In this episode I run you through 7 sensory based strategies to help your child relax and manage their feelings which includes;
Touch
Smell
Auditory
Visually
Taste
Movement
Balance
Processing COVID with Kids
Hello! Guess what? I’m back! If you’re an avid listener, you’ll know I took a break from the podcast to focus on supporting on my own children while they were remote learning during the pandemic.
One thing I really missed doing last year was meeting face-to-face with my clients. I got myself vaccinated as soon as possible and in our first sessions back, we worked on processing which involves a simple exercise of 4 questions…
A Coping Skill to Try: Body Scan
In today’s episode, I wanted to try a coping skill together! It’s been such a stressful year, and I thought it would make sense to practice a coping skill together to help us relax. In this podcast, I share what got me interested in body scans in the first place and how they are related to progressive muscle relaxation. Then we’ll go through the body scan I wrote for the Coping Skills for Teens Workbook. Take a listen!
Five Amazing Holiday Gifts to Encourage Social and Emotional Skills
It’s that time of year where people are looking for gifts for the kids in their lives. I wanted to share five fantastic holiday presents that build social-emotional skills in children. Take a listen to hear my top 5 ideas for games, activities, and toys that help kids with social and emotional learning.
Deep Breathing Ideas for Teens
In the past, I've spoken about lots of different ways to encourage kids to take deep breaths by using shapes and other prompts. In this podcast episode, I focus on ways to help teens take deep breaths. Take a listen to hear some strategies I use with my adolescent clients and some resources you can explore to find more ways to encourage teens to take deep breaths.
How to Use the Coping Skills Checklist
I get asked all the time - where do I start if I want to help kids explore coping skills? I use the Coping Skills Checklist to help kids identify their current skills and skills that they want to try to see if they should be added to the coping skills toolbox.
Take a listen to this podcast for how I use the checklist, and modifications I make when using it in different settings.
Interview with Ted Quinn from Activate Care
Ted Quinn is the CEO and Co-founder of Activate Care, a digital health company helping everybody engaged in the healthcare system - clinicians, patients, families, and communities - act together to make health happen, wherever they are. Ted has decades of experience leading healthcare IT and technology companies. Prior to Activate Care, Ted served as COO of Vecna Medical, driving revenue growth and new market penetration. Before Vecna, Ted served as President & General Manager of a Taylor Corporation Company, as a Business Manager and Product Manager for the FLEX platform at Teradyne Corporation, and as a management consultant at Accenture. Ted holds a BS in Economics from Brigham Young University, an MBA from the Harvard Business School, and an unflinching loyalty to the Boston Red Sox.
In this podcast episode, Ted and I talk about the pandemic and the impact it has had on mental health and education and how important it is for people to work together to support those who need help and ways we can make that easier.
Self-Care in COVID-19
Self-care can feel like just another thing to add to your to-do list. I KNOW life is hard right now. My kids are fully remote, and sometimes it's a struggle to make it through the next class or piece of homework. I have to thank my colleagues because I keep getting emails and seeing posts about self-care. It's a reminder to me to talk about it and do it. I find that I need to take time for myself. Otherwise, I find myself being more crabby or cranky, and it's hard to accomplish anything. And I need to practice what I preach.
Four Simple Ways to Introduce Mindfulness to Kids
This time is so stressful and full of anxiety! This is the perfect time to start to explore the practice of mindfulness with kids.
Mindfulness is being aware of what’s happening in the present moment. It’s not about trying to clear your mind, but allowing thoughts and emotions to come and go without judgment and familiarizing ourselves with the present moment. It takes practice to be able to do this.
Mindfulness helps kids focus on the present instead of focusing on the past or future. As they grow into adults, they need to learn to manage stress in healthy ways and make sure they have a healthy balance in their lives.
Mindfulness can also be a helpful tool for kids who have challenges with self-regulation or difficulty managing emotions, or want to improve their concentration. it would be helpful for them to be able to calm down and be aware of the present. When they are aware of the present, it will help them be more able to see what’s happening around them and settle themselves and their minds.
In this podcast episode, I talk about four different ways to introduce mindfulness to kids. Take a listen!
Using a Question Box to Encourage Conversations
When I think back to my time as a school counselor, my best memories are laughter and connection during lunch groups. Lunch groups are a great way to get to know a lot of students throughout the year. It’s also an excellent way for children to meet new peers and potentially make new friends. What I thought was the best part was the natural opportunity to practice conversations. The way I would encourage conversations is by using a question box.