The Conative Group

10/01/2025

Are you struggling to stay motivated with ADHD? You're not alone—and you're not doing it wrong! Sometimes the trick is working with your brain, not against it. From body doubling to brain-friendly creativity, here’s how to make task completion less of a drag—and more of a dopamine-boosting win.

Read more on the Conative Blog: https://www.theconativegroup.com/post/make-doing-tasks-fun-using-external-rewards-and-creativity-for-individuals-with-adhd

Whether you are a parent, teacher, therapist, friend of a friend, or a curious cat, you may have experienced the struggle of making task completion less… boring. After all, things take time, and it can be demoralizing to start from the bottom of the mountain when the peak is so high it disappears ...

09/28/2025

Dr. Kimberly Harrison presenting a talk for parents on "Creating Skilled Students in an Age of Technology" at the Grace School, Houston this past September 19th. Thank you Grace School for having us!

09/24/2025

🌟Meet Your Clinician, Ilayna Laurent, M.S., LPC-A (Licensed Professional Counselor – Associate) 🌟

Ilayna creates a safe and supportive space for children and teens to explore life’s challenges with compassion and creativity. With experience in schools, clinics, and assessments at The Conative Group, she helps with issues such as anxiety, depression, ADHD management, and coping skills.

Ilayna’s approach blends Person-Centered Therapy and CBT in youth-friendly ways—often using crafts and activities to encourage self-expression and growth.

Ilayna Laurent is a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate, supervised by Anna Garcia, PhD, MPhil, MS, LPC-S, CSC.

📞Contact us to book your appointment with Ilayna! https://www.theconativegroup.com/about/clinicians/ilayna-laurent

09/18/2025

🎨 New Group Therapy for Houston Tweens & Teens! 🎨

Looking for a unique way for your teen to navigate the challenges of growing up?

Introducing Open Canvas, an art-based therapy group designed to help tweens and teens (ages 12-18) explore their identity, build self-esteem, and learn new coping skills.

No art experience is needed—just a willingness to create! All art supplies are provided.

SESSION DATES: Biweekly on Saturdays, starting September 27th @ 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Led by: Katherine Esquivel, LPC, and Kristine Habibi, LPC

Give your teen the tools to express themselves and connect with peers in a safe, supportive space. Contact us to register your son or daughter today! https://www.theconativegroup.com/services/group-therapy/open-canvas

09/16/2025

New on The Conative Blog: “Myths About Trauma Recovery That Hold People Back”

Many people enter therapy unsure if they're healing the "right" way—often weighed down by myths like:
“Time heals everything.”
“Strong people don’t need help.”
“Healing means forgetting what happened.”

In this blog, Dr. Taylar Gutierrez, Psy.D, explores 5 common myths that can keep people stuck—and offers grounded, compassionate truths to help you (or your clients) move forward. ➡️ https://www.theconativegroup.com/post/myths-about-trauma-recovery-that-hold-people-back

When people come to therapy, they often carry quiet doubts about whether they are healing in the “right” way. Many of those doubts come from cultural messages, social media, or well-meaning but misinformed advice.

09/15/2025

Join Us for SKILL SQUAD (Middle School Boys) Fall Group Therapy!

🗓️ Wednesdays until December 17, 2025
⏰ 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Led. by: Kristine Habibi, LPC

For Boys in 6th–8th Grade (Ages 11–14)
Help your child grow into a confident, self-aware, and socially skilled young man. Contact us to learn more and register today https://www.theconativegroup.com/services/group-therapy/skill-squad

09/12/2025

Join Us for The Guild (Middle School Edition) Fall Group Therapy!

🗓️ Tuesdays @ 4:00 PM - 5:00 PM until December 16, 2025
👩‍🏫 Led by: Kristine Habibi, LPC

"​The Guild," is a fun and welcoming space where middle school girls can connect with other girls. Our group is LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent friendly. It's perfect for those with ADHD, Asperger’s-type ASD, anxiety, or anyone who loves art, anime, D&D, gaming, or writing and is looking for their social tribe.

*Group is open to existing Guild members.

Contact us to learn more and register today https://www.theconativegroup.com/services/group-therapy/the-guild-ms

09/11/2025

Join Us for The Guild (High School Edition) Fall Group Therapy!

🗓️ Thursdays @ 6:30 PM - 7:30 PM until December 11, 2025
👩‍🏫 Led by: Katherine Esquivel, LPC

If your teen has struggled to feel socially successful or connected, this group could be the supportive community they need.

*Group is open to existing Guild members.

Contact us to learn more and register today https://www.theconativegroup.com/services/group-therapy/the-guild-hs

09/10/2025

We all want to be happy—but is happiness really the goal?

In our latest blog, Dr. Katherine Latimer explores why it’s okay not to feel happy all the time, how chasing happiness can be harmful, and what we can focus on instead to build a meaningful life.

Read more ➡️ https://www.theconativegroup.com/post/trivial-pursuit-of-happiness

When asked about future goals, many people state that they "just want to be happy." Heck, I used to be one of them!

08/28/2025

🎮 If your child spends more time gaming than doing schoolwork, you’re not alone. Video games often meet emotional needs—such as confidence, accomplishment, and relief from stress—that schools may not.

Instead of focusing on the gaming itself, let’s look deeper: what’s your child really struggling with? With empathy, structure, and encouragement, we can help them rediscover their confidence and strengths.

Read our latest blog post by Jack Wang, LPC-A, to learn more 💻 https://www.theconativegroup.com/post/understanding-what-your-child-gets-out-of-video-games-over-doing-school-work

08/25/2025

I’m excited to share that I’ll be speaking at the 2025 International Conference on ADHD—the largest ADHD event of the year!

My session, “ADHD, Learning Differences, & Autism: Navigating Where Diverse Paths Cross,” will explore how these unique experiences intersect and how we can better support individuals and families.

This conference brings together individuals, families, and professionals for an incredible lineup of sessions, resources, and community connections. I’m looking forward to learning alongside so many others and bringing back fresh insights.

Will you be joining us? Learn more at TheADHDConference.org