To say that we are in the midst of challenging times as a country and world might be the understatement of the year…or the last several years. Even if we may not feel impacted by a specific event or circumstance personally, challenges we face as a collective have a way of trickling down and impacting us on an individual level...[ read more ]
Aimee Hartwell, LCSW & Certified Synergetic Play Therapist, talks about what setting boundaries can look like in light of meeting your child's needs in this 4 minute video. Here are the highlights: Children are often told 'no' or shut down in a variety of ways for lots of different reasons, sometimes for valid reasons like safety or environment. However, over...[ read more ]
My all-time favorite holiday movie is National Lampoons Christmas Vacation. It so brilliantly sums up how chaotic and stressful the holidays can be, especially when Mrs. Ellen Griswold responds to her teenage daughter who has to share a bedroom with her younger brother, “I don’t know what to say but it’s Christmas and we are all in misery.” The holidays...[ read more ]
We are adding a part-time or full-time therapist! Why: We have so many referrals coming into our office, we are looking to add another passionate therapist who is excited about serving our community. Who: Therapists must be SPT Certified or seeking SPT certification; therapists can serve clients across the lifespan (children, teens, families, adults). What's Included: We have space available for...[ read more ]
Is it dangerous? How dangerous? How much is okay? What limits do I set? Of course, I’m talking about navigating technology use as a parent/caregiver. It can feel overwhelming to know what to do around technology. At Play Therapy Connection, we wanted to put together a quick list of resources you can use to decide what is right for your...[ read more ]
Matt Canale, LCP, Synergetic Play Therapist and recent Black Belt in Jiu-Jitsu answers the question: "How Does Martial Arts Complement Play Therapy?" Matt explains how skills learned in Jiu-Jitsu can help your child integrate and practice the skills they are learning in the playroom. Specifically, Matt recommends Jiu-Jitsu to children struggling with self-esteem and anxiety issues. Jiu-Jitsu can integrate skills...[ read more ]
Lindsey Boland, LCSW and Certified Synergetic Play Therapist, walks us through 5 different types of breathing exercises that we can teach our kids to help with regulation and grounding.
In this short, 5-minute parent coaching video Andrea lays out 7 tips to remember during a high intensity meltdown and they are probably not what you were expecting. Make sure everyone in the environment is safe Ensure you are grounded - think of the plane analogy Andrea talks techniques so that you don't join in the "storm" Shut down...[ read more ]
A blog by Lindsey Boland, LCSW, Certified Synergetic Play Therapist Making the decision to get separated or divorced can be an extremely complicated, emotional and painful decision. On top of that, determining how to tell your kids can add even more anxiety and overwhelm for parents and caregivers. Kids, even those who are young, know when things are happening in...[ read more ]
5 Games to Encourage Social/Emotional Health & Connection As a parent, I often wonder how I can create situations to teach my kids the social/emotional skills they need while helping them to integrate the information in a meaningful way. After speaking with all four of our play therapist practitioners, these were the games suggested to parents and caregivers to help...[ read more ]
