Joelle Bangsund, LCSW, LLC

07/23/2026

Sign me up.

Apparently, there’s a new lifestyle trend going around that’s taking a page out of France’s book. The “French Sunday” is the ultimate act of self-care—and it’s even simpler than you might realize.

A “French Sunday” is a wholesome lifestyle trend that stresses the importance of unwinding and relaxing in the ways we most crave. In France, Sundays are treated as days of rest and relaxation, as well as family time. Many shops and supermarkets close on this day, encouraging residents and visitors to slow down and enjoy some downtime.

“The French Sunday is this very simple idea: that we can use our time the way we want to, in ways that truly restore us,” says Alex Snider, facilitator at Slow Mindfulness, contributing author for Psychology Today, and author of “Sometimes You Should Be Late: The quiet rebellion of slowing down in a world obsessed with speed” (July 7, 2026). “We don’t have to treat a weekend—or a Sunday—as something we need to optimize or be productive during. We can create our own stories about what ‘time well spent’ means.”

“The French are great at this. They have long, lingering meals. Even in Paris, lunch conversations during the workweek can often be quite spacious,” Snider continues. “And while French families have the same errands that families outside of France have, there’s also a bit more of a permission structure to simply hang out in the park and have long meals with family.”

This is one wellness trend I can wholeheartedly get behind.

07/14/2026

Being grounded doesn’t mean nothing affects you. It means you can feel disappointment, anger, grief, or fear without letting the emotion make every decision for you. Emotions are messengers, but if they escalate they can also hijack our brains (the tsunami of hormones taking over the amygdala, and disabling the prefrontal cortex).

But you can pause. You can listen to what the feeling is trying to show you. Do some deep breathing (inhale for 4 , exhale for 6 to engage the parasympathetic nervous system so things calm down). And then you can choose your response with greater clarity.

"Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.” - Viktor Frankl

This is not about denying our emotions or becoming numb. The idea is to become steady enough to stay connected to ourselves, even when life feels difficult.

What helps you return to yourself when your emotions feel overwhelming?

Drop a 💛 if you think have a strategy or are open to one

07/11/2026

THIS.

🤍

07/10/2026

The Mental Health Association is now offering pro bono services to youth and children in addition to uninsuredadults.

💚 Every young person deserves support, understanding, and access to care.

If your child or teen is struggling with stress, anxiety, depression, emotional changes, or other mental health challenges, you don’t have to navigate it alone. MHACF’s Youth and Family Services Program is here to help children, teens, and families feel supported on the path toward healing and well-being.

Our FREE Youth and Family Services Program provides counseling for uninsured and underinsured youth ages 6–17. Through compassionate, family-centered care, we help empower both youth and caregivers with the tools, support, and resources they need to thrive.

🫂 Support your child’s mental well-being today.

Learn more and complete a referral form:
🌐 mhacf.org/youth-and-family-services

06/27/2026

A decade ago, my son Cameron died. In the years that followed, the single thing that changed everything for me was learning how to make room for my grief, instead of constantly fighting it.

It’s a practice I still commit to today.

Because here is the reality: grieving is a skill we build and keep practicing. It’s how we keep our grief manageable, so it's not the one running the show—you are. Your grief and your life can coexist, and practicing this is how you make that happen.

But I know how exhausting it is. You don’t have the energy for a heavy book or a complicated program.

That’s why I created DearGrief.

Think of it as a physical care package delivered right to your door every month… a big hug arriving right where your grief lives and is felt the most. It’s designed to help you build and maintain that same daily practice, without it feeling like an overwhelming chore.

Every month, I personally curate an envelope experience filled with love and total support:

💌 Words that Deeply Resonate: A letter with heartfelt words from a mom who walks this path every single day right alongside you.

🌱 Zero-Effort Tools: Bite-sized ways to make the heavy, loud days feel just a little more manageable. You don't have to think. You just have to open the envelope.

✨ Intentional Rituals & Activities: Dedicated things to help you pause, breathe, navigate who you are now, and tune into your child's presence in your everyday life.

❤ Hope & Encouragement: A soft place to land and an ongoing reminder that you are not alone, and it's OK to be exactly where you are.

Over time, these envelopes naturally accumulate into a physical toolbox you can reach into whenever you need it most.

Whether you are searching for a way to survive today, or you are years down the road looking for a beautiful, sacred ritual to honor your loss and practice self-care… DearGrief meets you exactly where you are, regardless of how long it's been.

I am so incredibly excited for you to finally see it. ❤

Comment LETTER for all the details.

06/27/2026

This is so accurate, for everyone. Spouses/significant others, children, friends, family. Love your people.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DZuamWSEp5m/?img_index=1&igsh=MWgwNWl4MjR0MDZkYw==

06/25/2026

06/24/2026

06/15/2026

I i’m sorry to hear of his passing, Ilearned so very much from Mr. Landreth. 

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Garry L. Landreth, EdD, LPC, RPT-S. While the world knew him as a foundational pioneer, author, and beloved leader in the play therapy community, his greatest pride and joy was his family. Garry was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, and our thoughts are foremost with his loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.

Garry dedicated his life to championing the emotional lives of children through his teaching, research, and unwavering mentorship that will continue to inspire generations of professionals. As the founder of the Center for Play Therapy at the University of North Texas and a longtime, cherished pillar of the Association for Play Therapy, Garry helped shape the play therapy profession from the ground up. His groundbreaking work in Child-Centered Play Therapy and his influential book, Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship, taught us all how to truly connect with the healing power of a child's world.

To the APT community, Garry was so much more than a leader in play therapy. He shared his knowledge as a teacher, his wisdom as a mentor, and his heart as a friend. His strong sense of humility and deep belief in the capacity of every child to heal left an indelible mark on everyone who had the privilege of knowing him.

Garry’s remarkable legacy lives on through the thousands of clinicians, he trained the countless children and families touched by his legacy, and the gentle wisdom he brought to our field.

On behalf of the Association for Play Therapy, we extend our deepest, most heartfelt condolences to his family, his friends, his former students, and all those around the world who are mourning this immense loss.

05/22/2026

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