Egan Empowered counseling

Egan Empowered counseling BIPOC, inclusive, EMDR trained therapist in the Denver metro area. Private pay with sliding scale for those who qualify. Guinness is the co therapist 🐶🐾

08/04/2026

It’s so easy to take the bait when a power struggle starts. But remember: an ADHD brain often seeks out high intensity stimulation and negative attention still counts as stimulation. 🛑

Instead of feeding the cycle by arguing or lecturing, try stepping out of the ring. Here is what to do instead:

1. Drop the rope: Refuse to match their intensity. You don't have to win the argument or get the last word.

2. Lower your volume and slow down: Speak softly and move slowly. Your calm nervous system acts as the anchor they can borrow from.

3. Pivot to a neutral reset: Offer a low-demand physical shift—like grabbing a drink of water together, stepping outside for a breath of fresh air, or changing the scenery.

4. Postpone the lesson: Wait until the nervous system is fully settled before trying to fix, lecture, or teach. Connection always comes before correction.

What’s your go-to strategy when a power struggle pops up? Let me know below! 👇🏾🫶🏾💖

08/03/2026

When a child is spanked to "teach them a lesson," what does their developing brain actually learn about safety? 🧠⚡️

Decades of research in neuroscience and developmental psychology show a clear picture: physical punishment doesn’t teach self regulation or safe behavior it activates survival mode.

Here is what is truly happening in a child's brain during and after physical punishment:

✨The Amygdala Hijack: The brain's threat detector goes into overdrive. Instead of processing why a behavior was wrong, the brain focuses entirely on self-defense and fear.

✨Confusion Around "Safety": Safety is meant to come from connection and predictability. When the person who is supposed to protect you is also the source of pain, it confuses the developing nervous system, muddying the concept of who is safe to trust.

✨Behavioral Compliance vs. Real Understanding: Spanking may stop a behavior in the moment out of fear, but it fails to build the neural pathways needed for problem-solving, emotional regulation, and long-term impulse control.

Real safety teaches kids how to navigate big emotions, not how to hide them out of fear.

🌱 Shift the lens: Discipline isn't about punishment; it’s about teaching. When we regulate alongside our children, we build brains capable of true resilience and emotional safety.

What alternative approaches to discipline have you found most helpful in your home?

Let’s talk about it in the comments. 👇🏾🫶🏾💖

08/02/2026

The harder they push, the more they need you to stay anchored. ⚓️

When your child's behavior is triggering every nerve you have, your nervous system is screaming. But remember: behavior is a SOS, not a personal attack.

Read through for 3 quick steps to regulate your nervous system first so you can handle the storm together. ☁️✨

✨1. Drop the drop-shoulder & exhale: Drop your shoulders away from your ears and take one slow, exaggerated exhale that is longer than your inhale. This physically signals to your brain that you are safe, stopping the fight-or-flight response in its tracks.

✨2. Name the story to tame it: Silently name what is happening without the drama: "We are both overwhelmed right now. They are having a hard time, they are not giving me a hard time."

✨3. Plant your feet: Feel your feet firmly on the ground. When everything around you feels chaotic and spinning, physical grounding helps anchor your body so you can remain the calm in their storm.

If you are feeling completely tapped out or like you’re running on empty, you don't have to white knuckle your way through parenthood. Grab my Navigating and Preventing Parent Burnout Guide to help you refill your cup and find your footing again. 🌱✨

Check out the link below for a how to guide for navigating and preventing parent burnout 💖

Save this for the next time you feel a meltdown coming on. 🤍

🔗 Link: https://stan.store/eganempoweredcounseling

08/01/2026

August hits different. It’s entirely bittersweet.

On one hand, I’ve deeply soaked up the slower rhythm of this summer. Especially working just three days a week and having extra space to breathe, slow down, and just be.

And then there’s August.

Let’s be honest: August is basically the ultimate Sunday scaries of the school year. It’s that unmistakable mental shift signaling it’s time to head back to the daily grind.

But as the routine starts creeping back in, I keep coming back to one thought: how lucky am I to have paths and work that I truly, deeply love?

Here’s to closing out summer with gratitude, embracing the transition, and diving right back into what fills my cup. 🤍✨

(P.S. Guinness is ready for the hustle, too. 🐾)

☀️

07/31/2026

If you can name it, you can tame it! 🧠

Expanding our emotional vocabulary changes everything from how we communicate our needs to how we process our experiences in real time.

When we rely on catch all autopilot words like "good," we accidentally keep our inner world at arm's length, missing out on the vital data our nervous system is trying to send us.

Trading in surface level answers for something with a little more truth to it isn't just about semantics. It's about giving ourselves (and our kids!) the exact tools we need to feel truly understood.

Helping kids build that rich emotional vocabulary starts right at home with the questions we ask.

Here are a few of my favorite go-to questions to swap out for the generic "How was your day? / Good":

✨ “When did you feel the most proud of yourself today?"

✨ "Did anything feel heavy or sticky today that we can shake off together?"

✨ "Where do you feel that emotion in your body right now?"

✨ "What was something that surprised you today?"

Save this post for your next car ride or dinner table conversation 🫶🏾.

Comment "RESOURCES" below and I'll automatically send the direct link to my complete parenting toolkits and workbooks straight to your DMs! 💬✨

People often think a therapy dog's only job is to quietly sleep next to someone or to not ever be able to make a mistake...
07/31/2026

People often think a therapy dog's only job is to quietly sleep next to someone or to not ever be able to make a mistake.

But a true co-therapist does so much more than that.

Here is what Guinness actually brings to the therapeutic space:

🐾 Teaching Boundaries: Learning how to read her cues and respect her space translates directly into understanding personal boundaries and consent in human relationships. It also empowers kids to set their own boundaries with her. Whether that means deciding if they don’t want kisses or when she’s getting a little too close.

🐾 Grace for Mistakes: When Guinness makes a typical dog mistake, it provides a safe, gentle opening to learn that mistakes don't make you a bad human they are just part of being alive.

🐾 Unconditional Love: She offers a steady, affectionate presence that wraps around clients with pure warmth, reminding them what it feels like to be cared for completely as they are.

🐾 Somatic Regulation: Her physical presence and steady breathing help naturally ground the nervous system, lower heart rates, and soothe anxiety from the inside out.

🐾 Beyond Words: She teaches that communication isn't always about using our words, offering a non-verbal outlet for connection when feelings are too big or complex to speak.

🐾 Unconditional Acceptance: She brings a profoundly non-judgmental space, allowing clients to drop their armor, silence their inner critic, and exist without fear of criticism or expectation.

🐾 Distress Tolerance & Resilience: Watching her rest patiently through heavy moments or navigate minor stressors models healthy emotional endurance and self-soothing.

🐾 The Joy of Simple Basics: Whether it’s the fresh air and side-by-side rhythm of a walk or the simple mindfulness of pausing to make sure we’re drinking enough water, she reminds us how much physical care matters.

🐾 Lifelong Learning: She proves that growth and learning are always possible, no matter where you start.

A therapy dog isn't just a decoration in the room…She's an active, compassionate partner in the healing journey. 🐾💛

Especially when she’s half German short hair pointer and half Labrador 🤪🫣💖

Welcome to my brain this week, where we alternate between profound psychological breakthroughs and surviving entirely on...
07/31/2026

Welcome to my brain this week, where we alternate between profound psychological breakthroughs and surviving entirely on iced coffee and stubbornness.

Because let’s be honest: whether we are breaking generational cycles or trying to survive the toddler trenches, the human experience is messy.

A little snapshot of what this looked like this week:

✨ "Butts are for pooping, not for excuses." — Look, boundaries start young, and sometimes you just have to name it.

✨ "Right now, the top priorities are connection and repair." — Perfection is a myth. The magic isn’t in never messing up, it’s in how we come back together.

✨ "Love that for you." — always cheering my clients on 💖🫶🏾

✨ "People are unwell." — A reminder that most of the time, people's behavior is about them, not us. Protect your peace.

✨"We want tiny humans to grow up and do the right thing because it’s the right thing, not because of fear." — We are raising emotionally intelligent humans, not professional rule followers.

Which one of these is your personal theme of the week? Let me know below. 👇🏾🫶🏾💖

07/30/2026

Forget everything you know about traditional behavior assessments. If you really want to see someone’s emotional regulation and frustration tolerance in action, deal them a hand of UNO. 🔄

It's fascinating how quickly a harmless card game can test our impulse control, boundary setting, and ability to stay grounded when the universe hands us a Wild Draw 4.

Behind every competitive game night is a secret little lesson in distress tolerance.

Be honest: are you breathing through the chaos, or are you ready to flip the table?

07/30/2026

Mid August is sneaking up fast, which means the back to school transition is officially on the horizon! 🎒✨

If you’re parenting a neurodivergent kiddo, you already know that August doesn’t just mean buying fresh notebooks and pencils. It means preparing for a massive shift in routine, energy demands, and sensory overload.

Instead of waiting for the last-minute scramble, here are a few gentle ways to start prepping now:

✨Ease back into rhythms slowly: Shift bedtime and wake-up windows by 10–15 minutes every few days rather than shocking the system the night before the first bell.

✨Create a visual landing pad: Set up a dedicated drop zone for backpacks, shoes, and chargers to minimize executive dysfunction panic during chaotic mornings.

✨Keep communication open: Talk through what they are excited about and what worries them about the new classroom environment.

You don’t have to navigate this transition flying blind. My step-by-step roadmap workbook is designed specifically to help you build a calmer, more predictable routine that honors your child’s unique brain.

Link in the comments 👇🏾🫶🏾💖

07/29/2026

The mental gymnastics required in child therapy are Olympic-level. 🤸🏽‍♀️😂

Working with kids means your agenda goes out the window about five minutes after the session starts. And honestly, that's where the best moments happen. Kids have this incredible, uninhibited way of speaking their minds, and our biggest job is to create a space where everything is welcome.

The beauty of this work is the unconditional acceptance. When kids feel a total lack of judgment from the adults in their lives, they feel safe enough to voice every random thought, big worry, or wild curiosity that crosses their minds. Rolling with the unexpected is how we build trust. If we can laugh together at a sudden shift from playing kitchen to completely unexpected life questions, they know they can bring us the heavy stuff too.

Here’s to the kids who keep us on our toes, remind us not to take ourselves too seriously, and always keep things interesting.

What's the funniest unexpected pivot a kid has given you lately? 👇🏾

Address

3333 South Bannock Street
Englewood, CO
80110

Telephone

+17209241885

Website

,

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Egan Empowered counseling posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Egan Empowered counseling:

Shortcuts

Share

Category