Counseling Outside of the Box

10/30/2025

https://www.apa.org/topics/children/stress?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=apa-stress&utm_content=children-stress&fbclid=IwdGRleANvw6FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHkZR8k74f1RnZCNyAwLOHM22d5rcnDN2-IHyq2Cckp31p7CHyr_eRECqBv79_aem_FUmH7MydeMB_kVEhuE9XRA

Stress is at historic highs. Here are healthy ways for children and teens to cope

10/29/2025

I just learned about this resource today and I thought that I would share it here. I’m not too familiar with it, but hopefully it will be useful if anyone is in need of assistance in any of the areas listed.

Search and connect to support. Find financial assistance, food pantries, medical care, and other free or reduced-cost help in your area, anywhere in the US.

08/18/2025

Back to school is right around the corner and I have a few rare openings for new clients. Feel free to contact me for more information.

05/12/2025

01/21/2025

I haven’t shared much to my business page in quite a while. I decided recently that I would start to slowly post a bit more here.

Over the past few days I have been working on a new blog post. The topic: Communicating Compassionately and Effectively with Families.

My target audience for this post is anyone who works in a professional setting with children. I wrote this for multiple reasons, however, the most important reason is so that children and their families can be met with greater compassion and empathy by the adults that work with them.

https://www.counselingoutsideoftheboxllc.com/blog-1

10/10/2024

Natural disasters are scary for everyone. Sometimes, children forget how to feel safe. For all children, especially those with disabilities, social stories can help.

02/29/2024

https://www.cnbc.com/2024/02/23/co-regulation-is-the-new-parenting-buzzword-how-to-do-it.html?fbclid=IwAR1DpqhVFLQkarBjhOm8TopzYRfvsETTDDknCm9yxxy72jMNq70COCoqHLw_aem_AXimx5WMLmN5VtT8Ec-bBx4eX7xzFREJxG6QdbwWnZpPRoDZWl5E7nhcbZ22DrHWMxs

Co-regulating helps kids learn how to handle their emotions as they grow up and those kids are more likely to be resilient, psychologist says.

10/19/2023

Students need tips and tricks for self-regulation...and so do we. These big feelings of stress, thinking we're not good enough, or being lonely can eat our lunch. It's important to acknowledge it, feel it, ask some deeper questions...and then take action to shift out of that place.

10/16/2023

Carve out time for self-care this autumn! 🎃🍂

How’re you taking care of yourself this October? I’m trying to rest as much as possible as I’m currently experiencing the ‘October slide’. If you’re also in a flare, I’m sending my best wishes and gentle hugs! 🌈

[ID: An illustration of different pumpkins in different colours and sizes. Two bats flap around them. Text at the top of the image reads “carve out time for self-care” in rainbow letters. Text under each of the pumpkins reads: “spending time on your hobbies”, “making time for yourself”, “taking breaks when needed”, “setting and keeping boundaries”, “speaking with supportive people” and “going to therapy”.]

09/28/2023

Radical acceptance is protective.

Our neurodivergent kids need to hear all this stuff from us because often the world tells them a different story.

And yes, all kids, any neurotype, need to hear these things. Of course they do. But the fact is that our neurodivergent kids receive far more negative messages than their neurotypical peers. Our mental health statistics are significantly worse, and overall our wellbeing is far below that of others. So yes, all kids. But for this post- the focus is on our nd kids.

We need to hear this stuff from our caregivers.
We need to hear that we’re ok, we’re good, we’re valuable.
We need to hear that there are people on our side.
We need to hear that our brain is a good one.
We need to be told that our strengths are big and worthwhile.
We need to hear that our communication style is good. It might be different but it’s good. We need to hear that difference is good.
We need to hear that our interests and passions are good.
We need to know that our neurodivergent traits are good.

We need to build up a mental bank of these positive reminders so that when people out there tell us awful, negative, ableist things, we have something better to fall back on. We need to hear these bright messages in our mind, and use them to counter those unpleasant messages when we are given them.

Our kids deserve it.
It’s important.

And fortunately, this is something that is 100% within our control to do.
We don’t need anyone’s permission to give our kids these messages.
It doesn’t cost anything.
It’s quick and it’s powerful.
If you’re not doing it already, you could start right now.

And know that you are not spoiling your kids by telling them this stuff.
You are not ‘giving them a big head’ or creating a superiority complex or anything like that. You are simply making sure that the picture they have of themselves is a nice one. And you need to- the world will often tell them the opposite.

Yes?

Em 🌻🌈✌️
AuDHD SLP

09/18/2023

This line is for Wisconsin residents and is staffed by certified peer specialists – people with lived experiences of mental health, substance use and other related life experiences. Call this line if you need someone to talk to for support when things are difficult, or when you just need a peer to...