Article by: Vicky Alercia-Casella LPC
June 2025
“Embrace your Inner Child this Summer”
As I was pondering what I wanted to write about for my June article, a friend of mine, Janet, asked me, “What is on your heart right now?”
I appreciate this question so much. I immediately thought about being an adult and how often our conversations consist of how we feel overwhelmed and stressed. When I think about the summer, I hear my children’s excitement about no school, no homework, and no alarms. This means more time to rest and have fun. I am often intentional about keeping a healthy balance between my career and home life but depending on how full we keep our calendars, it can feel difficult to find a moment to breathe.
I like to encourage individuals to make time for themselves. Begin with 5 to 10 minutes a day for you to embrace your inner child. Was there an activity that you really enjoyed as a child that you would like to participate in again or perhaps something new that you always wanted to learn?
Have you ever watched a young child play? They are so carefree. They aren’t judging themselves. They are smiling, laughing, and just enjoying life. As adults, we typically are too concerned about how someone else is going to view us if we are not acting the “right” way. So, let’s try being silly and having fun in our own space.
Outdoors provide us with a playground, literally and figuratively. Being in my 40s, with or without my kids, I still enjoy looking up at the clouds to imagine the shapes of animals. I will swing on the swing set or run through a sprinkler. On rainy days, we can always find a puddle to jump in or literally sing in the rain. Indoors, we have dance parties and build forts with pillows and blankets. We might play charades or make up a new board game. The possibilities of our imagination are endless, and I believe that is something truly beautiful.
This summer, no matter what age you are, whether you have kids or not, honor that inner child in you and all that has to offer, you might discover something about yourself that you never noticed before. Life isn’t meant to be serious all the time.
If you want to go beyond your personal space at home, check out www.discoverlehighvalley.com for things to do, events, restaurants, hotels, and trip planning.
Sending you Light & Love,
Vicky Alercia-Casella LPC
Vicky Alercia-Casella has built a remarkable career dedicated to the mental health and well-being of her clients. Her passion for helping others is evident in her diverse range of therapeutic services, which have continually evolved to meet the needs of her community. To learn more about Vicky Alercia-Casella and her counseling services visit https://www.psychologytoday.com/
