Shawna Bernath, MS, LMFT

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Things we discuss in my office are identifying body sensations and scaling emotions. A child’s body often gives us and t...
09/10/2026

Things we discuss in my office are identifying body sensations and scaling emotions. A child’s body often gives us and them clues before their behavior reaches a 10.

Noticing those early signs: tight fists, a change in voice, tears, wanting to leave can help us recognize, “Their body is starting to have a hard time,” and respond before things get bigger. Helping them with co-regulation can drastically impact their emotional dysregulation before it becomes unmanageable for them and for you.

What do you notice FIRST when your child starts getting overwhelmed?

Understanding what’s happening underneath the reaction can help parents respond with more calm, connection, and curiosit...
09/09/2026

Understanding what’s happening underneath the reaction can help parents respond with more calm, connection, and curiosity. 🌿💜

Children can notice shifts in others facial expressions, tone, and body language very quickly. When their brain reads those cues as danger or disapproval, emotions can jump from 0 ➡️ 10 before they’ve had time to slow down and think.

What does your child pick up on fastest?

09/08/2026

It will be okay.💜

Remind yourself to just breathe and take it one step at a time. Be kind to yourself, there’s still time to go back to whatever you were doing.

Not just in times of stress, but in those slower moments, too.

Intentional breathing can help:
🌬️ Lower stress and tension
🌬️ Slow a racing heart
🌬️ Improve focus
🌬️ Support emotional regulation
🌬️ Create space before reacting

Sometimes the first sign that a child is struggling is simply a change.Changes in mood, behavior, relationships, or dail...
09/07/2026

Sometimes the first sign that a child is struggling is simply a change.

Changes in mood, behavior, relationships, or daily functioning can be a signal to look a little closer. Warning signs aren’t a checklist, and you know your child’s baseline.

If something feels different, get curious, stay connected, and don’t be afraid to ask directly about su***de.

If you’re concerned, reach out to a licensed mental health professional for additional support.

Call or text 988 for immediate crisis support. 💜

✨This post is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for individualized mental health assessment or therapy.✨

***deawareness ***deawarenessmonth ***deawarenessprevention

When a child loses a friend to su***de, in my office there is no one “right” way for therapy to look. 💜When working with...
09/04/2026

When a child loses a friend to su***de, in my office there is no one “right” way for therapy to look. 💜

When working with younger kids, supporting them may happen through drawing, playing, remembering, asking hard questions, preparing for difficult moments, strengthening connection with safe adults, and making space for whatever grief looks like that day.

Therapy isn’t about pushing a child to talk about the loss. It’s about meeting them where they are and helping them feel safe enough to process it in their own way and at their own pace. It takes time to heal and growing through what they go through.

✨These are just a few examples of what therapeutic support may look like and are not a replacement for individualized mental health care.✨

If you’re concerned about a child’s immediate safety, call or text 988 for the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline.

***depreventionmonth ***desupport

09/03/2026

September is Su***de Prevention Awareness Month. 💜

When a child loses a friend to su***de, it can be difficult to know how to support them after they experience something traumatic.

💜Here are 5️⃣ things that can help💜
1️⃣ Make space
Keep the door open for conversations about their friend and their grief.
2️⃣ Listen without fixing
Give them room to experience and express what they’re feeling without trying to take the feelings away.
3️⃣ Gently address guilt
Help them work through thoughts about what they should have known, noticed, or done differently.
4️⃣ Stay connected
Continue providing routine and predictability while offering extra flexibility, connection, and check-ins.
5️⃣ Ask directly
If you’re concerned about their safety, it’s okay to ask clearly: “Have you been thinking about su***de?”

Grief looks different for every child, and these are only a few ways parents can offer support and connection along the way. If you need additional support, contact a local therapist who can provide a place to navigate through grief, guilt, and the many emotions that may follow a su***de loss.

✨The information shared here is intended to provide general education and support and is not a replacement for individualized assessment or therapy.✨

If you or someone you know needs immediate emotional or crisis support in Colorado, call or text 988. If there is an immediate danger or life-threatening emergency, call 911.💜

***depreventionmonth ***depreventionawareness ***desupport

Emotional regulation doesn’t happen overnight. It grows through practice, connection, and consistency. 💚 Small moments o...
08/31/2026

Emotional regulation doesn’t happen overnight. It grows through practice, connection, and consistency. 💚

Small moments of support today help your child build skills they’ll be able to use independently later. 🌱

What helps your child calm down when BIG feelings hit?

Just a mid week reminder. 💕✨Therapy provide many different things each session. I hope to support the progress, not perf...
08/27/2026

Just a mid week reminder. 💕✨

Therapy provide many different things each session. I hope to support the progress, not perfection, of stills and build resilience through mistakes.

Small shifts are still progress… and they’re worth noticing. 🫶🏻✨💕
08/21/2026

Small shifts are still progress… and they’re worth noticing. 🫶🏻✨💕

08/20/2026

✨Say this Instead: “That’s Weird” Edition✨

Our words matter, and how we say them matters too. Words like “weird,” especially when paired with a surprised, critical, or dismissive tone, can unintentionally communicate judgment and cause a child to pull back or stop sharing. Choosing more curious language, such as “That’s interesting. Tell me more,” along with a calm, open tone communicates, “I’m listening, and I want to understand.”

When children experience curiosity instead of judgment, they are more likely to keep talking and let us into their world. These small moments of connection help children feel safe, understood, and supported in sharing their thoughts, feelings, interests, and experiences.

“The way we interact with our kids when they’re upset significantly affects how their brains develop.” - Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D., No-Drama Discipline

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Castle Rock, CO
80104, 80108, 80109

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