Trans Day of Visibility

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Today, March 31st, is International Trans Day of Visibility.

What is Trans Day of Visibility? This is a day when we celebrate the lives of transgender folks around the world and their important contributions. This day can be a meaningful (and fun!) opportunity to celebrate the lives of our transgender neighbors and create homes and communities that are safe and welcoming.

Why does Trans Day of Visibility matter? All of us have needs for safety, significance, and belonging- we need to know that we are important to the people around us and that we have a safe place in our families and communities. Representation helps to reinforce these needs and increase self-esteem, especially for people with identities that are marginalized in our society. In addition to the recent increase in legislation aimed at denying gender-affirming care to transgender individuals (something that goes against the ethics and standard of care of all licensed mental health professions), the American Medical Association declared in 2019 that violence against transgender individuals is an ongoing epidemic. We know that LGBTQ young people who receive support from their families around their queer identities report higher self-esteem, social support, and overall health, as well as a 50% reduction in thoughts of suicide and suicide attempts. We can make our communities more safe and accepting for our transgender neighbors by familiarizing ourselves with the stories and experiences of transgender people. We can also be inspired by the joy, creativity, and brilliance of transgender leaders whose stories are not always shared! Learn More...

Neurodiversity Week

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Celebrating Neurodiversity Week March 16-20, 2026!

March 16th through the 20th marks Neurodiversity Week! Neurodiversity Week is an initiative started in 2018 by Siena Castellon, an autistic teen who, at the time, wanted to challenge the stereotypes around neurological differences. The goals of Neurodiversity Week were to continue breaking down those misconceptions and recognize the many skills, talents, and abilities within the neurodivergent community. Learn More...

What to Expect When You Start Counseling for Trauma

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Reaching out for help following a traumatic experience is tough. There seems to be so much to consider when finding a therapist. Here are some things to focus on as you begin that search:

  1. All of the therapists at our practice are licensed and credentialed in our state to provide mental health counseling. The state licensure boards determine if someone has completed all the necessary steps (masters degree from an accredited program, earned supervision hours, passed a background check, and have experience working with clients as student interns). If you seek counseling, the first step would be to ensure that the person you are seeing is a licensed therapist in the state in which you are receiving services.
  2. You then need to find someone who fits your proximity, schedule, availability, and your budget for counseling services.
  3. Lastly, you’ll want to ensure that for treating trauma, the therapist has an additional certification or training in an evidence-based trauma treatment. Trauma fits its own category of mental health treatment and you’ll want to be sure the person you are seeing has obtained additional training in a program that treats trauma, in addition to their graduate degree.

Creative Family Counseling offers several evidence-based trauma treatments at our practice. Being an “evidence based” approach means that the theory, protocol, or method of the counseling model used has been proven through research studies to reduce the symptoms associated with the trauma. Learn More...

How does Play Therapy Help Young Clients Experiencing Depression?

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When parents ask for support in how to tell their child they will be visiting a therapist, my easy explanation typically works: “A Play Therapist helps kids when their feelings get too big. Sometimes kid’s mad gets too big and it causes problems for the kid and the people around them.  Sometimes a kid’s sad gets too big and it feels too hard for the kid to move around with all that sadness. And sometimes a kid’s scared gets too big and the kid needs help feeling safe. Therapists help kids shrink big feelings so they can get back to being a kid.” Learn More...

Does My Child Need Therapy?

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Does My Child Need Therapy?

Parents seek out our services for several reasons. Sometimes parents know that a big family change or stressor is in the child’s future and they want to proactively provide their child with a resource (a trusted therapist) which will help them through that transition. For these parents, helping and encouraging their children to manage the emotions related to that transition/change in healthy ways is their priority.  Other times, parents are concerned or worried about an event that has already happened. A traumatic event or social stressor has impacted their child and they want to provide their child with a healthy outlet to cope. Most often, parents have observed a change in their child’s behavior or the way their child is interacting with others and are seeking to understand how to help them and resolve that problem. Learn More...

Limiting the Overwhelm of Parents: Making Therapy More Accessible to Children and Teens at School

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As parents, we want our kids to be happy and healthy. Oftentimes this means running them all over town for various events and appointments – wellness visits, sick visits, tutoring, dentist appointments, lessons, sports activities, vision tests, club events…and the list goes on and on.  While their happiness and success is a priority, what happens when crises arise which add to the already over-scheduled family schedule? When our children experience mental health symptoms and concerns, this moves up quickly on the priority list of weekly commitments. Parents who are already burning up the road with mileage then try to find more time in the day to fit in one more (very important) therapy visit. Learn More...

Is This Normal? When Should I Seek Help for My Child?

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By Erica R. Myers, LPCC-S, RPT-S Clinical Director Creative Family Counseling

Mental illness can begin at any age and affects everyone – regardless of socioeconomic status, background, or upbringing. It is essential to recognize that the onset of mental illness is typically during childhood and the teenage years, meaning parents must be educated on the potential signs and risks. While mental illness can be scary, it is highly treatable. Those who seek early treatment for their child can find fantastic outcomes in therapy. Learn More...

Back to School: What to expect from your child and how you can provide them support

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For many parents, the return of children back to school is a mixture of relief and stress.  We feel stressed because there’s a lot of prep work for the return to school and there is also a sense of relief when we can all get back to a set routine and schedule. 

Leading up to the first day of school for your kids, you may notice feelings of concern, fear, and nervousness or even anger and irritability.   Learn More...

Back to School: Time for a New Routine Chart

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If your family has had a relaxed scheduled this summer, you may find that it’s time to get back into a routine to prepare for your back-to-school schedule! This afternoon my elementary-aged child and I created a new Routine Chart. Routine Charts are a positive parenting tool that can help streamline a routine or process, help your child increase their autonomy and skills and releases you of the nagging for all that has to be done! Instead of asking quick-fire questions in the morning about all their morning tasks, you can simply ask, “Have you completed your morning routine?” Learn More...

What’s the Difference Between Mental, Emotional and Behavioral Health?

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Depending on the professional with whom you speak, mental health can sometimes be referred to as emotional health or behavioral health. To me, they’re all the same. It’s hard to differentiate our cognitions (mental) from our emotions and our reactions (behaviors) because they are all interconnected and influence one another. What is happening in our environment impacts the way we think about ourselves and our surroundings, influences how we feel both physically and emotionally, and therefore causes us to react in our behavior.  While emotions can oftentimes be recognized through non-verbal communication, we cannot read one another’s minds, and yet, the behaviors of children are oftentimes what gets the grownup’s attention.  Challenging behaviors are usually why parents call us for support. Learn More...