Attuned Austin Therapy Services, PLLC

Happy Pride Month from AATS!

Fundamental to our mission of facilitating change through attuned relationships is creating the felt sense of safety and acceptance for everyone we work with at AATS. We understand that culturally responsive and affirming care can often be life saving care, and will continue to advocate for our client’s individual and collective experiences of identity - both in and out of the therapy room.

We are honored to be recognized by The Welcoming Project as a welcoming place in TX!

Attuned Austin Therapy Services, PLLC is a Welcoming Place in TX!

In honor of National Play Therapy Week and Black History Month we would like to share this wonderful resource for inclusive representation in the play room. We hope you all find some time to play this weekend!

https://blacktoystore.com/

The Black Toy Store The Black Toy Store is your online destination for hand-picked, curated children’s toys, games, books, and gifts that reflect the beauty and diversity of the African diaspora…….

Happy National Play Therapy Week! Please celebrate with us February 6th-12th by watching and sharing this video about why we love play therapy!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4ovwAdxCs0&list=PLkcL9Y5Tc7IzZSC-vCrZpUB8oubNzbwTt&index=3

Play Therapy Works! This video introduces and promotes the value of play, play therapy, credentialed play therapists, and membership in the Association for Play Therapy.

It's so hard not to just praise a finished product, but praising the effort and asking questions to start a conversation about the child's work does wonders for building self-esteem!

No matter how you go about it, talking to your kids about their art is important. Building connections through artmaking is natural. Connecting with your kids and talking to them about their creativity is the perfect way to show you care! You can download this free resource here: https://bit.ly/3mT68fN

Does setting limits seem to constantly end in tears and frustration (on both ends)? Figuring out how to shift out of the power struggle dynamic can be tough, but the 5 Rs of Consequences can help. Check it out below:

https://www.includenyc.org/resources/tip-sheet/the-5rs-of-consequences

The 5Rs of Consequences | Your default description here

The first week of school is hard on everyone! Dealing with some separation anxiety in the mornings? Try reading The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn, and giving your child a Kissing Hand to feel connected with you all day long! Check out this article from Childmind.org for more info:
https://childmind.org/article/what-is-separation-anxiety/

What Is Separation Anxiety? Separation anxiety is not just something that happens to toddlers who cling to their moms. What it looks like in older children and how it's treated.

There is a great new resource in South Austin for families of Neurodiverse children! Holly McGowan Barajas works with families to offer in-home support and school advocacy to help them figure out the best way to meet the needs of neurodiverse children. More info here:
http://beautifullywired.com/

Beautifully Wired | Helping Families Raise Neurodiverse Children Our children see, hear, and react to the world in different ways. My goal is to help you understand your child’s behavior and create positive changes that will fit for your family.

Attuned Austin Therapy Services, PLLC updated their address.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month!

Mental Health Month Since 1949, Mental Health America and our affiliates across the country have observed May is Mental Health Month by reaching out to millions of people through the media, local events, and screenings. We invite other organizations to join us in spreading the word that mental health is something every...

Brené Brown on Empathy What is the best way to ease someone's pain and suffering? In this beautifully animated RSA Short, Dr Brené Brown reminds us that we can only create a genuin...

ADHD Child vs. Non-ADHD Child Interview Two children were interviewed and asked the same questions. Both children are six years old, in the first grade, and have the same family structure, but thei...

https://youtu.be/h3nhM9UlJjc

consent for kids Consent is like being ruler of your own country...population: YOU. This is a smart, playful guide to consent and bodily autonomy. There is an upcoming book, ...

South Austin Counseling Services is hosting a free webinar next Wednesday at 1:30! Register at the link below.

Parenting in a Pandemic -- Free Wellness Matters Webinar Join South Austin Counseling Services, PC, in the free Wellness Matters Webinar: Parenting in a Pandemic on August 26, 2020, at 1:30 pm.

Talking to Kids About the Coronavirus | Child Mind Institute What parents and other adults can say to kids about the coronavirus COVID-19. How to answer their questions and keep kids feeling safe.

At South Austin Counseling Services, we are prepared to help you during these challenging times.

Our first Spring 2020 clinic will be on February 20 at 5pm at the Travis County Law Library! Sign up for the session here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/gender-affirmation-project-clinic-220-travis-county-law-library-registration-93579311239
Click here to find out what to bring to a session: http://bit.ly/texaslawgap

Attuned Austin Therapy Services, PLLC updated their business hours.

A model of the brain that you can take with you wherever you go. ☺️

Dr Daniel Siegel presenting a Hand Model of the Brain Many people experience times in their lives when they feel overwhelmed and need clarity. Our mission is to provide the highest quality psychological care by ...

https://whatsyourgrief.com/randos-six-r-processes-of-mourning/

Rando's Six R Processes of Mourning If you follow along here regularly you know we have been featuring different grief theories every few weeks. Wait, don’t

https://hsperson.com/test/highly-sensitive-child-test/

Is Your Child Highly Sensitive? – The Highly Sensitive Person A parent's questionnaire: find out if your child is highly sensitive.

https://undark.org/article/childhood-violence-brain-development/

How Indirect Violence Gets Under a Child's Skin, and Into the Brain Even if a youngster does not witness a violent crime or know the victim, new research suggests that sleep and stress hormone levels are both affected.

Love this article. It explains the three subsystems of the Autonomic Nervous System and how we can view parenting (specifically limit-setting and attunement) through this lens. Check it out here:

http://www.essentialparenting.com/2010/04/03/openness-your-evolutionary-heritage/

Openness: Your Evolutionary Heritage - Essential Parenting Maturation and resistance are the two primary forces at work in the developing psyche, and the two general states that support each are love and fear respectively. Now let’s look at some of the basic neuro-physiologic machinery through which these forces work. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is...

"The relationship with a parent is critical to a child’s sense of self, safety, and trust. Separations from parents and siblings—
especially under sudden, chaotic, or unpredictable circumstances such as those related to war, refugee, immigration, or
detention experiences—may lead children to develop depression, anxiety, or separation-related traumatic stress symptoms.
The tips listed here will help address the needs of children who have experienced traumatic separation."

https://www.nctsn.org/resources/traumatic-separation-and-refugee-and-immigrant-children-tips-current-caregivers

Traumatic Separation and Refugee and Immigrant Children: Tips for Current Caregivers Provides tips for current caregivers and others to help address the needs of immigrant and refugee children who have experienced traumatic separation.

Emotional Control: Top-Down or Bottom-Up? Are our emotions controlled by what we are conscious of, or unconscious of?

4 Red Flags in Your Child’s Play Let me start this post with some questions for you: When your child displays a behavior that is worrisome, what do you do? When your child’s teacher or school tells you she’s worried about your child’s academic perfomance, what do you...

It's all about perspective ;)
https://www.donnamphelan.com/articles/the-absolute-worst-day-ever.html

Today Was The Absolute Worst Day Ever Poem of Hope

10 Types of Play Important to Your Child's Development Play sets the tone for how your child learns and socializes. Learn about 10 types of play and why they are important for early childhood development.