experiencing symptoms from after participating in the search for Philip Kreycik. Group sessions will take place online on Tuesdays from 12-1pm for 8 weeks. Please spread the word if you are working with a client individually who may benefit from a support group. They can contact me directly through phone or email . Thank you!