Courageous Counselling and Play Therapy

03/05/2026

This might sound corny — or too simple — but this perspective genuinely transformed my parenting.

When I stopped seeing dysregulation as something I needed to shut down… everything shifted.

Before, my child’s big feelings felt like a threat to my nervous system.
It felt urgent. It felt LOUD. Like:

“I need to make this stop.”
“If this keeps happening, I’m failing.”

But when I began to understand dysregulation as activation — a brain doing its developmental work — it no longer felt like an emergency.

It became a sign that growth was happening.

Their brain was learning.
Their system was stretching.
And my role wasn’t to eliminate the feeling — it was to sit with them and guide them through it.

That shift increased my capacity to stay steady.
And when we’re steady, they borrow that steadiness.

If your child’s big emotions feel overwhelming — for them or for you — you’re not alone. Regulation is built in relationship.

Reach out to learn how I can support your child’s regulation and emotional growth through play therapy - and grow your own too through parent support sessions.💛

03/02/2026

Sometimes you just know something feels a little off with your child.

It might look like:
• Big emotional reactions that are hard to settle
• Ongoing worry or anxiety
• Withdrawal from friends, family, or activities
• Changes in sleep, appetite, or clinginess
• Behaviours that seem “younger” than their age

Children don’t always have the words to explain how they feel — their emotions often show up through behaviour.

In my latest blog, I share:
✨ Signs a child may benefit from counselling
✨ How child-centred play therapy supports emotional growth, confidence, coping skills, and resilience
✨ The 4 universal outcomes of play therapy (based on the work of Brenna Hicks)
✨ When it might be the right time to reach out

Early support can help children feel understood, build confidence, navigate big feelings, and develop skills that last a lifetime.

🔗 Read the full blog at the link in my bio.

02/23/2026

Did you know a 4-year-old’s brain has twice as many synapses as an adult’s? 🤯

That makes them amazing little learners… but also easily overstimulated. ⚡

At this age, they rely on our connected, regulated nervous system to feel safe and make sense of big emotions. Through co-regulation, we help their brains reset, stay connected, and build emotional resilience — all while learning and exploring the world. 💛

02/18/2026

When my child used to tantrum, I felt like I needed to stop it. Control it. Fix it.

But everything shifted when I began seeing it as a developing brain — not defiance.

Instead of asking, “How do I shut this down?”
I started asking, “What skill is still developing?”

Impulse control. Regulation. Tolerating frustration.

I realized my job wasn’t to prevent the meltdown or take it personally. It was to co-regulate — to help their nervous system learn:

“I can face something hard… and get through it.”

That’s the foundation of regulation.

When I stopped trying to control the behavior and started getting curious, I became less triggered by the yelling and the tears.

Because this wasn’t me failing.
It was simply my child’s brain learning new skills.✨

02/16/2026

Happy Family Day 🤍

No pressure.
No Pinterest crafts required.
No “making it magical.”

Just pick one small moment and lean in.

Family Day Connection Challenge:

Have a 5-minute “Yes Time.”
For five minutes, your child chooses the game.
You follow their lead.
No correcting. No multitasking. No phone.

Just play.

Connection doesn’t need to be big to be powerful.
It grows in eye contact, laughter, and letting them feel like you’re really there.

Bonus: you might regulate your own nervous system, too. 😉

Happy connecting! ✨

02/11/2026

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling — but they do know how to play.

Play therapy is how we meet them there.

Through toys, art, games, storytelling, and creative expression, children can safely work through big feelings, hard experiences, and everyday challenges in a way that feels natural to them.

Play isn’t “just play.”
It’s communication.
It’s processing.
It’s healing.

If you’ve ever wondered how counselling works for children — this is it. 💛

📍Serving children and families in St. Thomas, London, Aylmer, Port Stanley and surrounding areas.

02/05/2026

It’s Play Therapy Week! 🧸✨

I’m so grateful to do this work - helping kids grow, express, and heal through play. Big thanks to the families who make this possible and to the amazing community of play therapists I’m proud to be part of!

02/04/2026

Starting counselling for your child can feel overwhelming — especially when you don’t know what to expect.

Here’s a gentle overview of what the play therapy process looks like in my practice:

✨ Brief phone consult (and time for your questions)
✨ Parent intake session (plus the fun paperwork 😉)
✨ First child or parent-child session
✨ Ongoing individual play therapy
✨ Regular caregiver sessions for support, updates, and guidance

Play therapy provides children with a safe, supportive space to express emotions, explore worries, and build coping skills in a way that feels natural to them.

Through this process, children can gain confidence, develop emotional regulation, and navigate challenges at home, school, and with peers.

Caregivers are supported throughout — regular check-ins give you guidance, strategies, and space to share how things are going, helping you feel confident in supporting your child’s growth.

💛 Curious about next steps? You’re welcome to start with a free phone consult — link is in my bio.

01/05/2026

2025 was a year of figuring things out — balancing the business side of the practice with the work I love most: supporting families 💛.

This January, Courageous Counselling turned 2! 🎉 Over these two years, I’ve enjoyed refining systems, streamlining processes, and improving marketing efforts — all to make the practice run smoothly and better serve families. But the heart of this work, and what drives me every day, will always be helping families.

The biggest thing I noticed in 2025? Families aren’t just looking for strategies — they want confidence, connection, and regulation 💛 for their children (and themselves!).

That growth doesn’t come from telling a child what to do or throwing strategies at them, hoping one will work. It comes from creating space for kids to be themselves and working alongside parents to understand what their children truly need. That’s where meaningful change happens — and it’s why I love the work I do 💛.

Looking to 2026, I’m excited to keep building on this foundation: diving deeper into parent support, continuing advanced training, and introducing new ways for families to access guidance and tools.

Above all, my focus remains the same: coming alongside children and parents as they grow, helping them feel seen, understood, and capable. There’s nothing more meaningful to me than supporting a family as they discover what works for them — and watching the confidence, connection, and regulation grow from that space 💛.

A huge thank you to the families, colleagues, and community partners who made this year meaningful — I can’t wait to see what’s ahead 🌟

10/27/2025

Ever tried to talk your kid down mid-meltdown… and it somehow just made things worse?
You’re not alone — and there’s actually a brain-based reason why.

When a child is overwhelmed, the “thinking” part of their brain (the prefrontal cortex) goes offline. Their body is in protection mode, running on the emotional and survival centers instead. In that state, they can’t reason, problem-solve, or use logic — even if they want to.

So when we say things like “Calm down,” “You’re okay,” “Use your words,” or “It’s not that bad,” we’re accidentally speaking to a part of the brain that’s temporarily unavailable. The more we explain, question, or threaten consequences (“If you don’t stop crying, then…”), the more unsafe their body feels — and the bigger the reaction gets.

What helps isn’t more words — it’s safety and connection.

You can help your child regulate by:

💛Sitting at their level with open, relaxed posture
💛Using a calm, slow tone (or silence)
💛Offering gentle touch if welcomed
💛Short phrases like: “I’m here with you.” “You’re safe.” “I’ve got you.”

Once your child’s body feels safe again and their brain comes back online, that’s when you can reflect, problem-solve, or set limits — when they’re ready to listen and learn.

✨ If you remember anything from this post, remember this:
You don’t have to fix the meltdown.
You just have to be the safety your child is looking for. 💛

09/22/2025

Autism Canada is offering FREE virtual caregiver peer support meetings!🙌 The first meeting is on October 2nd so be sure to register soon!😁

Join Autism Canada and our Caregiver Connect Volunteers for a relaxed, virtual gathering of caregivers. These small group sessions are designed to be a welcoming space where participants come together to talk about all things caregiving, the highs, the challenges, and the everyday moments in between.

Register now at https://www.autismcanada.org/caregiver-connect

09/08/2025

Hi there! 👋 I’m Kristi, a play therapist — and this is my turtle friend! 🐢

We know that starting something new — like coming to play therapy — can feel a little scary or uncertain at first. That makes sense. We wanted to introduce ourselves to help things feel a bit more familiar before you even walk through the door. 💛

Our playroom is a cozy space where kids can be themselves, explore big feelings, and feel safe while we play and grow together.

If you or your grown-ups have any questions about play therapy or how turtle and I could support your family, we’re happy to help!

We can set up a free consult call which can be done directly through my website or you can give me a call at 226-884-8327 to chat more. 📞

We can’t wait to meet and play with you! 🎨🧸