Insights Psychology

Insights Psychology Online and in person mental health services for MN and WI residents.

Back-to-school transitions impact both children and parents in unique but equally important ways. Children may face worr...
08/21/2025

Back-to-school transitions impact both children and parents in unique but equally important ways. Children may face worries about new teachers, friendships, or academics, while parents often deal with stress related to balancing multiple schedules and routines, as well as the emotional load of making sure everything runs smoothly.

For kids, this transition can look like anxiety, sleep changes, appetite changes, withdrawal, irritability, or difficulty focusing in class. For parents, it can show up as fatigue, stress, guilt, burnout, poor sleep, skipped meals, or even relationship strain due to school responsibilities.

Supporting mental health during the start of the new school year means recognizing the challenges from both perspectives. Families can benefit from:

1. Establishing consistent routines that don’t cause either side to stress
2. Open communication between parents and children
3. Normalizing stress and offering reassurance
4. Prioritizing self-care for parents and children
5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help when you need it

Lastly, it is important for parents to know that in order to support their child, they need to start with supporting themselves. This can be done by carving out time for yourself, creating routines that bring calm (not chaos), and getting help when you need it. Here is a blog that offers some self care tips for parents that may be helpful (https://bit.ly/4fLcLKe).

For more tips on making the transition smoother, check out this article by Psychology Today here: https://bit.ly/4lHE6OZ.
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The 5-4-3-2-1 technique is a grounding strategy often used in therapy to reduce anxiety and bring awareness back to the ...
08/15/2025

The 5-4-3-2-1 technique is a grounding strategy often used in therapy to reduce anxiety and bring awareness back to the present moment. By engaging your senses, you can interrupt racing thoughts and reconnect with your surroundings.

Here’s how it works:
Notice 5 things you can see
Notice 4 things you can touch
Notice 3 things you can hear
Notice 2 things you can smell
Notice 1 thing you can taste

Practicing grounding techniques regularly not only helps in moments of stress, but also trains your mind and body to pause, slow down, and reconnect with your surroundings. It’s a skill that strengthens your overall ability to manage emotions over time.

Next time you feel stressed out, anxious, or overwhelmed, take a moment to try this technique to gently anchor your attention to the present.
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Children may not have the words to explain how they feel or say, “I’m struggling.”  Instead, their symptoms would show u...
07/30/2025

Children may not have the words to explain how they feel or say, “I’m struggling.” Instead, their symptoms would show up in their behavior, emotions/mood, physical complaints, or social interactions with those around them.

The symptoms children experience is often different from those experienced by adults. These signs could look like:

• Frequent sadness, irritability, or mood swings
• Withdrawing from friends or family
• Trouble concentrating or a drop in school performance
• Stomachaches or headaches without a clear medical cause
• Changes in sleep, appetite, or energy
• Weight loss
• Big reactions to small problems
• Avoiding school or activities they once enjoyed

Sometimes, these signs are brushed off as a “phase” the child is going through, but they can be signals that they need support.

If you notice 2 or more of these symptoms lasting more than two weeks or if you feel that something does not seem right, ask for help. You can talk to your child’s pediatrician, school counselor, or a mental health professional. It is never too early to get something checked and it is never too soon to get the help that is needed.

To learn more about how mental health presents itself in children or teens, check out these articles by the Mayo Clinic (https://bit.ly/4fce1pr) and Psychology Today (https://bit.ly/4l8hIhk) that provide further information.
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We live in a world that, at times, teaches us to downplay our feelings. We often hear people tell us to be “rational,” t...
07/25/2025

We live in a world that, at times, teaches us to downplay our feelings. We often hear people tell us to be “rational,” to “get over it,” or to “stay positive.” This kind of messaging doesn’t help with healing but rather teaches us to distrust ourselves and to silence our emotions.

Don’t talk yourself out of how something made you feel.

Don’t minimize your pain just because others appear to have it worse.

Don’t second guess your memory just because someone else denied it.

If it hurt, it hurt. If it felt off, it was. If it drained you, it most certainly mattered.
Don’t downplay your experience just because someone else doesn’t see it the same way.
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You’re allowed to change your mind. About your plans. About your career. About your boundaries. About what you thought y...
07/17/2025

You’re allowed to change your mind.

About your plans.
About your career.
About your boundaries.
About what you thought you wanted.

Growth means you’ll see things differently over time. What once felt right may no longer align with what you want now and that is OKAY.

If you need the change, do it. You are not obligated to stay committed to a version of yourself that no longer fits.

Change your mind. Change directions. Change everything if you need to. Choose what is right for this version of you. 🌱
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Feeling tense? Stressed? Overwhelmed? Take a moment to breathe deeply and slowly. Deep breathing calms your nervous syst...
07/11/2025

Feeling tense? Stressed? Overwhelmed? Take a moment to breathe deeply and slowly.

Deep breathing calms your nervous system, lowers stress, and brings your mind back to the present.

Sometimes, one mindful breath can change your whole day.

If you would like to try some breathing exercises, here is an article through Healthline that provides a range of exercises you can try: https://bit.ly/4lrciix
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Self-care in the summer isn’t just beach days and smoothies (though those count too). It’s about checking in with your n...
06/24/2025

Self-care in the summer isn’t just beach days and smoothies (though those count too). It’s about checking in with your needs, energy, and pace.

Whether it’s resting in the shade, spending time in nature, saying no to draining plans, or simply doing less, let this season be one of intentional gentleness.

You don’t have to “do summer right.” You just have to do what feels right for you.
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Healing does not guarantee a perfectly smooth road. It means having more tools, insight, and compassion when life gets h...
06/16/2025

Healing does not guarantee a perfectly smooth road. It means having more tools, insight, and compassion when life gets hard again. It’s about knowing how to move through things differently.

Don’t measure your growth by how often you struggle. Measure it by how you treat yourself when you do.
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Sometimes healing looks like redefining what you need and letting go of what no longer fits.It’s normal to outgrow old v...
06/11/2025

Sometimes healing looks like redefining what you need and letting go of what no longer fits.

It’s normal to outgrow old versions of yourself. Those versions of you did the best they could with what they had.

Growth often feels uncomfortable because it asks you to step into the unknown. You’re not betraying your past. You’re honoring your future.
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Small steps are quiet wins. While each step you take may seem small, this is what real progress often looks like. It is ...
06/03/2025

Small steps are quiet wins.

While each step you take may seem small, this is what real progress often looks like. It is slow as it takes time to heal.

If you’ve been hard on yourself for “not doing enough,” consider this: resting, saying no, feeling your emotions, and setting boundaries are all forms of progress.

Give yourself credit. You’re healing in ways that matter.
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When we hear the word resilience, we think of it as if it means to stay strong no matter what, but resilience can be:■ L...
05/27/2025

When we hear the word resilience, we think of it as if it means to stay strong no matter what, but resilience can be:

■ Letting yourself break down when you need to.
■ Feeling overwhelmed and still reaching for support.
■ Taking one small step forward after a tough day or choosing to rest instead.

If you would like to learn about ways you can become more emotionally resilient during tough times, check out this Psychology Today article which provides 9 ways of developing emotional resilience: https://bit.ly/3Hp4QFe
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It’s easy to be hard on ourselves — especially in moments of stress, failure, or self-doubt. Self-compassion isn’t about...
05/20/2025

It’s easy to be hard on ourselves — especially in moments of stress, failure, or self-doubt. Self-compassion isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being kind to yourself, especially when things feel hard. It’s an essential part of healing.

Try this today:
1. Notice your self-talk.
2. Ask, “Would I say this to someone I love?”
3. If not, reframe it with kindness.

To learn more, check out this article (https://bit.ly/3GMM8qW) on Psychology Today that provides information on ways for you to increase your self-compassion.

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