“When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” Willie Nelson Gratitude is so important. Not only does it help us to appreciate what we have and be thankful when times are good, it is a perspective shifter when life gets hard. Spending our days looking for ways to be grateful can be […]

Spiderman is pretty great. Not only can he scale buildings, sling webs, and catch the bad guys, he can use his “Spidey Senses”.  He is able to use his heightened senses to become attuned to his environment and sense the needs of those around him .   Our kids can become like Spidey too.  With a […]

“You need to just calm down” Probably one of the worst things that can be said to someone that is feeling anxious or overwhelmed. Not only is it not helpful, it can cause even more stress and anxiety. When we are anxious, our bodies go into fight or flight mode. We feel like we are […]

The statistics are staggering. 67% of the population has had at least 1 traumatic event in their lifetime. Of that 67%, 16% have had at least 4 traumatic experiences in their life which is considered complex trauma. 67%. Let that sink in. If you were in a movie theater, it would be safe to assume […]

One of the most frequently asked questions during our trauma informed trainings for Educators is, “How do I help my student when they are________  ( fidgety, antsy, disinterested, disengaged, anxious, etc.) so they can actually learn what I am trying to teach them?” The answer is simple- Regulation!  It is so important to teach students […]

Over a decade ago,  my husband and I were preparing to enter into the world of foster care and adoption.  Bright eyed and bushy tailed, we knew very little of what to expect, but we were excited and hopeful. To say we were eager is quite an understatement. We took the very best notes in […]