Did you know that 7.1 percent of children struggle with an anxiety disorder? Many other children will struggle with stress and nervousness. If you suspect that your child is struggling with the aforementioned, bibliotherapy is a great way to introduce the subjects.
Read MoreChildren experience periods of rapid growth in areas of the brain associated with self-regulation. Piggy- backing off of the toddler years, it is important to continue to reinforce emotion identification, perspective-taking, calm down strategies, and problem-solving. I can not express enough how important it is to model the behavior and skills you are teaching your children.
Read MoreSelf- regulation is foundational in fostering wellbeing across the lifespan and it begins with childhood. Have you ever witnessed an adult who “blows up” or becomes mute when adverse situations occur? Me too. Adults who exhibit these behaviors were once children who were never taught emotion regulation skills. So, one may be asking, “how do I teach my children self-regulation”? It begins with co-regulation.
Read MoreImagine you are getting ready to leave when grandma reaches down and kisses their grandchild. Your child accepts the kiss but as soon as they get in the car, they express their strong dislike for grandma’s kisses. You feel conflicted on what to say. You don’t want to hurt grandmas feelings, but you also want to make your kid feel comfortable. This is a common situation and a perfect open door to begin talking to your child about their body boundaries and consent.
Read MoreAnger. Every one feels it, right? Anger can come in small or little doses. We get angry that our plans aren’t turning out the way we had hoped for. Angry that our kids aren’t listening to what we ask them to do. Angry that the ketchup exploded in the refrigerator. But, is anger really what you’re feeling? According to Robert Pluchick, you’re not.
Read MoreIt is about that time of year again—dreaded final exams. As a counselor that works with adolescents, I know the stress that many teens feel in regards to school. As I write this, I am reflecting back on my own experience with final exams. I always did well it in school, but when it came time to remembering an entire semester, or even year of material, I panicked. Then, I am supposed to remember a year’s worth of material for 7 classes? An overwhelming feeling takes over, and even though I know I will survive this, in the moment I have no idea how I will. Does this sound familiar? If so, here is a list of some things that you can do to prepare yourself for final exam week.
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