Believe You Can Counseling and Educational Services

09/25/2025

This!

via Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist

09/18/2025

You may or may not be aware that I was expecting to move my office into a shared space with Coping4Life. A remodel was to be completed by September 9th. Now I know how things go with remodeling and there can be unexpected delays, so I was prepared. The upstairs offices were actually finished early and on August 26th I was told I could start moving in. There was only one thing left to finish (see first photo.) So I lined up a helper and got set to move over the labor day weekend. Well, that wall still wasn't finished. So we moved everything but a couple of chairs and a few supplies so I could get by at the old office for another week. By the next weekend, even though I didn't have a helper, I was ready to set up my new place. I was quite disappointed and getting a little frustrated when I discovered no progress on the wall. My frustration grew when I was told it would be finished by the 10th. I know enough about drywall mud to know it needs time to dry before paint is applied, I knew that deadline was a lie. It finally got painted and now it just needs some replacement baseboard. There was no way I was going to wait for that, it may never come. Everything has been moved out of my office and into my new one. I still have boxes to unpack, but I saw my first client there today and it was a good session. I hope to finish unpacking and start decorating on Friday. More photos to come!

09/18/2025

Unlike mental health professionals, chatbots are designed to keep you engaged—not necessarily to support your well-being.

Learn more about why ChatGPT shouldn't be your therapist: https://at.apa.org/a51dd1

08/27/2025

💭 Ever notice how your child’s “bad behaviour” often shows up at the end of the day?

It’s not about them being “naughty.” It’s about their little nervous system finally saying, “I’m done, I can’t hold it together anymore.”

When we understand this, meltdowns stop feeling like defiance, and start looking like stress signals.
And instead of reacting with punishment, we can respond with connection.

👉 Next time your child has a big outburst, try this:

1. Take one deep breath before you speak.

2. Say what you see (“You’re so frustrated your tower fell down”).

3. Offer safety first, solutions second.

✨ You’ll be amazed how quickly they feel seen—and how behaviour follows connection.

➡️ What’s the hardest time of day for meltdowns in your home? (Mine was always right before dinner!)

08/26/2025

Helping kids build coping thoughts gives them tools for life. 💭✨
Instead of getting stuck in big feelings or negative self-talk, they can learn gentle reminders like:

🌟 Everyone makes mistakes
🌟 Thoughts aren’t always true
🌟 I don’t have to be good at everything
🌟 Feelings can be uncomfortable but they will pass
🌟 I can do hard things

When we practice these with our children, we’re planting seeds of resilience, confidence, and self-kindness. 🌱💚

📖 Find more strategies in my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent at www.thetherapistparent.com or Amazon.

08/14/2025

"Ms. Amanda is the best talker of feelings ever," ~ Anonymous 4-year-old, August 14, 2025

01/27/2025

https://futureyouinstitute.org/webinar/

Learn the 5A’s of Parenting to help clients master behavior shifts! Sign up for this Free & Virtual webinar.

01/27/2025

https://gozen.com/ragefreeparenting/

One Day. 12 Experts. Free & Online January 29th. This FREE event is packed with tools that will foster calm, compassion, and genuine connection with your family.

09/05/2024

How We Can Help Kids with EFD

ADHD and Executive Function Disorder (EFD) are tightly linked, but far from synonymous. They both make it exceedingly difficult to complete tasks and stay organized, but EFD impacts nearly all goal-directed behavior. How to tell the difference — and get it under control.

09/04/2024

By Cari McKnight, MSW, LCSW West County Behavioral Health 955 Executive Parkway Drive Suite 100 Creve Coeur Missouri 63141 (314)200-5131 www.westcountybehavioral.com OVERWHELMED! MAINTAINING BALANCE A