Mary Alice Green, LMHC

09/27/2025

Words Worth Holding Onto is a gentle collection of quotes, reminders and affirmations for children and young people navigating big feelings. Sometimes, the right words at the right time can make all the difference.

NEWLY AVAILABLE to accompany our series on the topic. Only £3.25 until 7 October 2025.
Misunderstood Defiance: the Vulnerable Child Toolkit for Parents & Educators
Electronic download in comments.

09/26/2025

Imagine your child calls a family meeting. They sit down at the table and say, "Look, Mom and Dad, I've been reflecting on my emotional needs lately 🤔 and I would like for us to connect more, and we can do this by the following..."

Not likely, huh? Here's the thing: while kids may not directly communicate their emotional needs, they give us signals and find other ways to convey their want and need for connection.

As parents, we can act as translators, recognizing that some behaviors, statements, and questions are indicators that our child wants to be seen, heard, loved, and connected ❤️

09/26/2025

Many parents were raised with punishment… but children don’t learn best through fear. They learn through guidance, connection, and practice.

Here’s the difference between punishment and discipline – and why it matters.

COMING LATER TODAY - Punishment vs Discipline - Everyday Examples.

NEWLY AVAILABLE to accompany our series on the topic. Only £3.25 until 7 October 2025.
Misunderstood Defiance: the Vulnerable Child Toolkit for Parents & Educators
Electronic download in comments.

09/19/2025

“Connection isn’t a bonus—it’s the baseline for resilience, regulation, and trust.”

As a therapist, I’ve seen the research.
As a parent, I’ve lived the reality.

When kids feel connected—truly seen, heard, and emotionally safe—they’re better able to manage stress, bounce back from challenges, and form healthy relationships.

It’s not about being perfect. It’s about being present.
Consistent, warm, attuned connection is the foundation they build everything else on.

So if you’re worried you’re not doing “enough,” start here:
Show up.
Stay close.
Be curious, not critical.

Connection first—everything else flows from there.

Want to dive deeper?
There’s more on this in my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent, available on my website www.thetherapistparent.com and on Amazon.

09/19/2025

09/19/2025

Yes, there's absolutely a time to be a peaceful presence in the midst of a child's chaos. AND, there's a time to share in their passion. We are not robots and some things are *supposed* to get us riled up alongside them. It can help them feel seen! ✨

09/14/2025

Yes❤️

09/11/2025

09/11/2025

What I want most is for my children to see me as a safe place. Not the person they avoid when something goes wrong, but the one they instinctively turn to — knowing I can hold what they’re carrying.

That kind of trust doesn’t happen by chance. It’s built in the thousands of everyday moments where our reactions teach them what to expect.

If honesty is met with panic, shame, or punishment, they learn to withhold. If honesty is met with presence, calm, and curiosity, they learn to lean in.

It’s not about having all the answers — because sometimes I won’t. Sometimes I’ll be just as unsure, just as afraid.

But I can promise this: I’ll sit in it with them. I’ll figure it out alongside them. I’ll show them that facing life together is safer than facing it alone.

That’s how trust is built: not through perfection, but through consistency. Through proving, again and again, that my love can hold both the mistake and the repair, both the fear and the courage.

Because the real goal isn’t that they never stumble. It’s that when they do, their first instinct is to reach for me — knowing my response will steady them, not scare them away. ❤️

Quote Credit: .moms ❣️

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