10: Why it is important for parent couples to play

Welcome! My guest today is Rebecca Wong LCSW. Rebecca is a relationship therapist and professional consultant in private practice in New York's Hudson Valley where she lives with her husband, two children, and a few four legged mischief makers. She is the creator of Connectfulness, a relationship practice that she uses to help her clients and colleagues understand, manage, and value their own humanity as a tool to connect to themselves and all of the important people in their lives. She believes that our relationships are reflections of who we really are and every interaction is an opportunity for evolution. Every day she embraces life as a beautiful, messy, serendipitous adventure!  In this episode you will learn: Rebecca works with parenting couples Why connectedness is important Play is relationship “glue” Happy relationships take practice Everyone wants to feel seen, heard and understood What is play and how to embody it In the context of a safe environment and relationship Connection with self improves connections with partners Different archetypes of play Creating and allowing mindful moments We also need disconnection moments Using equine assisted psychotherapy with couples Horses reflect patterns in couples Horses are asking a question when they approach a person and we try to figure out the question. (Same with human to human) Duality of using horses-they can intimidate us and can help us stand in our own truth Rebecca is beginning to to train her puppy in animal assisted therapy. She observes her dog’s behavior and reflects it back to the couple to explore possible patterns in their relationship. Animals can help humans be in present moment Need more kindness and it starts with ourselves Accepting our imperfections Slow down, tune in, and then can show up (self-compassion and self-care) Rebecca discusses Kim John Payne’s work-Simplicity Parenting If you liked this episode I invite you to subscribe on iTunes to receive the weekly updates. This podcast is also available on Stitcher and Google Play. http://launchingyourdaughter.com Rebecca’s Information: http://Connectfulness.com 21 Days Series-Collaborative email series with Rebecca, a meditation teacher and financial planner on your money stories Book Recommendations: Playful Parenting by Larry Cohen, Ph.D. Parenting from the Inside Out by Dr. Daniel Siegel Play by Dr. Stewart Brown