Wise Nest Counseling, LLC

07/08/2022

Whether you have felt able to process the traumatic news lately or not, I think we can all agree that we are feeling it to some extent. And when we are feeling it, we know that our kids are feeling it too. So, how do we regulate through intense feelings of overwhelm, anger, fear, sadness, and despair? What does it even mean to regulate? In this post I will discuss ways we know we are feeling dysregulated and offer tips and exercises to help us manage these big feelings.

Regulation Strategies for Overwhelm

06/02/2022

Wise Nest Counseling has moved to a new private space!
This space has been curated with intention, hoping it provides the comfort & warmth needed for healing and emotional process to unfold. It hasn’t been done in solitude; the space has been the beneficiary of generosity from both those I know and those I don’t. It truly takes a village to thrive and succeed, and I feel so blessed to make this move of mine possible!

05/25/2022

"Even if we wanted to, it would be impossible to give our children all the reasons for such things as war, terrorists, abuse, murders, major fires, hurricanes, and earthquakes. If they ask questions, our best answer may be to ask them, "What do you think happened?" If the answer is "I don't know," then the simplest reply might be something like, "I'm sad about the news, and I'm worried. But I love you, and I'm here to care for you."

In times of crisis, children want to know, "Who will take care of me?" Here are some tips to help reassure children during scary times.

05/06/2022

11/05/2021

It's easy to jump in and try to reason with our kids when they don't handle something well or need to learn something. But we know some things about the brain here that can really help you to stay connected with your child AND help them learn better.

I talk about it using the Brain Stoplight metaphor.

First we need to Regulate. We need to connect and get out of the red light state (my language) or our survival brain.

Then we need to connect in the emotional space. "It makes sense why you reacted that way. I'm sorry. I didn't know you were having a hard time..." The point is to connect. This is the yellow light or the emotional brain. We need to speak to that next.

And then, and only then, are you and your child back to green light and can reason.

Regulate.
Relate.
Reason.

In that order.

This is how our brains work and how our children's brains work. Work with these ideas and see how it transforms your family's conflicts. Works for partners, too!

ETA: Image or information courtesy of Beacon House Therapeutic Services & Trauma Team | 2021 | www.beaconhouse.org.uk

10/09/2021

Play therapists believe in the power of play. Thanks to 1000 Hours Outside and Dr. Peter Gray for the important reminder!

09/15/2021

Co-regulation is where it’s at! Thanks for this reminder.

07/28/2021

It's OK to put your mental health first. It takes so much courage to admit when you need to stop or slow down. So proud of the positive messaging for Simone & hope she gets the time and support she deserves!

Simone Biles was forced to withdraw from the women’s team final, citing mental health concerns after struggling on her opening vault

07/27/2021

Good take work, and one of the hardest parts of building and maintaining satisfying and supportive relationships is repairing after rupture (i.e. conflict). It's so hard, and conflict is so often avoided, that many of us have never experienced really good repair- or the way that it can deepen and strengthen our connection and trust with another person.

Get a printable PDF of this art through my patreon.com/lindsaybraman or https://lindsaybraman.com/rrpdf or grab a little reminder on Society6: lindsaybraman.com/soc6

This illustration was created while listening to the Story Sage online course by - their site ( theallendercenter.org/ ) is a great place to start if you'd like to learn more about attachment basics and how to build supportive relationships. For my fellow therapists, I've gotta plug their Effective Trauma Care CEU coming up soon- if you like my approach to trauma you'll love their courses. (Not sponsored, I just love the work of this organization ❤️)

More content on coming soon!

07/06/2021

Accepting New Clients!!!

If you or someone you know is in the Boulder area and looking for play therapy sessions and/or parent coaching, feel free to share my information.

Play Therapy provides all kids with emotional awareness, intelligence, regulation strategies, and resilience, all skills essential in navigating this ever changing world and the challenges they face.

Parent Coaching Sessions offer support for parents in improving relationships with both their children and themselves, building a stronger, more connected family system. You are not in this alone!

https://www.wisenestcounseling.com/contact

06/27/2021

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