Nervous System & Play: Safe Connection | Helen Meurs | Mom Therapy

Join us for real conversations on mom therapy and nervous system regulation. We curiously explore how puppets lower pressure and help kids process stress safely. Support your own baseline with the Mind Circuit App : Ease and its gentle BLS mood tracking.What You'll Discover:Connection before correctionBuilding trust safelyUsing Puppetry to Support Children's Emotional and Behavioral DevelopmentDiscover how relational puppetry can transform the way adults connect with children, especially in understanding and responding to challenging behaviors. In this episode, Helen Meurs shares her innovative approach that uses puppets to create safe spaces, foster relationships, and support nervous system regulation.Main Topics Covered:The concept of relational puppetry and its role in supporting the nervous systemHow challenging behaviors are expressions of underlying stress or communicationThe importance of understanding a child’s perspective rather than reacting outwardlyPractical ways to incorporate puppetry into daily interactions with childrenOvercoming barriers and misconceptions about using puppetry with childrenThe impact of using puppets to lower stress thresholds and build trustHow puppetry encourages children to share more openly and feel safeTimestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to relational puppetry and its benefits02:19 - Understanding challenging behaviors as communication signals03:19 - The importance of perceiving the child's perspective04:38 - How puppetry creates a safe, connection-building environment05:53 - Using puppets to lower the threshold for honest communication06:52 - The significance of puppet gender and expectations in engagement07:49 - Building trust: puppets as friends, not educators09:10 - Helping children see adults as 28:02 - Connecting with Helen for training and resources29:15 - Building safety and emotional regulation through puppetry30:44 - The art of creating a puppet that feels safe and familiar33:03 - Success stories of children transformed by puppetry34:00 - Encouraging a shift in perspective on puppetry's powerConnect with Helen Meurs:[Social Media](https://facebook.com/hellemers | https://instagram.com/hellemers)Additional Notes:Puppetry can be a powerful tool to regulate and soothe the nervous system in childrenOvercoming adult resistance relies on understanding the safety and relationship-building aspectsStart small: a simple sock puppet can be enough to begin transforming interactionsThis isn't therapy or a how-to show—it's two real humans noticing what's showing up and trying to be kinder to ourselves. If you're tired of perfectly staged mom content and want authentic conversation about women's health, mental health, and motherhood, this is your space. This conversation speaks to women navigating stress, advocacy for their own health, and the invisible nervous-system load so many carry quietly.Support the Show:If this episode helped you understand your wiring a little better, please follow the show and leave a 5-star review. It helps us reach more people looking for their own "Aha!" moments.© 2025 Mind Circuit Inc. All right reserved. YouTube → @erin_notestomynervoussystemWebsite → ⁠⁠https://mindcircuit.org⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠@MindcircuitDisclaimer: "Mom therapy" discussions are purely educational and do not replace clinical advice.