If you’ve been running on autopilot — caring for everyone but yourself — you’re not alone. Many adults forget what joy truly feels like after years of stress, people-pleasing, or survival mode. This blog explores how to reconnect with your inner child, rediscover calm through play, nature, and self-compassion, and begin the healing journey back to yourself. Written by Kansas City therapist Angelique Foye-Fletcher, LMFT, LCMFT, RPT, this guide offers brain-based, trauma-informed insights to help you regulate your emotions, nurture your relationships, and reclaim joy in everyday life.

The holidays can be both heart-warming and heartbreaking — especially for adults and children coping with grief, divorce, or change. In this season of emotional overwhelm, finding calm in the chaos starts with small acts of care. As featured in my recent FOX4 KC segment on emotional wellness, I share practical strategies to manage stress, support kids through family transitions, and nurture your nervous system through nature, rest, and grounding. If you’re searching for holiday grief support, divorce-related therapy for kids, or an experienced family therapist near Kansas City, this guide offers tools, reflection, and hope for your next step toward healing.

Cycle-breaking isn’t just a trendy phrase—it’s the quiet, sacred work of choosing something different for yourself and your family. It’s saying no to patterns that kept you small, learning how to rest without guilt, or giving your kids the language you never had growing up. In my Kansas City therapy practice, I see cycle-breakers every day—individuals, parents, and couples—showing up to do the hard, messy, and powerful work of healing. This blog shares real-life examples of what cycle-breaking actually looks like, plus practical ways to begin your own journey of emotional healing and growth. Whether you’re navigating burnout, parenting stress, grief, or relationship struggles, you’ll see that breaking cycles isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence, compassion, and the courage to keep showing up.

Back-to-school season can be tough—for kids and parents. New routines, earlier mornings, and big feelings often lead to meltdowns, clinginess, or stress at home. As a Kansas City child and play therapist, I help families navigate these transitions with practical, heart-centered strategies. From creating calming morning rituals to reconnecting after school through play, these simple steps can help your child—and you—feel more grounded and connected. Remember, those “butterflies” aren’t just in your child’s stomach; they’re in yours, too. This blog shares tips for easing the emotional load, supporting your child’s nervous system, and building a predictable rhythm that brings peace to your home. If you’re looking for play therapy or parent coaching in Kansas City, I’d love to help your family thrive this school year.

When kids face big emotions, they don’t always have the words to explain them — but play gives them a voice. Play therapy allows children to safely explore feelings, build confidence, and learn to regulate emotions in ways that feel natural, safe, and developmentally right for them.

 Inner child healing helps you reconnect with the younger parts of yourself that still carry old wounds and unmet needs. Through gentle, brain-based therapy, we create safe space to process the past, build emotional safety, and finally feel more free and whole in the present.