by Susan Amaya | May 14, 2025 | children's therapy, co-parenting, Uncategorized
Parenting is one of the most rewarding—and emotionally intense—roles you’ll ever have. Whether you’re navigating tantrums, teen silence, or bedtime battles, your reactions shape more than just the moment. They shape your child’s sense of safety, identity, and how they learn to handle emotions themselves.
At Rekindled Hope Counseling, we help parents understand this powerful truth:
Your ability to regulate your emotions is one of the greatest gifts you can give your child.
Here’s why emotional regulation matters so much—and how you can start practicing it more intentionally.
What Is Emotional Regulation, Really?
It’s not about “staying calm all the time.” That’s unrealistic.
Emotional regulation is the ability to notice what you’re feeling, pause before reacting, and respond in a way that aligns with your values—not just your stress.
It means you can be frustrated without yelling, sad without shutting down, and overwhelmed without lashing out. It’s the pause between trigger and response that changes everything.
Why It Matters for Parents
Your child learns how to handle big emotions by watching you. If they see you take deep breaths, name your feelings, or apologize when you snap—they learn emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and repair.
If they see explosive reactions or shutdowns, they may internalize fear, shame, or avoid expressing emotions altogether.
Parenting isn’t about perfection—it’s about modeling regulation and repair.
Signs You Might Be Struggling with Emotional Regulation as a Parent:
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You feel guilty after reacting with anger or sarcasm
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You avoid certain parenting situations because of how overwhelmed you feel
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You find yourself apologizing often for your reactions—but nothing changes
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You’re carrying emotional baggage from your own childhood or past trauma
If any of this sounds familiar, you’re not broken—you’re human. And you can change.
How to Start Regulating More Effectively
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Name what you are Feeling
Say your feeling out loud—even if it’s just to yourself: “I’m feeling really overstimulated right now.”
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Use the Power of the Pause
A deep breath, a drink of water, stepping into the hallway for 30 seconds—small pauses protect relationships.
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Repair When You React
Messing up doesn’t disqualify you. It’s the repair that matters: “I’m sorry I yelled. That wasn’t okay, and I’m working on it.”
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Get Support for Your Own Triggers
If you grew up in a home without emotional safety, you may be parenting with empty tools. Therapy helps you fill that toolbox.
You Deserve Support, Too
Your emotional well-being directly affects how you show up for your family. That’s not pressure—it’s power. When you work on emotional regulation, you’re not just parenting your child. You’re re-parenting yourself with compassion.
At Rekindled Hope, we help parents break generational cycles, develop regulation skills, and show up with calm—even in the chaos.
👉 Schedule a free consultation to learn how therapy can support you in parenting from a place of peace, not pressure.
You can’t control every moment—but you can control how you grow through it.
by Susan Amaya | May 19, 2024 | children's therapy
What is Play Therapy
IS YOUR CHILD STRUGGLING?
ARE THEY ACTING OUT IN WAYS YOU HAVEN’T SEEN BEFORE?
ARE YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR AT HOME, AT SCHOOL, OR WITH THEIR FRIENDS?
Play Therapy is described as “a dynamic interpersonal relationship between a child and a therapist trained in play therapy procedures who provides selected play materials and facilitates the development of a safe relationship for the child to fully express and explore self (feelings, thoughts, experiences, and behaviors) through play, the child’s natural medium of communication, for optimal growth and development.”
In other words, play therapy is to children what talk therapy is to adults. It’s helpful to think of the toys as words. Your child will express themselves and the things they cannot say by playing. Their play therapist will observe them and play with them to learn more about what’s going on and how to best help them overcome the challenges they’re experiencing. Then, through play therapy, your child can learn to problem-solve and change their behavior.
What Happens in Play Therapy?
Play therapy involves the use of toys, puzzles, art, sand and many other things to encourage interaction between the child and the therapist.
A play therapist may use a non-directive approach or a directive approach depending on the need and on the age of the client. Usually, when the client is younger, the therapist will let the child lead the play as the therapist observes. With an older child, it is common for the therapist to take the lead. The therapist will work with you by the use of books, art, puppets, role-play, etc. to help your child make progress in expressing their emotions and learn new communication skills.
Who could benefit from play therapy?
Any child could benefit from play therapy since it’s a safe way for a child to express themselves. Play Therapy can be used as a treatment for several circumstances:
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Anxiety
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Depression
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Emotional dysregulation
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Displaying anger inappropriately
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Life transitions such as divorce or moving
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Family concerns
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School behavior issues
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Problematic behaviors from ADHD and/or Autism
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Social issues
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Grief
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Abuse
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Trauma
How does play therapy work?
A play therapist meets the child on their level. To make your child to feel more comfortable and to build rapport the therapist will spend a few sessions getting to know the child so they do not feel pressures. Their therapist will play alongside them and observe their interactions. Your child will be more willing to talk through the toys then with words. Child therapist take detailed notes on the emotions they see played out in front of them. As your child becomes more comfortable they will begin to share their thoughts and feelings. When the therapist discovers the root cause of your child’s behaviors, a treatment plan will be written and parenting strategies offered.
Is there parent involvement?
A separate time will be scheduled for you to get feedback, discuss behaviors and parenting strategies. Often, the therapist will invite the parent/s into the session to teach strategies and coping skills that your child can implement at home. A team effort is crucial from all parties, for the child to progress.
