Growing from the Heart Psychological and Counseling Services

09/12/2024

I would say, “can only *learn* to regulate emotions they are allowed to have”, because humans are not inately born with this ability.

If children are allowed to fully experience and express their emotions in the presence of a regulated parent or caregiver the child learns that emotions are not only manageable but they are a normal part of being human and they are a temporary state--they move in and out like waves on the ocean. We can't expect children to handle these vulnerable feelings without practice and acceptance.
❤️‍🔥 Need help with a child struggling with big feelings? Join our FREE webinar on supporting emotion regulation by typing in BIGFEELING in the comments below

✅ Understand the stages of brain development and how that impacts emotion regulation
✅ Identify barriers to emotion regulation in children
✅ Explore 7 key principles for fostering emotion regulation
✅ Identify several concrete strategies & tools that nurture calm in children

04/15/2024

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03/07/2024

02/14/2024

Recently, one of the themes moving through therapy sessions that I’ve been in, is the way that the beliefs that we internalize as children become the filters that we see ourselves through, maybe forever.

In my own life, when I think about the way I saw myself, which was part and parcel to the choices I made and the way I behaved throughout childhood and early adult life, it was a general belief that little about me had value. It’s taken most of the last 25 years to slowly erode that idea so that I can see myself as I am now, but even some days now those beliefs and the parts that struggle with them get triggered. What a difference it makes to see without that filter.

We have all watched someone we love treat themselves in terrible ways and subject themselves to terrible treatment because they believe something similar. But those are difficult to change and most people don’t even realize it’s something that they can. My joy in this work is the process of helping someone uncover who they really are and to finally see themselves for the gorgeous and deserving human that they really are. When they start to tolerate the ideas around their value being more than they believed, real magic happens.

12/30/2023

Every so often as a therapist, I experience a theme show up in many of my sessions, and not only that, but also show up as a significant theme in my life and the lives around me.

This week the theme is self-boundary, or boundary of self. Boundaries are often lumped into a mass that is, at times, interchangeable between two distinct kinds. People say “having good boundaries” and mean both types simultaneously. But there is a distinct difference between boundaries of self and behavioral boundary setting.

They are interconnected for sure, but boundaries of behavior ideally point to a harmful behavior from someone else that require someone with good boundaries of self to communicate that they will respond to such behaviors by limiting access to themselves to protect themselves from said harm. It says, “You are free to make your own choices, but if you continue to behave in this harmful way, I am going to make the choice to remove myself from harm’s way.”

Boundaries of self are about understanding where you (i.e. your feelings, your choices, your thoughts, your opinions, your behaviors, etc) end, and someone else’s begin. Not taking responsibility for what is not yours. Not picking it up or trying to change or control it. Not being responsible for someone else’s feelings or disappointments around you and your choices. But also, you not making anyone else responsible for yours. Not blaming anyone else for your own feelings and actions. Recognizing the impact you have on others when your choices violate their boundaries of self.

The only beings we are truly responsible for are the vulnerable we choose to care for, but even then, we can practice having responsible boundaries of self and respecting theirs and their rights to autonomy.

10/27/2023

You may be struggling to understand how a shooting rampage could take place in a community, even a workplace or military base, and why such a terrible thing would happen.

10/26/2023

Sarah R. Moore, Dandelion Seeds Positive Parenting ❤

10/26/2023

Most of us recieved some version of the message “Just put it behind you–let it go” from well-meaning family and friends. So we exile the fallout from dreadful episodes in the past. But in doing that, we’re not only exiling memories, sensations, and emotions; we’re also exiling the parts of us that were hurt most by those events.

Dick Schwartz’s new book No Bad Parts, available now:

https://hubs.ly/Q026Pf7l0

10/26/2023

It's so important we TEACH our children how to regulate their emotions. 👇 If you want to learn to do this, type the word EMOTIONSEVENT to get a link to our full day workshop on Fostering Emotion Regulation 👇
🛎️ Want some concrete strategies to help with BIG FEELINGS that come up for your child? JOIN US FOR OUR LIVE WORKSHOP NOVEMBER 4, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm MST🛎️Register now and take 25% off, plus receive a FREE GIFT with purchase.

This virtual workshop aims to enlighten, empower, and inspire those who take care of our children-- with concrete strategies and tools, all backed by neuroscience

✅ Live-streamed & recorded
✅ Workbook
✅ Certificate of Completion
✅ Tools and strategies to support children & teens

Register Now | https://ow.ly/XPHM50PXMSn

10/26/2023

One of the most amazing lessons I am always learning from my work with clients, is how brilliantly diverse, rich, and complex we all are inside. Embracing the everything that we are and providing all of our parts with acceptance, love, and compassion, leaves us open to provide the same things to everyone else.

10/24/2023

Limit-pushing behavior can confound even the most attuned parent or caregiver. Why would our sweet darling throw her toy at us when we’ve just asked her not to, and then add insult to injury by smirking? Is she evil? Does she have a pressing need to practice throwing skills? Maybe she just hates u...

08/09/2023

Officially credentialed with: PA Medicaid, Medicare, Highmark, BCBS, UPMC, Aetna, United, and Cigna.