Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching, LLC

04/20/2026

Parenting with Calm & Confidence – Tip #4 💭

“These kids are driving me crazy!”

It can feel that way sometimes.

But here’s a powerful shift:
No one can make you crazy without your permission.

Try this tool:
👉 Q-TIP = Quit Taking It Personally

Instead of reacting, pause and ask:
“What’s really going on?”

Behavior is often a call for help…
or a sign of a missing skill.

✨ Challenge:
“I’m willing to use Q-TIP. I will see this as a call for help.”

👉 This is part of our Parenting with Calm & Confidence series.

📞 Call (309) 343-0800 to schedule with Cindy at Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching.

04/13/2026

Parenting with Calm & Confidence – Tip #3 🧠

Stop talking when your child is in fight, flight, or freeze.

In a meltdown, your child’s brain isn’t able to listen, reason, or learn.

The more we talk, explain, or correct…
the more overwhelmed they can become.

✨ The shift: Focus on your calm.

Calm face. Calm voice. Calm body.

If you say anything, keep it simple:
👉 “I’m here.”

If action is needed, move calmly and with minimal words.

And remember—what’s calming is different for every child.

👉 This is part of our Parenting with Calm & Confidence series—simple, practical tools from Cindy Barshinger, MSED.

📞 Call Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching at (309) 343-0800 to schedule a parent coaching session.

04/09/2026

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1C7XB4eTHo/

04/06/2026

Parenting with Calm & Confidence – Tip #2 🌿

Will there ever be peace?

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the chaos of parenting… you’re not alone.

But here’s the shift:
Peace doesn’t start with our kids—it starts with us.

Learning to keep a calm face, calm voice, and calm body—especially in hard moments—can completely change the tone of your home.

Start by noticing:
What happens in your body when you get triggered?

And just as important—
What does calm feel like in your body?

✨ Make a plan before things get hard.
Where will you go? What will you do to reset?

Because trying to problem-solve when you’re not calm often leads to more conflict—not less.

👉 This is part of our Parenting with Calm & Confidence series—simple, practical tools from Cindy Barshinger, MSED, our parent/family life coach with over 30 years of experience.

📞 Want support creating more calm in your home? Call Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching to schedule with Cindy (309) 343-0800.

03/30/2026

Parenting with Calm & Confidence – Tip #1 🧠⬆️⬇️

Stay upstairs when your kids go to the basement.

When your child is melting down, they’re in their “downstairs brain”—reactive, overwhelmed, and not able to listen or learn.

The instinct is to jump in, talk more, and fix it…
But that often escalates things.

✨ The shift: Stay upstairs.

Pause. Take a breath.
Remind yourself: “I can handle this.”

Your calm is what helps bring them back.

👉 This is part of our Parenting with Calm & Confidence series—simple, practical tools from Cindy Barshinger, MSED, our parent/family life coach with over 30 years of experience.

📞 Want support learning how to stay regulated in these moments? Call Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching to schedule with Cindy (309) 343-0800.

02/03/2026

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

01/23/2026

12/11/2025

🎙️ New Galesburg In Focus Podcast

“The Science of Staying Calm This Holiday Season”

The holidays can feel like a pressure cooker. WGIL's Chris Postin talks with Galesburg therapist Becky Mowers, LCSW (Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching, LLC) about why holiday stress hits the brain so hard — and simple, science-backed ways to shut down the panic button and actually enjoy the season.

- Why perfectionism and family dynamics trigger fight-or-flight
- The vagus-nerve breathing trick that works in minutes
- Real talk about grief, sensory overload, and money stress
- Practical tips you can use starting today

🎧 Listen now: https://www.wgil.com/episode/podcast-science-of-staying-calm-holiday-season/

12/09/2025

Feeling the stress as the Holiday Season continues to ramp up? Check out this post with GREAT TIPS on how to manage stress and avoid holiday burnout!
https://www.appreciationatwork.com/blog/tips-for-managing-stress-and-avoiding-holiday-burnout/

The holidays. Two words packed with memories, images from beloved movies, long to-do lists and mixed emotions. The Hannukah-Christmas-New Year’s holiday season has begun, and if you are like me, it causes a rapid succession of excitement, anticipation, anxiety, wonder, and exhaustion ― all before I’ve even done anything. Link below.

https://www.appreciationatwork.com/blog/tips-for-managing-stress-and-avoiding-ay-burnout/

10/31/2025

Strategies for kids and teens who struggle with executive functioning challenges: https://www.thepathway2success.com/helping-kids-and-teens-who-struggle-with-executive-functioning-skills/

10/31/2025

It's National Sensory Awareness Month 🧡💙

What could you add to this list of fight response?

FIGHT, Flight, Freeze & Fawn

- noncompliant
- hitting and punching
- biting
- aggressive
- demanding
- angry and furious
- controlling
- crying
- argumentative
- hyperactive

Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support
sensoryprocessingdisorderparentsupport.com

10/31/2025

It's National Sensory Awareness Month 🧡💙

What could you add to these flight responses?

Fight, FLIGHT, Freeze & Fawn

- stimming
- anxious and panicking
- fidgeting
- having tantrums
- hiding
- avoiding
- feeling trapped
- wandering
- running away
- wanting to escape

Sensory Processing Disorder Parent Support
sensoryprocessingdisorderparentsupport.com