Shame - Interview with a Feelings Expert

Mattering - Asher's Banana Stand

Today we jump into a game called "Asher’s Banana Stand." Each banana holds a “gift” a kid can bring to the gathering pool, and we explore what those gifts actually do for a group. It’s a gentle way to build confidence and understand more about how you matter in your family! Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

The Need to Matter - Asher's Race

In this episode of How Are You Feeling Today?, we return to the Gathering Pool to learn about the need of mattering. Asher the monkey is fast, funny, and full of energy, but he begins to wonder if he only matters when he is performing, winning, or making everyone laugh. When Asher arrives quietly at the Gathering Pool, his friends help him discover that he matters not because of what he does, but because of who he is and what only he can bring.  Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

Belong or Pretend?

In this episode, we practice the “Belong or Pretend” game, built for kids and parents to do together.  Belonging means I have a place to say what I feel and people still want to be with me. Pretending is when I act loud, perfect, or agreeable to keep approval. We walk through real-life situations like telling a safe person “I feel sad,” being invited to sit with a friend even when you’re quiet, asking a grown-up for help when you feel left out, and handling anger with honest words. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

The Need to Belong - A Place For Mack

Belonging isn’t about being the fastest, funniest, smartest, or strongest. Belonging means I have a place to say what I feel, and people still want to be with me. Through a gentle jungle story, Kai the tiger wrestles with comparison at home, and Mack the turtle wonders if he belongs at the gathering pool because he can’t do what other animals do. What happens next is the heart of the lesson: Mack’s friends aren’t asking him to be someone else. They’re glad he’s there because he’s Mack. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]

Glad - Interview With a Feelings Expert

Glad isn’t just a smile. Sometimes it shows up right next to lonely, sad, or even hurt, and that “mixed up” feeling can be confusing for kids and adults alike. I sit down with Dakota for a warm, funny, and surprisingly deep conversation that helps kids build real emotional vocabulary and helps parents practice emotional coaching without turning it into a lecture. Resources, activities, and discussion tools for families are available at:  🌱 howareyoufeelingtoday.net [https://www.howareyoufeelingtoday.net/] Learn more about counseling and family resources at:  🌿 vothcenter.com [https://www.vothcenter.com/]