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The Collaborative, LLC
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Rethinking the Oxygen Mask Metaphor. Especially for Parents of Kids with Complex Needs.
I just got back from some plane travel and as always, heard the familiar line: “Put your own oxygen mask on first before helping others.” We hear this all the time in parenting and therapy spaces, especially for parents doing the harder-than-average parenting —the parenting of kids who have big needs. Needs that can be sudden, dangerous, medical, or life-threatening. This phrase has always felt a bit off to me. And yet, I’ve used it. I’ve said it to parents in the past (thoug
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Dec 46 min read
A Moment for You, the Adult, This Halloween
Halloween can be overwhelming for so many reasons. Infertility, parenting, your own childhood halloweens, fear, etc.
Let's take a few moments to reduce your overwhelm. So your own little selves and other kids can feel the magic that can be Halloween.
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Oct 313 min read
The Days After: The One Month Mark
When the Shock Starts to Fade The first days after a tragedy are often dominated by shock, adrenaline, and survival. For those of you...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Oct 84 min read
Phone a Friend 1.0: Trauma Sensitive Strategies from an Occupational Therapist
Written by Dr. Sheryl Butler, MA, OTD, OTR/L , OT Connections Minnesota Hello Dear Readers, Today we have a real treat for you. Dr. Butler has written an incredible post from her OT brain on strategies that can be helpful in the days after trauma. These are real, practical things you can do to help yourself, your kid, or anyone else you care about. Here it is: Trauma healing occurs in layers. When children are traumatized, the most important thing we can do is create a safe
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 302 min read
Post 7. You've Signed up for ART/ EMDR or Another Trauma Reprocessing Therapy-- Now What?
Starting ART (Accelerated Resolution Therapy) or EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) can feel intimidating and/or...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 95 min read
Post 6. Your Power, Agency, Control, and Autonomy Were Ripped Away From You.
A precursor to: EMDR, ART, TF-CBT, CPT, OH MY! How Do I Decide? Transparency guides my practice. Over the past week, as I’ve had the...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 55 min read
Post 5. What You Did to Survive — And Why Your Body Might Still Be Responding. Let’s Start Talking about Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fall.
In the days since, many parents wonder why their bodies and emotions feel out of sync. Your kids are acting differently, or they’re not,...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 45 min read
Post 4. Finding Steady Ground: What to Do Now
When something traumatic happens, the first days and weeks feel disorienting. You may find yourself asking: What should I do right now?...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 34 min read
Post 3. When Safety Feels Far Away: Common Responses After a Traumatic Event
Welcome to the third post in this series Thanks for being here. While these reflections and time-markers are written in real time for the...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 35 min read
Post 2. When the World Keeps Moving, but Your Life Has Changed
In the days after a traumatic event, many people feel like their world has split in two. On one side is everyone else—neighbors driving...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 13 min read
Post 1. A Gentle Invitation for the Days Ahead
For the Annunciation community-- and anyone else who has experienced or is connected to someone who has experienced trauma. Estimated...
Dr. Meghan Clifford
Sep 12 min read
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