Healing Hearts Family Counseling

08/31/2026

Sometimes our professional work changes us in ways we never expect.

For years at Healing Hearts, I've worked with children and families navigating disabilities, executive-functioning challenges, sensory differences, and difficult transitions.

Then, after my own brain injury, I found myself needing to use many of the same strategies and therapeutic interventions I'd spent years using with others—on myself.

This week, while attending an author conference, I had the opportunity to meet Jess Ekstrom and talk with her about my upcoming book and what I've learned through that experience.

Our conversation led to an idea that I'm still thinking about:

In a world where it's becoming increasingly easy to outsource our thinking, knowing HOW to think may become one of our most valuable skills.

I use AI regularly—but not to think for me.

I use it to take care of tasks that unnecessarily consume my cognitive energy, so I can preserve that energy for the thinking only I can do.

My brain injury taught me that reducing cognitive load isn't the same thing as reducing thought. Sometimes, removing the unnecessary load is exactly what allows us to think better.

I'm excited to see where this conversation—and this work—leads next.

— Pat Ann St. Germain, MA, LPC
Owner & Clinical Director, Healing Hearts Family Counseling Center

08/30/2026

Sometimes the plan isn't the plan. 😂🪨🎨

Therapy doesn't always unfold exactly the way we imagined—and sometimes that's where the best moments happen.

A little flexibility, a little creativity, and a willingness to pivot can take us somewhere even better. ❤️

Apparently, this particular therapy session just wasn't meant for rock painting. 😂

08/28/2026

Parenting isn’t about being perfect. It’s about understanding how our words, actions, relationships, and responses can shape a child’s emotional world for years to come.

At Healing Hearts Family Counseling Center, we help families build healthier relationships, work through challenges, and create a stronger foundation for the future.

If you’re ready for support on your parenting journey, Healing Hearts is here to help. ❤️
https://healingheartscares.com/

08/26/2026

Some people feel overwhelmed by sound. Others struggle to focus or stay regulated, and don't know why.

The Integrated Listening System uses music delivered through headphones, paired with activities, to help the brain process sound and sensory input differently. Over time, that can mean better focus, steadier emotions, and less overwhelm.

It's one of the tools we use to treat what's underneath, not just what shows up on the surface.

Curious how it works? Check the comments for a fun fact. 👇

Reach out to Healing Hearts today.

08/25/2026

Sometimes the things that matter most aren't the most obvious.

A coping skill used at just the right moment.
A child trying something that used to feel impossible.
A parent responding differently than they did before.
A moment of connection that would have been easy to miss.

Growth doesn't always announce itself.

Sometimes you have to look a little closer. 🌿

Little things matter.

08/24/2026

Therapy is a lot like baseball. ⚾

At my son’s baseball game recently, he was pitching and accidentally hit the batter. The batter fell to the ground crying, and the fear and compassion on my son’s face was heartbreaking.

As I watched, I found myself thinking about how frightening it can be to step back up to the plate after experiencing trauma, loss, or something that has shaken your sense of safety.

Therapy has wild pitches that catch everyone off guard. There are foul balls, scraped knees, and moments when you wonder whether you’re making any progress at all.
But there are also home runs.

Those moments when something finally clicks. When you recognize your own growth. When you realize something that once felt impossible doesn't feel quite so impossible anymore—and you and your therapist get to celebrate together.

Healing doesn't mean every pitch will be perfect.

Sometimes healing simply means finding the courage to step back into the batter's box and try again. ⚾❤️

08/21/2026

We shared our therapists' Top 6 book recommendations—now we're digging into them one at a time. 📚

Week 1: The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk

One reason this book comes up so often in conversations about trauma is that it helps explain something incredibly important: our experiences don't just live in our thoughts. Stress and trauma can show up in the body and nervous system, too.

That's one of the reasons our work at Healing Hearts looks beyond simply asking, “What are you thinking?” We're interested in what the whole system may be communicating.

Have you read this one? What stayed with you?

08/18/2026

08/18/2026

✈️ FREE Young Eagles flights for kids ages 8–17 — registration is now open!

After sharing our experience with EAA - The Spirit of Aviation through the Dodge County Flyers EAA Chapter 897 this past weekend, we loved hearing from families whose kids came home excited about aviation — including kids who are now talking about becoming pilots!

That is what makes programs like Young Eagles so exciting. A free introductory flight can be the spark that gets a young person wondering, “What else is out there?”

And aviation is so much bigger than becoming a pilot. That initial curiosity can lead kids to explore an incredible range of possibilities — from piloting and aircraft maintenance to engineering, air traffic control, airport operations, ground crews and so much more.

Sometimes all it takes is one experience to ignite an interest a child didn't even know they had. ✈️❤️

The next Young Eagles Rally is:
📅 Saturday, September 19
📍 Dodge County Airport — Juneau, WI
👧🧒 Ages 8–17
✈️ FREE introductory flight with a volunteer pilot

Preregistration is encouraged to reserve your spot!

Thank you to EAA, Dodge County Flyers EAA Chapter 897, and all of the volunteers who give their time and experience to help introduce the next generation to aviation.

Check out the event below for registration information! ✈️