Sandal Gap Comprehensive Services

Sandal Gap Comprehensive Services Family-owned Behavioral & Mental Health group based in Honolulu, HI 🌺🏝️Dedicated to promoting well-being and preventing illness through compassionate care.

Board certified Behavior Analyst who specializes in communication and toilet training; Special Education Advocate; and an S2C Practicioner

🧠What’s happening in the brain during a panic attack?During a panic attack, your brain is not “overreacting”—it’s trying...
12/30/2025

🧠What’s happening in the brain during a panic attack?

During a panic attack, your brain is not “overreacting”—it’s trying to protect you.

🔹 The amygdala (fear center) becomes highly activated
🔹 The prefrontal cortex (logic and reasoning) temporarily goes offline
🔹 Cortisol and stress hormones are released
🔹 The hypothalamus triggers the fight-or-flight response

This combination can lead to racing thoughts, rapid breathing, increased heart rate, dizziness, and a sense of losing control.

💙 The important thing to remember:
A panic attack is uncomfortable, but it is not dangerous. Your nervous system will settle again.

🌿 Therapy can help retrain the brain, build regulation skills, and reduce the intensity and frequency of panic responses over time.

You’re not broken. Your brain is doing its best—and support is available.

🧠 How Trauma Impacts the BrainTrauma doesn’t just affect how we feel — it changes how the brain functions. When the brai...
12/19/2025

🧠 How Trauma Impacts the Brain

Trauma doesn’t just affect how we feel — it changes how the brain functions. When the brain has experienced trauma, it may stay in “survival mode,” even when danger is no longer present.

✨ Here’s what’s happening beneath the surface:

• Amygdala (Fear Response): Trauma can make the brain’s alarm system overactive, increasing anxiety, fear, and reactivity.
• Hippocampus (Memory): Trauma may disrupt how memories are stored and recalled, leading to fragmented or intrusive memories.
• Prefrontal Cortex (Executive Functioning): Stress can weaken decision-making, impulse control, and emotional regulation.
• Neurotransmitters: Trauma can affect serotonin and dopamine levels, contributing to mood changes, anxiety, or depression.
• Sensory Processing: Heightened sensitivity to sounds, lights, touch, or movement can make everyday experiences feel overwhelming.
• Brain Connectivity & Plasticity: Trauma can disrupt communication between brain regions — but with support, the brain can heal and rewire.

💙 Healing is possible. With trauma-informed care, regulation skills, and supportive relationships, the brain can learn safety again.

📍 At Sandal Gap Comprehensive Services, we take a compassionate, neuro-affirming approach to trauma recovery — meeting each person where they are.

🌈 Play Therapy: Healing Through Play 🌈Play is a child’s natural language — and play therapy uses that language to suppor...
12/16/2025

🌈 Play Therapy: Healing Through Play 🌈

Play is a child’s natural language — and play therapy uses that language to support emotional growth, communication, and healing.

🧸 Through play, children can:
• Express feelings they may not yet have words for
• Build emotional regulation and coping skills
• Improve communication and social interaction
• Process stress, trauma, and big emotions in a safe way

In play therapy sessions, children use toys, games, art, and imagination to explore their experiences while guided by a trained clinician in a supportive, therapeutic environment.

💙 At Sandal Gap Comprehensive Services, play therapy is tailored to each child’s developmental needs and strengths — helping them feel understood, empowered, and supported.

✨ Healing happens when children feel safe to be themselves.

🌿 Stress happens — but so does healing.Here are a few simple “Stress Busters” you can lean into each day to support your...
12/04/2025

🌿 Stress happens — but so does healing.

Here are a few simple “Stress Busters” you can lean into each day to support your mind and body:

✨ Nourish yourself with balanced meals
🧘 Practice mindfulness to ground your nervous system
🏃 Move your body to release tension
🤝 Stay connected with supportive relationships
😴 Prioritize quality sleep for restoration

Small daily habits can create big shifts in your overall well-being.
You deserve to feel regulated, supported, and balanced. 💙

🌺 What Is Eco-Therapy? 🌺🌴 Eco-therapy is a form of therapy that uses nature-based activities and environments to support...
12/03/2025

🌺 What Is Eco-Therapy? 🌺

🌴 Eco-therapy is a form of therapy that uses nature-based activities and environments to support emotional, psychological, and sometimes physical healing. It can be practiced in structured ways with a clinician or informally as part of daily wellness. 🌴

👨🏼‍🏫 Core Principles:

☀️Nature as a co-therapist: The natural world provides calming, grounding, and regulating sensory input that supports emotional healing.

🧘🏾‍♀️Mind–body connection: Eco-therapy emphasizes regulation of the nervous system through movement, breathing, and mindfulness outdoors.

💫 Holistic healing: The approach supports mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being.

📝 Common Eco-Therapy Techniques:

🌊 Mindfulness in nature (deep breathing, grounding, noticing sensations)

🥾Nature walks or hiking therapy

🪴Gardening or horticultural therapy

🧘🏼‍♀️Outdoor meditation or grounding exercises

🐶 Animal-assisted interactions

🏞️ Forest bathing (“shinrin-yoku”)

🎨 Using natural materials in expressive arts therapy

✏️ Benefits:

✅ Reduces stress, anxiety, and depressive symptoms
✅ Improves emotional regulation and clarity
✅ Supports trauma healing through calming sensory input
✅ Strengthens connection, purpose, and self-awareness
✅ Increases motivation and hopefulness
✅ Enhances executive functioning and attentional control

🌿 MINDFULNESS ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS, TEENS & ADULTSMindfulness doesn’t need to be complicated—small, simple practices can ...
12/03/2025

🌿 MINDFULNESS ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS, TEENS & ADULTS
Mindfulness doesn’t need to be complicated—small, simple practices can help regulate the nervous system, build emotional awareness, and increase calm throughout the day.
Here are a few beginner-friendly options you can use at home, work, or in session:

⸻

🧘‍♀️ Mindfulness Activities

1. Five Senses Grounding
Notice 5 things you can see, 4 things you can touch, 3 you can hear, 2 you can smell, 1 you can taste.

2. Triangle Breathing
Inhale 4 seconds → Hold 4 seconds → Exhale 8 seconds

3. Mindful Movement
Slow stretching, short walks, or gentle yoga while paying attention to body sensations.

4. Thought Surfing
Imagine thoughts as waves—notice them rise, peak, and fall without judgment.

5. Gratitude Moments
List 1–3 things you’re grateful for today.

6. Body Scan Check-In
Start at the top of the head and scan downward, noticing tightness or tension.

7. Mindful Coloring
Use soft colors (ocean blue + seafoam green!) to engage in calming, repetitive strokes.

🌊 Creating space for mindfulness—even just a few minutes—supports emotional regulation, executive functioning, and overall well-being.

🧩Some of the common types of stimming that you’ll see our kiddos with Autism engage in as a source of regulation 🧩 ...
11/26/2025

🧩Some of the common types of stimming that you’ll see our kiddos with Autism engage in as a source of regulation 🧩

⚛️ Back to the basics. Simple ways to increase the "happy chemicals" in your brain! 🧠
11/19/2025

⚛️ Back to the basics. Simple ways to increase the "happy chemicals" in your brain! 🧠

Many of our kiddos with and struggle with executive functioning skills, and we are here to help!
11/18/2025

Many of our kiddos with and struggle with executive functioning skills, and we are here to help!

🧘🏼 Back to the basics! 🫂
11/14/2025

🧘🏼 Back to the basics! 🫂

HABA 2025 ✨ Our supervisors had an absolute blast this week at the HABA Conference — connecting with peers, gaining fres...
09/07/2025

HABA 2025 ✨ Our supervisors had an absolute blast this week at the HABA Conference — connecting with peers, gaining fresh insights, and staying inspired by the amazing work happening across the field.

Grateful for the opportunity to learn and grow together!

🪀Our Play Therapy space is starting to come together! 🪁🎨 We’re excited to have the space to support some of our younger ...
07/30/2025

🪀Our Play Therapy space is starting to come together! 🪁

🎨 We’re excited to have the space to support some of our younger clients! 🧸

Address

200 N Vineyard Boulevard
Honolulu, HI
96817

Telephone

+18084901668

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