MindKind

A developmental researcher, Nancy Eisenberg, has theorized there are three ways in which parents socialize their children’s emotional competence skills:

Modeling – showing children what to do through one’s own behavior

Emotion coaching – talking with and teaching children about emotion and emotion-related behaviors

Reactions to children’s emotions – parental reactions to children’s expressions of emotions

Overall, parents’ general positive emotional expression (e.g., happiness/joy, calm), “safe” expression of negative emotions (e.g., anger, fear), encouraging reactions to children’s emotions, and openness to and expertise in talking about emotions, help their children become emotionally competent.

When parents utilize more effective emotion regulation strategies, children tend to learn and use these strategies as well.

Consider the ideal way in which you would like your child to express, understand, and regulate emotions. How can you model, coach, and react to your children’s emotions in ways that teach them skills of emotional competence?

Hello! I am Dr. Brittany Mathews (pronouns: she/her/hers), the owner at MindKind, LLC. I am a Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychologist and licensed to provide psychological services in the state of Wisconsin plus 41 other U.S. states (via PsyPact). I am passionate about providing holistic, science-backed mental health care to youth. I provide virtual assessment and therapy services for children, adolescents, young adults, and parents. I also see clients in-person when necessary . I take a whole-person approach that views each individual in the context of their broader world (e.g., family, community, culture), and I flexibly adapt evidence-based treatments to meet each individual’s needs. I aim to work from a cultural humility framework, provide LGBTQ+ affirming care, and celebrate each individual’s identity.

If you’re interested in establishing psychology services for your child or yourself, please click the link in my bio to learn more and schedule a free consultation! I would love to work with you!

Photo credit: GM.Creative .creativephoto 💙🩵

Disclaimer: Content provided on this social media platform is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only. Information is not provided as mental health or medical advice. Your engagement with this social media account is not therapy and does not establish a therapeutic relationship. Communication on social media is not confidential. Please do not share your private information with me here. If you are interested in my professional psychology services, please contact me via my HIPAA-compliant website: www.mindkindpsychology.com (link in bio).

There is a lot of conversation around big feelings in kids, but what really is emotion??

Emotion has been defined in the developmental research literature as “a subjective reaction to a salient event, characterized by physiological, experiential, and behavioral changes.” What does this mean? Each individual has their own reaction to their environment. They react to events that are meaningful to them and grab their attention. Changes in the body (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, sweat production, breathing rate), the personal experience of what emotion feels like, and behavior (e.g., fight vs flight, facial expressions, body posture) can occur when an emotion is felt.

Emotions serve the purpose of helping kids adapt to their environment, get their needs met, and maintain their well-being. Emotions are adaptive and have helped humans survive and thrive for thousands of years.

There is typically a function or purpose behind each emotion. The next time your child is experiencing big feelings, try to look for the function of that emotion and help meet their true need.

Join me tomorrow, April 4, at 10:00 at for a talk on how we can help children with their big feelings! The target audience for the talk is caregivers of children under 6, but much of the content will also be relevant to older children. Feel free to bring your little ones with you. I’m so looking forward to this discussion.

One week away! Come out to the Hartland Public Library and chat with me about helpings little kids with their big emotions!

Dr. Brittany Mathews, PhD, a child and adolescent psychologist, presents on how to help young children with big feelings. This presentation will cover the basics of emotional development and provide strategies for talking with young children about their emotions. Parents are welcome to bring their children with them to this event!

Happy .

🦋May you be happy.

🦋 May you be healthy.

🦋 May you be safe.

🦋 May you live with ease.