All The Art! And a lil' Bit of Mental Health!
September is National Suicide Prevention Month
If you don’t read any further than this first paragraph then I have done my job. These are the best resources that you need if you or someone that you love is currently experiencing suicidal thoughts. The most important thing you need to know is that there are places that you can go to get help. That you are loved, that you are important and that somebody is always there for you. NAMI- The National Alliance on Mental Illness has these resources that you can utilize for yourself or others in need.
easy healthy lunch ideas for back to school
When I was a kid my mom did a really great job of making healthy lunch ideas look easy and fun! Our lunches, snacks and dinners were not only fun but nutritionally balanced. I am always telling my friends about how my mom used to make celery with cream cheese and she put raisins on top and called it “ants on a log” or she would cut our sandwiches into fun little shapes to make it more entertaining for us to eat.
My Ultimate Self Care Guide: The Tools I Use to Get Through
Just before COVID kicked in, I was in a relationship with somebody and it wasn’t what I knew I wanted or needed. And when it ended I decided that I needed to do some soul-searching and possibly take my self care routine up a notch. Not that I thought there was a TON of stuff wrong with me (OKAY, actually I thought it WAS about me until my therapist told me to slow my roll and I was a lot better than I thought I was) I just felt like I needed to look inwardly and see what it was about myself that I liked and what it was about myself that I wanted to dig deeper into.
My Top Ten Good Reads of All Time! A List of Books I Absolutely LOVE!
So, I love books. I love reading books, I love collecting books, I just love books! I love being taken away to alternative realities. I love losing myself and a book that’s so good that when it’s finished I’m missing the characters or I’m missing the story. It’s like coming back from a really great vacation and missing where you were and what you did. So here’s a list of my 10 current favorite good reads!
Journaling: To write or not to write, that is the question!
Journaling is the practice of writing down your thoughts and feelings as you navigate your daily life. The good thing is that there is no right or wrong way to journal. It’s something between you and pages of your journal and it just doesn’t matter. Some days journaling is just writing down what you did that day. Sometimes journaling is about your top ten list of books, music, foods etc…
What I have learned from being a Counselor
The betterhelp website defines counselors as, “someone who gives advice, counseling, or therapy. A counselor can also be a mentor, somebody who...
Young Adult Literature I’m Kveling Over Right Now – A Top 10 List!
If you don’t know by now, I am a middle school counselor and teacher as well as a licensed professional counselor, who is obsessed with 2 things in life, art and reading! I read more books than almost anyone I know and anyone you know, lol. Books are wonderful for our children and this is my love list of what the kids I work with adore right now! Hopefully your children will love this top ten list of young adult literature.
Craft stores are my jam! It’s NOT a problem!
If you’re anything like me, craft stores are the equivalent of a hardware store for some of my other friends. I would say Amen. But I do know a lot of women who just simply can’t help themselves when it comes to stopping at a hardware store. But for me it’s a craft store. Anytime I’m in another city my radar goes off and I instantly can spot the craft stores, whether they be large national chains or small mom-and-pop stores. I do like to visit those “mom and pop shops” when I’m in other cities just because it’s fun and I fully support small businesses!
So what is a child psychologist?
Being a psychologist has many facets and there are so many varieties of them. While researching this blog I found out some very cool things about this field. But let’s start with the basics…
Clinical psychology is concerned with the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of mental disorders. While some professionals in this field often work in medical settings, clinical psychologists are not medical doctors and do not prescribe medications in most states. Just an FYI. When you are looking for something specific it is important to be clear with your needs and make sure you are going to the right person the first time. With all the current waiting lists and delays in receiving services the last thing you want to do is wait for months and only then find out that you cannot get your mental health needs met like you thought you could.
Expressive Art is So So So Good for Us!
“Expressive Arts is a discipline of helping and healing that uses the arts as its basis for discovery and change. All five disciplines of the arts: visual, dance, music, theater, and writing can give you a richer vocabulary to work, play and grow a life you love living.”
Morning routines that don’t make you cry!
Maybe your kids still do a really good job of going to bed around 10 PM over the summer and there’s no qualms there. But if you haven’t set any kind of schedule for their morning routines and school is about to begin again!
Creative hobbies save us! Here’s why and how!
I teach an executive functioning class to incoming sixth graders at my private school. One of the things we focus on is study skills; being organized and learning how to study are extremely important. I asked all the teachers in my middle school, some parents and some students what they felt we needed to teach them when they entered into sixth grade and how to actually study and organize themselves was top of the list!
So what is a psychologist? Not just one thing!
Being a psychologist has many facets and there are so many shapes and sizes of them.
Get Back to a Healthy Bedtime Routine After Late Summer Nights!
I am so not ready to have a healthy bedtime routine again. I love summer, even if we’ve all had a raging hot summer down here in Texas and to be honest I’m not ready for school to start. Regardless, time passes and we have to start changing our mindset back to alarm clocks, breakfasts, morning routines that don’t bring you to tears, pre-made lunches and homework assignments.
a lil’ about stress and how i manage it
So why am I not feeling the stress while sitting here at the E.R. with my dad? I’m oddly calm. I’m focused on taking breaths and being present in the space. I am not freaking out. I am the go to person for all things medical. I am the medical power of attorney for my parents for a reason. I’m in the middle of a minor medical issue with a family member and I’m the chill one that takes charge. I realize that I never freak out with medical stuff. I have laser focus and then usually crumble afterwards.
End of Summer Tie Dye Love
What do Wicked on Broadway, hot subways and Time Square have to do with tie dye? For me, they all scream summer! Here’s why . . . I just had an amazing weekend in NYC, as I cling nostalgically to the memories of such a great trip. Holding strong to the experiences I had in the theater district, WICKED was amazing as always.
Let’s talk study skills. You only think you have them!
I teach an executive functioning class to incoming sixth graders at my private school. One of the things we focus on is study skills; being organized and learning how to study are extremely important. I asked all the teachers in my middle school, some parents and some students what they felt we needed to teach them when they entered into sixth grade and how to actually study and organize themselves was top of the list!
healthy snacks and lunches just in time for school
Let’s be honest, how many of us have kept up with our kids nutritional goals and guidelines over the summer to keep them at their prime optimal functioning? Yeah not me. #MomFail. Lol While we’re talking about getting back into a school routine and we know that bedtime and wake up time are important. Another component that we need to discuss is nutrition and providing healthy snacks and lunches for our kiddos. I know for me I’ve been eating a lot of sandwiches and quesadillas that I make on the stove really quickly. I haven’t seen many fruits or vegetables for the last month and I definitely have to get back into a healthier routine.
Types of Therapy Good For Our Teens
The significant mental health crisis the world is experiencing is at RED level status, so understanding the types of therapy available to you and your family in the moment of crisis is extremely important, and I know not everyone is a therapist, like me. I am hopeful my knowledge and experience will help you or someone you love should a mental health crisis happen.
creative ideas for projects; face paint edition!
Getting creative with your kids at home and even your teens can be as close as your bathroom drawer. Painting our faces for fun, with creativity or to practice your “look” can all be great places to find connecting and creativity. Let’s talk about creative ideas for projects “the face painting edition”.
Counselors; To Keep or Not to Keep, That is the Question!
Part of finding the right fit among the numerous licensed counselors out there is once you get started you develop a good working relationship with the person you’ve chosen. That does not mean that you turn into best friends who text each other and spend time hanging out outside of the office.
What’s Art? Is an altarpiece or seasonal altar art?
So is your centerpiece or your mantle decorations an altar? Are they considered art? In my opinion, anytime you take something and switch it up a bit, decorate it or manipulate it in some way; you’re making art. So let’s look at an altarpiece as a work of art and see how we can turn seasonal altars or any kind of altarpiece into different dramatic focal points in your house!
You don’t have to be artistic to be creative!
Let’s talk about being artistic versus being creative. Have I ever told you about my mom? She was a preschool teacher for as long as I can remember. I think if I’m correct she was a teacher right out of college and then when my brother and I were born she stayed home for a while and once we were old enough to be responsible for wiping our own butts and not burning the house down when making a pot of mac and cheese she went back to work.
I’m a licensed counselor: here’s how I knew it was for me.
Why did I know I wanted to become a licensed counselor? I don’t have an exact day or time but I can definitely tell you that it was somewhere in middle school. For sure there was a GIANT blinking red light over my head by the time I was in high school. I was ALWAYS the one that my friends came to for advice. I was the “momma” to all my friends.
My Top 10+ Creative Ideas for Projects
I wanted to share my top 10 blogs for fun creative ideas for projects for kids, preteens and in-between but because I’m always a bit “extra”, it ended up being my top 11! If you are one of my dedicated blog fans then you know I LOVE crafting and I LOVE sharing my favorites with you. I’ve got some many creative ideas for projects I am about to BURST! So I made a list of my favorites! Here are my top ten creative projects!(plus one more cuz I love you!)
creative outlets for kids and teens
Oftentimes we are struggling to find creative outlets for our kids and teens. It’s hard enough when they’re in school and there are crazy after school schedules to follow and then there are times where there is “nothing to do” as your children would say and you are left struggling to find something to fill their time. It’s even worse in the summer if your kids aren’t in a regular summer camp program or at a sleepaway camp. You have to get creative with finding inexpensive supplies and materials as well as cool and fun activities to engage kids of all ages.
Glass Etching is So Not 70s Anymore!
Now that every other person on the continent has a cutting machine like Cricut or silhouette. Everybody’s getting in the game of old school crafting. Something that I remember doing when I was probably 7 or 8 years old is glass etching. It’s a technique where you use an acid-based cream that permanently patches an image onto clear glass or a mirror.
Use a Gratitude Journal to Flip the Script on Negative Thoughts
What Is Gratitude? According to the website, Verywellmind.com,“Gratitude is a positive emotion that involves being thankful and appreciative and is associated with several mental and physical health benefits. When you experience gratitude, you feel grateful for something or someone in your life and respond with feelings of kindness, warmth, and other forms of generosity.”
Creative Drawing Ideas for Beginners
How does one find creative drawing ideas for beginners? We tend to have all the supplies around the house or readily available but we struggle to start. Starting with something easy and nonthreatening is the way to go! Easy drawing ideas are the way to get started!
Museums in Houston! Some you know, some you don’t!
We are definitely blessed by amazing museums in Houston to visit. Of course, there are the old standard big museums everyone has heard of but there are hidden gems among them that some of us don’t even know about (just like me!).
The Japanese Art of Gyotaku aka Fish Printing
The Japanese art of Gyotaku, or fish printing, is one of my favorite things to do with my art students. It’s so unique and fun that everyone smiles when the rubbery, bendy fish bodies come out of the box. These guys are so lifelike, with details on the fins, realistic scales as well as fine details around the eyes.
Creative outlets for kids and teens
I hope that everybody reading my blogs by now has figured out that I’m super passionate about art and I’m also extremely passionate about Mental Health.
Creativity, being artistic and having a healthy psyche really go hand in hand. That being said, having creative outlets for people of all ages is quite important and to be honest during the time we are living in, extremely necessary.
Self Talk That Matters! What You Must Do!
How many times a day do you talk to yourself? How many times a day do your kids or your partner talk to themselves? How often do you notice that the talk is negative? Oftentimes when I’m working with youth and I hear them saying something derogatory towards themselves or others I find myself saying “put ups; not put-downs?”
It pains me to hear people say things like “I’m stupid” or “I suck at art”. I have a really strong belief that we should be correcting those negative things that come out of our mouths. Because as we all know self talk is important. In fact, it is actually more important than we think it is!
Therapy: How The Media Portrays the Field
What is therapy? If you watch any movie from the 70s, 80s or 90s therapy is typically portrayed as somebody sitting with their therapist in their office on their couch talking about their feelings, worries, past trauma and other personal issues.
Snow Globes: How to Make Your Own in a Mason Jar!
If you have ever traveled to another state or country there is always a snow globe in the gift shop at the airport. Headed to any tourist spots in NYC or other major cool places like NASA or fun spots and there is a snow globe on the shelves. For a brief time I had a collection of snow globes that lived on some shelves in my room growing up. They were typically from places my family or friends or myself had visited around the world.
Let’s Talk About Painting a Wall Mural!
When I was in high school I stayed home sick one day from school. I was sick. But it wasn’t “that sick”. If you know what I mean. ;-). So about halfway through the day I got super bored and decided that I was going to paint a wall mural in my bedroom.
For whatever ridiculous reason I painted a shadowed image of the Egyptian pyramids with a bunch of shadow images of ancient Egyptians dancing around in front of the pyramid, a dangerous snake that spiraled from the bottom of the wall curling and swirling and all the way up until its head swallowed my light switch.
Let’s Talk Dot Art! Swipe Right-Painting Not Dating!
Recently as I was scrolling through Pinterest I found this really cute, very quick little fun activity with dots of acrylic paint and whatever kind of paper or canvas you’d like to use and a scraping tool. It was so simple and yet so creative that I grabbed my materials and got started on this cute little project, known as Dot Art, with my art camp students.
I like to buy those small 2 ounce bottles of acrylic paint. I get whatever is available at the craft store or the dollar store, whatever is cheapest. It really doesn’t matter too much, especially for what we’re doing here today. There are several brands that you can use, I don’t have a special one I prefer.
What Is Art Therapy? And How Does It Work?
What is art therapy? Art therapy is a new technique in terms of therapy styles that have been around since Freud was coming up with his odd therapeutic styles and practices.
Some of it was seriously unusual and yet, he is the Father of Modern Psychotherapy. Of course that was over 100 years ago and since then the world has come a very long way.
Be Creative! Even If You’re “Not Creative”!
Be Creative . . .it’s an order, basically and let me tell you why! For so many of us, staying motivated and productive can be a huge struggle when you are facing a crisis. If it’s a pandemic or another sort of natural disaster like a flood or tornado these are still very stressful events for both individuals and communities. It’s normal to feel some stress and anxiety, and that stress can be amplified by your work or home environment.
Sharpie Tie Dye
Check this out! If you are not sure how to or you don’t want to deal with the mess of “tie dye” the original way, this is a great alternative to it. Sharpie Tie Dye is Tie Dye with a twist!
counseling adolescents? outside the box is powerful!
Getting a teenager to do anything that wasn’t their idea is virtually impossible.
So counseling adolescents and getting them to talk about their feelings or admit that they need to talk about their feelings can feel completely impossible.
I remember being a teenager. I remember struggling so significantly that my parents did have to finally get me therapeutic help.
Easy Cardboard Crafts: Boxes Become DIY Creature Art
HOLY CRAP! Here’s finally something to do with all those overabundance of amazon boxes in your recycling bin. Easy Cardboard Crafts to the rescue! This is something you can do at your house and probably don’t need to buy anything. Actually the fact that you bought something on amazon gives you the materials you need! Check out these adorable animals from Maggy at Red Ted Art!
Why A Creative Leader Rocks! Maybe You’re One?
Who are the creative people that you know? How many of them are successful leaders either in your bubble or in the larger entertainment world? Would you consider Martha Stewart a creative leader? Would you consider Beyonce a creative leader? Do you consider Steve Jobs a creative leader? In this article we are going to discuss the various creative leaders that we know and what makes them successful.
Positive Habits Have Been Powerful in My Life
What is a habit and what makes them positive? Habits are the small decisions you make and the actions you perform every day. According to researchers at Duke University, habits account for about 40 percent of our behaviors on any given day. Life is really just the sum of all your habits.
Sensory Bag Fun is Not Only Cool But Soothing!
So what is a sensory bag and how did I find out about them? A sensory bag is a great way to investigate and learn about the world around you by observing objects and textures and stimulating the 5 senses.
Art Therapy – The Ins and Outs
What is Art therapy you ask? According to Wikepeida art therapy is, “a distinct discipline that incorporates creative methods of expression through visual art media.” Through the use of artistic methods one can treat certain psychological disorders and enhance a client’s mental health. Art therapy is a technique deep seated in the idea that creative expression can foster healing and mental well-being.
Get On My List For Updates & Event Info!
Michelle offers in-person camps and art experiences, she also hosts live art events and can bring an art experience to your location. Her blogs give you the inside tips and fun stories of being creative every day with your kids, but also just for you!
Every Family Needs Creativity!
Let’s get creative together, relieve stress, and ignite the imagination! Enjoy creativity with your kids or on your own! In-person, online or with wine!