Linnea G. Van Kirk, LMFT #102557

09/08/2017

Sometimes it is the simple things that can give real joy.

08/29/2017

Please take a few minutes to check out my blog page. I try to write about issues relevant to everyone.
http://desertfamilycoaching.com/blog/

08/24/2017

So often we forget the link between our thoughts and our health. It is important to manage whatever stress that we can, and to learn to let go of what we truly can't control.

https://healthminute.org/2017/08/how-stress-may-increase-risk-of-heart-disease-and-stroke/ #

Heightened activity in the amygdala — a region of the brain involved in stress — is associated with a greater risk of heart disease and stroke, according to a study published in The Lancet. The study provides new insights into the possible mechanism by which stress can lead to cardiovascular disease...

08/18/2017

These are some warning signs that your child might need some extra help in reducing argumentative behavior:
~ Always looks to you to solve a problem
~ Uses physical and or verbal aggression to get point across
~ Hears only one side of an issue
~ Shouts or yells when making point
~ Puts down other opinions
~ Often loses temper when trying to verbalize feelings
~ Does not want to hear anyone else's side
~ Takes everything personally and is overly sensitive
~ Often retaliates if feels needs are not being met
~ Blames others for problems
~ Not able to think of own solutions

08/14/2017

We tend to pass on the same advice that we all received as kids, and while our parents and grandparents meant well, not everything we heard helps us to live a happy and authentic life. We all want the best for our kids, and hopefully for ourselves, so please take a minute to read these and see if making some small changes might lead to a big reward.

Do this instead, and they'll be happier and more successful.

08/10/2017

Behavioral Therapists believe that;

~Almost all of our behavior is learned, which means it can be unlearned and changed to improve quality of life.

~All behaviors result in a reaction, either positive or negative, for the individual and those around them. Sometimes it is the desire for reaction that is the motivation behind the behavior.

~You need to measure the target behavior in terms of impact on the Client's total life, then work to reduce the unwanted behavior.

~By exploring and possibly changing the core values, motivations, beliefs and emotions behind the behaviors, you can inspire significant change

~Exploring the environments, life-events, and the interactions between these and the behaviors can help a Client understand why a behavior occurs.

~It is not about eliminating a behavior, but rather finding a healthy replacement for it that allows for real and life-long change.

08/08/2017

Good advice.

08/07/2017

So often we lose track of how our tone of voice sounds to others, or we focus so much on how something is said, we don't hear the meaning behind the words. Learning how to modulate our tone is hard, but learning how to rise above being offended by the tone of others is even harder.

08/02/2017

While much of what this article has to say seems like something you probably already know, it does not hurt to review and refresh. In today's world we tend to get so wrapped up in the day-to-day struggles, and what is happening all around us and online, it is easy to lose the connection to those we love most. The habits that are listed are not only great for kids, but can easily be transferred to the important adult relationships we share.

Connection is as essential to us parents as it is to our children.

08/02/2017

Too often we ignore, or pretend we do not hear, the most important voice of all. (Poem from Shel Silverstein)

07/31/2017

This is a great opinion piece about of the differences between coaching and therapy, of which there are actually few, but it is important to have some distinction. What I see as the best benefit of having a coach with experience as a therapist is that you, as the client, get the bonus of all the additional skills that the therapist has developed. This includes; extra training in communication and parental skill building, empathetic listening, client-centered theories, and someone who knows the real importance of confidentiality.

Coaches and therapists make too big a deal about their differences

07/29/2017

We all tend to get so lost in the perceived failures of our past that it holds us back from seeing the amazing possibilities of our future. Real change is possible, and it does not come from always making the right choice, but rather forgiving yourself for making the wrong one and learning how to avoid doing it again.

"Success does not consist in never making mistakes but in never making the same one a second time." - George Bernard Shaw quotes from BrainyQuote.com