For many parents, summer arrives like a finish line. We limp toward the last day of school convinced that once the schedules disappear, life will suddenly feel lighter. Easier. Slower.

But often, that is not what happens.

Instead, many families find themselves oddly unsettled. Parents feel exhausted instead of refreshed. Kids become emotional or dysregulated. Everyone seems a little “off,” even though the pressure of the school year is technically over.

The truth is, the transition into summer is often tougher than we expect — and there are good reasons for that.

Our brains do not switch gears as quickly as our calendars do.

Have you ever noticed yourself slipping into old habits, even when they aren’t healthy? Our brains are powerful, and God created them with amazing intricacies. When I was a young child, I experienced loss and trauma that imprinted an invisible string of fear that affected every nook and cranny of my life. I did not know how much my brain was holding onto the fears. When I became a parent, I realized these patterns influenced my parenting. As a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Play Therapist, and an Interpersonal Neurobiological Clinician, I have discovered how neuroscience, faith, and parenting intersect.

Most parents are familiar with the fight-or-flight response — that rush of adrenaline when something feels threatening. But there’s a lesser-known fear response that quietly affects people: the fawn response. And understanding it could change how you connect with your children, manage your own emotions, and model healthy relationships in your home.

The Sacred Steps video series is a five-part reflection connecting the journey of Holy Week to the everyday challenges and joys of parenting. Each episode parallels a day of Holy Week with parenting experiences.

We all have difficult and tragic days or seasons we will never forget whether globally, nationally, or in our own families.

• What are yours?

  • The assassination of JFK?

  • 9/11

  • The loss of a loved one?

  • A particular natural disaster?

  • A relationship ending?

  • A loss of a job?

  • A broken promise?

  • A loss of safety?

One I will never forget is March 27, 2023 when tragedy struck The Covenant School.  Through walking alongside families, the community, and the school, I have come to believe 5 key truths:

Each week, in my private practice I hear parents discuss that they are feeling buried under growing worries about their children, their jobs, their relationships, and their mental health.  There is no doubt we as a world are experiencing a collective dark night of the soul.  One of the hardest questions, yet very often ones I hear is, “What can I do?” The following answer is usually met with some type of deep breath and even a sigh, “We must journey together to look inward and name the hard feelings first.” 

It is all the buzz, a new school year is upon us. With the start of school, comes many different feelings and emotions not only for children but for parents as well.

The summer is full of fun and exciting celebrations. Preparation is the key to enjoying the holidays with the whole family.

Summer can be an invitation to trying something new! What if by the fall, you and your child would have grown socially, emotionally, mentally, and physically. This guide is meant to be a starting place. Choose a couple ideas from each category and give them a try!

I am a mom of two daughters who grew up watching High School Musical on replay. A favorite scene occurs in the second movie when the the wall clock is ticking down. The bell rings. All the children jump up and run for the doors because summer has begun! The movie shows all the happy faces and the elated students jumping up and down with joy for the start of summer break. What the movie does not show is the angst and the bigger feelings that arise when a change occurs like the end of a school year. Can our brains hold multiple feelings at the same time? Can our children be excited for summer break and sad to leave their teachers and routines? The answer is yes!

Have you ever wondered what it is like to be a shepherd in fields of green pastures? A few years ago I became interested in more about the job as a shepherd. I did some research and found some fascinating similarities between shepherding and parenting.

Anxiety shows up in 8 ways. It does not always look like a ball of nerves.

It all begins with an idea.

A collection of my poems.

It is a learned skill that most of us had to practice often to even have a chance to keep the hoop up. Well, guess what, hula hoop boundaries are the same! They take lots of practice to be able to understand the art of keeping your hula hoop in place around you at all times.