Play Therapy for Children: What to Expect and Why It Works

Play Therapy for Children: What to Expect and Why It Works

When Your Child Needs Help, But Words Are Hard When parents first hear the recommendation for play therapy for children,…

child riding a wooden horse with a woman helping

When to Seek Therapy for Your Child: Red Flags to Watch For

As a parent and child psychologist of 20 + years, I have seen rates of anxiety and depression in children and parents climb dramatically. What I have also found is that with mental health support, children can have profound shifts in well-being, learning to ‘sit beside’ their feelings with compassion, ask for help, and practice self-care.

Back to School, Back to Stress? Supporting Mental Health as Summer Ends

Why the Back-to-School Transition Can Increase Stress for Families As the summer winds down, we know the changes that are…

Part of the North Star Families team smiling

Why are we a Neurodivergent Affirming practice and what does that mean?

Neurodivergent refers to individuals whose brain functioning differs from what is considered “typical.”

Raising a Neurodivergent Child

I was 36 when I saw March of the Penguins, and this sweet documentary inspired some life force within me to bring…

2 kids making hand signals to each other

Should Autistic Children Be ‘Trained’ to Socialize?

One afternoon, I received an email from a doctor with a therapy request for a mother/daughter pair: “Self-esteem issues, anger, and resentment towards mother’s…

What is Neuropsychological Testing and it’s Role in Advocating for your Child

As a practice, we sometimes partner with a neuropsychologist when we feel like a there is more to understand about…

What is educational therapy and who benefits from it?

Working with a learning specialist is transformative for neurodivergent learners. Science based educational programming helps your child unearth their learning style and…