Connect2Counseling

03/04/2026

🦒 FREE HOUSTON ZOO DAYS (2026)

First Tuesday of every month, open to close. Courtesy of ExxonMobil.

2026 dates:
✅ Mar 3
✅ Apr 7
✅ May 5
✅ Jun 2
✅ Jul 7
✅ Aug 4
✅ Sep 1
✅ Oct 6
✅ Nov 3
✅ Dec 1

Important: Online reservations required. No tickets at the gate.
Tickets usually drop the Wednesday before, sometimes earlier.

Not included: Zoo Lights, carousel, giraffe feeding, special attractions.

Pro tips: go early, parking will be a mess, bring snacks and a stroller or wagon.

Tag your zoo bestie and save this. 🐘✨

02/17/2026

02/17/2026

I currently have availability on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.

02/11/2026

Valentines Day is a good reminder to practice healthy & respectful communication with the goal of resolving conflict instead of causing distress. Listening & validating are essential in addition to all the cards ♥️, candy 🍫 & flowers 💐

Each step taken in peace is a loving blessing to life.-Harold W. Becker

01/31/2026

If you’ve ever been told your child “should be able to calm themselves by now”, this matters.

Decades of developmental research show that emotional regulation is not something children learn alone. It is built, slowly and repeatedly, through co-regulation with a safe adult. Before the brain can self-soothe, it needs to experience being soothed. This isn’t permissive parenting — it’s how nervous systems develop.

Studies on parent–child synchrony, the Still-Face paradigm, and social biofeedback consistently show the same thing: regulation is social before it becomes internal. Children borrow calm, learn meaning, and gradually build the capacity to regulate themselves through relationship. Co-regulation isn’t a parenting trend — it’s the cornerstone of emotional development.

Research references (evidence-based)
Ruth Feldman – Bio-behavioural synchrony research demonstrating that attuned caregiver–child interactions predict later self-regulation and emotional competence (Feldman, 2003; 2012).
Edward Tronick – Mutual Regulation Model and Still-Face paradigm showing that infants rely on caregiver responsiveness to regulate distress before self-regulation emerges.
György Gergely & Watson – Social biofeedback model explaining how contingent adult responses teach children to understand and regulate internal emotional states.
Murray et al. (2019) – Applied developmental model positioning co-regulation as a core mechanism through which self-regulation develops across childhood.
Bornstein et al. (2023) – Reviews framing co-regulation as a multilevel biological and relational process foundational to emotional regulation.

01/15/2026

Handy reference for parents & caregivers😊

Most parents and carers think they know what apps their children are using. Many do not.

Children and young people spend a huge part of their lives online. Messaging, gaming, live streaming, and social media are part of everyday life. Some of the most popular apps allow contact with strangers, disappearing messages, anonymous accounts, live video, and unmoderated chats. These features can make children vulnerable to grooming, sexual exploitation, bullying, pressure around appearance, and exposure to adult content.

This is not about banning phones or blaming parents. It is about understanding how these apps work and why certain features increase risk. Many children do not realise when a situation becomes unsafe. Many adults do not realise how quickly conversations can move off visible platforms and out of sight.

Online safety starts with awareness and honest conversations. When adults understand the digital spaces children are in, they are better placed to protect them, set boundaries, and respond early when something does not feel right.

Comment "APP" and we will send you a message with a link to a free PDF of this resource.

01/07/2026

Where will 2026 take you? What do you picture for this new year? The start of the calendar year is a great time to reflect and plan. Counseling will help you process whether you want a new strategy for yourself, your relationship or for your child's needs. 🛋️🗣️💡
Call/text 281-536-9223 to schedule an appointment.

12/31/2025

Only a call away to connect with help when you're struggling🤗

You're Never Alone. We've had some heavy news this week and I wanted to share this message: It's okay to ask for help.

If you're struggling with mental health or thoughts of self harm, here are some free and confidential resources available to you 24/7.

- 988 Su***de & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 for immediate help.

- National Su***de Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (available 24/7).

- Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741 for support.

- National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI): Text NAMI to 741741 or call 1-800-950-NAMI.

You are not alone. Help is just a call or text away.

12/29/2025

Play Therapy provides intervention, prevention & caregiver support. The main goals helping children express feelings and increased confidence.

12/28/2025

Look forward not backward for all the adventures, challenges & joyful moments yet to come 🕊️

12/17/2025

Truth!

11/26/2025

At the table tomorrow💐