September, 2023 | Issue 28

Follow us on Social Media

The Heart Leaf Center on Facebook and @heartleafcenter on Instagram

THE HEART LEAF CENTER SPOTLIGHT:

Introducing Kate Clark, a Clinical Mental Health Intern from George Washington University.

Why did you decide to become a counselor? 

Counseling is a second career for me! I hold a Master’s of Public

Policy and spent several years working with the federal

government, but my heart wasn’t in it. I started to notice the

things I was drawn to at work and in my personal life – building

relationships, mentoring others, reading about personal

development, listening to podcasts by practicing counselors, and

started to wonder if there was a better career for me. I put the

counseling idea in my back pocket and thought “maybe someday

I’ll do that.” Next thing I knew, the COVID-19 pandemic was in

full swing. I was seeing the mental health impact all around me,

and I felt something shift. The time was right to pursue

counseling, and I decided to take the next steps in applying to

school and becoming a counselor. I haven’t looked back since!

That being said, I am still very passionate about public policy and

advocacy, and believe it will remain an important part of my

career as a counselor.

What do you enjoy the most about working with children or why do you want to work with children? 

The funny thing is – I had no clue I would work with kids when I became a counselor, I would’ve told

anyone who asked that I would work with adults. However, as I took different classes and tried out

different counseling methods, I was so drawn to the creativity that working with kids required, and the

expressive and symbolic nature of working with kids. I found that even with my adult clients, I loved to use

more expressive methods, such as art, music, and movement, to go deeper in the counseling room, and

children do this naturally. There is something so special and unique about witnessing a child working

through something without ever directly naming the challenge (although sometimes they will do that, too)!

Children’s brains work in powerful, creative ways to build resilience and continue to develop amidst

challenging circumstances.

What do you like to do in your free time or what do you do for Play? 

There are so many things in the DC area I love to do! I enjoy staying active and volunteer at a group

fitness studio in DC. I love the sense of community and shared passion with my gym friends. I am a huge

music fan, and love not only seeing live music, but also playing some of my own. I grew up in Austin, TX

– the “live music capitol of the world” – so it’s been in my bones from a young age! Finally, I love trying

new restaurants around the DC area. While I wouldn’t quite call myself a foodie, there is nothing I love

more than a table full of friends and family enjoying a great meal. These are some of my happiest

memories over the past several years! 

Written by Kate Clark

Did you know that September 15th marks the start of Hispanic Heritage Month? This month marks the independence days of several Latin American countries, and is a time to honor the unique histories, cultures, and contributions of the Latinx peoples. Sometimes, it can feel hard to talk to our children about race, ethnicity, and culture. After all, aren’t children colorblind? Is it bad to teach them about racial differences? Well, it might come as a surprise, but starting from around 3 months old, children can

already make basic distinctions between races on their own! While newborn babies look equally at faces

of all races at birth, research shows that by 3 months they tend to look more at faces that are the same

race as their caregiver. By 30 months, children can use race to choose playmates, and expressions of

racial prejudice often peak around age 4 or 5. By kindergarten, most kids show many of the same racial

attitudes as adults or popular culture. But don’t panic – race consciousness from a young age isn’t a bad

thing!

Noticing race isn’t bad; rather, it allows us to have great conversations with our kids about differences

between people from a young age, setting them up for a healthier conception and understanding of race

later in life. In fact, research shows that conversations with 5-7 year olds about interracial friendships

drastically improves racial attitudes – in as little as a single week! The same resiliency children show in

other areas applies to racial attitudes as well. So how do we do this? First of all, we can be open to

questions or comments when children notice these differences. It can feel daunting to talk about topics

like this with children, especially younger children, but modeling your own openness and curiosity around

race and ethnicity can make a huge difference in shaping a child’s approach to race, ethnicity, and

culture. Shushing these questions only reinforces that race is a bad thing to notice or talk about, which

may be the opposite of what we want to do. Instead, we can use these moments to highlight why

differences between people exist, and how they are a good thing and make our world richer and more

beautiful.

Second, we can be intentional about the books and toys we show children. At the Heart Leaf Center, we

strive to provide a space in which all different kinds of people and children are represented. Since it’s

Hispanic Heritage Month, I thought I would pass along some of my personal favorite books that highlight

wonderful Latinx characters. If you want to share the stories of real-life world changers from the Latinx

community, Be Bold, Baby: Sonia Sotomayor or La Vida de Selena might feel right. If you’re looking for

lovable, warm characters, I recommend Where Are You From?, Alma and How She Got Her Name, or

Julián Is a Mermaid. Whatever you choose, you got this!



Happy National Suicide Prevention Month!

September 1st - 30th, 2023