Heart 2 Mind Therapy

As much as we say we don’t want to be anything like our parents, truth of the matter is: we either are exactly like them or nothing like them.

We try to navigate our entire life since we launch from home, becoming our own people and discovering who we really are. Many times in this process, we see how different we are from our parents, and how much growth we’ve done from our youth to age of maturity; or we tend to feel just like our parents, mirroring same behaviors, mannerisms and patterns as we recall from our childhood.

Trauma dictates how our journey goes and changes. Emotional disconnect dictates how we love or cannot love. Attentiveness dictates how present and regulated we are as parents or not. In fact, so much of how we develop is engrained in us from our early childhood. We have no ability to see outside the way we were raised until we are challenged with opposing relationships (friends, partners, employers, children, adult family relationships) or wanting something different.

However, what triggers in us as parents once we have children, is something brand new that has never been experienced before. You’re challenged with parenting yourself. Many of us try to make an active effort to be a certain “type” of parent, but the reality is, that in moments of complete distress, overwhelm, and chaos, your instinctual reaction is to parent the way you were parented.

It takes making an active effort to reverse the engrained traumas, neglect, abuse, emotional disconnect and so much more familial dysfunction. This dysfunction has been passed down for generations. Acknowledging them is the first step to breaking them. It takes time to reverse years of one way of knowing.

Forgive yourself. Take a breath. Evaluate why you are having a reaction. Readjust yourself. Set the expectation. Then parent to follow through without reacting.

Many times as parents, we feel the need to control our children’s behaviors out of embarrassment, shame, guilt, fear or simple frustration. You’re not alone in this 👋🏼 we all do it!!!

But did you know that the more you actually try to control the behavior, the worse they get? That’s why it’s important to understand the function of your child’s behavior to learn the appropriate responses to provide, in order to help navigate 🗺️ minimize ⬇️ and stop 🛑 behaviors from escalating!

Hello 👋🏼 and welcome to my page! If you’ve been here awhile, thank you! If you’re new… welcome! 🤗

My name is Jennifer Ray, but I’ve always preferred Jenny 😉 I have been specializing in children for over 20 years now! I began my journey in college, when my sister was newly diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I always knew my passion was with children, but it was then that I found my purpose!

I began a career in working with children with special needs, in a variety of capacities. I worked as a behavioral specialist, floortime therapist, social skills coordinator, 1:1 within the school districts and a parent behavioral trainer. It was through this journey that I realized the importance and value of mental health in children. After 8 years, I went back to graduate school and received masters in psychology with an emphasis in Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy in 2009.

Since then, I have practiced as a marriage and family therapist specializing in children, teens and families. I earned my intern hours working with varying school districts. Now, I have my own private practice, located in Encino, CA since 2014, continuing with my passion in working with children, teens and families.

So true 🥰🤪💜

via https://www.instagram.com/never_empty_nest

☀️Our gorgeous issue 49 is on sale in both NZ, Australia and the UK Every store-bought copy comes with a special Journal to document your baby’s first year and note down those special moments! There’s milestone cards, a beautiful first year experiences colouring in section and lots of space to write. Issue 49 is also available to purchase locally and internationally online: https://thenaturalparentmagazine.com/product-category/shop/magazine ☀️

👋🏼 😫Does parenting feel overwhelming?🫣

☀️ Struggle with morning or night routines? 🌙

📣 Tired of back talk? 📢

🙅‍♀️ Feel like you’re continually in a power struggle?🤝

😭 Do you struggle with meltdowns or tantrums regularly? 😤

🖐🏼 Do you struggle with physical aggression? 🦶

🎙Sound like a broken record?🎙

If you answered yes ✅ to any of these, this workshop 📓 is the answer for you!

👋🏼 Come join me in learning a brand new way to navigate parenting and challenging behaviors with ease! With over 20 years of experience in working with children and families 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 I will break down the science 🧪 of behaviors and help navigating 🧭 the most challenging parts of raising children!

🚨 Reserve your spot today as space is limited🚨

Click the link below to register or share! ⬇️