Our brains love stories. It’s part of why love songs, movies, books, and even reality TV shows exist. Stories help us learn, they build empathy, and they help us understand ourselves more fully.  In fact, your brain is constantly creating an internal story about yourself–based on both present and past experiences. The One Where I Was a […]

Untangling Anger & Shame in Young Children How many times have you heard, “I was NOT mad” when everything you see says the child in front of you is, in fact, roaring mad?  Spitting mad. Throwing shoes mad. Ripping dad’s shirt on the way into therapy mad. My guess is many, many times. That’s where […]

Helping Kids Face Anxiety with Confidence When I first released the book, Hello, Anxiety, someone commented, “I need a book called, Goodbye, Anxiety!” And honestly? I get it.  Anxiety can feel like an avalanche of “what ifs.”  It’s messy and loud and hard to control. Of course we want it gone. But here’s what I’ve learned, both as […]

5 perspective shifts that help me lead with clarity and care One afternoon many years ago, my dad was in town visiting, and we were catching up over chips and salsa at the Mexican restaurant around the corner from my house. I was about ten years into my career, working with kids who had lived […]