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Emotional Regulation with Kids

These tools are ones that are often taught in play therapy to aid children and youth in moving through their big feelings. Please note these skills and tools are taught through play and children may not know the name of the tool and should not be reminded by name to use the tool. Instead use yourself as the child’s co-regulator and practice the skill beside them. Even if the child does not immediately begin to practice the skill, you will be activating their mirror neurons with your calm presence which will be regulating for the child. 

  1. Rainbow bridge: Take a deep breath in through your nose, pause and hold for 2-4 seconds, breathe out through your nose, and say “red”. Take another deep breath and repeat following the last colour said with the next in the rainbow. If you get all the way to purple and you do not feel calm, go backward across the rainbow.

2.     5 Senses: Breathe deeply through your nose and focus on finding 5 things you can see. 4 things you can feel, 3 things you can hear, 2 things you can smell, and 1 thing you can taste.

  1. 5 big breaths: Breathe in through your nose. Hold this for 3 seconds, then breathe out through your mouth making a sigh noise. 

4.     Big Squeeze: give yourself a big hug and squeeze while taking deep breaths. Or ask a safe adult for a big squeeze while taking deep breaths. 

5.     Drink a cold glass of water in a quiet space. 

6.     Name the animals alphabetically while taking deep, slow breaths. 

7.     Butterfly hug: Imagine a safe, calm place. Cross your arms across your chest and tap each shoulder one at a time back and forth in a slow rhythm. 

8.   Go for a walk:  Be mindful of what you are seeing, hearing, smelling, and feeling on your walk. 

9. Bunny Breath: Take 3 quick breaths in through your nose and 1 long breath out through your mouth. 

10. Hawk Hug: Breath in and out for 5 breaths. Pretend your hands are hawk wings and tap them back and forth imaging you are flying. 

11. Chair Push-ups: Press your hands against your seat and push upwards. Count to 3 and then relax. Don’t forget to breathe in slowly. 

12. Fire Hands: Rub your hands together quickly to create warmth as you breathe deeply. Once your hands feel warm, slow your hands and breathe.

13. Squeeze and Release: Open your hands as wide as you can, shut your hands and squeeze as hard as you can while taking a deep breath in, then relax your hands and let out your breath. 

14. Candle Breaths: Press your hands against your seat and push upwards. Count to 3 and relax. Don’t forget to breathe slowly. 

15. Hot Chocolate Breaths: Imagine you are holding a cup of hot chocolate in your hands. Bring your cup up close to you, take a long breath in, and slowly blow the air out, to cool off your hot chocolate. 

16. Colour Breath: Imagine a little ball of your favourite colour inside your body. Take a big breath in and imagine the ball getting bigger and bigger. Imagine your whole body is lighting up with the colour and it feels warm and relaxing. Take a long, slow breath in and let it all the way out.

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Psychological Assessments at One Tree

At One Tree Psychological, we are committed to helping individuals and families gain valuable insights into their mental health and cognitive and/or academic functioning. One of the key services we are excited to now be able to offer is psychological assessments.

Psychological assessments provide a deeper understanding of an individual’s strengths, challenges, and unique needs. But what exactly is a psychological assessment, and how can it benefit you or your loved ones?

What is a Psychological Assessment? 

A psychological assessment is a comprehensive evaluation process that examines various aspects of an individual’s mental, emotional, and cognitive functioning. These assessments are conducted by Andrew Burke, our Registered Provisional Psychologist, using a combination of standardized tests, interviews, observations, and questionnaires. With the goal of providing a clear and well-rounded picture of an individual’s abilities, challenges, and areas for support.

Types of Psychological Assessments We Offer

 At One Tree Psychological, we offer a range of assessments tailored to different needs for children and adults. The assessments we provide include:

  • Psychoeducational Assessments: These assessments help identify learning difficulties, giftedness, and academic challenges such as dyslexia or other learning disabilities.
  • ADHD Evaluations: Designed to assess attention difficulties and executive functioning skills, these evaluations provide clarity for individuals who may struggle with focus, organization, or impulsivity.
  • Mental Health Assessments: These comprehensive evaluations help diagnose anxiety, depression, mood disorders, and other mental health concerns, offering recommendations for effective treatment and support.
  • Behavioral and Emotional Assessments: These assessments explore emotional regulation, social skills, and behavioral challenges to support children, youth, and adults in managing daily life more effectively.

Why Might Someone Need a Psychological Assessment? 

A psychological assessment can be beneficial for a variety of reasons, including:

  • Understanding learning or attention difficulties
  • Gaining clarity on emotional or behavioural challenges
  • Informing treatment plans for mental health conditions
  • Providing guidance for academic and workplace accommodations
  • Identifying strengths and areas for growth to foster personal development

What to Expect During an Assessment

The assessment process typically involves an initial consultation, testing sessions, and a feedback meeting. Our team ensures that the experience is supportive and informative, providing clients with detailed results and practical recommendations tailored to their specific needs.

What Makes Our Assessments Different?

Traditionally psychological assessments primarily identify concerns, at One Tree Psychological we utilize a different approach to take the information gathered a step further by offering actionable steps for improvement.

These assessments provide clear, personalized strategies for managing challenges, whether in academic settings, workplace environments, or daily life.

Our goal is not just to diagnose but to equip individuals with practical tools to foster personal growth and well-being.

Take the Next Step

If you or a loved one could benefit from a psychological assessment, our team at One Tree Psychological is here to help.

Contact us today to learn more about our assessment services and how they can support your personal and professional growth.

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Dungeons and Dragons Group Therapy

Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is a powerful therapeutic tool as it naturally fosters key developmental and emotional skills through collaborative storytelling and role-playing. Here’s how it benefits therapy:

1. Social Skill Development

  • Encourages teamwork and communication as players must strategize and work together.
  • Helps develop active listening skills by engaging in group discussions.
  • Provides a safe space for practicing social interactions and reading nonverbal cues.

2. Emotional Regulation & Resilience

  • Role-playing different characters helps players explore emotions in a safe, controlled way.
  • Facing challenges in the game teaches problem-solving and coping strategies for real-life situations.
  • Encourages patience, adaptability, and resilience when unexpected situations arise.

3. Self-Expression & Identity Exploration

  • Players create and embody characters, allowing them to explore different aspects of their identity in a judgment-free zone.
  • Encourages creativity and imaginative problem-solving through storytelling.
  • Helps individuals express feelings and experiences they may struggle to articulate in everyday life.

4. Safe & Supportive Environment

  • The fantasy setting provides a buffer between real-world stressors and personal challenges, reducing anxiety.
  • Structured yet flexible gameplay allows facilitators to guide therapeutic experiences while keeping it engaging.
  • Encourages peer connection and shared experiences, reducing feelings of isolation.

5. Cognitive & Executive Functioning Skills

  • Enhances critical thinking and decision-making through strategic planning.
  • Improves memory, focus, and organization as players track stats, inventory, and story details.
  • Helps with flexible thinking, as players must adapt to changing scenarios.

Why It Works in Therapy

  • Unlike traditional talk therapy, D&D provides a playful and engaging way to work on personal growth.
  • It aligns with the interests of many young people, making therapy feel more accessible and enjoyable.
  • The group setting creates a sense of belonging, particularly beneficial for those who struggle with social connections.

By integrating D&D into therapy, participants get to learn, grow, and connect while having fun—making it a uniquely powerful tool for personal development!

This program’s goal is to help  youth improve their social skills, problem solving abilities, and build resiliency to handle all of life’s challenges in an engaging and safe therapeutic setting.

When:  Tuesdays  Apr. 15-May 20 from 5-7pm

Who: Youth  ages 11-13

Cost: $600 for the 6 week program

New players welcome

Materials for play will be provided

For queries and registration contact us

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Playful Parenting

Written by Melanie Naguib

The Wonder of Playful Parenting

Have you ever wondered to yourself “what do I do about my child’s rumbunctious behaviour?” Or how about “why is she so withdrawn and unwilling to talk?” Well, many parents have shared similar thoughts. Playful Parenting by Dr. Lawrence J. Cohen answers these questions, and what you can do about it!

What is Playful Parenting?

It is an approach where fun is used to parent your children. Children use play to communicate, and they indeed say a lot! Playful parenting joins children at their level and nurtures close connections between child(ren) and parent(s). Playful parenting joins children in their world through play as they navigate life through discovering new accomplishments, recovering from being hurt, or are simply bursting with youthful energy!

How Can it be Used at Home?

 Playful parenting can be implemented during any time of the day, and particularly when the child needs a reconnection. If a child is not listening to you asking him to share a toy with a sibling who also wants a turn, we can easily get frustrated and our instinct is to yell, scold, and get angry. Instead, try playing with your child! Take the toy and exaggerate how much you want to play with it! Run out of the room and have them chase you! Keep it fun without making the child feel bad and get down on their level! Chances are high that the child will laugh and share their toy with you and their sibling. But there is also a deeper purpose to this method of changing the behaviour; you have reestablished a connection with them, and with each other, in a way that the child can understand.

Parental Stress

Raise your hand if you have ever thought “parenting is hard!” You are also not alone. Parenting is challenging, but also rewarding. We feel stressed when our kids aren’t listening. Or is it that we are not listening to them? Taking the time to play and communicate with them lessens this stress. Now I know what you’re thinking: “I don’t have time for that!!” But think about it, do we not already use up much of our time lecturing or scolding our children? What if we used that time to play instead?

Stress also comes upon us when we don’t give ourselves a chance to unwind and recharge our own batteries. Talking with a friend for five minutes or doing a short self-care activity for yourself can be highly beneficial. Even if we think we don’t have time for that, doing so will save yourself a lot more time in the future! Don’t neglect your own feelings.

Using Play Therapy to Process Medical Trauma

Many children do not yet understand what “surgery” or other medical terminology is, and this can be frightening. Children communicate this theme of fear through play. Play therapy helps children process the fear by meeting their needs, letting the theme be present in a safe space, and reassuring that things will be okay! There are explicit ways this trauma can be met such as having a mock surgery performed in therapy, or implicit, where the theme is played our through characters. 

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Understanding Autism and the Benefits of Play Therapy

Written by Brittney Khalil

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental condition that affects communication, behaviour, and social interactions. It is characterized by a wide range of symptoms and challenges that can vary greatly among individuals. While the journey of understanding autism can be complex, effective therapeutic approaches can greatly benefit those on the spectrum. One such approach is play therapy.

What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy uses play to help individuals express themselves, process emotions, and develop social skills through the world of play. It is especially effective for children, as play is their natural form of communication. Through play, children can convey thoughts and feelings that they might struggle to articulate verbally. Some benefits of play therapy are as follows: enhance communication skills, emotional regulation, social skills development, building trust in relationships, improved problem solving skills and increased self-esteem. 

However, I bet most of you are thinking, okay this sounds great for my child? But how can it better benefit ME, the parent? Well, play therapy for children has proven to enhance self-compassion within parents with children diagnosed with Autism. 

Benefits for Parents: Enhancing Self-Compassion

1. Understanding and Acceptance

 Observing their child in play therapy can help parents gain insights into their child’s emotional world. This understanding fosters acceptance and compassion, both for the child’s experiences and for their own challenges as a parent.

2. Emotional Support and Validation

Parenting a child with autism can be overwhelming at times. Through play therapy, parents may find a community of support, either from the therapist or other parents who share similar experiences. This validation can reinforce the idea that it’s okay to struggle, enhancing self-compassion.

3. Learning Coping Strategies

Many therapists include parents in the process, teaching them strategies to reinforce skills learned during therapy. This involvement not only empowers parents but also allows them to practice self-care techniques, fostering a kinder relationship with themselves as they navigate the complexities of parenting.

4. Reduced Guilt and Pressure

Play therapy can help parents understand that growth takes time. This realization can reduce feelings of guilt or pressure to “fix” everything immediately. By recognizing their child’s progress, parents can cultivate patience and compassion towards themselves, acknowledging their efforts and the challenges they face.

5. Strengthening the Parent-Child Bond 

 As children make progress in therapy, parents can witness and participate in this journey, which can deepen their connection with their child. Strengthening this bond can bring joy and fulfillment, reinforcing positive feelings about parenting.

In conclusion, play therapy offers a multitude of benefits for children with autism, providing them with the tools to navigate their emotions, develop social skills, and build confidence. Additionally, it can enhance parents’ self-compassion, offering support and understanding as they face their unique challenges. 

If you’re considering play therapy for a child with autism, contact One Tree at contact@onetreepsyhological.ca to match you with a therapist experienced in this area. They can guide you in choosing the best approach tailored to your child’s unique needs and strengths. Together, we can create a more inclusive and understanding world for individuals on the autism spectrum, benefiting not just the children but their families as well.