Thrive Counseling

02/16/2023

If you ever wonder what went wrong with your precious sweet baby who suddenly starts acting out, rejecting your values, or embracing darkness, then consider if you cultivated this kind of family and spiritual atmosphere. Children need moral structure outside of the self and the ever-changing world. They need to see their parents living out their values. They need to have habits of charity and spiritual discipline facilitated while they grow. Don’t wait, start now.

02/15/2021

So important for all children to experience playing with dolls and learning nurturing attributes.

Mattel’s President and COO, Richard Dickson, shares results from an important scientific study using neuroscience to explore the positive impact doll play has on children.

07/18/2020

Modern feminism is destructive to the development of children.

05/20/2020

Participate in this poll. So curious about how empowered parents have felt to be more in control of their child’s day to day education.

03/14/2020

In case you need some ideas of how to keep your kids accustom to the school year schedule during the COVID-19 suspension. And keep those hands washed!

We came across this creative sample schedule from Jessica McHale Photography that may help your family get through the next few weeks.

For more tips on adding structure and skill-building to home life during these uncertain times, check out this morning’s blog: https://nesca-newton.com/making-the-most-of-covid-19-school-closures/

02/25/2020

Use your words to empower your child and build them up. The Bible commands us to edify one another. Why withhold this from your own children? It doesn’t even cost anything to build your child up with your words.

Words are powerful. Love might be the most powerful of them all. When you hear that someone loves you, it can change everything, especially how you feel about yourself.

10/14/2019

Building legacies of strong character....

Daddies, you will be the first lesson for daughters in how they should be loved and treated by a man. Make sure their standards are set high and they know they should be treasured.

Mommies, facilitate these moments. Help the daughters get excited for these traditions and connect for them that it shows how much they are valued by their daddy.

This is beautiful tradition and gift this family gave their daughters.

My own daddy took me and my sisters on Daddy daughter dates. It’s such a special tradition to us. Watching our daddy with us, helped train our brother on how to treat women. So he not only treasures and adores his wife, but he has carried on the same tradition with his daughters. His son is watching and soaking it all up.

How are you building legacies of strong character in your children? Share in the comments below!

10/01/2019

Slow down. Look up. Connect. Be intentional.

Life is about connections with others, not technology, not convenient meals. Start taking meal time opportunities to .

Celebrate the power that eating together has at a time when the world seems disconnected.

09/24/2019

You’ve heard it said “children are resilient”. This is usually a saying adults whip out to ease the bad feelings or guilt parents have over a child having to go through something difficult. The truth is, they aren’t naturally that way. You have to equip them. You have to teach them to have grit to take on the bullies and not let it emotionally defeat them. You have to teach them self defense to withstand attacks and health and nutrition to deal with the attacks of aging so they aren’t defeated physically. You have to teach them how to deal with challenge, disappointment, and failure so that it doesn’t defeat them mentally.

But another area they MUST be equipped is spiritually. The world will attack them in this way just as much if not more. Temptations, hate, envy, even laziness! There are so many ways that they will be tempted to compromise what is right and give in to the spiritual pitfalls of this world. They won’t just “figure out what they believe for themselves”. There is a LOT to navigate and they need guidance while they are young and developing. Be the person to shield them from the bad while teaching them what is good. You have to train your child to put on armor in all kinds of ways. Ephesians talks about the armor of God. Equip them in all areas. Build that resilience.

Ephesians 6:16: "In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Powerful image by Kevin Carden Photography

09/19/2019

At Thrive Counseling we support families growing and thriving in all ways possible. Tradeway helps your family grow financially, educationally, and in a new skill set!

09/10/2019

Some people are not as showy with their affection. Sometimes they don’t think to give hugs and kisses. When working at an intimate relationship, romantic or parent/child, you have to be intentional in your shows of affection. Be intentional in showing this affection to your children and your spouse. Maybe it’s difficult for you to show affection this way often but try and stretch yourself. Leave a different habit for your children. When they grow up receiving daily hugs and kisses and see mommy and daddy hugging and kissing each other daily, that act will come more naturally for them when they have their own families. Leave a legacy of love.

This is the world’s first ever magnetic resonance image showing a mother and child’s bond.
The image is of neuroscientist Rebecca Saxe kissing her two month old son.

The child’s brain appears to be smoother and darker. This is because it has significantly less white matter. White matter is comprised of myelin, which is fatty tissue that acts as insulation for the wires that communicate messages inside your brain.

The activations in the image do not refer to the act of kissing but to the organisation of functional activity in infant brains when viewing meaningful images.

Kissing causes a chemical reaction in your brain, including a burst of the hormone oxytocin. Oxytocin is often referred to as the ‘love hormone’ because it stirs up feelings of affection and attachment.

Kissing activates the brain’s reward system; releasing dopamine which makes us feel good. It also releases vasopressin which bonds mothers with babies and romantic partners to each other. It also releases serotonin which helps to regulate our mood.

06/14/2019

Sorting through your thoughts and feelings can be daunting. Sometimes it’s difficult to see your way through the chaos. Therapy can help. I can help you untangle it all to find understanding and more order. No matter how jumbled your life, thoughts, or emotions feel right now, we can figure it out together.

06/07/2019

You have such little time with your children, don’t waste it power struggling against undesirable behavior. Sometimes you just need to tweak things a little bit to get the most out of your time with your children. Don’t take a single moment for granted!

06/06/2019

At Thrive we believe that it takes a system shift to give a child their best chance at a lasting change. When you bring a child for therapy at Thrive Counseling, you can expect more than just services for your child. I will help you tweak how you interact with your child to get the best out of them.