Author: Melissa Fellin

19 Jun

Happy Pride Month! Pride month is the perfect time to reflect on our use of inclusive language in all aspects of our lives including parenting. Whether you know if your child identifies as 2SLGBTQIA+ or not, there are a few things you can do to make them feel more comfortable with sharing their identity, and supporting their peers as well. This includes language that includes various gender identities, diverse families, and romantic partners. Spectrum: Waterloo Regions Rainbow Community Space has recently...

20:55 / Child Therapy / Communication / Events / Guest Post / Inspiration / Relationships / Self Care / Students / Therapy / Uncategorised / Uncategorized / Workshops
07 Jun

The term neurodiversity describes the natural cognitive differences between individuals, including brain function and behavioral traits. Just like racial, gender, and cultural diversity, variations in neurotypes are natural and valuable forms of human diversity!  Someone who is neurodivergent diverges from the dominant social standards of typical neurocognitive functioning. These differences might include:  -ADHD -Autism -Dyslexia -Dyspraxia -Down Syndrome Contrary to the term neurodivergent, the term neurotypical refers to an individual whose neurocognitive functioning falls within the societal standards of typical. If your family includes individuals who are...

12:20 / Child Therapy / Guest Post / Individual Therapy / Inspiration / Relationships / Self Care / Students / Therapy / Uncategorised / Uncategorized
23 May

As of 2020, there were 8 million kids in Canada. Can you guess what these youth all had in common? The answer is: their rights! November 20th is National Child Day in Canada, and it is on this day that we honour the rights of these children and carry on our faithfulness to supporting these rights. According to Children First Canada, there are 12 main areas of child rights that everyone should know. I will not go through all of them,...

18:00 / Guest Post / Therapy / Uncategorised / Uncategorized
18 Nov

Guest Post By: Alyssa Sinicropi November 20th is National Child Day in Canada and World Children’s Day across the globe. This date commemorates when the UN General Assembly adopted the Declaration of the Rights of the Child in 1959 and when they adopted the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1989. While the United Nations set a universal standard for human rights in 1948 with the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, children’s legal rights were recognized...

21:05 / Guest Post / Students / Uncategorised / Uncategorized
29 Sep

The National Day for Truth and Reconciliation (September 30), also known as Orange Shirt Day, honours the children who never returned and Survivors of the residential school system. It recognizes the ongoing impacts of the residential school system on Survivors, their families and communities.  The colour orange was chosen because of Phyllis Webstad’s experiences. She wore a brand new orange shirt for her first day of school at the St. Joseph Mission Residential School, outside of Williams Lake, BC in 1973....

21:30 / Uncategorised / Uncategorized
15 Nov

Self Care 101 Self-care isn’t selfish. “Self-care is giving the world the best of you instead of what’s left of you”  - Katie Reed.  Self-care… What does it really mean? Self-care is a term that has been thrown around a lot lately, especially during the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic. Employers, teachers, professionals, family, and other parents have all been pushing this idea of taking care of yourself because it’s becoming more known of how important mental health is, and how some...

15:23 / Child Therapy / Guest Post / Self Care / Uncategorised / Uncategorized
16 Oct

Play therapy is an innovative and effective form of therapy for individuals of all ages, particularly for children whose natural form of expression comes through play. Play therapy dates back to the 1940s. It is usually done in a non-directive, child-centered format. Self-directed, child-centered play therapy means that the child is the center of attention. They are the most important person in this setting and are completely in charge of the situation and themselves. There are no suggestions, mandates, restraints, criticisms,...

21:34 / Child Therapy / Guest Post / Therapy / Uncategorised / Uncategorized
24 Aug

Covid-19 has brought astronomical levels of disruption and uncertainty. It’s like we are all wearing a 20lb weight vest. Although we are all in the same storm, we are not in the same boat so that vest may be heavier for some than others. Nonetheless we’re all impacted.  One group that has faced significant disruption is athletes. When this group is discussed we may automatically think of professional sports organizations who had altered seasons, or elite athletes having to wait another...

08:13 / Child Therapy / Guest Post / Uncategorized
28 Mar

March marks the one-year anniversary of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is safe to say that everyone has been impacted in one way or another, including children. Children have experienced changes in their routine, missed significant life events, loss of security and safety, along with many more challenges based on the family’s unique situation. Ask yourself: Are you physically and socially distancing from a grandparent or other loved one? Has your child had a disruption in their school or learning...

17:26 / Child Therapy / Grief / Guest Post / Uncategorised
07 Mar

Guest Blogger: Sarah Nyland, Certified Child Life Specialist WHAT IS A CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST? HOW CAN A CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST HELP MY FAMILY? Children process stress and trauma in many different ways, depending on their age and development, that is very different than adults. Child life specialist understand the developmental impact of trauma and assist children and their families when dealing with an illness, trauma, or loss (death, divorce, or relocation). Child life specialists are trained professionals with expertise in...

18:40 / Child Therapy / Guest Post