Cool Creek Counseling, LLC

The mental health community is coming together in a pretty amazing way: sharing resources, making sure we each are prepared for all of these changes, and exploring new and creative ways to support all of our clients. Sharing a fellow therapists pretty amazing doodles with some great daily ideas for your children or teens! -RobertWolf, LMFT

I've seen a lot of posts over the past few weeks from some pretty rockstar parents. Parents who've set up homeschool ideas without flinching. Parents who've done research on all the activities to keep kids busy and entertained in fun ways and also parents who've allowed their kids to have lots of lazy days. Parents who feel they have had no routine the past few weeks because their families just needed -to be- and others who've shared picture copies of their daily schedules ...because this is what helped to ground them. Guess what? All of you are doing the right thing. You are being there with your children. Our kids just need us to BE THERE right now for them. In all honesty, this is all pretty wild. I still wake up every day thinking 'Is this real?' We all are going through a range of emotions, probably on a daily basis, and it is so important that we are validating our kids emotions as well. Please acknowledge their scared, sad, happy, mad, excited, confused or bored feelings. Let them know you hear them. You do not have to try to change those feelings for them right away. Just listen. Just acknowledge. Just accept. I saw a post circulating around facebook yesterday, I wish I had saved it so I could recall it correctly. It was a repost from a school principal with such a powerful and amazing message to his students. He talked about how what we are living right now is going to become history and that one of the best things we can do for our children *right now* is to help them keep a record of it. Make a journal, record events, draw pictures, document feelings and fears, conduct interviews of family members over facetime, record a video of a puppet show, make a book. Help them create a narrative of what is happening for themselves. As a mental health professional who primarly works with children and teens, take these suggestions above. Be mindful of your child's age and the appropriate level of information they receive, and then help them process what is going on from their own understanding. Your children's mental health is important. Be where they are. Help them process through this. Life is hard right now, but you can do this. So can our children. Now go hug your kids, be with them and validate their emotions. www.juliesimmonslpc.com : @gc_doodles

*Enjoy Today* I think it is safe to say we all are feeling a range of emotions right now. Remember: there is NO WRONG WAY TO FEEL about the state of our country and world today. Focus on one thing you can control today, whether that’s connecting with a friend or family member through FaceTime, going outside for a walk, reading a new book (the library has a giant selection of free virtual books!), creating a scavenger hunt for your kids, or finding someone inspiring to follow on social media : @oliviaherrickdesign

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Our office is currently closed to in person therapy appointments until further notice but will remain open for telehealth(video) sessions for all current clients and we are accepting referrals for new telehealth clients. If you are seeking new services please reach out for more information on how telehealth sessions may work for you at this time. We will reassess as updates are provided based on our states recommendations due to COVID-19. Please reach out today with any questions. www.juliesimmonslpc.com

It has been awhile since I’ve posted on here (sorry about that!!). I was at Five Below today and came across a ton of really great journals and activity books that can be used for preteens- young adults or as a family activity!! Grabbed a couple for myself, and all $5 or under! Let me know which one you’d grab