Shealah West Therapy, LLC

04/18/2026

Miss Shealah and Giselle at the Renaissance Festival helping kids tame their dragons! Come see us at The Wilderness Hiker Booth!

04/15/2026

She makes an incredibly important Point here. Difficult circumstances can create amazing opportunities for growth. With appropriate support doing hard things and usually often uncomfortable things can be responsible for the best parts of ourselves.

Sometimes the experience on the other side of the meltdown is worth the tears.

On the other side of “I don’t know if I can do this” …lives some of your most noteworthy decisions.

In this life, difficulty is the cost of access.

I would even go as far as to say that in SOME situations, discomfort in and of itself can be a sign you’re on the right track.

By now, most people have heard the advice, “do it scared”
and while it’s probably become a cliche…it’s still something I try to embrace.

Do it messy.
Do it anxious.
Do it even if you’re not sure you’ll like it.

Some of the best experiences you’ll ever have will ask something from you first. 🖤

04/12/2026

This, this, this!!! Children do not need to be entertained constantly. They literally need down time to use their own imagination and come up with creative ideas to keep themselves occupied. We need to get away from the constant influx of electronic noise that our children are receiving.

Babies who receive constant stimulation can struggle when things become quiet or still. The brain learns from patterns. When a baby is always surrounded by noise, toys, or screens, their nervous system adapts to high input levels. This can make simple, quiet moments feel unfamiliar or even uncomfortable, leading to frustration or restlessness.

Research shows unstructured, quiet play supports attention, creativity, and emotional regulation. When babies explore without constant input, they learn to focus, self-soothe, and engage with their environment in a calmer way. These moments build important brain pathways for patience and independence.

Create balance. Allow time for quiet play without screens or noise. Boredom is not a problem, it is a powerful space where your baby’s brain learns to grow and settle.

04/12/2026

Its more than "an ADHD respose" but we can unpack that later. I think what needs to be worked on is defining what defiance actually is. Every refusal is not defiance. I see kids requesting clarification and asking for help being framed as defiance because they aren't immediately obedient. The requesting (or demanding party) often experiences an emotional response rooted in ego or their own difficulties and they miss the opportunity for skill building, being stuck in the perceived "disobedience". The loudest individuals over children's behavior are often battling themselves and their history and it gets projected onto the child.

04/10/2026

Posting pictures of your children online may seem harmless, but research shows it can have long-lasting consequences. By age 13, the average child has more than 1,300 photos of themselves shared on the internet, almost none with their consent.

The risks are far broader than the typical “stranger danger” warnings. These photos can be used in ways parents never intended, from digital profiling and social media tracking to potential exposure in data breaches or targeted advertising. Once an image is online, it can be nearly impossible to remove, creating a permanent digital footprint for your child.

Experts recommend thinking carefully before sharing images, adjusting privacy settings, and limiting the number of personal photos posted. Encouraging children to participate in decisions about what is shared helps teach digital responsibility and respect for their own online presence. Parents can also monitor online activity and use secure platforms that prioritize privacy to protect their child’s identity.

Being mindful of online sharing practices is crucial for protecting children’s safety, privacy, and future digital identity. Understanding the potential impact of posting photos early can help families make smarter choices and avoid unintended consequences in an increasingly connected world.

04/09/2026

https://youtube.com/shorts/YuvBtoRs-q4?si=y1A7ZuMN9rLsyN2E Yes!

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

04/06/2026

I♥️ Dr. Barkley. Psychoeducation. Maybe Medication. Behavioral Strategies. Environmental accommodations around the individuals in academic, home and work settings. Not medication only. I find the Psychoeducation, Skill building and Accommodations highly necessary. The hardest part? Parents, caregivers or teachers recognizing they HAVE to provide the full gamut of accommodations AND support while the skill building occurs, while using the psychoeducation within the relationship. The expectation for skill usage WITHOUT SUPPORT when a core symptom of ADHD is forgetfulness blows my mind 🤯. Check out Dr. Barkley. He breaks things down beautifully.

On Sunday, April 13th, 2025 an article on ADHD was published in the New York Times Magazine about the nature of ADHD and whether we need to rethink our views...

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