Reflections and thoughts

Embracing Conscious Parenting: A Path to Staying Calm and Regulated with Your Children

29 May 2024 Parenting is one of the most rewarding yet challenging roles one can undertake. The emotional highs and lows can be intense, and maintaining a calm and regulated demeanor often feels like an elusive goal. Enter conscious parenting, a mindful approach that emphasizes awareness, connection, and intentionality. By adopting conscious parenting practices, moms can foster a nurturing environment for their children while also staying grounded and composed. Here’s how conscious parenting can help you achieve a more serene ...

Teach your kids executive function skills

22 May 2024 In today’s fast-paced world, the ability to manage time, stay organized, and make thoughtful decisions is more critical than ever. These abilities are part of what psychologists call “executive function” skills. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or a parent, understanding and enhancing these skills can significantly impact your success and well-being. What Are Executive Function Skills? Executive function skills are a set of cognitive processes that enable individuals to plan, focus attention, remember instructions, and manage ...

Mompreneur: raising kids & growing a business

16 May 2024 Motherhood and entrepreneurship are both immensely rewarding but demanding roles. While being a mother requires nurturing, patience, and selflessness, being a business owner demands ambition, dedication, and strategic thinking. Balancing these two roles can be challenging, but with the right mindset and approach, it’s entirely achievable. In this article, we’ll explore some practical tips on how to strike a balance between motherhood and entrepreneurship, allowing you to thrive in both areas of your life. Here are some ...

Dating in Captivity – Having fun as a couple while raising kids

Embarking on the journey of parenthood is a monumental shift that brings joy, challenges, and a profound transformation to a couple’s life. As the pitter-patter of little feet fills your home, it’s easy to get swept away by the demands of parenting and lose sight of the connection that brought you together in the first place. In this blog post, we’ll explore the delicate dance of dating when you have small kids and the importance of maintaining intimacy as a ...

Waldorf-inspired Parenting to Change the World

21 December 2023 by Julie Behnken What I call “Waldorf-inspired parenting” is based on the ideas and writings of Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher and founder of Waldorf education. It’s called “Waldorf” because in 1919, Emil Molt, the manager of the Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette Factory in Stuttgart, Germany, asked Rudolf Steiner to create a new kind of school for his child and the children of the factory workers. In the devastated culture of post-WWI Europe, Waldorf education was created for healing. ...

Why is Self-Regulation so important for Co-Regulation?

As we navigate the intricate dance of raising our children, one essential skill emerges as a guiding light: self-regulation. In this blog post, we’ll explore why mastering our own emotional responses is not just a personal endeavor but a cornerstone for nurturing healthy co-regulation with our children. Understanding Self-Regulation Self-regulation, the ability to manage one’s own emotions, thoughts, and behaviors, forms the bedrock of effective parenting. It’s not about suppressing emotions but rather acknowledging and responding to them in a ...

Navigating the Scribble Struggle: Unraveling Handwriting Challenges in Kids

Welcome to the wonderful world of kids and handwriting—a journey often filled with adorable scribbles, backward letters, and sometimes, a bit of frustration. As children embark on the adventure of mastering the art of writing, they encounter a range of challenges that can make parents and educators scratch their heads. In this blog post, we’ll explore common handwriting challenges kids face and discuss practical tips and strategies to help them navigate this important developmental milestone. 1. Motor Skills Matters: One ...

Roots and Wings: Navigating the Adoptive Parent Journey

Adopting a child is a beautiful and transformative journey, but like any parenting experience, it comes with its unique set of challenges. In this blog post, I’ll delve into the various hurdles that adoptive parents often face and explore ways to navigate them with resilience and grace. These suggestions and tips are a short summary of the work I do with parents, and are not an extensive list, and should not replace therapy or coaching. If you are looking for ...

How to not constantly fight with each other when becoming parents

Having children can bring significant changes to a relationship, both positive and challenging. I’ve been there.. we’ve been there and I understand the burden on a relationship. Here are some of the most common reasons I see in my practice: To address these challenges and maintain a healthy and loving relationship, it’s essential for both of you to communicate openly, support each other, and find ways to balance your roles as parents with your roles as partners. Seeking help from ...

What is Brainworking Recursive Therapy?

… and how can it help me to improve my mental health in pregnancy, birth and parenting? BrainWorking Recursive Therapy (BWRT) is a relatively new type of therapy that was developed by UK therapist Terence Watts in 2011. It is a form of psychotherapy that aims to create rapid and lasting changes in the brain’s neural pathways to help individuals overcome emotional and psychological difficulties. BWRT uses a non-hypnotic approach to therapy that is grounded in neuroscience and the latest ...