Ready or Not? – Style Magazine Asks the Experts at Mosaic Therapy and Wellness

Wondering whether or not Santa should bring your youngster a new cell phone this year? Debating over handing your car keys over to your teen?  Kids are doing so many things at young ages these days, check out this great article in Folsom’s Style Magazine to see if you are on track.

Many thanks to Jenn Thornton from Style Magazine for asking us to chime in on this topic. Check out her article here:

Ready or Not? – Online – October 2013 – Folsom, CA.

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Walk In Our Shoes – Raising Awareness about Mental Health

Walk In Our Shoes – Raising Awareness about Mental Health

This project is awesome! It’s all about understanding mental illness and the impact on people’s lives – specifically focused on teenagers. Check it out and share with others to help spread the truth about mental illness.

Is Art Therapy for You?

Because Art Therapy is a fairly new approach to mental and emotional wellness, many people are not quite sure what it is. Consequently, people have several questions and curiosities, which I will hopefully answer for you here!

Art Therapy Definition
Art Therapy is a creative form of therapy using art to enhance mental and emotional health.

Why Art Therapy?
Art Therapy provides the opportunity to participate in counseling without feeling the pressure of having to sit on a couch and delve into often sensitive and emotional subjects. By using a creative approach to therapy, self-expression becomes much more than just words. And, one of the best parts of the process is that there is no “right” or “wrong” way to express yourself in an Art Therapy session. Whatever you create is an extension of you – representing your thoughts and feelings. Art therapy is not a class, nor is there any judgment about the process or finished product.

Do I Need to be Artistic?
I often hear, “I’m not artistic” or “can’t draw.” But, being a traditionally considered “artist” is not at all necessary for participating in Art Therapy. I strongly believe that each person is creative in his or her own way, and tapping into your imagination and creative self is an ideal path towards healing and wellness. Furthermore, Art Therapy is not merely drawing. In fact, many forms of Art Therapy do not include drawing at all. Collage, clay, photography, and painting are all creative forms used in Art Therapy. Each person has a particular preference of art materials that he/she finds therapeutic.

Art as Therapy
For many people, the sole process of creating is therapeutic, which is how the modality of Art Therapy first began. Most people can identify what they find therapeutic in their lives – whether it is being in nature, horseback riding, running, or cooking. These activities are refreshing, nourishing, relaxing, and joyful, and making art meets these needs for many people.

Art in Therapy
Art in therapy is the collaborative mixture of art making and therapy. As a trained Art Therapist with a Master’s degree in Art Therapy and Marriage and Family Therapy, I approach therapy sessions with both traditional psychotherapy theories and innovative Art Therapy techniques. In my opinion, one of the most crucial aspects of therapy is an emotionally safe, nonjudgmental, and supportive environment, which I always aim to provide. This environment is important for Art Therapy to ensure that you are comfortable creating and opening up in sessions. Making art in therapy can provide healing, catharsis, access to the subconscious, insight, understanding, acceptance, and encouragement for change.

The Next Step
Interested in Art Therapy for yourself or a loved one? I would love to hear your questions and thoughts about Art Therapy! Please feel free to contact me via email, blog, or phone for more information or to schedule an Art Therapy session.

Happy Creating,
Mandi Baughman, Registered Art Therapist and MFT Intern

MBaughmanMFT@gmail.com

916.934.2385

Mosaic Definition

School Readiness Group in June 2013!

We are offering a great way for kids ages 3-7 years old to get a jump start on next school year by learning some new skills and giving them a great opportunity to practice with other children. Please spread the word if you know anyone who would be interested in joining. More info below:

School Readiness Group

• Are you concerned about your child starting the next school year?
• Do you want to learn ways to help your child be more successful in school and with peers?
• Could your child use some extra practice in making friends, listening to the teacher and staying seated during class or circle time?
• Do you want to build your child’s self esteem and confidence about starting school?

This is a 4 week parent-child group that targets improving classroom behavior, social skill development and compliance for children ages 4-7 years old and their parents. Each week children and parents will learn new skills to make the next school year more successful. These skills also work great at home!

Who: Children ages 3-7 years old and their parents

Where: Mosaic Therapy and Wellness

          101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 100, Folsom, CA  95630

When: Saturday mornings from 11-12:15. June 1^st-June 22^nd.

Group Outline:

1. Social Skills Building Week: Children will learn social skills, prosocial behaviors and get help practicing these with other children in the group. Parents will learn specialized strategies for supporting their child’s use of the skills at home.
2. Following Directions & Compliance: Children will practice listening and complying with adult directives in a classroom style setting while parents will learn how to increase these behaviors at home over the summer.
3. Classroom Skills: Children learn reminders and skills for staying in their seats, staying quiet while the teacher is talking and keeping hands to self. Parents are able to take their skills from Week 1 & 2 to provide strategic praise and behavioral techniques to increase these behaviors.
4. Working Together: Children participate in an art activity designed to help them practice the skills they have mastered in Weeks 1-3. Parents learn strategies to make home-work time a successful and positive experience during the school year.

Please note this is not an academic based group. The Readiness skills that will be taught and practiced are to improve social, emotional and behavioral functioning.

Get More Info: Please call or email Britney Stone, LMFT at (916) 235-3644 or BritneyStoneLMFT@gmail.com for more info. For more info about Mosaic Therapy and Wellness visit MosaicTherapyandWellness.com.

About the Group Leaders: We provide customized coaching and mental health services to children, adults and families. Britney Stone, LMFT is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who specializes in working with young children and their parents to improve behavior. Mandi Baughman, AT is an Art Therapist who specializes in work with children and adolescents.

Parenting Challenging Children

As a mother and as a child therapist, I absolutely understand how some children are just more temperamentally challenging than others. I also get how hard it can be for parents of more rambunctious kiddos to deal with the stares, comments from friends, and self doubt that their child’s behavior may bring. The truth is, some kids are just wired to be strong willed, independent and vocal. This may describe the “bossy girls” or the “hyperactive boys” in your child’s social circle or classroom. I say those labels with love and with a smile because I can’t help but appreciate those strong willed little personalities and the stress they cause their parents. In fact, these little rascals have some very positive personality traits that will probably pay off later in life. The “bossy girls” have the tenacity it takes to be high paid CEOs and boldly break through any glass ceiling that meets them. Additionally, those “hyperactive boys” have the energy it takes to be their community’s next beloved basketball coach or a successful Wall Street trader. That being said, those strong willed behaviors can become increasingly more problematic when left to their own devices. 

Before I had my son I loved providing therapy for little ones in PCIT. But, becoming a mother made me even more passionate about  equipping parents with the skills they need to shape their kid’s negative behaviors into positive ones. That way parents can treasure more relaxed and happy moments and their kids can enjoy and appreciate the strong willed aspects of themselves without getting into trouble. Thankfully there are many wonderful resources about improving your child’s behaviors. I often recommend The Nurtured Heart Approach since it is useful for youngsters and teens. However, having a professional coach stand by your side and help you through the difficult behaviors will help you get to the finish line a little faster. If you find yourself looking for the support and skills of a professional coach, feel free to give me a call or check out our website MosaicTherapyandWellness.com for more information. 

 

“There is in every child at every stage a new miracle of vigorous unfolding, which constitutes a new hope and a new responsibility for all.” – Erik Erikson

 

Britney Stone, LMFT

Mosaic Therapy and Wellness

101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 100

Folsom, CA  95630

(916) 235-3644

MosaicTherapyandWellness.com

What to expect at your first therapy session

Thanks for checking out our blog!

We are so happy you chose Mosaic Therapy and Wellness! In my years of doing therapy I have come across very few clients who said they were looking forward to their first therapy appointment. I understand. I know the idea of bringing all your problems to a stranger and facing the inevitable questions about difficult times or situations that many would rather forget is extremely daunting. BUT….it is worth it! We welcome you to schedule your first appointment and let us help you unpack some of those burdens. In order to make you feel better prepared and comfortable about your first session I put together a basic overview of what the first meeting typically entails. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any other questions we can answer. Here is the gist of your first meeting at Mosaic Therapy and Wellness:

• Your arrival:  Please check in with the receptionist and grab a seat in the lobby until your therapist greets you. We may have papers waiting for you to complete if you arrive early.

• Meet your therapist: Once we bring you into our office we start by telling you a little about Mosaic Therapy & Wellness. This will include reading and signing our Informed Consent and some brief health and history questionnaires. You may fill these out in the lobby or in our office, either way we will review them with you. Around this time we will usually discuss fees and payment and answer any other questions you may have about us and our approach.

• History gathering & assessment: We like to work with a full picture so we will want to know what you are here for, how long has this been a problem, and what has or has not worked so far. We may ask you questions about family history and specifics about what is presently causing you to seek therapy. We are very dedicated to respecting our client’s and their family’s beliefs and values so we will talk about what is important to your family and how we can support that in our work.

• Clinical recommendations: Based on what you tell us, we will recommend our preliminary course of treatment. This is subject to change but usually includes a discussion on our assessment, what type of treatment we recommend, frequency of sessions and some information about different treatment options. Sometimes we may decide that more assessment time is needed before we can make a full clinical formulation.

• Goal setting: At Mosaic Therapy and Wellness we love setting goals and collaborating with you on a treatment plan. Things we will discuss: What are we working on, what are we going to accomplish and how will we get there? How will we know when we have arrived at our goal? This will help ensure that we are starting with the same expectations and the same goal in mind. The discussion about goals is something we will refer back to often during therapy. Whether you are seeking treatment for yourself or for your child we will routinely check in about progress and challenges.

As you can see, we are goal oriented and we have a lot to cover in the first assessment phase. Sometimes the above outline takes more than one session but it is foundational to our work together in therapy. Once we have completed our assessment and have a plan in place we will discuss a return appointment. We know that sometimes making that first phone call to contact a therapist can be one of the hardest parts of the process. With that in mind. we offer appointment scheduling by email if you would prefer. Just email me at BritneyStoneLMFT@gmail.com or Mandi Baughman at MBaughmanMFT@gmail.com or check out our website at MosaicTherapyandWellness.com for more info.

We look forward to seeing you soon!

-Britney Stone, MA, LMFT

Mosaic Therapy & Wellness

101 Parkshore Drive, Suite 100

Folsom, CA  95630

(916) 235-3644

·         Motivation: We strive to discover and embrace each individual’s motivation for change and partner with them to attain their desired goals.

·         Optimism: We believe people can enjoy meaningful and effective lives, and have the capacity for change and progress.

·         Stillness: We emphasize the importance of stillness in achieving clarity and balance.

·         Awareness: We welcome the experiences of all individuals and their unique perspectives within their families and society.

·         Integration: We are dedicated to the integration of therapeutic approaches with the desire to help others discover wholeness.

·         Courage: We recognize that courage is not the absence of fear but strength in the presence of fear. We aim to help others face challenges courageously.