Week 3 and we're halfway there! Today we practice mindful breathing - a fundamental skill so basic you may think you already know it, but trust me - there's room for improvement. Also included in this week's lesson, tips for training your children how to intergrate mindful breathing into their life as well. 

Week 2 of our mindfulness series, and we're exploring how to scan your body for emotions. It's important to be aware of where you hold stress, anxiety, or frustration, as everybody's body is different. And when you're able to identify these trigger points, it's much easier to find 1. where you should focus during your relaxation practice and 2. where you need to check in to make sure your emotions feel controllable. 

"Mindfulness" is probably a word you hear a lot, especially if you're looking for anxiety or anger management strategies. In this upcoming six week series, you'll find out the purpose or mindfulness, how to integrate it into your day-to-day life, and fundamental strategies for using it. This week, we're all about just finding a seat. 

The ease of summer makes way, once again, for the stress, structure, and high expectations of the school year. And no matter the age of your child, the transition back to school can be difficult. So, how can you help your child prepare for and manage the stress?

Your teen is successful at school, sports, and other extracurriculars. You've heard from other parents about the many challenges they experience with their teenager, and their concerns don't really resonate with you. While their adolescents may stay out late partying, engage in risky behaviors, or constantly argue with them, you feel like you have a pretty good relationship overall with your child. But you may be missing some crucial information about your teenager

We can all empathize with teens who just want their space - but sometimes, this gets in the way of you having a healthy relationship with your teenage son or daughter. These 6 tips are just the starting point! If you would like to hear more, or if you think your relationship with your teen goes beyond the scope of what's covered here, contact Kelsey to set up your free 15-minute phone consultation. Kelsey works with teens from her office in Webster Groves, MO.

Some people want a quick fix. Anxiety, like many other concerns, can take time to address and manage. Medication can be an important component of managing anxiety, but it's not an instant solution, and there are many steps you can take beforehand.

Anxiety and anger cause our body to react in very similar ways. Adults know how to take a step back - but how can we teach our children to do the same?

You wish your teen talked to you more, or joined in family dinner, but because they're doing so well with school and extracurricular activities, you wonder if you should even worry. Maybe you should. Some teens, even when academically successful, are struggling to manage symptoms of their anxiety. 

You can feel helpless when your child is out of control. The first step is to help them build a language for what's going on - is it nerves, anger, frustration? Then, build skills one at a time to help them manage these strong emotions - and ensure that you're being proactive, practicing skills before the freak out occurs.

What is anxiety? We know the classic signs, but many people miss important clues that they are dealing with their own anxiety. Frustration, depression, and isolation may also indicate that you need some support for managing your own anxiety. What are your next steps?

Counseling is all about making connections and figuring out goals. I work one-on-one with children and teens to make real change happen, but it's also important to take the time and see if your goals for your child or teen are the same as their goals for themselves.

How to Teach Mindfulness Like a Therapist. Mindfulness is the act of being aware and present within each moment. It's a pretty buzz-y word right now - almost any classroom teacher, dance instructor, or coach is going to talk a little bit about incorporating mindfulness. Why? Because research has shown that mindfulness helps decrease stress, increase focus, and even helps improve relationships. 

Anxiety in children is difficult to deal with, but anxiety is designed to be a helpful tool. Learn a quick tip to help with your child's anxiety here.