Laura Fish Therapy

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Laura Fish Therapy Teaching and Parenting based on science, not habit. Help children feel seen, soothed, safe, & secure.

09/25/2026

Protect your sleep. It is the foundation of your rest ethic.

Yes, everyone is different, but no you are not doing "fine" on 5 hours sleep. Your body is suffering and so is your mind.

Research does show that the body and mind need 7-9 hours sleep on average to truly recover. To allow the restoration needed to function optimally.

On top of that, we also need rest. How much? That depends on how much stress you are taking on.

If you struggle with sleep like so many adults, find someone like myself to help. There are practices you can do throughout the day to prepare your body to sleep.

You don't have to do this alone!












09/24/2026

Got stress? Yeah, everyone seems to be struggling these days.

It's partly because we don't commit to rest. We are habituated to go go go go go behavior.

But you can pause the madness and take a break. Yes, even with three or more children.

It starts with being aware of ways to bring down your stress that don't take a lot of time:

1. A five minute breath practice
2. A three minute meditation
3. Mindfulness as you do an activity like wash dishes, pack lunches, or fold laundry...this is a "rest" because focusing on just ONE THING helps give our nervous system a break. Multi-tasking is a stressor!
3. Taking a walk outside: as you do, take in the sensory impressions. Sights, sounds, smells, taste and touch. Avoid taking a call or planning as you walk. Just notice...

There are plenty of other options. Rest and recovery can be active and/or embedded into your life. Don't know how?

Reach out for support. I am happy to help.












09/23/2026

Yes, life can be stressful.

And yet, I find some people become over-identified with that stress. Meaning, it starts to be how you see yourself. So you take it on versus avoiding it.

With this, you may forego opportunities to rest because you see yourself as a person who is always doing, always helping, always on the go.

It is part of your identity.

What would happen if you also saw yourself as a person who takes breaks, who models for their children time for themselves, someone who avoids burnout by taking time to restore?

The identity shifts to someone who creates balance in their life, sets boundaries, protects their peace, and shows the world that their needs matter JUST AS MUCH as others.

Some of my clients tell me, "But Laura even if I paused, what do I "do" to rest/recover?"

There are so many easy to access, simple to use tools for nervous system reset. If you are seeing a therapist ask for these tools.....if you are not, try accessing a mental health professional to learn the tools.

I am happy to help if you are in California. If not, stay tuned here. I will offer more free tips!

Life is about habits...create a rest habit starting today!












09/22/2026

But YOU don't need rest, right? Check out what rest really means.....

Just because you can cope/function without rest, doesn't mean you don't need it.

Please follow me here to let me know you'd like more FREE tips. And share this with someone who deserves support!

Imagine what might happen if you do take moments to rest during the day. You may:

1. Become less reactive: instead of yelling at your children, you are able to engage calmly
2. Feel you have more bandwidth: clients tell me they can just "sense" in their bodies more room for dealing with life
3. Perhaps you find yourself sleeping better: it is easier for our bodies to sleep when we have discharged what we are holding before bed. Test me, see what happens
4. You begin to notice you can still 'do it all' even when you take these breaks

But we won't know what the impact will be for you until you try. And try doesn't mean you rest for five minutes one time then say, "See, it didn't work!"

You will find the true impact when you commit to daily rest for a period of time. And you track: you tune in to your-SELF and notice the impact.

If you are always looking "out" you will miss what is happening inside.












09/21/2026

Protect your peace!

Schedule rest if you find you run out of time each day.

There is time, I promise you.

Even clients with four or more children tell me they have found moments throughout the day to allow themself to decompress. To use the tools I offer them for restoration/recovery:

Five minutes of 4,7,8 breath as they shower....

Ear massage as they drive to soothe the vagus nerve and calm anxiety...

Guided Imagery for depression as they are going to sleep...

Rest comes in many forms.

If you are thinking, "This lady is out of her mind. She has no idea how busy I am."

First off: you are correct, I don't know you.

I do hear this every single day, though. I wonder what you are afraid might happen if you just try.

Sometimes it truly isn't a time issue; it's a narrative issue.

Meaning, you've told yourself for so long:

I have to do it all
No one else can do it
I am so busy
I can't take a break

While those statements might seem real, are they entirely true?

Maybe some modifiers to this narrative might apply:

I have to do it all....so I need to rest for five minutes to restore my stamina

No one else can do it....let me take a few minutes to myself so I can be up to the task

I am so busy....therefore rest is imperative!

I can't take a break....I can't NOT take a break if I want to be healthy

What do you have to lose? Try to shift your mindset so you can change your behavior.

Not because you are doing something bad, but because you do so much!












09/20/2026

Resting is not optional if you want to function well.

So why do you feel guilty when you rest?

Because when you slowed down and took a break you might have been criticized as weak, lazy, or worthless.

Or, you were praised for always being on the go and being so "productive."

But we know that humans do not have unlimited capacity for output. They need, not want, to recharge, restore, and recover....to be our best selves.

We "do" better when we are rested: we respond versus react to our kids, have more tolerance and patience for others, make fewer mistakes, and just have more balance to our everyday actions.

That doesn't happen unless we rest.

And women out there: I encourage you to stop feeling guilty (hear that every day from women!) for taking time for yourself.

The old oxygen mask on yourself first is not just an old trope. It's wisdom.











09/19/2026

How to Release Stress: One easy practice to try today!

Now that you are on your way to creating a rest ethic to balance out your work ethic, HOW can you rest?

Start with breathwork.

This 4,7,8 breath practice has been studied and shown to help bring balance to the nervous system (google it to find the research).

Do it three times a day, five minutes at a time. And yes, you DO have time for it. You do. It's just not a habit....yet!

Start today. Stress doesn't not give you an edge. Instead, it makes you edgy!












09/18/2026

Rest is not something you "earn" if you've been productive/finished your work.

We need to flip that script.

Please follow me here for more free tips. And share this with someone you love!

If that is how you think, it is likely a belief/value born out of trauma.

Meaning, somewhere along the way you learned:

I only matter when I do things for others
I have to always take care of others
I have to please everyone
I have to always get along with everyone
I have to be perfect
And maybe even:
I have to always take care of myself because I am unlovable

Behavior is very much tied to beliefs. Even subconscious beliefs!

If you are helping/caring for others from a resourced, safe place doing so because you truly want to then that is healthy.

But many people are caring for others from a place of they HAVE to in order to be physically and/or emotionally safe: in order to belong, be significant, not cause issues, make waves, or they believe no one else can handle it/do it like they can.

It's called fawning and it is a nervous system reaction: a sign you are not in a healthy place.

Fawning is the please and appease mode of the nervous system, where you appear to be such a superstar/helpful/competent person, but it is burning you out and driving you into the ground.

That is not healthy.

When you begin to allow YOUR needs to matter, taking time for your-SELF to rest, recharge, and recover...you signal to those in your life that change is afoot, you matter, and things need to shift.

And here is the wild thing: you will be even MORE helpful in the long run.

Because you took time for your-SELF.












09/17/2026

Want to decrease your stress? Quickest way is to develop a rest ethic.

Rest ethic? Yes!

Please follow me for more free tips on mental health and well-being!

One of the main factors I see contributing to adult's decline in mental AND physical health is their over working and under resting.

When I ask clients what their work ethic is they say things like: show up on time, do your work, don't complain, follow the chain of command, give 100%, etc.

But when I ask about their rest ethic I get silence EVERY time.

Let's make this a part of the discussion: you are a human being not a human doing.

Anxiety and other mood disorders are at an all time high in this country as are physical maladies like obesity.

We need to do something different! Rest/play is one of those changes that can have myriad benefits.

And here is the rub: resting/playing doesn't make you LESS effective. In fact, it can help you recharge, recover, and recuperate so you are more effective.

Leave a comment below: how do you plan to rest today?












09/16/2026

What children need to "behave"

An insecure child is a child that acts out.

When I share this with adults, 99% of the time they say, "But Laura my child could not possibly be insecure. They have everything: food, shelter, toys, trips, friends. We give them everything."

Please follow me for more FREE tips and share this post with someone who might benefit.

Security is not just about these things. This response shows me that the adult does not understand attachment science.

And that makes sense: you don't have to take a single class to have a child. How would they know?

Attachment science proves to us (no, this is not a "hippy opinion, haters!") that children need, not want to feel seen, soothed, and safe in order to be secure.

The missing piece for many children? Emotional safety.

Their well-intentioned parents are shaming, blaming, directing, correcting, and punishing them instead of actively listening, attuning, negotiating, collaborating, involving, and guiding them.

And yes, providing natural consequences for unacceptable behavior (not punishment).

If you want to learn more, to bring more peace and joy to your home and your parenting, try my self-paced, online course here:

https://tinyurl.com/Parenting-Challenges

With some continued education about brain development, child development, attachment science, and neuroscience, you can transform your parenting starting today.










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