Written by Kristi Spence, LMFT-C Christmas is coming, and it can be a magical time for families. It can also be very stressful between shopping, adjusting to new schedules, trying to fit in all the festivities, and seeing family and friends. If you have kids, you will likely experience more meltdowns and chaos due to […]
Three Tips for Dealing with Separation Anxiety
Written by Kristi Spence, LMFT-C Do you dread dropping off your child at school or daycare? Do you feel completely helpless as you watch your child scream and cry in desperation for you to stay? Meltdowns, crying, and excessive clinging are all signs that your child may be struggling with separation anxiety. While separation anxiety […]
How to get your teens to listen without yelling
Written by Kristi Spence, LMFT-C Do you ever get tired of yelling at your teen? Or maybe you feel like the only punishments you know how to administer are either a grounding or taking his or her phone away? While you may feel like your teen has a superpower in rebelling, there are several ways […]
Successful Co-parenting Tip: Don’t Put Your Kids in the Middle
Written by Kristi Spence, LMFT-C As a co-parent, your relationship with your ex-spouse can be extremely stressful. Do you struggle with trying to agree on different rules in different houses? Or determining who pays for what? Or maybe you are still trying to manage your own anger surrounding the divorce. With all of the inevitable […]
Setting Yourself up for Success: How to Start Difficult Conversations with your Partner
Written by Raechel Russo, LMFT-C If you’re in a committed relationship, it is likely that you have had some uncomfortable conversations with your partner. It is an inevitable fact of relationships that partners will disagree at times. When you do need to have these difficult talks, how can you start them in a way that […]
3 Steps to Dealing with Toddler Tantrums
By Kristi Spence, LMFT-C Tantrums:-the good, the bad, and the ugly. Child tantrums are notoriously frustrating. Once a tantrum starts, you can feel completely helpless in trying to stop it–not to mention the behaviors (kicking, screaming, crying, thrashing, etc.) that can be very stressful to deal with! However, tantrums are a very normal part of […]
8 Coping Skills for Young Kids!
By Kristi Spence, LMFT-C At Legacy Counseling Service in Broken Arrow, we provide mental health counseling for parents who are at a loss of how to help their children deal with stress, anger, anxiety, depression, and other big emotions. Sometimes when emotions are so big, nothing seems to work to calm your child down. In […]
Practicing the Skill of Containment # EMDR
Dr. Leedy, Ph.D. Psychologist at Legacy Counseling Service in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma share one idea for how to practice the skill of containment from a Christian perspective. While containment is an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) skill, it can be useful for anyone regardless of what type of mental health therapy they are getting.
Common Reactions to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 and Ways To Cope
Understanding how you are dealing with the Coronavirus/COVID-19 can be helpful in finding ways to cope. In this video, Dr. Melissa Leedy, Ph.D. Psychologist talks about common reactions to the crisis and ways that you can cope better.
Coping with the Coronavirus
Written by Sandy Stone, LPC As I enter week two of self-isolating due to the Coronavirus, my thoughts are on those of you who are already struggling with anxiety and depression. So often unknown situations can amp up one’s anxiety, and self-isolation can be detrimental to one who is depressed. So, how do you cope […]