Let's Unlock Your Calm Confidence
Stress and Anxiety Therapy for Moms and Preteens
The holidays are here—cue the whirlwind of gift lists, cookie swaps, classroom parties, and family traditions. While it’s magical in many ways, let’s be honest: it can also feel overwhelming.
Here’s the thing: being everything to everyone isn’t what makes the season special. In fact, it might be stealing the joy you’re hoping to create.
What if this year, the best gift you gave yourself was permission to say no?
Read MoreYou had dreams for motherhood—maybe ones you couldn’t fully articulate but felt deeply in your heart. Then life happened. Somewhere between the pressure to be the perfect mom, partner, and professional, you might have found yourself asking: “Is this how it’s supposed to feel?”
The truth is, there’s no one way to be a mom, and societal expectations often set us up to feel like we’re falling short. But what if motherhood could look exactly the way you want it to?
Let’s explore what it means to break free of those expectations and build a life where you can thrive as both a mother and a person with dreams, passions, and purpose.
Read MoreThe holidays are supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year, right? But for preteens, the season can bring more than just festive cheer—it can stir up stress, insecurity, and anxiety.
From navigating family gatherings to fielding well-meaning but awkward questions from relatives, preteens often feel like they’re under a magnifying glass. And during a stage when they’re still figuring out who they are, it can be a lot to handle.
Read MoreThe holidays are supposed to be a time of joy and connection, but for preteens with anxiety, they can feel overwhelming. From packed schedules to unfamiliar social settings and heightened expectations, the season often amplifies their worries. Your preteen might struggle with a loud inner critic, feelings of self-doubt, or an inability to fully relax and enjoy the season.
As a parent, you want to help your preteen feel safe, understood, and confident during this busy time. One way to achieve this is through creativity. Art therapy offers a unique outlet for anxious preteens to express their thoughts and emotions, quiet their inner critic, and discover tools for resilience.
Here’s a creative activity designed to help your preteen process holiday stress and find calm amid the chaos.
Read MoreYou wake up feeling just as tired as when you went to bed. The day stretches ahead, filled with tasks, obligations, and expectations. Somewhere along the way, your energy disappeared—and now you’re running on fumes.
If this feels familiar, you’re not alone. Burnout doesn’t happen overnight, and it can sneak up on the most capable moms. But here’s the good news: just as it builds gradually, burnout can also be unraveled with small, intentional steps. Let’s explore how you can shift from burnout to balance.
Read MorePreteens face a whirlwind of changes—academically, socially, and emotionally. It’s a time when their self-esteem can take a hit. As a parent, you play a crucial role in helping your child build the confidence they need to navigate this stage with resilience.
The good news? Building confidence doesn’t require grand gestures. It’s about small, consistent actions that send the message: “I believe in you.”
Read MoreThe holidays are supposed to be a magical time, but let’s be honest—they often feel overwhelming. Between the endless to-do lists, social obligations, and the pressure to create picture-perfect memories, stress can quickly spiral out of control. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
But here’s the good news: with a few mindful techniques, you can step off the stress spiral and embrace the holidays with more calm and joy. Let’s dive in.
Read MoreThe holiday season is a magical time, but for preteens struggling with anxiety, it can also feel overwhelming. From bustling family gatherings to endless expectations, this time of year can heighten stress and amplify their worries. As a parent, you may wonder how to help your child enjoy the season while keeping their anxiety in check.
Here are five practical tips to help your preteen navigate the holidays with confidence and calm.
Read MoreAs a mom, you give so much to your family—your time, energy, and love. But when was the last time you gave something to yourself? Self-care often feels like a luxury, especially when you’re juggling a never-ending to-do list. Yet, neglecting your own well-being can leave you feeling depleted, overwhelmed, and even resentful. It’s time to flip the script and prioritize your needs.
Here are simple, realistic self-care tips designed for busy moms like you.
Read MoreTalking to your preteen about emotions can feel like walking through a minefield. One minute they’re spilling their hearts out; the next, you’re met with an eye roll and a slammed door. Navigating these moments is tough—but it’s also an opportunity to strengthen your relationship and help your preteen develop emotional resilience.
If you're unsure where to start, don’t worry—you're not alone. Here are practical, mindful strategies to create open, judgment-free conversations with your preteen about their emotions.
Read MoreWhat if you could take time for yourself, and you never have to deal with mom guilt? You wake up everyday and can breathe easily, love yourself, and go after your dreams. But there’s a slight problem keeping you from getting that. You are stuck spinning your wheels & pleasing everyone but yourself.
I see you. I know you are trying, however, it’s not quite working as planned.
Here we go again...
Another day filled with your preteen’s emotions exploding like volcanoes, frustrations running high, fighting, so much crying, withdrawing from things they once loved and worried about everything!
I see you here, scrolling through trying to catch a break & just wishing you could find some answers.
Maybe you’ve tried taking your kid to talk therapy, talking to your child’s pediatrician, consulting your child’s teachers and sifting through stacks of parenting books.
And yet, your family is still riding that daily emotional rollercoaster.
So, I totally get that it seems completely unimaginable to bring back peace & joy into your home.
I’ve got some tips for you today that are going to completely CHANGE the way you help your child navigate their emotional and mental health so they can naturally calm their nervous system, build their confidence, and finally bring laughter back into your home again.
With the right tools you can transform your child's emotions so that they feel safe, confident, happy, calm and connected.
In this exclusive toolkit, I’m breaking the barriers from the therapy room walls so that I can fully support you and your family.
This is just the support you need if you want to...
✅ Help your child feel HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND MORE CONFIDENT at school and in their relationships with others.
✅ Learn EFFECTIVE CALMING TOOLS so that you are better equipped to help your child regulate emotions.
✅ Teach your child how to EXPRESS THEIR THOUGHTS & FEELINGS in a healthy way.
✅ SUPPORT YOUR CHILD'S MENTAL HEALTH NATURALLY!
If you're ready to cultivate joy and connection in your family tap the link below to get started.
https://www.kaylahelenske.co/accessnow
Did you know the way you breathe is linked with your mental and physical health, your stress level, your energy – and that it can affect every single cell in your body?
When you optimize your breathing, you can:
Feel calm and energized
Sleep better
Improve your focus & concentration
Boost your mindfulness
And when your breathing is shallow (not optimized), it’s linked with:
Pain
Illness/disease
Poor posture
Stress
Negative emotions (anger, anxiety, and fear)
In fact, 70% of the waste you expel from your body every day is done through your breath!
That means when you pay attention to your breath for even a few minutes every day, it can make a surprisingly big difference in how you feel.
And, that’s why I've included the Mindful Breathing Guide with 6 stress-busting breathing exercises in the Emotionally Empowered Family membership so you can start using as soon as today.
Get your copy here right now in my membership library:
https://www.kaylahelenske.co/joinnow
The breathing exercises in your Mindful Breathing Guide will only take a few minutes but they can turn around your family's mood … and your energy … fast!
I hope you find it valuable!
It's my mission to help your family live a vibrant and healthy life together.
Join me in The Emotionally Empowered Family System and we'll make it happen!
Health + Happiness!
Kayla
P.S. If you know someone who would be interested in this ebook, feel free to forward this email to them so they can get their copy too.
Is your environment making you feel chaotic and overwhelmed? We all know that we are affected by our environment - but you may not realize how much your surroundings are affecting your mood and mindset. The negative effects of the seemingly unimportant can have on our brains is shocking. Creating an optimal environment at your home or office is vital for you to start thriving, being happier, more focused and relaxed.
Read MoreHappy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones!
Today’s post is all about joy+gratitude! It’s so easy in our busy, crazy, chaotic lives to feel upset and worried, overwhelmed and exhausted that we can forget to make time for the things we really love to do.
Want to shift that mindset?
Focus on those objects of joy around you. What are you grateful for? Those things that you may be ignoring or have forgotten that make your heart sing - and you will find that you are much less likely to feel upset or worried, weary or exhausted.
So how can you focus on joy+gratitude when life seems less than joyful?
Well, you make the decision - here and now - to focus on it. Might seem too simple - but often it is the simple decisions that can change our mindset so dramatically and end up changing our life.
To start, make a list of 50 things that bring you joy and what you are grateful for. This can be your activity to complete on your own or include your family! We are putting a large sheet of paper on our kitchen table before Thanksgiving dinner and will use lines, shapes, colors, words and images to fill it up!
Check out ideas other ideas below to get you started!
Make your list of 50 things - they are not things that you mildly enjoy… things that make you grin. Fifty things might seem like a lot - but just trust me. Give it a shot. It doesn’t have to be a day long outing - it can be as simple as watching the sun set. Or giving your loved one an extra long hug when they come home from work. Crawling into bed with fresh clean crisp sheets. And then schedule time for ONE of those things each week for the next 4 weeks. If this means saying NO to something that you feel obligated or pressured to do - then do it! Make some space for joy. Your brain will thank you! Some ideas to get your brainstorming started!
20 Ways to Bring Joy+Gratitude Back into Your Life
Pick some fresh flowers or greenery.
Discover a new happy song or inspiring podcast.
Fill your diffuser with an uplifting scent like citrus or woody oils.
Make some art. Get lost in the creative process.
Wear a color that makes you feel like a badass.
Reconnect with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
Have a picnic in your backyard or hot chocolate in a snow fort.
Make that recipe that you’ve had on your fridge for 6 months.
Put on some music and dance!
Play a board game with your loved ones on the next rainy day.
On that same rainy day - find a puddle and jump in it.
Take a nap.
Have a bubble bath (or foot soak) when everyone else in your life is busy.
Go for a bike ride a hike or snowshoeing.
Go for a leisurely walk - without your phone.
Donate your unwanted items to someone in need.
Laugh -put on a funny movie, plan a date or phone chat with someone hilarious in your life. Laughter is good for the soul… and the brain.
Write down 3 things you are grateful for.
Make a list of 5 things you love about your significant other and/or kids and surprise them with it.
Make a commitment to doing one thing a day that adds joy to your life.
Health & Happiness,
Kayla
P.S. Head over to the Facebook group, Motherhood Connections: Supporting Your Family’s Emotional Health Naturally, and share your top three! Let’s come up with some ideas to make mindset shifts happen!
Choosing to live a holistic lifestyle is to treat and care for your body from the inside out. A natural approach addresses the body's needs and root causes offering safe benefits to enhance physical and emotional health without added side effects.
Our bodies have 3 brains! The mind, the heart and the gut. The mind houses logic and intellect including the subconscious mind that directs over 90% of our behaviors. The heart which houses our intuition. There are actually more neural pathways that run from the heart to the brain than from the brain to the heart. And finally the gut. The gut and brain are in constant bi-directional connection and since 80-90% of the body’s serotonin and other feel-good chemicals are produced in the gut it’s important to support a healthy microbiome. Our daily rituals & diet truly impact our emotional health and well-being. Balancing our healthy bacteria in our gut influences our overall behaviors by creating neurotransmitters through digesting what we eat. Supporting your gut health with a diet rich in whole foods including vegetables, fruit, healthy fats, efficient water intake, exercise, high quality probiotics and multivitamins will help to balance your overall emotional health. We hold the power in the foods we choose to fuel our bodies, the activity and ways we move our bodies, the quality of sleep we obtain, how we manage stress levels, support our emotional health, the care we take to rid our homes of excess toxins and the time we gift ourselves for restorative self-care. Let's break it down for you.
>Proactive medical care is in the forefront of caring for your emotional health. I have found that food allergy and food intolerance tests often help individuals to get to the root cause of their gut health and can help lead to deeper healing of the whole body. Just because a food is healthy doesn’t mean that your body responds that way. Food allergies generally have an immediate reaction such as a rash or stomach ache, they are often easier to discover on your own. Food intolerances are much trickier as they usually don’t have an immediate reaction, but they are impacting your immune response and lead to lowered immunity, brain fog, slow digestion, leaky gut, headaches, skin irritations, mood crashes and instability to name a few. It’s often not immediate so it can be really hard to target what it is. Symptoms can also show up more if your body is already run down and working extra hard. This will not be covered in depth in this program as it is a program within itself. I do recommend getting in contact with your provider to further this discussion and ask about their recommendations for food intolerance tests as well as hormone testing.
>Reducing our toxic load in areas that we can control is another beneficial way to support our emotional health. Chemicals in our homes that we clean with and put on our skin can disrupt our hormones leading to a wide array of physical and psychological disruptions. Learning how to reduce the toxins we use in our homes is an important first step to getting to the root cause. The average woman applies 200+ chemicals onto her body daily. And studies have shown that home cleaners are just as toxic to our lungs as smoking cigarettes. Yikes!
On average it takes less than a minute for most of these toxic chemicals to enter our bloodstream. We then absorb up to 60% of what we put on our skin. Children actually absorb 40-50% more than adults. So scary! These dangerous toxins are found in everyday essential items such as body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, make up, perfume, toothpaste, lotion, hair products, and skin care. Conditions linked to the accumulation of these toxic chemicals include infertility, breast cancer, hormone imbalances, autoimmune diseases, skin damage, thyroid imbalances, birth defects, liver and kidney disease, and advanced skin aging.
There are more options!
This was a crucial piece in our family learning how to truly care for our bodies and once we began it became super fun and empowering! The products my family and I use are plant based and don’t contain any of the alarming fillers. I know I am supporting our wellness each and every day. We have completely removed all hazardous and toxic body products, home cleaners, and irritants like candles and air sprays. It gives me such a peace of mind knowing I’m doing all I can to take care of our physical and emotional health. If you need any help getting started or suggestions on what to exchange in your home, please ask!
>intentional self-care is also an important component of healthy living. Journaling, taking a bath, reading, creating, hiking, biking and setting healthy boundaries for yourself are all part of self-care. Self-care is welcoming in more of what truly brings you joy and replenishes your mind and body.
>rest+stress management. It is essential for our bodies to get adequate rest. The hours vary for each individual. You can use a variety of apps to track your sleep to give you more insight. Also learning ways to effectively manage your stress is crucial to thriving. Stress will always be present in our lives, the way we manage it is what impacts our physical and emotional health.
>Moving our bodies helps to shake up the stagnant energy in our cells. It helps to release stress reducing hormones and all the feel good emotions. This doesn’t have to be dreaded or strenuous activity, just something you enjoy and gets you moving. A walk, stretching, yoga, elliptical, hiking, etc.
>Fueling our bodies is crucial in supporting your emotional health. The fundamental supplements I use and recommend, add daily support with minerals, micronutrients, and healthy fats. They include essential oils to enhance the absorption of nutrition on a cellular level. The foods you eat are also a crucial piece to supporting your hormones and emotional health. Reaching for sugar, alcohol and caffeine are only going to increase your feelings of overwhelm, brain fog and energy crashes. I’m not saying you have to avoid at all times, but noticing how you feel when you indulge and the after effects of your mood are imperative to helping overcome emotional overwhelm. Besides choosing healthier options, eating regularly is also important. Have you noticed in yourself or others that when we are hungry we become hard to rationalize with and become more irritable. Hence the word, hangry. Fuel your body with healthy foods you love. Mix it up with new recipes when you notice yourself drifting towards the foods that don’t make you feel so good.
I know the hardest thing sometimes is just getting started, which is why I put together my 5 best getting started tools into a new, free guide where I combine art, mindfulness and essential oils to help clear thoughts, energy and stress.
You can grab your free download here
Health & Happiness,
Kayla
Taking time to unplug can be a key step to restoring our sanity and making a mindset shift.
Your social media habits could be changing your brain and affecting your behavior and mindset in ways you can’t even imagine. Unfettered access to unlimited information is a powerful tool but checking our phones every time a new Facebook notification pops up (giving our brains a dopamine fix) can actually become a physical addiction.
Research has shown that the “likes” and clicking and scrolling activates the pleasure center in our brain - making us crave more. Before we know it, we’ve lost 20 minutes scrolling.
Even more important - social media is a highlight reel - not real life. And research shows us that our self esteem takes a hit and our mental health nosedives when we get caught up in the comparison trap.
No one is that put together all the time.
No one’s children are THAT well behaved all the time.
It’s not reality.
So take back your precious resource of time and give your mindset a break and step back.
The time has come… to disconnect. It can be for as short or long as you want it to be. Put your phone in airplane mode on the kitchen counter and take a walk. Take a bath. Go into your room and close your door. Go read a magazine in the bathroom. Check out the hand out of the day for 15 easy ways to detox from social media without losing your mind. Choose 2 new strategies to implement and COMMIT to putting them into action today.
13 ways to unplug (just in case you’ve forgotten how)
Put your phone away at dinner. Connect with those you are eating with.
Even better - institute a cell phone basket. Everyone puts their devices into the basket when they enter the house. You can also implement it for shorter periods of time - during meal times, after dinner, for one hour before bed.
No electronics in the bedroom - the bedroom should be reserved for sleep and sexy time. Leave the devices out of it.
Uninstall unnecessary apps from your phone - take a look and see how many of those apps are integral for your daily life. Get rid of the extra noise.
Reply to your emails all at once (set a specific time) rather than replying as they come
Turn off your notifications. There is no reason a phone needs to be chiming all day. It’s time to implement healthy boundaries.
Get up and get out. Go for a walk, go for a hike, schedule an outing with your kids. It’s much easier to stay off social media when your body is moving!
Cut down on the guilty pleasures. If you’re following the Kardashians and endlessly Google cat videos and love scrolling Reddit, pick just one to focus on for now. That will automatically reduce your scrolling time!
Stop oversharing. Not everything we do has to be documented on social media. It’s not like the tree that fell in the forest. If you go for a walk and don’t post a pic to instagram - the walk still happened.
Get a library card. Reading can be a way of relaxing and “checking out” too… but it actually improves mental health rather than damaging it.
Set limits on your social media and online time. For example, no social media after 8pm and before 9am. No social media on the weekends.
Turn your phone off at work. Mixing work and social media = a world of distractions.
Make it a group effort! You will be more successful when you have the support and accountability of those around you. So get your hubby, wife, kids or best bud on board.
Start with 1 or 2 and see how it improves areas of your emotional health.
Health & Happiness,
Kayla
We’ve been working hard to establish healthy boundaries in our home. Working from home is hard! I’ve been navigating this for nearly 8 years and still learning.
I feel the guilt of stepping away from mama time as I switch gears to serve others. Educating and helping others truly make my heart sings so it’s a beautiful balance to seek.
The kids want to join in with my work. I don’t blame them, my job is pretty awesome, getting to paint, create essential oil blends and helping peeps support their emotional health. Pretty darn cool.
Yet, I don’t get anything done with a toddler swinging her water bottle around while sitting on my laptop and the preschooler using all my art supplies all over my notes. 🤣🤪
Our mama time this week started out with making all these yummy aromatherapy play doughs. It only took about 15 minutes to make all the dough and they had fun mixing the colors and picking the scents. Then they magically played with it for over an hour so I could get in a consult with a client.
Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 cups colored water (we use natural food coloring for this!)
1 cup salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
5—7 drops of essential oils (or to your preference)
Instructions
Combine all ingredients, except for essential oils, in a large saucepan and stir until combined.
Once combined, put over medium heat. Using a spatula, continue to stir ingredients together until it forms a ball. It happens quickly! Note: Don’t overcook as it will lead to dry play dough.
Remove from heat and cool on parchment paper.
Once cool, add 5-7 drops of your favorite essential oil and knead until thoroughly combined. I love to let my kids join in this part!
That’s it you are ready to rock! Just store in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for months of fun.
Essential oils provide a powerful and effective way to support our moods. Here is a look at the ones we used in our rainbow selection of play dough.
Balance: grounding blend to support anxious feelings
Wild Orange: uplifting and calming all in one plus supports healthy immune response
Lavender: calming and supports a healthy immune response
Adaptiv: calming blend that also provides an uplifting boost
Lemon: uplifting, refreshing and cleansing
Citrus Bliss: flowers in a bottle for supporting mood
You can grab our favorite oils here!
Health & Happiness.
Kayla
P.S. I would love to see what you make and hear about your experience! Post a picture on your social media and tag me! @kaylahelenske
Aromatherapy is an extremely powerful way to impact our emotional wellbeing through topical and aromatic use of essential oils. When applied topically the essential oils enter through our skin making it possible for them to impact every cell in our body.
Our nasal passages are a direct pathway to the limbic system of the brain, this is where the amygdala processes the body’s emotional responses. Simply inhaling the aromatic compounds of an essential oil is an effective way to calm the nervous system, reducing anxious feelings or uplifting your mood. This can be done by placing a drop in the palm of your hand and cupping your nose, placing oils in a diffuser or smelling topically applied oils whether on diffuser jewelry or the skin throughout the day.
The close connection between smells and emotions becomes evident in our everyday life as certain scents trigger memories and feelings impacting our moods and emotional regulations. This is why going for a walk in nature is so beneficial in shifting our moods or walking into a restaurant cues your appetite. The olfactory centers are also intricately linked with the hypothalamus, an area of the brain that controls physiological functions throughout the body. The hypothalamus is influential by interacting directly with the pituitary gland, a small gland located in the brain. The brain communicates with the pituitary gland to secrete hormones involved in the regulation of stress, hunger, thyroid, sleep, libido, and memory. Because of the direct link between the olfactory system and the brain, the tiny molecules in an essential oil are capable of interacting directly with the hypothalamus, influencing neurochemistry throughout the body thus impacting overall health and wellbeing.
Essential oils are a pure liquid extract from seeds, leaves, bark, stems, root and peel of plants. They are steam-released or pressed from the actual plants. They are concentrated, fast acting, and quickly absorb into the skin and contain no additional processing, preservatives, or other additives. They are used for a wide range of emotional and physical wellness purposes and have been used for hundreds of years.
Essential oils are natural, effective and safe aromatic compounds extracted and distilled from plants for health benefits. They contain hundreds of different compounds, providing complex and versatile abilities to combat threats without building up resistance. They work with the body to address issues and root causes on a cellular level and impact the overall vibrations on the system. Choosing Quality Essential Oils is important to ensure they are pure and free of toxins, pesticides, weeds, and fillers, artificial ingredients, and chemical substitutes. Choosing a quality essential oil will also ensure their potency and overall therapeutic benefits.
Essential oils have the ability to shift our moods depending on the makeup of the specific oil from calming and energizing to renewing, reassuring and grounding.
You can grab my free guide on how to incorporate essential oils into your self-care to reduce stress here.
Health & Happiness,
Kayla
Art therapy is a means of utilizing art materials to allow thoughts and feelings to move as you dialogue with your inner canvas through lines, shapes, and colors giving image to what the experience feels and looks like in your body. The art allows you to capture a moment- a tactile representation of your thoughts, feelings, as well as further connect and reflect upon what is working, not working or perhaps missing in your life. The process of creating also allows for a cathartic experience, expelling built up stress, anger and/or grief.
As an art therapist I look further at the metaphors inherent in the art making process. For example, building a volcano out of clay and then using a variety of liquid watercolors placing drops of colors representing all the pent up thoughts and feelings percolating in one's body. Once the maker is finished they witness the volcano erupting as a symbolic experience of what happens when we bottle up emotions. The actual feelings of anger, sadness, and grief are emotions experienced by everyone, withholding these feelings and suppressing them can impact our physical and mental health, as well as relationships with others. Through the process of art therapy individuals may learn what different materials are capable of creating and how the creative process feels both physically and emotionally.
Art therapy is utilized with individuals, families and groups and can be explored with a variety of mediums to create paintings, drawings, sculptures, and collages amongst many other types of art.
Two main approaches to art therapy are utilized; art as therapy and art psychotherapy. Art as therapy allows the inherent therapeutic process of creating art to relieve an individual's suffering, whereas art psychotherapy uses art to aid in the process of conventional talk therapy.
Curious to learn more? I know the hardest thing sometimes is just getting started, which is why I put together my 5 best getting started tools into a new, free guide where I combine art, mindfulness and essential oils to help clear thoughts, energy and stress.
You can download my free guide here with the 5 practices I use to reduce stress.
Health & Happiness,
Kayla