by Morgan Whitely | Sep 10, 2024 | Individual Therapy
Asking your child how their day was can sometimes lead to one-word answers like “good” or “I don’t know.” To get more meaningful responses and engage in deeper conversations, try these 25 creative questions that go beyond the typical “How was your day?”
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What was the best thing that happened at school today?
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Did anything funny happen today?
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Who did you sit with at lunch?
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What did you play at recess?
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What new fact did you learn today?
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Did you help anyone today, or did someone help you?
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What was the most challenging part of your day?
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Did anything surprise you today?
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What book are you reading in class?
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If you could change one thing about today, what would it be?
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What was the most interesting thing your teacher said today?
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Did you try anything new today?
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What made you laugh today?
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Were there any moments when you felt really proud of yourself?
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What is something you’re looking forward to tomorrow?
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Who did you talk to the most today?
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Did you have any questions or confusion about something today?
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What was the coolest thing you did in [subject] class today?
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How did you feel during [a specific activity] today?
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What’s one thing you learned today that you think I might not know?
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Did you see anyone being kind or helpful today?
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What’s one thing you did today that you would like to do again?
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Did anything make you feel frustrated or upset today?
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What’s something you’re curious about after today?
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If you could give today a theme, what would it be?
By using these creative questions, you can engage your child in more meaningful conversations about their day. This not only helps you stay connected with their experiences but also encourages them to reflect and share in a more detailed and thoughtful way. Try printing this out and hanging it on your refrigerator, as a reminder. Don’t be surprised if your child catches on and asks you questions about your day!
Pro Tip: If the list is becoming too common after several use, sit down together and write new questions. You may be surprised with how creative your child can be and how your conversations can evolve!
by Morgan Whitely | Aug 6, 2024 | Individual Therapy
As summer winds down, the anticipation of a new school year begins. Transitioning from the relaxed summer days to the structured school routine can be challenging for both parents and kids. Here are some practical tips, tricks, and strategies to help ease the transition and troubleshoot potential meltdowns as your children head back to school.
Tips for a Smooth Transition
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Gradual Schedule Adjustment
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Start Early: Begin adjusting bedtime and wake-up times a few weeks before school starts. Gradually move bedtime earlier by 15-30 minutes each night until you reach the desired school-night schedule.
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Consistent Routine: Establish a morning and evening routine that mimics the school day. This consistency helps children know what to expect and reduces anxiety. Pro Tip: Get your kids involved with helping to get breakfast ready
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Organize and Plan Ahead
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School Supplies: Involve your child in shopping for school supplies. Letting them pick out their own materials can build excitement and a sense of ownership and pride for their belongings.
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Clothing Prep: Lay out clothes the night before to save time and reduce morning stress. Pro Tip: You can try doing this while it is still summer!
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Meal Planning: Plan and prepare meals and snacks in advance. A nutritious breakfast is crucial for starting the day off right.
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Create a Positive Environment
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Talk About School: Discuss the positive aspects of school with your child. Share your own positive experiences and talk about the exciting things they’ll learn and do.
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Visit the School: If possible, visit the school before the first day. Familiarizing your child with the environment can reduce anxiety.
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Ask About Their Feelings: Encourage your child to share how they feel about returning to school. Understanding their feelings and concerns can help you plan and provide the support they need. Knowing where they are coming from may help you to plan activities and discussions that address their specific worries.
Tricks to Make Mornings Easier
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Visual Schedules
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Set Up a Homework Station
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Designated Space: Create a quiet, organized space for homework and study. Having a specific area for schoolwork can help children focus and stay organized, plus it helps you to not feel overwhelmed by your kitchen table!
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Incentives and Rewards
Troubleshooting Potential Meltdowns
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Identify Triggers
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Practice Patience and Empathy
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Stay Calm: When a meltdown occurs, remain calm and patient. Acknowledge your child’s feelings and provide reassurance.
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Empathize: Let your child know that it’s okay to feel anxious or upset. Validate their feelings and offer comfort.
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Problem-Solving Together
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Collaborate: Work with your child to find solutions to their concerns. Involve them in creating strategies to manage stress and anxiety.
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Teach Coping Skills: Equip your child with simple coping skills like deep breathing, counting to ten, or taking a break when they feel overwhelmed.
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Maintain Open Communication
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Regular Check-Ins: Have regular conversations with your child about how they’re feeling. Encourage them to express their concerns and fears. Pro Tip: The Internet has tons of ideas on different ways of asking your child about their day. For example: What made you laugh today?
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Stay Informed: Keep in touch with teachers and school staff to stay informed about your child’s progress and any potential issues.
Transitioning back to school doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By implementing these tips and tricks and by being proactive in troubleshooting potential meltdowns, you can help your child feel more prepared and confident. Remember, every child is different, so be patient and flexible as you find what works best for your family. Here’s to a smooth and successful school year ahead!
by Morgan Whitely | Jun 28, 2024 | Individual Therapy
When you envision the phrase “Family Vacation,” are you met with nostalgic memories of summers on the beach or immediate dread at the thought of spending that much time with your family? Either way, we’re here to help you navigate the challenges while creating lasting positive memories with your family. Below, we highlight some simple strategies to help you thrive during your next family trip.
1. Set Expectations by Planning Together
Pro Tip: Hold a family meeting and involve everyone in the planning process. Discuss destination options, activities, and what each person hopes to gain from the trip.
Whether it’s just your immediate family or extended relatives, involving everyone can help each member feel valued and heard. For example, let each family member choose an activity for one day of the vacation. This way, everyone has something to look forward to and feels included in the decision-making process.
2. Balance Activities with a Flexible Itinerary
Pro Tip: Schedule high-energy activities like bike riding in the morning and relaxing downtime like reading on the beach in the afternoon.
Over-scheduling can lead to irritability and burnout. Accept that not everything will go according to plan and that’s okay. For instance, if a planned hike gets rained out, having a backup activity like visiting a local museum or having a movie marathon can keep the day enjoyable.
3. Communicate Openly Through Daily Check-Ins
Pro Tip: Implement a daily check-in at breakfast with questions like, “What was your rose and thorn from yesterday?”
Daily check-ins allow everyone to express their feelings and make adjustments to plans. This practice helps to address any issues early and ensures that everyone’s needs are being met. It can be as simple as a five-minute chat over breakfast.
4. Establish Boundaries and Roles
Pro Tip: Assign specific roles and responsibilities to each family member to foster teamwork, such as picking out restaurants, grocery shopping, or packing supplies.
Vacations often mean sharing close quarters. Recognize everyone’s need for personal space and downtime. For example, if siblings need to share a room, set a schedule for bathroom use to avoid conflicts.
5. Create Meaningful Traditions
Pro Tip: Take lots of photos and establish small rituals like listening to a specific playlist on the way to your destination.
Traditions can be big or small. For example, you could have a tradition of buying a souvenir Christmas ornament from each destination or taking a family photo at the same landmark each year. These rituals create a sense of continuity and belonging.
6. Address Conflicts Constructively
Pro Tip: Avoid talking in absolutes like “You ALWAYS do this!” or “You NEVER help with anything!”
Staying calm and composed helps in addressing conflicts constructively. For instance, if a disagreement arises about where to eat, take a moment to cool down and then discuss it calmly, ensuring everyone feels heard.
7. Promote Different Types of Engagement and Connection
Pro Tip: Practice device-free time to help everyone feel more present and engaged with each other.
On vacation, routines may change—bedtimes might be later, and meals might include more treats. Embrace these changes and use them as opportunities for special family moments. For example, having a no-phone policy during dinners can lead to more meaningful conversations.
8. Prioritize Parental Self-Care
Pro Tip: Remember Dr. Becky Kennedy’s advice: “Spending time away from your kids makes you a good parent.”
Finding time for yourself, even on a family vacation, helps you stay fully present and patient. Whether it’s a morning jog, a yoga session, or simply reading a book, self-care is essential. Make arrangements with your partner to each have some alone time.
Family vacations offer a precious opportunity to create lasting memories and deepen connections. By setting realistic expectations, communicating openly, respecting boundaries, and fostering a positive environment, you can navigate the challenges and enhance the joys of your time together.
Pro Tip: The goal is not perfection but to enjoy each other’s company and build a reservoir of happy memories that will strengthen your family bonds long after the vacation ends.
Happy travels!
by Morgan Whitely | Jun 18, 2024 | Individual Therapy
As a mental health private practice, we are privileged to walk alongside individuals on their journeys towards becoming their best selves and developing healthy relationships. Today, we want to reflect on Juneteenth—a day that holds profound historical significance and offers a unique opportunity for reflection, celebration, and allyship.
Understanding Juneteenth: Juneteenth, celebrated on June 19th, marks the day in 1865 when enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas, were finally informed of their freedom. This was more than two years after President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1st, 1863. Juneteenth symbolizes the official end of slavery in the United States, as it was the last major group of enslaved people to be freed.
The Mental Health Implications: The history of slavery and the ongoing struggles against racial injustice have profound implications for mental health within the Black community. Research from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) indicates that African Americans are 20% more likely to experience serious mental health problems than the general population. African Americans are also more likely to experience socioeconomic disparities such as exclusion from health, educational, social, and economic resources, which may result in poorer mental health outcomes.
How am I supposed to recognize Juneteenth? As mental health providers, we often reflect with our clients on the significance of cultural celebrations and their impact on the individual and the larger community. As mental health providers, we usually use a concept from Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT): “Two things can be true at the same time.” Honoring Juneteenth is no different—individuals will choose what feels right. For some, it may be a solemn day of remembrance; for others, a joyful celebration of cultural pride.
Celebrating Juneteenth is not just about commemorating a historical event; it is about contributing to its ongoing journey toward equality and healing. As mental health providers, we encourage a balanced approach to observing Juneteenth:
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Listen and Learn
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Participate in Celebrations:
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Attend local Juneteenth events, parades, and cultural festivals.
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Support Black-owned businesses and artists.
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Honor the Struggle:
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Celebrate Cultural Heritage:
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Embrace and celebrate the richness of Black culture through music, food, art, and storytelling.
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Foster environments where diversity is celebrated and all voices are heard.
Juneteenth is more than a historical milestone; it celebrates freedom, resilience, and hope. We encourage you to take a moment of your day to reflect, learn, and engage in meaningful actions. Your efforts, no matter how small, can significantly impact our collective journey to foster a more just and compassionate society.
by Morgan Whitely | Jun 12, 2024 | Mental Health Awarness
More than ever, we are being advised to turn off our screens, control the “blue light” on our screen settings, or use special glasses to filter this “blue light” spectrum or keep the phone out of the bedroom altogether.
Despite numerous headline warnings about the dangers of excessive screen time and the increasing number of alarmist commentaries from news reporters, many of us find ourselves lost in the glow of our screens. It’s become much too easy for us to wrap our identity into our digital devices and harder to put these devices aside for almost any length of time.
The widespread embrace of technology enriches our lives, but a growing movement urges us to disconnect and immerse ourselves in the outside world, free from the screens that dominate our existence.
As mental health counselors, we understand the importance of finding balance and making space for what some call “green time.” Green time means spending time playing, relaxing, or adventuring outside. According to studies conducted by University of Illinois researcher Frances Kuo, Ph.D., there is ongoing evidence that time spent in natural surroundings has helped to increase focus for individuals diagnosed with ADHD.
Dr. Nowell, a renowned expert in the field of mental health, emphasizes the profound impact that spending time in nature can have on our well-being. Research has consistently shown that immersing ourselves in natural environments can have lasting positive effects on the following:
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Improve your mood
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Reduce feelings of stress and anxiety
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Improve physical health
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Improve self-confidence
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Improve focus and impulsivity
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Increase connection to others
Insight Counseling and Wellness highly recommends clients prioritize “green time” as a vital element of their coping skills and self-care routines. We often collaborate with our clients to include outdoor activities in their everyday lives such as mindfulness exercises in nature, having lunch outside, going for a walk, hiking in local Metroparks, or even just taking the time to gaze out of the window.
We get that tech is important and we all use it every day, right?
It’s not like we can ditch it entirely – for grown-ups or kids. But we don’t want to go overboard with screen time and miss out on the balancing benefits that nature can provide, often for free.
That’s why we want our clients to be mindful of the time spent in front of screens and focus more on getting outside. You can easily set up a timer on your phone, or create calendar “blocks” that demand you go outside for 15 minutes and get some fresh air or take a quick walk.
We call this approach “green time” over “screen time”!
It’s pretty simple: prioritizing “green time” can help us be stronger, happier, and more connected to the world around us!
Let Insight Counseling and Wellness help you explore the benefits of “green time” We are accepting new clients in our Canton, Berea, and Mentor offices. At Insight Counseling and Wellness, we provide flexible scheduling – offering appointments after school, work, and on weekends. Give us a call today!
by Morgan Whitely | Jun 12, 2024 | Individual Therapy
Embarking on the journey of finding a therapist can feel like stepping into the unknown. The first step is often the hardest, but even before you pick up the phone, you might find yourself wondering, “How do I choose the right therapist for me?” Fear not, because we’re here to help decode those mysterious letters after a therapist’s name, empowering you to make informed decisions about your mental health care.
Let’s unravel the meaning behind some common therapist credentials:
LISW (Licensed Independent Social Worker): These compassionate professionals hold a master’s degree in social work and are licensed to provide a wide array of mental health services, from psychotherapy to treatment planning. You’ll find them in private practice, community mental health agencies, hospitals, and other clinical settings, offering support for individuals, groups, and families.
LSW (Licensed Social Worker): LSWs provide invaluable advocacy, resource access, and support for individuals and families. With bachelor’s or master’s degrees in social work, they work under the supervision of licensed mental health professionals to offer counseling and support services.
LMFT (Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist): Specializing in relationships and family dynamics, LMFTs are adept at helping individuals, couples, and families navigate challenges and foster healthier connections.
LPCC (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor): LPCCs undergo extensive training, earning master’s or doctoral degrees in counseling. With the authority to diagnose and treat mental health disorders independently, they provide comprehensive therapy for diverse concerns.
LPC (Licensed Professional Counselor): LPCs are skilled in addressing a variety of mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, and relationship struggles. They work under the supervision of an LPCC-S (Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor Supervisor).
Psychiatrist (MD or DO): These medical doctors specialize in mental health, offering diagnoses, medication management, and psychotherapy. While we don’t have psychiatrists on staff at Insight Counseling and Wellness, we’re happy to refer you to trusted professionals.
Psychologist (PhD or PsyD): Psychologists hold doctoral degrees and excel in psychological assessment, diagnosis, and therapy. They’re trained to address a wide range of mental health concerns using evidence-based practices.
Remember, finding the right therapist is about more than just credentials—it’s about building a trusting relationship. Prioritize your comfort and connection with your therapist, and don’t hesitate to ask questions about their approach and expertise. Your mental health journey is uniquely yours, and you deserve support that resonates with you. At Insight Counseling and Wellness, we’re here to guide you every step of the way.
