Hi parents and caregivers,

We hope you're well this April! It's been such an intense few months both on individual levels for families, in the larger community, and in our world, that we want to focus in on some nurturance and hope here locally this month. We hope you're well.

Read on for some reflections on regulation, learn how seasonal changes may affect kids and families, and sweet news about a teammate:

Regulation is NOT calm!

In this month’s feature, Dr. Emilee from our Occupational Therapy team breaks down a core misconception:

Regulation is not about being calm.

A child can be crying, yelling, or overwhelmed and still be regulated if they have agency over their body.

Inside this conversation, we explore:

• Why problem-solving doesn’t work during dysregulation
• What co-regulation actually looks like in real life
• Two approaches we use with families every day
• Why “what’s wrong?” often backfires in the moment

If you’ve ever felt unsure what to do in the middle of big emotions, this will give you a much clearer lens.

We made a parent/child cheat sheet for that "Leave me alone!!" moment

Note from Rebekah: my own kids and a few other kids have helped me understand what they might be feeling after school when they don't even have the resources to say anything besides something like "leave me alone!" or "be quiet." I made a little printable for parents, providers, and honestly I think that we as adults might benefit from this even more than our kids!

Big congratulations to Collin Alteneder, LMFT, here at The Real Work!

Collin is now a fully licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, continuing his work supporting children, teens, and families in Beaverton and the greater Portland, Oregon community. His approach is grounded in relationship, curiosity, and real-life application—helping families navigate anxiety, emotional regulation challenges, and everyday stress with more clarity and connection.

adhd Summer Camp with gabi This summer we will host our first two summer camps led by child therapists from our collective: Learn More​

Summer Camp with Mick! This summer we will host our first two summer camps led by child therapists from our collective: Learn More​

See you next month!

Warmly,

Rebekah and The Real Work Collective

PS: Reply here if you have questions about any of the following

Summer camps (see above)

Current therapy openings

We have a handful of openings across our team right now, including:

• Therapy for your 10-18 year old with Mick James, LPCA
• Adult therapy focused on family-of-origin stressors showing up in parenting
• Play-based therapy for kids ages 3–10
• Parent support and coaching for families navigating ADHD or autism
• Hiking therapy sessions for parents who want support while moving outdoors

If you’re curious whether one of these could be a fit, we’re happy to talk it through.