Amy Bryant, Wild Child Counseling

06/19/2026

PDA families will relate to this. Trying to figure out how to center on safety, relationship and autonomy all at once is a challenge in itself, without all the pressure from the world telling them they’re doing it wrong or causing harm.

06/19/2026

Actor Wilson Cruz is standing up for q***r students. He’s on the 2026 TIME Visionaries list, which recognizes those working to better the lives of children. Presented by W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

In 1994, at 20 years old, Wilson Cruz became the first out gay actor to play an out lead character on U.S. primetime television: 15-year-old Enrique “Rickie” Vasquez on ‘My So-Called Life’. Cruz, like his character, had experienced bouts of bullying and homelessness in high school, and had never seen similar experiences portrayed onscreen. “That was the power of Rickie Vasquez—he was going to allow people to see themselves for the first time,” he says.

On and offscreen, he has advocated for the LGBTQ+ community for decades.

In 2023, Cruz joined Glisten as chair of its board of directors. In the role, he has helped advance the organization's mission of making K-12 schools safer for LGBTQ+ students by combating discrimination, harassment, and bullying based on s*xual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.

The challenges facing LGBTQ+ students underscore the stakes of Cruz and Glisten's work. According to the ACLU, there are 530 active bills targeting LGBTQ rights in the U.S. relating to curriculum censorship, school sports bans, gender-affirming care bans, and more.

Read more here: https://time.com/collection/visionaries/2026/wilson-cruz/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=kellogg&utm_content=160626

06/13/2026

Gender affirming care is su***de prevention.

“It’s basic biology” is often a phrase used to end a conversation, not start one.

The reality is that biology is anything but simple.

The more scientists learn about genetics, hormones, brain development, and human diversity, the more we discover that nature doesn’t always fit neatly into the categories we learned as children.

Acknowledging complexity isn’t rejecting science — it’s following the evidence wherever it leads.

ALSO ... You don’t have to understand every aspect of s*x and gender to treat people with dignity and respect.

But if we’re going to talk about biology, we should be willing to engage with what biology actually says, not just what we learned in middle school.

💜 Learning is not a weakness.
💜 Curiosity is not a threat.
💜 And treating people with kindness costs nothing.

06/12/2026

06/12/2026

Are you trying to be conscious — but not punitive —and wondering where the boundaries are? I'm so there with you! As kids grow and change, we get LOTS of practice setting compassionate limits - don't we? 🥴

Sometimes we put a lot of thought into what we want our children to be (kind, responsible, caring, etc.) but less consideration into what it actually takes to instill those qualities.

Trying to be conscious - but not punitive? Watch the video here 👉🏻 https://signup.teach-through-love.com/posts/video-trying-to-be-conscious-but-not-punitive-1

06/11/2026

One of the most heartbreaking things we hear from LGBTQ+ people is this:

“There was a time when I went to bed hoping I wouldn’t wake up.”

Not because they were LGBTQ+.

Not because they were gay, le***an, bis*xual, transgender, or nonbinary.

But because they had been taught that who they were was wrong.

Wrong to love.
Wrong to exist.
Wrong to be themselves.

When a message causes people to hate themselves so deeply that they wish they could disappear, it’s worth asking whether that message reflects truth, compassion, or love.

As parents, grandparents, family members, friends, and people of faith, we should never be comfortable with beliefs that leave people feeling hopeless, ashamed, or unworthy of life itself.

Everyone deserves to grow up knowing they are loved.

Everyone deserves to know they have value.

And no one should ever go to bed believing the world would be better without them in it.

That’s one of the reasons Pride matters.

Because visibility matters.
Acceptance matters.
Belonging matters.

And sometimes the simple message, “You are loved and celebrated exactly as you are,” can be the difference between despair and hope. 🩷

06/10/2026

Pride month is a celebration, a recognition of worth, a form of encouragement, and an opportunity to see, support and accept people for who they are.

06/08/2026

When a child’s developmental abilities aren’t matched with what the environment expects, they can become dysregulated. When we push beyond what their nervous system can handle, whether it’s sensory overload, motor demands, or social expectations, this mismatch can heighten stress and reduce participation. "Meet kids where they are" is not just a soundbyte, it's necessary for connection, regulation and engagement.

06/07/2026

Everyone deserves a safe and loving home and community.

See the 🔗 in my bio or WildChildCounseling(dot)com 💜 Follow