Shealah West Therapy, LLC

02/17/2026

Prenatal exposure to alcohol, including the diagnosis of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders ( ) impact millions of individuals and families, yet they often go unrecognized. We’re committed to raising awareness, providing resources, and advocating for those affected.

Want to learn more? Visit FASDUnited.org and join us in making a difference!

Image Description: A red graphic with the FASD United logo in the top left corner. Large bold text reads, “What Is PSE?” Below, the text explains: “Prenatal Substance Exposure (PSE) occurs when drugs and/or alcohol are consumed during pregnancy. It can cause significant harm to the developing brain, contributing to developmental delays and behavioral challenges.” A white speech-bubble shape contains the text, and a megaphone graphic appears in the bottom left corner. Small text at the bottom lists sources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Hope RISING Clinic.

02/08/2026

The “Why Play Therapy?!” Series - Day 8 – Understanding the Non-linear Nature of Healing

Neurobiological healing is NOT linear. As children process through their emotional experiences, fluctuations in behavior, affect, and regulation are all expected and natural to happen. Moments of joy and playfulness, followed by withdrawal, or emotional intensity and dysregulation can all reflect active integration within the nervous system.

Recognizing these patterns helps Play Therapists and Parents/Caregivers remain grounded and supportive to the Child. Apparent regression may actually signal that deeper emotional reorganization and regulation is taking place beneath the surface, and this understanding may help the adults involved in the child’s life see the behaviors, or ‘big feelings’, in a different light💡

Sometimes things may appear to get worse, before they actually start to get better ❤️‍🩹

02/08/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1BpyyJ6r5o/

Without fail, every time I speak somewhere, they LOVE to ask me some variation of this:

“How can schools and workplaces better support the wide range of different neurodivergent needs?”

It’s well-intentioned. But also…what you’re really asking is:
How do you help everyone, everywhere, all at once? 😵‍💫

So, when I can tell people are just searching for
SOMETHING, ANYTHING tangible that can be done,
this is what I say:

“Identify your unspoken rules. And then speak them out loud.”

So much conflict doesn’t come from autistic people refusing to follow rules,
it comes from not knowing the rules existed in the first place.

Examples of American cultural rules that tend to go unspoken:

▪️If food is catered, take what you want from the large platters set up together on one table. Small plates of food left out on different tables typically already belong to someone.

▪️Grooming tasks like clipping nails, fixing teeth, applying deodorant are expected to be done in private spaces.

▪️Using all caps in a text message or email is interpreted as yelling or anger

▪️Leaving personal items spread across shared spaces (tables, desks, couches) can be seen as inconsiderate.

▪️Chewing with your mouth open or making eating sounds is often noticed, even if no one says anything.

To neurotypical people, these rules feel like common sense. To autistic people, they can be like invisible tripwires.

And when those rules are broken unknowingly, the autistic person is labeled as rude, lazy, inappropriate, or difficult…when the real issue was missing information.

If you want to take a single, tangible step towards meaningful inclusion of autistic people…stop expecting everyone to read rules you never wrote.

Slow down. Think through what you assume people “just know.” Then say it plainly. 💕

02/07/2026

Shame often hides behind control, anger, detachment, humor, competence, helping others, which is why people say: “I don’t feel shame - I just feel empty / tense / irritated / tired.” Childhood shame doesn’t disappear - it becomes strategy. You don’t heal it by pushing confidence, forcing positivity, or “thinking differently”. You heal it by recognizing its disguises, separating past messages from present reality, and creating experiences of being seen without performance. If shame shows up in your adulthood, it does not mean something is wrong with you. It means something happened in your childhood when your sense of self was still forming. 💛

02/07/2026

02/06/2026

From Mariam Jensen, LCMFT, RPT - Joyful Heart Therapy, LLC
The “Why Play Therapy?!” Series - Day 4 – The Therapeutic Relationship is the Primary Healing Agent

“The Relationship is the Therapy.” - Dr. Garry Landreth

Neurobiological research consistently identifies safe, attuned relationships as central to emotional healing. For children, the therapeutic relationship provides a regulated external nervous system, before internal regulation in their own nervous system is possible. Through consistent attunement, responsiveness, and acceptance, the Play Therapist supports co-regulation and fosters neural integration, which then aids the healing process.

This relational safety allows children’s stress-response systems to settle, creating the conditions necessary for exploration, emotional processing, and developmental growth. Healing occurs not through directive instruction, but through repeated experiences of being emotionally supported and understood. In that way, and as Lisa Dion states: “the therapist is the most important “toy” in the playroom”. A trained, experienced, and possibly also Registered Play Therapist™️ has the clinical expertise, training, and knowledge to form a trusting therapeutic relationship with the child, to facilitate the healing process, in an age and developmentally appropriate manner, and according to the unique needs of every child.

02/05/2026

Lol. How ChatGPT sees me. What do you think? Obviously one of the cats needs to be Siamese.

02/03/2026

The “Why Play Therapy?!” Series - Day 2 – Why Research Matters in Play Therapy!

Parents often ask: “How do we know play therapy actually works?”
That’s an important question—and one worth exploring.

Play therapy is not based on guesswork or intuition alone. It is supported by decades of research showing positive outcomes for children experiencing anxiety, trauma, grief, behavioral challenges, and difficulties with emotional regulation, to name a few. Many play therapy modalities have been studied using evidence-based standards.

If you’re someone who likes to look at the research behind the work, here are a few highly reputable and reliable organizations that collect, review, and publish play therapy outcome data:

🔹 Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas
https://cpt.unt.edu/research-and-publications

🔹 Association for Play Therapy (APT)
https://www.a4pt.org
(Research & Publications section)

🔹 Evidence Based Child Therapy
https://evidencebasedchildtherapy.com

🔹 Child-Centered Play Therapy International (CCPT-I)
https://ccptinternational.org/research

🔹 Sandplay Therapists of America
https://www.sandplay.org/jst-article/sandplay-therapy-an-evidenced-based-treatment/

These organizations compile peer-reviewed studies and clinical research that guide ethical, and effective Play Therapy practice.

Play Therapy may look simple on the outside—but it is grounded in science, specialized training, and intentional clinical care, by a trained and experienced Play Therapist who is also a Mental Health Professional holding at least a Master’s Degree and also holding the highest and independent level of licensure in their State of practice in the USA (Requirements may differ based on other countries). Play Therapy is designed to meet children exactly where they are developmentally and emotionally 💛

02/03/2026

The “Why Play Therapy?!” Series - Day 1 – Play Is a Child’s Language

Children often feel big emotions they can’t yet put into words. They may act out, withdraw, or use imagination to communicate what’s happening inside. Play therapy honors this natural language of children, allowing them to express feelings safely through toys, storytelling, and creative expression. When parents understand that play is their child’s voice, they can see beyond behaviors to the deeper messages children are trying to share 💛

02/01/2026

Yes!! Teach them to respect animals!

01/31/2026

You can't Google life experience.

01/23/2026

Brrrr! Online sessions from the home office today! Paperwork and Siameezer watching will keep me occupied! What are y'all doing today?