This post is dedicated to Dr. Bessel van der Kolk whose book, The Body Keeps the Score, literally changed my life; to my first best friend, my sister Cheri; and to three amazing teachers who saved my life: Mrs. Wells, Ms. Kirkwood, and Ms. Riley. My apologies if any of it is triggering for you. Today is the anniversary of my oldest sister’s suicide. My body has been talking to me for the last three weeks. I have struggled to write this post. I couldn’t figure out how to get s

I hear a lot of reports about holiday meltdowns and birthday struggles from the parents amongst my pediatric clients. Frequently it's paired with judgement from extended family members who have little to no understanding of the special supports needed by children who've experienced trauma. I want to take a moment to address this and suggest some scaffolding that may help everyone find joy in the coming holiday season. As adults we frequently experience increased levels of str