As a part of Mental Wellness Month I wanted to share my favorite self-care ideas. “Self-care” is a hot topic these days, but I often find myself debating about what it really is. Sometimes I relate it to regulation so that I think of self-care as “doing things that keep me at my most regulated, …
In the fall of 2020, after 6 months of completing all 25 of my weekly appointments through telepractice/telehealth/video calls with my patients’ highest attendance rates recorded, I experienced my first ocular migraine. It was extremely unpleasant and I hoped it was just a fluke. When I had another a couple months later I immediately made …
“If you listen to your body whisper you won’t have to hear it scream.” Self-care is one of those terms that’s thrown around a lot with a variety of meanings. I can’t say if any meaning is really “wrong,” but to me self-care is less about self-indulgence and more about self-nurturing or even self-regulation. Just …
I love the part of Terminator 3 when Claire Danes is making as much noise as possible in the back of her vet rescue truck (where she’s been imprisoned by the newest Arnold Schwarzenegger robot from the future) as a robot-battery-turned-bomb explodes outside and Arnold yells at Claire, “RELAX!” as he looks intensely towards the …
With this Zones of Regulation tool the child either uses 2 pillows and hits them together or hits a pillow against a bed, chair, or sofa. This tool is great for the red zone, which I’ve found is particularly challenging for kids who have witnessed domestic violence. These kids often fear their own anger, but …
“Hi, I’m Amy and I’m a recovering perfectionist.” I really wish we had meetings for us recovering perfectionists! The daily battle to accept my imperfections and mistakes is often isolating and I’d love time and space to talk about it with the many who can relate. I know some would be my fellow SLPs. SLP …
This is honestly the tool I use most often. These cushions are like magic for children who have trouble sitting still like those who have ADHD or are just more active. Each cushion has 2 sides: on is bumpy and one is smooth. They usually come with a pump to inflate them and I like …
With so many of my patients now vaccinated I wanted to make sure I had lots of supports to help them sort through their emotions about the ongoing pandemic, continued inconsistency, and returning to in-person appointments. So I created a “tune-in corner” (though I usually just call it a “quiet corner,” but I’m using it …
I love the Zones of Regulation! The curriculum has taught me so much about regulation and the tools have helped so many of my patients engage in speech and language treatment! I have colleagues who hate the Zones of Regulation because it gets confusing for kids whose teachers use the color-coded behavior charts. to be …
I’m constantly reminded that bubbles and pinwheels are therapeutic. Not just because children love them, but also because both blowing bubbles and pinwheels and popping bubbles forces deep breathing and mindfulness. I love using bubbles with children who are having difficulty staying in the calm and ready-to-learn green zone. Since the pandemic started I’ve yet …
