Marriage and Family Therapy Play Therapy Brains Love Play Neurodevelopment Parenting Support

About Me

Saralicia Hernandez, LMFT

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Child Development Specialist. I hold a Certificate in Child Centered Play Therapy and am currently working towards my Registered Play Therapist certification (RPT).

I have participated in training in Medical Family Therapy, am certified as an Integrative Trauma Specialist, and use an Interpersonal Neurobiology informed approach to my practice, incorporating humanistic, and somatic techniques as well.

I am from Mexico City and speak both English and Spanish fluently.

The Brains Love Play Manifesto

Children are individuals, no matter how young.

We all deserve respect, compassion, and understanding.

I believe in “time in" rather than “time out."

I believe in connection and collaboration rather than correction and compliance.

I believe in modeling behavior; children will do as we do much more than as we say.

I believe in stress responses and protection rather than manipulation and aggression.

I believe in the power of relationships: we heal in the same way as we are often hurt.

I believe all emotions have a purpose.

I believe we all have the capacity to heal and the wisdom to know how to do so.

I believe that no two brains work the same, and that is a beautiful thing.

Revisiting the Art of Mindfulness: Rediscovering What We Were First Taught to Lose

Saralicia H.

Nov 82 min read

Revisiting the Art of Mindfulness: Rediscovering What We Were First Taught to Lose

Mindfulness is the practice of maintaining a present awareness moment by moment; the art of noticing thoughts, feelings, sensations,...

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Music to Our Brain: How the Safe and Sound Protocol Works

Saralicia H.

Jun 61 min read

Music to Our Brain: How the Safe and Sound Protocol Works

Dr. Stephen Porges, renowned for his groundbreaking Polyvagal Theory, created the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP), formerly known as The...

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Exploring the Purpose of Emotions: Feeling or Fixing Feelings ?

Saralicia H.

Apr 222 min read

Exploring the Purpose of Emotions: Feeling or Fixing Feelings ?

One of the most common requests I hear as a therapist is the client's desire to learn strategies for managing their emotions; I often...

9 views0 comments

Saralicia H.

Sep 10, 20232 min read

What is Neurodiversity-Affirming Care?

The words Neurodivergent and Neurotypical have been around for some time, but a somewhat new concept is emerging: Neuroaffirming care or...

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Why I Don't Ask Your Child To Clean Up After Therapy

Saralicia H.

Mar 24, 20232 min read

Why I Don't Ask Your Child To Clean Up After Therapy

Many parents who come to therapy with their children express some anxiety over their child leaving the office "a mess" when they leave...

84 views0 comments

Saralicia H.

Oct 17, 20222 min read

What is Play Therapy?

Play Therapy is a therapeutic approach used primarily for children and adolescents in which treatment is established through the use of...

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5 Common Mistakes We Make When Playing With Our Children

Saralicia H.

May 18, 20202 min read

5 Common Mistakes We Make When Playing With Our Children

We've all been there, one second we're playing and everything seems to go great, the next they don't want to play with us anymore. What...

73 views0 comments

Saralicia H.

May 8, 20201 min read

The Brains Love Play Approach

I'd like to start by telling you about the Brains Love Play approach and why the combination of these three components works. In our...

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