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.

Maybe this sounds like you – or someone close to you: You would like to talk with a therapist but aren’t sure how to get started and worry about how much the counseling sessions will cost. So instead of reaching out for help, you remain stuck.

In fact, these two fears prevent many people from pursuing counseling, according to the mental health experts at Psych Central: “Therapy may seem like a strange, foreign land to someone who’s never been,” the source quotes Ryan Howes, a professor and clinical psychologist in Pasadena, in its “World of Psychology” series. While admitting therapy can be costly, Howes says people can find affordable treatment options if they look in the right places.

Kayenta Therapy is one of those places. As the largest private practice Las Vegas counseling center, Kayenta Therapy does far more than anticipate such fears; it addresses them head-on by offering a convenient and straightforward therapist search function and $40 sessions with graduate student therapists.

The therapists at Kayenta understand there are few things in life more frustrating than wanting (and needing) counseling but not pursuing it. And this is precisely why they make it so easy to reach out.

Search among the best from our Las Vegas counseling center

Our premier Las Vegas counseling center demystifies the process of finding a therapist with its quick and easy search option. All you have to do is fill in three data fields to come up with a potential therapist (or therapists):

• The issue you wish to address in counseling – including, but not limited to, addictions, anxiety, couples’ issues, depression, family/parenting issues, grief/loss, stress management and substance abuse.
• The age of the client. Kayenta counselors treat people of all ages: toddlers, children, adolescents, adults and senior adults.
• The preferred payment option, which includes a range of insurance carriers. (Still, if your insurer isn’t listed, don’t hesitate to contact Kayenta as we offer low cost counseling.)

If you’ve been referred to Kayenta and already know a therapist’s name, you can click on that name and be directed to the therapist’s bio. More than 100 therapists have their practice at Kayenta – virtually assuring you will find a therapist who is a good fit for you.

Consider graduate student therapists at our Las Vegas counseling center

The Kayenta Legacy Program underscores our commitment to graduate student education and affordable counseling services. Graduate students from five universities work under the direction of a licensed and experienced supervisor to offer therapy sessions for only $40.

In the world of graduate school, this is known as the “capstone experience” – a culminating clinical experience that rounds out graduate students’ classroom education right before they graduate and embark on a career in counseling. It is similar to a residency that future physicians fulfill at a hospital before graduating from medical school.

The graduate students’ schooling has prepared them well to address a variety of issues in counseling sessions, including anger management, anxiety, career decisions, child behavior problems, communication problems, coping skills, depression, divorce adjustment, grief, parenting skills, relationships issues and many more.

The licensed and graduate student therapists at Kayenta Therapy are united in purpose: They believe people possess the power to change. The therapists offer sensitive and compassionate guidance so that people can find the tools to foster such change – and, in the process, change their lives for the better.

To reach out for the guidance you want and need, call our Las Vegas counseling center today at 702-438-7800 to schedule an appointment.

Often when a parent gets a call from a school counselor they go into panic mode straight away. Parental brains go to thinking “What is wrong with my child?” or “What did my child do?”. One thing to note is school counselors can call for many reasons, including academic issues, social development, and personal issues.

If a school counselor does call you about personal or social issues, the best thing you can do is listen. You will want to find out what is happening at school that has triggered the call. Is this a problem that has stemmed from something that is happening at school or is it something happening outside of school?

If the problem is not school or education related, then your school counselor may suggest resources outside of the school. They may suggest your child visit a child therapist in Las Vegas.

Contact a Therapist at Kayenta Directly

What to Do When the School Counselor Suggest Outside Help

It is hard not to panic when the school counselor calls and suggests getting outside help. It is better to view this as an opportunity, though. An opportunity to get your child help before issues become bigger.

Another advantage to getting help outside of school is your child is more likely to open up without the added pressure of thinking everyone in the school knows they are seeing a counselor.

You can be assured the school counselor has not made this call on a whim, something has triggered the call and it is likely something to take note of and get help for.

Why A School Counselor May Refer You to a Child Therapist in Las Vegas

There are many reasons a school counselor may call you about getting further help for your child, including:

• Your child becoming over emotional in school without being able to calm down.
• For evaluation, medication or testing.
• When your child’s problem needs individualized or specific help or treatment.
• When something is affecting your child’s school work that doesn’t seem to be related to school or learning disabilities.
• When your child has tried to harm themselves or others while at school.

The school counselor may suggest the names of outside counseling groups; however, as the parent you get to make the final decision on who you choose as your child’s counselor.

You will want to find someone that can connect with your child. You will also want a convenient location so it is easier to be there for scheduled appointments.

Child Therapist in Las Vegas

If you are in need of a group of independent therapists, Kayenta Therapy Center provides a range of therapy services. We have a large staff base making it easier for you to find the right fit for your child. For over 10 years our therapy centers have provided help to the residents of Las Vegas at 702-438-7800.

If your school counselor calls and suggests therapy for your child, contact the team at Kayenta Therapy Center.

“What are we going to tell the kids?”

For couples going through a divorce, no question is more important to answer. Unfortunately, answers aren’t always easy to find.

Children are often more affected by divorce than their parents. It can be incredibly stressful, confusing and heartbreaking for kids. It can cause detachment from friends and family, and the affects can last a lifetime-unless children get help and support from a therapist in Las Vegas.

Here’s a look at how you can help your children cope with divorce:

Communicate With Your Kids

Open, honest and measured communication will be critical to your kids’ ability to understand and cope with the divorce. This means:

• Telling your children why you’re getting divorced in age-appropriate ways.
• Telling your kids you love them and the divorce is not their fault.
• Telling your kids exactly what they can expect with regards to changes in their lives.

Cooperate With One Another

Your kids are going to feel like their world is spinning out of control. This can escalate if their parents aren’t cooperating with one another. You can help your kids feel secure by:

• Committing to having both parents stay engaged and involved in your kids’ lives.
• Speaking directly to one another so your kids don’t have to serve as messengers.
• Refraining from arguing or fighting in front of your kids.

Listen and Reassure

Even if you communicate and cooperate, your children are likely to have questions, concerns and comments of their own-and you might not always like what they have to say. Encourage your children to share their feelings and emotions by:

• Actively listening and accepting the fact you might not always like what you’re hearing.
• Encouraging them to express themselves through their words, music choices and artwork.
• Accepting their honesty for what it is-the cathartic words of kids who are trying to make sense of something they likely view as senseless.

Care for Yourself

When you are physically healthy and emotionally present, you are better positioned to help your kids cope with the divorce. Make sure to care for yourself by:

• Exercising and eating healthy, both of which help you sleep better and feel better physically and mentally.
• Take time for yourself to make sure you don’t become overwhelmed, anxious or panicked about your future.
• Seek help and support from yourself through counseling or therapy from those experienced professionals such as those at Kayenta Therapy.

Contact a Therapist in Las Vegas

If you are going through a divorce and wonder what you are going to tell the kids, contact a therapist at Kayenta Therapy directly to set up an appointment, and discuss your options with him or her.