Play It ForWords Therapy

11/22/2025

11/18/2025

A simple infographic that perfectly explains the, “but my child is ‘perfect’ at school, why does he act this way at home” mystery !

So many parents ask why their child seems fine all day but unravels the second they get home. The answer lies in safety, connection, and how the brain processes stress — this visual explains it clearly.

Full After-School Restraint Collapse Toolkit available via the link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

11/13/2025

Please consider supporting Ginnie’s House. Their work is absolutely essential to the young survivors of child abuse and neglect in our area .

We just found out that we lost HALF our budget due to reductions in federal funding. 😫😭
This means our ENTIRE CLINICAL PROGRAM is at risk.

As the only CAC in Sussex County, our agency provides trauma-focused therapy, crisis intervention, forensic support and coordination of services to children who are victims of trauma, abuse, neglect, and violence. THESE SERVICES ARE NOT OPTIONAL; THEY ARE LIFE-CHANGING AND OFTEN LIFESAVING!
Buying 50/50 tickets will go a long way to ensure these kids don’t lose access to the care that will help them reclaim a childhood, heal from profound trauma and prevent a lifetime of mental health struggles.
We are looking for people to commit to $100 a month for a year! Of course, we will take ANY donation - but monthly (of ANY amount) is most impactful. You can set up your monthly giving here , to help us maintain our level of crucial services in 2026!
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/donate-to-ginnies-house

11/08/2025

Before a child can manage their emotions, they first need to notice them.
That begins with interoception — the hidden sense that helps the brain read the body’s signals.

A racing heart, a heavy chest, butterflies, a tight tummy — these are the body’s early messages.
When a child can’t interpret them, emotions can appear “sudden” or “out of nowhere.”
They’re not ignoring how they feel — their brain simply isn’t getting a clear signal yet.

Understanding interoception helps us respond with patience, not punishment — and teach children how to recognise what their body is trying to say.

Explore Managing Big Feelings: The Toolkit for Parents & Educators — practical guidance to help children build awareness, understanding, and self-regulation. Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

11/06/2025

Our children won’t remember how perfectly we managed everything — they’ll remember how safe it felt when we didn’t fall apart.

They’ll remember the calm in our voice when theirs was breaking, the steady hands that held the moment together, the quiet confidence that said, we’ll figure this out.

Because what anchors them isn’t flawless parenting — it’s steadiness.

It’s the way we breathe through the chaos instead of becoming it. The way we choose presence over panic, softness over control.

In our calm, they learn what safety feels like. In our steadiness, they find their strength. And long after the storm passes, it’s that sense of safety — born from our calm — that will help them find their own. ❤️

Quote Credit: ❣️

Follow & for more

10/30/2025

Your child isn’t giving you a hard time — they’re having a hard time managing big impulses with a small brain still under construction.
Connection teaches regulation far more effectively than consequences. 💛

📖 More on understanding your child’s behaviour in my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent, available on www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon.

10/24/2025

Helping a child regulate doesn't mean you are giving in to your child. You can compassionately hold a boundary and help them Co-regulate.

Learning to Co-regulate with your child is a skill that you will be able to draw on during stressful times. It helps children and adults to manage emotions while maintaining connection. It will also help children to grow with a sense of security and the ability to eventually self-regulate. Surely, if you are the parent or the child, this is something we could all use regardless of age.

More information in my book
Guidance from The Therapist Parent

Available on my website www.thetherapistparent.com and Amazon

10/20/2025

Behavior is communication:

Listen.
Observe.
Validate.
Empathize.

Ask questions.
Look for the need driving the behavior.
See the person, not just the problem;
Meet the need;
Reconnect;
Equip your child with better ways to communicate the need in the future;
Model the behavior you want teach;
In that order.
That is the heart and soul
of working with,
instead of against,
our children.
💞 L.R.Knost

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📚Peaceful Parenting Resources: http://t.co/T8goym3P6Z 📚
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Please respect the work of authors, photographers, and artists. You are welcome to share provided you include appropriate credit and do not crop out author’s names from quote memes. Thank you. 🙂
www.LRKnost.com

Fighting a rare, incurable cancer, but I’m still here!💞 L.R.

10/17/2025

"Play is really the work of childhood." This quote from Fred Rogers is everything.

When kids play, they’re learning in ways that books alone can’t teach. Outside, they explore, create, and grow with every stick, stone, and splash.

Let’s give them the freedom to make nature their classroom!

10/11/2025

✨ The Brilliance of Dysregulation—A Fresh Perspective
We’re often in the role of helping parents/caregivers navigate their child’s dysregulation. We see the meltdowns, the resistance, the seemingly “defiant” behaviors, and the struggle to connect. And in those moments, caregivers may ask: "Why won’t they just listen?" or "Why are they acting this way?"

What if we could help parents and caregivers reframe their understanding of dysregulation altogether?

Because here’s the truth: 🌟
A dysregulated brain will have difficulty…
❌ Thinking logically/clearly
❌ Noticing breath
❌ Feeling “grounded” and “in the body”
❌ Following directions
❌ Having internal awareness of both mind and body
❌ Communicating in a clear manner
❌ Displaying a wide range of emotional expression
Instead of viewing dysregulation as bad, what if we helped those around us see its brilliance?

✨ All behavior is communication. ✨
A child’s behavior is their nervous system speaking, telling us what they cannot put into words. When we judge certain behaviors as “good” or “bad,” we risk missing the deeper wisdom at play.

As we know, our autonomic nervous system is not random—it is beautifully designed to respond to perceived threats, to protect, and to seek regulation. What we call “dysregulation” is actually a functional response, an attempt to restore balance and safety.

So when a parent asks, Why is my child acting out?, let’s support them in shifting the question to:
🔹 What is this behavior trying to accomplish?
🔹 How is this dysregulation serving the child?
🔹 How is their nervous system working to find safety and connection?

When we guide parents toward curiosity instead of judgment, they begin to see the brilliance of the system at work. They recognize that their child’s behavior isn’t something to fix, but something to understand.

And in that shift, they arrive at the most powerful response of all:
✨ Wow. ✨

I invite you to bring this perspective into your sessions as you support families. Encouraging parents to shift from labeling behavior as good or bad to asking how the dysregulated behavior is serving the child can open the door to deeper understanding.

This simple shift in perspective allows us to approach a child’s behaviors with greater compassion, curiosity, and connection.

Much love on the journey 💜

♡ Lisa

10/02/2025

Maggie Dent 🩵🤍🩵