Planning family vacations requires a certain amount of skill and fortitude. You have to budget properly, adjust everyone’s schedules, and notify people of your plans. When you’re divorced, all of these difficulties are amplified.

Getting everyone on the same page in a split-parent household is a job all in itself. Vacations only make things more difficult, as schedules and visitations are often disrupted.

Have you considered visiting a family therapist in Las Vegas? They will help you navigate the waters and come up with scheduling solutions to keep everybody happy so you can relax during your vacation the way it was meant to be enjoyed.

Follow these tips:

• Plan as Far in Advance as Possible

  If you’d like your kids to see the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, put that thought on the table as soon as it crosses your mind. If you’re thinking about taking a road trip to a neighboring city that’s six or seven hours away, let your ex know as soon as possible.

  No matter how far or near you’re planning to travel, it’s best to let your former partner know as soon as possible. The earlier the planning, the fewer obstacles you’re likely to encounter when packing day arrives.

• Solidify Travel Agreements in Writing

  If you’re lucky enough to have had an amicable divorce, that’s great! But don’t fall into a lull of security by thinking everything is kosher when it comes to travel plans. All divorced parents are responsible for obtaining proper paperwork before going on vacation with their kids.

  If you fail to follow-up on the proper paperwork, you could be out a substantial amount of money for non-refundable flights, hotel reservations, and entertainment tickets.

• Open the Lines of Communication

  Not only is it important for you, as an adult, to communicate your plans with your ex; it’s also essential your children have a free pathway of communication.

  Your kids may feel anxious about going to an unknown place without both parents. This is actually quite natural, but the fear needs to be addressed by way of free-flowing communication. A family therapist in Las Vegas might recommend regularly-scheduled Facetime or phone calls with the other parent leading up to the departure.

  While away, make sure your kids have easy access to the other parent if they want to share stories, talk about their anxieties, or explore their excitement.

• Be Flexible

  If you want to take the kids out of town for Christmas, put Thanksgiving on the table as an olive branch. Remember, your kids have two parents who want to enjoy time with them.

Contact Kayenta, Family Therapists in Las Vegas

If you’ve found yourself quarreling with your ex when it’s time to plan vacations, a family therapist in Las Vegas may be able to help. Reach out to our team at Kayenta Therapy Centers so we can help you talk through the difficulties and come up with a good solution that works for everyone. Call 702-438-7800 to schedule an appointment today.

“To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.” – Oscar Wilde

Valentine’s Day is around the corner, and with it comes a weeklong build-up of pop-up flower shops and coupled friends sharing their special day plans and present ideas. All of this can make being single, even for those of us who otherwise enjoy it, feel a bit down and out of the mainstream. It can be challenging to feel happy and satisfied on this holiday. At least until you recognize you can celebrate Valentine’s Day as an individual. Don’t let the diamond commercials get you down, check out these tips and join therapy in Las Vegas to assure you have a joyful February:

1. Get to Know Yourself Better.

   Where other couples celebrate their commitment to each other, now is the time to celebrate your commitment to the number one person in your life: You. Take time out and complete a full Myers Brigg assessment to get an outside/inside view of your personality type, preferences, and inherent strengths. Talk to a therapist in Las Vegas to sit with you and discuss your list. Then, grab a journal and write down at least ten things you’re grateful for in your life and ten things you want to do this month, year, decade.

2. Indulge Yourself.

   Give yourself credit for how amazing you are and all you’ve done to get yourself to this point. Spend the weekend before Valentine’s Day (or the night-of) and rent an AirBnb out-of-town, go for a spa day, or buy yourself that thing you’ve been drooling over. Now is the time to treat yourself.

3. Plan a Dinner Date with a Friend.

   Chances are you’re not the only single person you know. This is a great opportunity to celebrate close friends or family members who have been with you along the way. Get a few single friends together to have dinner or even throw a game night.

4. Get Joyful By Spreading Joy.

   Giving and doing things for others is a great way to pull anyone out of a funk. Brain research has shown altruistic behavior releases endorphins that produce positive feelings in what’s being called a “helper’s high“. Look back at that Myers Brigg assessment and consider where and what you can best contribute. Consider volunteering at a local shelter, playing card games at a senior citizen home, or walking dogs at the animal shelter. There are tons of ways to spread love and happiness, and you’ll find that making someone else’s day often will make your own a lot brighter.

Receive Therapy in Las Vegas

Don’t let Valentine’s Day get you down. Start by loving yourself and others. Contact Kayenta, at 702-438-7800 for therapy in Las Vegas and to get yourself on the right track.

True happiness isn’t something someone else gives us, but rather something we give ourselves. It can feel like the most elusive of human desires, especially for those seeking Las Vegas counseling, yet it’s something you can create, have, and enjoy.

The first important step is in understanding you cannot tie your happiness solely to an external factor. Do not only rely on a significant other, career, or object to set the stage for your happiness. All of these things can be fleeting, and just as a partner can give you joy, they can also take it away. For long-term, deep and lasting happiness, it’s essential for you to understand yourself and raise your own joy and feelings of goodwill.

The following are some ways to help you create self-happiness, but for more specific help, consider personalized Las Vegas counseling.

• State your achievements.

  It’s way too easy to get consumed with day-to-day living and forget to reflect upon the things you’ve accomplished. Take an hour to sit down and write down the physical and personal achievements you’ve accomplished, goals you’ve surpassed, places you’ve visited, and things you’ve done. This simple activity can put you in a positive place. Make a habit of writing down one event each day that you took happiness in.

• Fill your day with tiny happy things.

  To continue that point, it’s important to note happiness is often found in the details. Maybe it’s coffee on your porch as the sun rises, chopping vegetables for a stew, or slipping into your sheepskin slippers. Whatever makes you feel calm and at peace, make it a daily habit to reinvigorate yourself.

• Do something new.

  Don’t let yourself get stuck in stale routines. Invigorate yourself by finding something new you haven’t dared to do before. Maybe it’s joining a new social or yoga group, or maybe it’s a new hobby, such as scrapbooking or bird watching. New experiences and activities shake things up and can help you be more mindful of the things you choose to do.

Contact Kayenta for Las Vegas Counseling

The first ingredient for happiness is you. Of course, sometimes it can feel extremely hard, and impossible to get out of a depression and turn melancholy into happiness. It’s important to not laze around in bed during these hard times and instead get up, be creative, do something new, and fill your life full of the little things that make you happy. Schedule a Las Vegas counseling session with Kayenta. Our professional therapists will help you with crafting self-happiness. Call 702-438-7800 to get started today.

The desire for self-improvement is a lucrative American hobby. After all, many of us make a New Year’s resolution every year. We want to lose more weight, get a better job, exercise more, and nix the bad habits. Yet, despite all are good intentions to create a better version of us, many of us fall off.

The biggest problem is letting small slip-ups snowball into failure and not trying again. You can always reset and refresh your New Year’s resolutions and goals. One solution is to reset and institute healthy habits at the start of every week. That’s 52 chances to brush off the slip-ups and soldier on to a winning resolution. Plus, with Las Vegas therapy, you’re sure to excel in all your new year’s goals.

Here are some other great tips for resetting and succeeding your resolutions with and without Las Vegas therapy:

• Review your goals every month.

  At the start of each month, review and reevaluate your original goals for 2017. Were they too vague? Seem too insurmountable? If so, take time out to revamp your ideas and work with a Las Vegas therapy expert to map out your year with achievable milestones that’ll take you across your resolution finish line.

• Enlist a friend.

  It can be extremely difficult to replace bad habits with good ones. Especially if you’re the only one who knows you’re doing so. Enlist a friend, workout partner, or co-worker to regularly remind you of your goals and help you achieve those goals via partnership and encouraging reminders. Such resolution assistance can take many forms. Maybe it’s helping you draft a better resume for a new job or calling you every weekend to go workout. Whatever the case, buddy systems are winning systems.

• Mix in resolutions that are fun to do.

  Incorporating meal replacement shakes to satisfy a ‘weight loss’ resolution is rarely called ‘fun’. While you can certainly add and follow these types of goals in your plan, consider also adding resolutions that you like to do. Add in resolutions like ‘learn how to properly juice’ and attend a local juicing class. Meet your goal of getting leaner by joining a local sports club, like ultimate frisbee, soccer, or mountain biking. These types of activities will help you meet your goal in a more entertaining and engaging way than simply doing 50 sit-ups alone in your basement every evening.

Contact Kayenta for Las Vegas Therapy

Finding success with New Year resolutions isn’t often easy. It’s hard to make sustainable and impactful changes in our lives and personalities. Consistent reviewing, working with friends, and making fun resolutions are key concepts that’ll help you succeed. But for more help on fleshing out winning resolutions and plans, contact Kayenta at 702-438-7800 to schedule a Las Vegas therapy appointment.

Valentine’s Day is one of those days when some people form high expectations, which later result in disappointment or sadness if the day didn’t play out as they anticipated. When a fairytale idea of a Disney-style day turns into a day like any other, the couple is susceptible to resentment and anger that could damage the fiber of the relationship.

This is why setting expectations by way of relationship counseling in Las Vegas is so important as the new year gets underway.

An Interesting Perspective

Facebook’s 2010 study of status changes post-Valentine’s Day offers an interesting look into this February 14th phenomenon. According to the data, Valentine’s Day contributed to a major spike in status changes to “single,” which, one could easily argue, is directly related to the holiday at hand.

Valentine’s Day can bring a lot of undue stress onto a couple. Remember, you love your partner and he or she loves you, too. You don’t need a Hallmark holiday to celebrate your love for one another. Often, there are differences in expectations and insecurities that are underlying, and these variances usually surface in the most untimely circumstances, causing a day intended for celebration to turn into an unhappy experience.

Setting Expectations for Valentine’s Day

Communicate

Communication is the key to any successful relationship. By talking about your expectations ahead of time, you’ll help dispel unanticipated angst when the holiday rolls around.

Alleviate the pressure by talking to each other about what you want, and how much you’re able to afford ahead of time. If communication is something you struggle with, relationship counseling in Las Vegas can facilitate fruitful conversations.

Level-Set Expectations

People with unlimited budgets can sail around the world on a yacht filled with roses, but is this your reality?

Valentine’s Day is a day when you should celebrate your relationship in whatever way works best for the two of you. You’re allowed to want more than a Hallmark card, but will a hand-written note work for you if your household is tight on cash?

Talk about what type of Valentine’s Day you’d like to have, then re-hash your dreams with reality so you can find common ground before the day arrives. There’s still plenty of room for creative surprises.

Don’t Put Pressure on Your Partner

Things come up. If your plans are displaced, schedule another date night on the calendar in lieu of February 14th. Your flexibility will mean a lot to your other half, and Valentine’s Day is just a date on the calendar, after all.

Relationship Counseling in Las Vegas through Kayenta

If you’re in search of relationship counseling in Las Vegas, there’s no time like the present. Contact Kayenta Therapy Centers at 702-438-7800 to schedule an appointment with a therapist today.

Everyone has a favorite New Year’s resolution. It may be the same one they make every year. What happens when the good intentions fall by the wayside? What makes it so hard to stick to a resolution? If despite your best intentions your yearly resolutions seem to disappear before Valentine’s Day, there is a way to turn those well-laid plans into habits. Start by giving yourself a break: it isn’t a lack of willpower.

Resolution to Habit

Good habits exist so we don’t have to constantly fight temptation. For example, instead of resisting eating a doughnut every morning for breakfast, form the habit of starting out your day with a healthy meal. Before you know it, it’s become routine and doughnuts don’t even cross your mind. The keys to successfully forming habits are knowledge and planning. Together, they help you build successful patterns lasting a lifetime. If you’re already thinking about your resolutions for next year, here’s how to make sure they become enduring habits.

It takes about 66 days to form a habit, so look for support wherever you can find it:

• Set Clear-Cut Goals: It’s great to say “I want to work out more” or “I’m going to eat healthier,” but go one step further by specifying how, when, and where you will take action. Set reminders on your phone, post-its, or calendar – they’ll help keep you on track.
• Be Realistic: Make practical resolutions and break up a long-term goal into shorter, more manageable ones. It will make the process easier to stick to, and it will feel more rewarding as you meet each goalpost.

• One Thing at a Time: Don’t resolve to change all your “bad” habits at once. If you’re looking to get fit, then give up smoking, join a gym, or eat healthy, but don’t try to do them all at once. Once you’ve established one healthy habit you can move on to the next.
• Team up With a Friend: You don’t have to announce your resolutions to the entire world, but sharing your goal with one good friend can help you stay motivated. Shared accountability and encouragement goes a long way in reaching goals.

New Year’s or Bust

Changing your behavior doesn’t have to be restricted to the start of the New Year. You can get started any time. Remember, lapses are frequently part of the process. Sound like too much work? The good news is people who make New Year’s resolutions are nearly 10 times more likely to achieve their goals.

If you think something more may be holding you back, talking it out with a Las Vegas therapist can help. A therapist can help you see problems in a new way, lend emotional support, and offer the help you need to turn your New Year’s resolution into a healthy habit. Contact Kayenta Therapy Centers today to schedule an appointment or call 702-438-7800.

It is natural to want to live a happier, healthier, and more fulfilling life. With the ending of one year, and the beginning of a new one, now is the perfect time to make these life-affirming changes. But making meaningful changes in your life is difficult. If you are like most people who find themselves consistently making and breaking New Year’s resolutions, you know the frustration and the feeling of hopelessness this can cause. Break the cycle of broken New Year’s resolutions, and make 2018 the year of personal growth by following these tips:

• Take ownership of your resolutions. Make sure your resolutions are actually what you want. Many well-meaning friends and family members may suggest parts of your life which they think need to be different. Changing yourself is hard enough; it’s even more challenging to change just to please another person.
• Avoid making your resolutions about sacrifice. Instead of concentrating on what you’re losing, think about what you’ll be gaining if you are able to stick to your resolutions. Keeping your thoughts positive will give you the motivation you need to succeed.
• Choose a New Year’s resolution with a clear actionable goal. Instead of vague resolutions, such as vowing to eat healthier or being more open to new experiences, create concrete goals you can measure. Promise yourself you will bring a homemade meal to the office three times a week, or you will finally sign up for the pottery class you always wanted to try.
• Go slow. Making a major life change takes time. There is no need to put additional pressure on yourself by expecting changes to happen overnight. When you create your New Year’s resolution you should not set a deadline for success. When reversing a lifelong habit, every small step in the right direction is a win.
• Be kind to yourself. Avoid creating a penalty if you are unable to meet your resolution. Setting a punishment for failure reinforces negativity, and it only makes it harder to achieve your goals. Never allow someone to tie your inability to keep a New Year’s resolution to ending a personal relationship.
• Seek out assistance. You don’t have to do it alone. Tell others your plans, and develop a supportive group of individuals who will help you succeed. Building your support network as early as you can, will increase your chance of staying on track.

Making a New Year’s resolution is a great first step to change your life for the better. Many people find speaking with a professional, supportive therapist can play an essential part in helping them make the life changes they desire. If you live in the Las Vegas area and would like to speak with a therapist, contact Kayenta Therapy at 702-438-7800.

An absolutely symmetrical tree adorned with elegant decorations and twinkling lights. Gifts–each perfect for its recipient–wrapped with precision. Smiling family members breaking bread, sharing hugs and happy to see one another. A light dusting of snow on Christmas morning followed by New Year’s resolutions.

For many, these are the elements of an ideal holiday season. Sadly, their expectations are likely too high. No tree is symmetrical, decorations break, lights burn out, sometimes you get the wrong gift, families fight and it almost never snows in Las Vegas–even in December.

But sometimes New Year’s resolutions are realized, and this year you should resolve to adjust your expectations. From setting budgets to accepting flaws to seeking family therapy in Las Vegas, here’s a look at how you can adjust your expectations for the holidays:

Begin with a budget

Money–or a lack of it–can cause stress, anxiety and even feelings of inadequacy. Gifts, food, travel and holiday incidentals add up quickly–especially if you are focused on making everything perfect. Instead, set a holiday budget and let it guide your expectations.

Knowing how much you can spend will automatically set your financial expectations.

Ignore the ideals

It’s easy to fall in love with a “Hallmark holiday,” especially when every commercial features a picture-perfect family enjoying another ideal holiday. In reality, however, perfection is not obtainable–especially when it includes three inches of fluffy white snow on Christmas day in Las Vegas.

Ignore the idealistic notions of what holidays are supposed to be and focus instead on staying true to your family traditions.

Accept your family’s flaws

You know how your Mom is always an hour late? Yeah, that’s not going to change this year–and that’s OK. Identifying and accepting your family members’ lifelong habits, predispositions and, flaws, is a lot easier and less stressful than expecting them to change–even if the family dinner is at your house this year.

Communicate clearly

Sometimes it’s not your expectations that lead to stress and anxiety. Sometimes it’s your assumptions about what others expect from you.

You want to get the perfect gift for a loved one but have no idea what the perfect gift might be. You assume everyone expects a formal dinner. You think friends flying in from out of state expect to stay with you.

These assumptions go hand in hand with high expectations–expectations that might not even be in line with what others want, need or expect.

So why not communicate with your friends and family? Ask what people would like for gifts. Include your guests in the dinner planning. Find out what accommodations your friends want and need. Communicating clearly will help you keep expectations in line with reality.

Seek out a helping hand with family therapy in Las Vegas

Sometimes people need a little professional help in the form of family therapy in Las Vegas to make it through the holidays. Kayenta Therapy Centers offers low cost family therapy in Las Vegas. Contact Kayenta Therapy Centers today at 702-438-7800 for help with holiday expectations and stress.

Divorce can be confusing, frustrating and frightening for adults. The uncertainty created when a marriage comes to an end often leads to tears, anger and emotional outbursts.

And it can be worse for children.

Children often can’t understand what’s happening during a divorce. All they know is the two most important people in their lives are going in opposite directions. To make matters worse for kids, they often don’t have the right coping skills to effectively express themselves–and this can lead to behavior problems. While there are certain tips you can do on your own, it’s advised to make an appointment for a divorce parenting class in Las Vegas.

Here’s a look at how divorcing parents can help their children understand what’s happening and express themselves in productive ways:

Manage your emotions

Children are incredibly perceptive. If you are struggling emotionally with the divorce, it is likely your children know. They sense the stress, feel the frustration and carry your burden with them throughout the day. That’s why it’s important you manage your emotions and model positive behavior. It’s normal to struggle with divorce, but it’s important to show your kids you know you’ll be OK.

Concentrate on consistency

Consistency is one thing your children will need more than ever after a divorce. The world they once new will change dramatically, and structure will help them make it through the change.

Set expectations. Establish new routines. Be consistent with rules and discipline.

You may feel tempted to be lax and fall prey to the “Disneyland parent” syndrome, but this doesn’t do your children any favors. They want and need consistency so they know their world is not falling apart.

Create communication

Many kids create emotional shells after their parents go through a divorce. They don’t talk; they let anger build up inside of themselves and act like everything is OK.

In most instances, everything isn’t OK. Over time, pent up questions and anger is sure to come to the surface–and it often manifests itself in behavioral problems.

Children want and need communication, so create opportunities to talk to your kids without pushing or demanding. Instead, do something fun together (like coloring with younger kids and cooking with older kids) and talk as naturally as possible about the divorce.

Be patient

It can take a long time for children to come out of their shells. But don’t lose faith. Be patient and keep trying. Over time, it’s likely your children will come around and want to talk to you about what they are feeling and thinking.

Ask for help through a divorce parenting class in Las Vegas

If you have modeled good behavior, set up structure and communicated with your kids and you’re still dealing with behavioral problems, it may be time to ask for help.

A divorce parenting class in Las Vegas might be a good place to start. Kayenta Therapy Centers offers divorce parenting classes that are affordable and effective. You’ll learn to communicate, co-parent and help your children cope with the new world in which they live.

Contact Kayenta Therapy Centers today at 702-438-7800 for more information about divorce parenting classes in Las Vegas.

For most people, the holiday season represents happy times spent with loved ones. However, for the children (young and adult) of newly separated parents, and for the parents themselves, this first big holiday with a fractured family can feel like a nightmare.

If you are undergoing stress and anxiety due to separation, it’s important to remember you are not alone and seeking counseling in Las Vegas may be an important step for your well-being. To help you go beyond simply surviving the holidays, consider the following tips for an enjoyable holiday season:

• Create new traditions. As sad and as hard as it might be, it’s important to let some traditions go or fade a bit. It is important to create new holiday rituals both with your new household and with your friends. Facilitating the change-up of tradition will help you and your family spend the time together creating new memories to alleviate the stress that inherently comes with a shift away from the family norm.
• Set emotional boundaries. You do not have to play referee. Remember, the holidays are a time of celebration and togetherness. Keep this time uplifting, positive, and full of cheer by insisting on emotional boundaries before visiting with anyone. Examples include no bashing of the other parent. If you have a sibling or are visiting with a friend, ask them to help you in asserting these boundaries.
• Be present. Do not dwell on the changed and potentially upsetting dynamics of your separated family. Instead, focus on the new blessings and opportunities this change brings, such as the new traditions. Focus on ways to spend time implementing self care. Turn off the Internet and spend time doing yard work, reading a favorite book, or even going out to serve a meal at your local soup kitchen. Being present and doing, making, giving, or creating something will go a long way in improving your mental health.

Get Counseling in Las Vegas at Kayenta

Finally, remember to take care of yourself. Learning how to put your mental and emotional health first is a large part of counseling in Las Vegas. It is easy for the stress of holidays and the anticipation of dealing with a separation to cause anxiety and bouts of depression. Stay healthy and happy with exercise and the above tips for a more easy-going and less stressful holiday.

To learn more about navigating a changing family dynamic, and make an appointment for counseling in Las Vegas, contact Kayenta at 702-438-7800.