Laura Archer, MSW

11/05/2025

❤️💯❤️

11/05/2025

I was recently chatting with a client who needed help coping with the often intense emotions of her toddler when she said, “I started sneaking out just to go to the grocery store because she gets so upset when I leave.” It dawned on me that I’ve heard some version of this in many families. [.....

11/04/2025

This is such a helpful visual 💖

Before they can achieve Self-Actualization (child is able to learn), children need:

Esteem (Positive classroom culture, reflection time, encouraged to take risks)

Belonging (Able to form relationships, good friendships, access to peer clubs)

Safety (Emotional & physical safety, safe classrooms & home, access to nurse and counsellor)

Physiological (Basic needs are met, eats breakfast, good sleep, clean clothes)

11/02/2025

Love how many people are recognizing what an accomplishment the Jays still achieved 🩶🐦🇨🇦⚾🫶🏼 (see comments in the post 👇🏼)

Mental Health Check-in
Use one word to describe your post-World Series feeling.

11/02/2025

💖💖👇🏼👇🏼

11/02/2025

It's not the outcome we wanted.
It's heartbreaking.
But let's celebrate the Blue Jays for their remarkable teamwork in getting to the World Series and uniting Canada. 🇨🇦 ♥️
Find out more about YMHC at www.ymhc.ngo

11/02/2025

Let them be little, for only a little while. The world will teach them to hurry; you can teach them to belong. Trust the unfolding, they’re becoming exactly who they’re meant to be.

Learn how to parent with patience and presence, start by taking our free 3-minute Emotional Intelligence Quiz: bit.ly/Emotional_Intelligence_Quiz

10/22/2025

What a great offering for anyone in this life stage!! 👩🏻‍⚕️👶🏽🥑

👇🏽👇🏽

Tomorrow night I am excited to talk to parents about one of the most exciting times in a baby's life- eating food!!

This milestone isn't about rice crackers, Mum Mums or bear paws. It's about developing healthy food cues, instilling a desire for whole, nutritious foods and welcoming baby into your food circle.

Does your organization or business need a guest speaker? Topics I can talk forever and unscripted about include (but are not limited to):

Complimentary solids 🍏
Raising vital and resilient children 🤱
Holistic Pregnancy 🧘
Preparing your body and mind for your birth-ing day🏋️
Optimizing and restoring fertility
Hormone help through all seasons of life

10/05/2025

❤️🫂🥰

09/10/2025

Children need coregulation before self regulation.

If you love and understand this “conceptually”, but still struggle to do this because this was never done for you, you are not alone. 💚

Here’s how:
https://genmindful.com/blogs/mindful-moments/meltdowns-develop-your-childs-brain-when-met-with-connection-punishment-doesnt-work

09/10/2025

**🌿 Understanding Our Kids: It’s Not About Choice 🌿**

Sometimes, we think our children are choosing to behave in challenging ways, but often, it’s not a choice at all. Kids don’t always have the skills to manage their big feelings, control impulses, or communicate their needs calmly. 💭

When they act out, it’s usually a signal that they're overwhelmed, frustrated, or simply lack the tools they need to cope. Gentle parenting recognizes that children aren't “choosing” to misbehave — they’re responding in the only ways they know how. 🧠💫

Instead of seeing these moments as defiance, we can view them as opportunities to teach and guide. By modeling patience and compassion, we help them build the skills they need to regulate their emotions and make better choices in the future.

So, the next time behavior feels challenging, let’s ask ourselves: “What does my child need to learn here?” rather than “Why are they acting like this?” 🤍

More information in my book
📖 Guidance from The Therapist Parent
Available on my website www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon

08/27/2025

PDA isn't the only type of 'Demand Avoidance', and it's a very rare presentation.

Here is a little bit of information on the different types of demand avoidance, it's important we investigate them when a child/adult is demand avoidant so we can understand the real reasons behind it. Here's a little bit of information on these...

EXECUTIVE FUNCTION AVOIDANCE
This is when certain tasks prove difficult due to executive function difficulties or impairments - such as starting a task or using one's working memory. We have 7 executive functions that are constantly in use every day. Give them a google to understand more!

SENSORY AVOIDANCE
When an environment isn't a 'sensory match' for a person, it can be overwhelming or over/under-stimulating and this can naturally lead to a person avoiding that environment. We have 8 senses and it's important we understand them and how environments affect them in order to know if sensory avoidance is an issue.

LOW SELF-ESTEEM BASED AVOIDANCE
When a person has low self-esteem and low self-efficacy it stands to reason that they will fear failing and this can put huge pressures on them. The easiest way to rid that pressure is to avoid the activity altogether. With neurodivergent individuals Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria may also play a part in this.

ANXIETY DRIVEN AVOIDANCE
Think about it... If a person, environment or object causes anxiety in someone it's very natural and rational for them to avoid the cause of the anxiety. It's a way of keeping oneself safe.

PATHOLOGICAL DEMAND AVOIDANCE
This is a really rare presentation and is linked to the demand (not necessarily the activity). The demand will trigger anxiety which leads for a 'pervasive drive for autonomy', or the desperate need to be in control in order to bring anxiety down. This need for control can often become the overriding factor in the situation, and can often appear 'irrational' where the demand avoidant response seems unnecessarily excessive or extreme. You may also find ALL of the other reasons for demand avoidance are present in a person with PDA.

Always great information from Sunshine Support❤️!