Creating Connection Important to You

Creating Connection Important to You This year has been DIFFERENT. As the holidays approach this year the question is: What about the holiday season is important to you and your family?

Sharing stories
Connecting with friends and family
Sharing a warm meal
Spiritual reflection
Playing games
Your unique family traditions

What is important to your loved ones and your children during this time? The answer might surprise you. So…how can you still have these experiences in a unique way - or do you all want to come up with a new way of celebrating? You don’t have to plan it alone. Create a plan as a family - part of the fun is coming up with new possibilities! To help with getting the brainstorming started, here are possible shifts: ✴ Find ways to show loved ones - or even strangers - some holiday spirit ✴ Print off pictures of loved ones (i.e. grandparents) and create playful videos of them joining in family activities - and then later watch the videos with them ✴ Learn a new skill or game together - from chess to knitting to new languages to guitar ✴build a new recipe based on favorite family foods (mine would have to include chocolate & peppermint) ✴record your family singing and share with loved ones And some consistent holiday adventures: ✴ Holiday lights ✴ Festive music ✴ Sledding, snow-tubing, or ice skating (if the weather cooperates) ✴ Decorating a family tree/lighting the menorah ✴ Hot chocolate with marshmallows ✴ Creating handmade gifts ✴ Watching favorite movies ✴ Cooking & baking together It is okay for kids (and adults!) to feel disappointed when changes occur. Sometimes folks need to feel heard and validated before they are ready to shift their focus to what’s possible. You may need to take a moment for yourself and your loved ones to acknowledge the challenges of shaking up traditions. If you’d like additional support, please reach out. It’s okay to have lots of different feelings - especially during the holiday season. A reminder that this year is also a time where many folks are struggling to put food on the table. If you are one of those folks, please reach out and we can help connect you with services that can help. And if you are a family that is able to support others during this time, how can you find a meaningful way to include your child(ren) with the opportunity to support your community? This year offers us the opportunity to reflect on what has been working well for us and what new possibilities await. Wishing you a Happy Holidays however you choose to celebrate. -Andrea Davison P.S. We’d love to hear how you and your family choose to celebrate! Comment below to let us know ~

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What our clients have to say

“I cannot speak highly enough of Kelly Miller and the rest of the staff of Play Therapy Inc. Both my [children] have enjoyed, and benefited greatly from their therapy sessions with Kelly over the last year. Their appointments at Play Therapy have become a highlight of their week, and something they look forward to immensely. I have seen firsthand the changes in my [children], and will forever be grateful.”

- Parent

“To say that I am thankful for Kelly Miller and Play Therapy is an understatement. My [child] has been seeing Kelly for the past few years and the growth he has experienced is tremendous. She has supported both my [child] and me as we have navigated through grief and helped us to develop skills and tools to cope with life’s many unexpected circumstances.”

- Parent

“I’m writing regarding Matt Canale. He worked with my [child] around supporting [my child] during a time when a lot of change was happening at home. He helped [my child] to learn how to regulate emotions, express needs, and have a safe place to process what [my child] was experiencing. Matt worked with [my child] through age-appropriate activities, communicated progress to me weekly, and I saw a drastic improvement in the way [my child] was able to understand and express emotions in a healthy way. [My child] became very connected to Matt, which is a testament to his loving supportive and safe space that he provided. We worked with several therapists but never before had seen such a connection as [my child] had with Matt. It has been over a year and [my child] still uses the skills that he taught and remembers Matt very fondly. I highly recommend him to anyone who wants real support for their children.”

- Parent

“Hi Matt! We just wanted to let you know that since our last session with you, [my child] has been doing remarkably well!!! He has been going to school in person and he seems to be just fine. All those feelings of shame […] ….all those feelings are gone.

We’re so proud of him and honestly can’t believe how well he’s doing. 2 years ago was complete agony and we never thought life would ever go back to normal for him. You have been so amazing, an angel sent from God, to help him heal and love himself again.”

- Parent

“Kelly was exactly what I needed as a supervisor. She is incredibly knowledgeable, comforting, and caring. I’m very grateful for all the insights she shared with me.”

– SPT therapist, Mandy

“Kelly supervises with fierce knowledge, wisdom, and warmth. I feel comfortable to be vulnerable with her while she encourages me to reach further and dig deeper in practice and perspective.”

- Grace

"He [Matt] helped my daughter learn how to regulate her emotions, express her needs and have a safe place where she can process what she was experiencing during a big transition at home."

- Parent C

"I saw drastic improvement in the way my daughter was able to understand and express her emotions in a healthy way."

- Parent C

"We are so proud of our child and can't believe how well he's doing. Two years ago we were in complete agony and we never thought life would go back to normal. You [Matt] have been so amazing to help him heal and love himself again!"

- Parent T