Mending Families is hosted by Melissa Pemberton and she brings you weekly content that is a mix of trauma aware interviews, parenting tips for those caring for kids from adversity, and stories from people just like you as they share their beautiful messy moments. Melissa hopes that when you listen each week, you will feel encouraged, inspired and take a little something away to help you and your family move from broken to mended.

Claire Collins-Thompson is a wife, mother of one beautiful boy, and licensed mental health therapist specializing in IFS and EMDR modalities. She runs a private practice in Spokane, WA and in her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, camping, traveling and being on the water as much as possible.

On today’s episode, Claire shares with us about her journey of surviving cancer and how she learned so much about herself during that process. She talks about the realization that she needed to truly slow down, ask for help with her son, and allow her body the space to heal. Claire gives us a brief run-down on Internal Family Systems and provides us with some great tips, resources and suggestions for our own healing that you won’t want to miss out on!

If you are interested in checking out Claire’s private practice, Sol Counseling and Wellness, you can find her at www.solspokane.com.

Topics Claire mentions:

*Square-foot gardening is a strategy that Claire has found helpful and she has learned how to be a “master gardener” (my words, not hers!).

*Claire mentions the books Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers, Nowhere Hair, The Body Keeps the Score, and When the Body Says No as great resources

*If you are looking for a therapist who can help with your own trauma healing, Claire recommends checking out https://ifs-institute.com/, https://emdraa.org/, www.psychologytoday.com or check out the providers through your insurance.

*Claire wishes that more people would realize that healing from trauma takes time, but that healing is also possible.

*If you are a parent who has a newborn that was exposed to substances and are ready to take the steps to healing yourself and help your child heal, check out Maddie’s Place here in Spokane. They also are always looking for volunteers to hold the babies so if that’s something your interested in, reach out to them!

*The YMCA was a great resource for Claire during her fight against cancer and she recommends looking into the supports, services and activities that they offer to the greater Spokane community.

*Claire is so thankful for her Naturopath doctor who has helped her not only with her immune system, but also with emotional support. If you are interested in a more natural approach to health, Claire recommends you look into Dr. Jason Kinley at Mountain View Vital Medicine

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