Sager Creek Counseling Collective

12/22/2025

12/16/2025

Talking to Your Child About Play Therapy 💛

A question I hear often from parents is: “What should I tell my child about coming to play therapy?”
Play therapy is a developmentally appropriate form of counseling that helps children express thoughts, feelings, and experiences through play—because play is how children naturally communicate and make sense of their world.

You might say:
🧸 “This is a special place where kids can play and work through feelings.”
🎨 “Sometimes feelings are hard to put into words, and play helps with that.”
💬 “There’s a therapist whose job is to help kids feel safe, understood, and supported.”

As a Registered Play Therapist, I’m specially trained to use play intentionally—not just for fun, but as a powerful tool to help children process anxiety, big emotions, life changes, and stressful experiences.

Play therapy isn’t about fixing a child.
It’s about meeting them where they are and giving them a safe, supportive space to heal and grow.

When parents approach play therapy with calm confidence, children often feel more comfortable and open to the process.

If you’re wondering whether play therapy might be helpful for your child, or how to talk with them about starting, I’m always happy to answer questions. 💛

Allison Wallace, LCSW, RPT
📍 Sager Creek Counseling Collective
📞 405-355-8087
🌐 www.sagercreekcounselingcollective.org

11/28/2025

📣 Exciting News!

We’ve officially moved upstairs in the same building! 🚀✨

The new space is warm, welcoming, and designed with your comfort in mind!

11/25/2025

Led by trained peer facilitators, PSI's Birth & Medical Trauma Loss Group is for birthing persons who have experienced birth and/or medical trauma while also grieving the death of their baby. This space acknowledges the weight of both realities: the physical and emotional impact of a traumatic birth and the grief of loss.

You may have felt unheard, unsupported, or out of control during your childbirth experience. You may find yourself reliving moments, avoiding reminders, or carrying emotions that feel heavy. On top of that, you are navigating the deep pain of living without your child. You deserve a place where both your trauma and your loss are recognized and supported.

Here, you are not alone, and you are not to blame. While we honor that your story has value, we do not process detailed birth stories in this space, as they can be triggering to others. Instead, we focus on understanding the effects of trauma, exploring emotions, sharing the unique challenges of grieving after birth trauma & loss, and practicing coping strategies together.

View the schedule and register for this free, virtual support group: https://loom.ly/RzwTBwc

11/25/2025

Hey everyone! It’s been a minute, so I wanted to pop in and reintroduce myself.

I’m Allison Wallace—a therapist, a mama in the thick of postpartum life, and a woman rebuilding and growing her private practice one intentional step at a time. I spend my days getting on the playroom floor with kids, supporting women through anxiety, stress, trauma, and motherhood, and walking alongside families as they navigate some incredibly hard seasons.

And truly? I love this work.

I’m living out my values every single day—showing up for my own family, creating safe and supportive spaces for others, and doing work that feels deeply aligned with who I am. Helping moms, kids, and women heal isn’t just something I do… it’s who I’m called to be.

Having a servant’s heart isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it. I’m grateful for every story shared, every breakthrough, and every step forward. 💛

Here’s to growth, purpose, and continuing to build a practice (and a life) I’m truly proud of.

📍 Sager Creek Counseling Collective-608 S Hico St. Siloam Springs, AR
📞 405-355-8087
🌐 www.sagercreekcounselingcollective.org

11/15/2025

When babies experience trauma, it doesn’t just affect their emotions, it changes how their brains grow.

Experts say 1 in 10 children under age 5 face mental health challenges. Studies show that untreated mental health conditions in infants and toddlers leave children more vulnerable to poor health, poor performance at school, criminal justice involvement, and even su***de over time.

But there is hope. Even in the most challenging situations, consistent access to age-appropriate and specialized therapies can help children and their families thrive.
Because infants’ and toddlers’ brains grow so quickly, with intervention and consistent support from loving adults, they can often heal and thrive after traumatic incidents.

Learn more: https://bit.ly/4h4aV7m

11/03/2025

🌿 EMDR Therapy and Your Brain 🌿

We all experience upsetting or distressing events in life. Sometimes, our brains process those experiences and move on — but other times, those memories can get stuck.

🧠 Regular Memory
In a healthy process, your brain stores a memory in a way that allows you to think, “I did the best I could,” when something reminds you of it.

⚡️ Stuck Memory
But when the brain’s fight, flight, or freeze response takes over — or when past experiences interfere — the memory can get “stuck.” When something triggers it, you might feel shame, fear, or think, “I’m such a failure.”

💫 How EMDR Helps
At Sager Creek Counseling Collective, I offer EMDR therapy to help clients heal from those stuck memories.
During EMDR, I gently guide you through eye movements (or other forms of bilateral stimulation) while you recall the distressing memory. Over time, those painful emotions and body sensations fade. The event becomes just a memory — no longer something that defines you or controls how you feel.

💚 After EMDR
Your brain begins to understand:
“The threat is over. I did my best.”
If you’ve been feeling weighed down by past experiences, EMDR therapy can help your brain and body finally move toward healing and peace.

Allison Wallace, LCSW RPT
📍 Sager Creek Counseling Collective- Siloam Springs, AR
📞 405-355-8087
🌐 www.sagercreekcounselingcollective.org

10/29/2025

10/27/2025

🌿 What Is TF-CBT and How Does It Work? 🌿

TF-CBT stands for Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy — a research-based approach that helps children, teens, and their caregivers heal after experiencing trauma.

Many kids who’ve been through something scary or overwhelming can feel stuck in their emotions — they might have nightmares, sudden fears, big emotional reactions, or trouble trusting others. TF-CBT helps them make sense of what happened, learn tools to manage their feelings, and rebuild a sense of safety and confidence.
Here’s how it works:
✨ Education and skills – Kids and caregivers learn about trauma and how it affects the brain and body, while practicing relaxation and coping skills.
🧠 Processing the trauma – In a gentle and safe way, children are guided to share their story, helping them face memories without being overwhelmed.
💞 Caregiver involvement – Parents or caregivers are an important part of the process, learning how to support their child, manage their own emotions, and strengthen the parent–child bond.
🌈 Moving forward – The focus shifts from the past to the future — building resilience, hope, and healthy coping for whatever comes next.

TF-CBT is more than just talking — it’s about healing, learning, and reconnecting.

If your child has been through trauma or is struggling with strong emotions, there is help and hope. You don’t have to go through it alone. 💚
📍 Sager Creek Counseling Collective
📞 405-355-8087
🌐 www.sagercreekcounselingcollective.org

10/23/2025

Babies can’t self-soothe. That’s where we come in.

Co-regulation = borrowing a caregiver’s calm.
It’s how babies learn to handle big feelings before they have words or skills to do it solo.

✅ Rocking them when they cry
✅ Speaking gently when they’re upset
✅ Holding them close during scary moments

It’s not spoiling. It’s science. And it starts from birth.

More here: https://bit.ly/3GjZStn

10/16/2025

✨ Is it PPD, PPA, or POCD? ✨
Perinatal mental health challenges can look different for every parent. While postpartum depression is more widely recognized, many also experience perinatal anxiety or perinatal OCD—and each one is temporary, treatable, and deserves support. 💙

This OCD Awareness Week, let’s break the stigma and raise awareness about perinatal OCD—marked by intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and hypervigilance—that can feel overwhelming but is treatable with the right help.

You are not alone. Healing is possible. 🌸

👉 Save this post to learn the differences between PPD, PPA, and POCD.
👉 Share to spread awareness.

📞 PSI HelpLine: 1-800-944-4773 (call or text)
📞 National Maternal Mental Health Hotline: 1-833-852-6262
🌐 Visit Postpartum.net for free support groups, resources, and help in your area.
📱 Download the Connect by PSI App in the App Store & Google Play Store

10/15/2025