Blog
Bridging Generations: The Invisible Load of Dual Caregiving
If you’re in a position where you are caring for both your children and parents, you’ve likely felt the push and pull from both directions: young children needing your energy and attention, and aging parents needing your help, advocacy, and often, your emotional...
When Going Back to School Feels Like Grief
While the start of a new school year is often framed as a fresh beginning, for some children and parents, it can also stir up a quieter, more complicated feeling: grief. Beneath the surface of the typical nervousness and excitement, there may be a sense of loss that's...
Crying Can Be Healing
Are you the type of person who feels refreshed after a good cry, or do you find yourself more guarded with your tears? Whichever way you lean, there are numerous scientific studies that highlight the benefits of crying. Research shows that crying releases stress...
Mental Health Resources for LGBTQIA+ Texans
In mid-July, it was announced that the special line dedicated to supporting LGBTQ+ youth – which anyone could access when calling the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline – would be discontinued. The line was operated by the Trevor Project, a highly regarded organization...
Modeling Balance: How Parents Can Adapt Through Life’s Seasons
As a symbolic therapist, I often work with metaphors to make meaning of our lives. One metaphor I return to often is that of the seasons. Humans are creatures of nature so as nature changes with the seasons, so do we. Life isn’t meant to be lived in a constant...
Responding vs. Reacting
Emotional regulation is not just for children and teens; it is for us too! School is about to start, and we all know what that means: rushed mornings, full calendars, last-minute homework reminders, and a constant feeling of “go, go, go.” The start of school can be...
The Company We Keep: A New Look at Friendship This Fall
New school year, new schedules, same question - Who’s sitting with you at lunch? Whether you’re a student, a teacher, a parent, or just someone feeling the quiet reset of this season, it’s a natural time to take stock of the people around us. Who do we lean on? Who do...
Children and Chores – Let Them Help!
“Never do for a child what he can do for himself.” - Rudolph Dreikurs With the start of a new school year, it’s a great time for our family to review the tasks that need to be completed to get us through the school week- laundry, lunches, carpooling, etc. It’s...
Clean & Safely Destructive Anger Tools for Kids
Helping Children Express Big Feelings Without the Mess Anger is a normal and necessary emotion—but for many children, it can feel overwhelming and confusing. Without safe tools to release that intensity, kids may resort to hitting, yelling, or other unsafe behaviors....
Mental Health Resources for Central Texas Flood Survivors
Our hearts go out to everyone affected by the recent flooding in Central Texas. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, grieving, or struggling to make sense of it all, please know you’re not alone. At Austin Family Counseling, we have trauma-trained therapists ready and...
Who Is The “Highly Sensitive Person,” And How Can You Support Them?
Occasionally, I’ll have a person come into therapy and say something along the lines of, “Sometimes, I just feel like life is a little more intense for me than it is for other people.” The “intensity” of the human experience is something that is impossible to...