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The National Child Traumatic Stress Network

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Children who suffer from child traumatic stress are those who have been exposed to one or more traumas over the course of their lives and develop reactions that persist and affect their daily lives after the events have ended.

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As part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma offers Free Online Education with:

300+ FREE CE certificates

50+ speakers

200+ online webinars

90,000+ members

Schools and Trauma

This series of 5 presentations focuses on partnering with schools to enhance mental health and trauma-informed services and is designed to inform both school personnel and mental health professionals about 1) the impact of traumatic events, including bullying, sudden death, and grief and loss on students, 2) the benefits of providing trauma-informed mental health services and IEPs in schools, and 3) methods for integrating trauma-informed services and evidence-based practices with school, state, and federal initiatives, such as PBIS and RTI.

Schools and Trauma

This series of 5 presentations focuses on partnering with schools to enhance mental health and trauma-informed services and is designed to inform both school personnel and mental health professionals about 1) the impact of traumatic events, including bullying, sudden death, and grief and loss on students, 2) the benefits of providing trauma-informed mental health services and IEPs in schools, and 3) methods for integrating trauma-informed services and evidence-based practices with school, state, and federal initiatives, such as PBIS and RTI.

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As part of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), the Learning Center for Child and Adolescent Trauma offers Free Online Education with: 300+ FREE CE certificates 50+ speakers 200+ online webinars 90,000+ members This series of 5 presentations focuses on partnering with schools to enhance mental health and trauma-informed

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We have tried to make our site easier to navigate by dividing our resources up by topic and by audience.

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TLC - A Trauma-Informed Lens to Improve School Climate

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Research is clear that students in every school nationwide experience childhood trauma. How can...

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Below are some free downloads that we have found online or that we have made and used at work. Please note that every effort has been made to ensure copyright is enforced and all permissions have been requested to the best of our ability. Feel free to send any feedback or questions to support@counselortips.com.
DISCIPLINE/BEHAVIOR CHARTS/BEHAVIOR INTERVENTION PLAN (Ideas) ETHICAL STANDARDS AND JOB DESCRIPTION ANXIETY/CALM DOWN/IMPULSE CONTROL ANGER DOCUMENTS MISC (GOOD TO HAVE) COUNSELING DOCUMENTS GRIEF CHANGING FAMILIES (DIVORCE/DEATH) DOCUMENTS TEST-ANXIETY RESOURCES POWER OF YET/MINDSET GAMES SMALL GROUP DOCUMENTS ACE'S INFORMATION SELF-ESTEEM TALKING TO CHILDREN ABOUT VIOLENCE/DISASTER/TERRORIST ATTACKS
(Articles/Publications Below)

(The following documents were all written by Jené Aviram from the site http://www.nlconcepts.com)
SEPARATION ANXIETY SOCIAL STORY CONFLICT RESOLUTION/BULLYING/PEACE DOCUMENTS BULLETIN BOARDS/POSTER IDEAS
GOSSIP AND RUMOR DOCUMENTS
STUDENTS RESISTANT TO DO WORK AND SCHOOL REFUSAL MENTORING/PEER-TO-PEER DOCUMENTS SUICIDE DOCUMENTS
(Below are helpful journal (free-use) articles about suicide)
ORGANIZATION SKILLS FEELINGS/EMOTIONS/EMPATHY SELECTIVELY MUTE
(Article giving information)
SOCIAL SKILLS/FRIENDSHIP DOCUMENTS KINDNESS DOCUMENTS GIFTS FOR TEACHERS/STAFF (Welcome Back/National School Counselor Week/ Etc.)

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Below are some free downloads that we have found online or that we have made and used at work. Please note that every effort has been made to ensure copyright is enforced and all permissions have been requested to the best of our ability. Feel free to send any feedback or questions to support@counselortips.com.

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Panic Disorder In Children And Adolescents

Panic disorder is a common and treatable disorder. Children and adolescents with panic disorder have unexpected and repeated periods of intense fear or discomfort, along with other symptoms such as a racing heartbeat or feeling short of breath. These periods are called "panic attacks" and last minutes to hours. Panic attacks frequently develop without warning.

Symptoms of a panic attack include:

Intense fearfulness (a sense that something terrible is happening)

Racing or pounding heartbeat

Dizziness or lightheadedness

Shortness of breath or a feeling of being smothered

Trembling or shaking

Sense of unreality

Fear of dying, losing control, or losing your mind

More than 3 million Americans will experience panic disorder during their lifetime. Panic disorder often begins during adolescence, although it may start during childhood, and sometimes runs in families.

If not recognized and treated, panic disorder and its complications can be devastating. Panic attacks can interfere with a child's or adolescent's relationships, schoolwork, and normal development. Attacks can lead to not just severe anxiety, but can also affect other parts of a child's mood or functioning. Children and adolescents with panic disorder may begin to feel anxious most of the time, even when they are not having panic attacks. Some begin to avoid situations where they fear a panic attack may occur, or situations where help may not be available. For example, a child may be reluctant to go to school or be separated from his or her parents. In severe cases, the child or adolescent may be afraid to leave home. As with other anxiety disorders, this pattern of avoiding certain places or situations is called "agoraphobia." Some children and adolescents with panic disorder can develop severe depression and may be at risk of suicidal behavior. As an attempt to decrease anxiety, some adolescents with panic disorder will use alcohol or drugs.

Panic disorder in children can be difficult to diagnose. This can lead to many visits to physicians and multiple medical tests that are expensive and potentially painful. When properly evaluated and diagnosed, panic disorder usually responds well to treatment. Children and adolescents with symptoms of panic attacks should first be evaluated by their family physician or pediatrician. If no other physical illness or condition is found as a cause for the symptoms, a comprehensive evaluation by a child and adolescent psychiatrist should be obtained.

Several types of treatment are effective. Specific medications may stop panic attacks. Psychotherapy may also help the child and family learn ways to reduce stress or conflict that could otherwise cause a panic attack. With techniques taught in "cognitive behavioral therapy," the child may also learn new ways to control anxiety or panic attacks when they occur. Many children and adolescents with panic disorder respond well to the combination of medication and psychotherapy. With treatment, the panic attacks can usually be stopped. Early treatment can prevent the complications of panic disorder such as agoraphobia, depression and substance abuse.

For more information about panic disorder, visit the National Institute of Mental Health's website at www.nimh.nih.gov or call 1-800-64-PANIC.

See also: The Freedom from Fear's website www.freedomfromfear.org.

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Panic Disorder In Children And Adolescents

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Panic Disorder In Children And Adolescents Panic disorder is a common and treatable disorder. Children and adolescents with panic disorder have unexpected and repeated periods of intense fear or discomfort, along with other symptoms such as a racing heartbeat or feeling short of breath. These periods are called "panic attacks" and last minutes to hours.

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5 Steps to Managing Big Emotions Printable

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5 Steps to Managing Big Emotions Printable

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5 Steps to Managing Big Emotions Printable Poster for Kids

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BULLYING PREVENTION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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BULLYING PREVENTION POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

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Texas Education Code

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All Texas public schools, charter schools, and education services centers, collectively known as local education agencies (LEAs), must follow federal rules concerning the education of homeless students. These requirements are detailed in the McKinney-Vento Act.

ARP Homeless II Federal Grant

Webinar

TEA hosted a webinar to provide information on ARP Homeless II for prospective grantees. During this webinar, the TEA Grants Department provided an overview of the eGrant application and how to apply. Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth Program (TEHCY) Program staff reviewed the requirements for receiving funds, the timeline for submitting your application, and the allowable expenditures for grantees.

McKinney-Vento Liaisons

Every Local Education Agency (LEA) must designate an appropriate staff person as a local homeless education/McKinney-Vento Liaison and submit that person's name to TEA. This information is to be submitted to the AskTED online directory by the LEA's AskTED administrator. AskTED is TEA's online Texas Education Directory (TED). AskTED is the database where the homeless education liaison's contact information is maintained.

The information in the TEHCY website directory is updated periodically from the AskTED directory. LEAs are no longer required to input this information directly to the TEHCY directory.

To learn how to use AskTED to access McKinney-Vento Liaison contact information directly, download the PDF instructions.

Trainings and Resources

McKinney-Vento 101

McKinney-Vento 201

Webinar - December 12, 2022

Homeless Student Identification Data

Every LEA must identify students experiencing homelessness within their district. This process must be done regularly and in a way that is auditable. In Texas, most districts choose to use a student residency questionnaire to help determine whether or not students qualify as homeless under the McKinney-Vento Act.

The Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Program Infographics summarize identification and graduation data for students experiencing homelessness enrolled in Texas public schools for all school years beginning in 2017.

McKinney-Vento Posters

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) has released new McKinney-Vento Posters. There are two versions of the poster, one to assist parents of school-age youth and a second to assist unaccompanied youth. The posters are available in both English and Spanish.

Local Education Agencies (LEAs) can download the digital files below and post this information on their LEA homeless education program webpage.

LEAs should collaborate with their school staff and community partners (e.g. food pantries, faith-based organizations, local housing authorities, shelters, etc.) to share printed copies of this poster.

Homeless Student Enrollment

Students who are experiencing homelessness are to be enrolled immediately. Districts cannot require students experiencing homelessness to provide proof of residency, immunizations, birth certificates guardianship documents, or any other sort of required paperwork before enrolling. Requiring missing paperwork or any other delay to enrollment is a violation of the McKinney-Vento Act.

Homeless Student School Determination

Students who are experiencing homelessness have the right to attend school in their school of origin or in the school in the attendance area where the family or youth is currently residing. School of origin is defined as the school in which the child/youth was enrolled when they became homeless or the school in which the child/youth was last enrolled. The campus a child attends is determined by which campus can serve the best interests of the child. In Texas, a student experiencing homelessness may enroll in any district they choose, regardless of the location of their residence, school of origin, or attendance zone campus.

Dispute Resolution

Disagreements over school enrollment and best interest determinations must be resolved through the dispute resolution process. While in the dispute resolution process the child is entitled to attend the campus in question until the matter is resolved.

Transportation

Students experiencing homelessness have the right to transportation to their school of origin. This provision applies even if a student moves outside of the school of origins' attendance zone or district boundaries. School of origin transportation must continue for the duration of the child's homelessness or until the end of the school year in which a child becomes permanently housed.

Title I Services

Students experiencing homelessness who are not on a Title-I campus are eligible to receive Title-I services. These services are provided at the discretion of the LEA through existing Title-I programs or through the use of Title-I, Part A set-aside funds for students who are not on Title-I campuses. Students on Title-I campuses may receive additional supplemental services to the services being provided on their campus through the Title-I, Part A set-asides as well. Services may include personal school supplies, items of clothing that are necessary to meet a school's dress requirement, immunizations, supplemental counseling services, tutoring, costs associated with credit recovery, or other similar activities to address a child's opportunity for school success.

For more information about homeless students, services, and opportunities, please visit the Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth website.

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Texas Education for Homeless Children and Youth (TEHCY) Program

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All Texas public schools, charter schools, and education services centers, collectively known as local education agencies (LEAs), must follow federal rules concerning the education of homeless students. These requirements are detailed in the McKinney-Vento Act. Webinar TEA hosted a webinar to provide information on ARP Homeless II for prospective grantees.

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Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition where people have difficulty with inattention, hyperactivity, impulsivity, regulating their mood and organization.

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder

No. 72; Reviewed January 2019

All children are oppositional from time to time, particularly when tired, hungry, stressed, or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is a normal part of development for two to three year olds and early adolescents. However, openly uncooperative and hostile behavior becomes a serious concern when it is so frequent and consistent that it stands out when compared with other children of the same age and developmental level and when it affects the child's social, family, and academic life.

In children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), there is an ongoing pattern of uncooperative, defiant, and hostile behavior toward authority figures that seriously interferes with the child's day to day functioning.

Symptoms of ODD may include:

Frequent temper tantrums

Excessive arguing with adults

Often questioning rules

Active defiance and refusal to comply with adult requests and rules

Deliberate attempts to annoy or upset people

Blaming others for his or her mistakes or misbehavior

Often being touchy or easily annoyed by others

Frequent anger and resentment

Mean and hateful talking when upset

Spiteful attitude and revenge seeking

The symptoms are usually seen in multiple settings but may be more noticeable at home or at school. One to sixteen percent of all school-age children and adolescents have ODD. The causes of ODD are unknown, but many parents report that their child with ODD was more rigid and demanding than the child's siblings from an early age. Biological, psychological, and social factors may have a role.

A child presenting with ODD symptoms should have a comprehensive evaluation. It is important to look for other disorders which may be present, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), learning disabilities, mood disorders (depression, bipolar disorder), and anxiety disorders. It may be difficult to improve the symptoms of ODD without treating the coexisting disorder. Some children with ODD may go on to develop conduct disorder.

Treatment of ODD may include:

Parent Management Training to help parents and others manage the child's behavior

Individual Psychotherapy to develop more effective anger management

Family Psychotherapy to improve communication and mutual understanding

Cognitive Problem-Solving Skills Training and Therapies to decrease negativity

Social Skills Training to increase flexibility and improve social skills and frustration tolerance with peers

Medications may be helpful in controlling some of the more distressing symptoms of ODD as well as the symptoms related to coexistent conditions such as ADHD, anxiety, and mood disorders.

A child with ODD can be very difficult for parents. These parents need support and understanding. Parents can help their child with ODD in the following ways:

Always build on the positives, give the child praise and positive reinforcement when s/he shows flexibility or cooperation.

Take a time-out or break if you are about to make the conflict with your child worse, not better. This is good modeling for your child. Support your child if s/he decides to take a time-out to prevent overreacting.

Pick your battles. Since the child with ODD has trouble avoiding power struggles, prioritize the things you want your child to do. If you give your child a time-out in his room for misbehavior, don't add time for arguing. Say "your time will start when you go to your room."

Set reasonable, age appropriate limits with consequences that can be enforced consistently.

Maintain interests other than your child with ODD, so that managing your child doesn't take all your time and energy. Try to work with and obtain support from the other adults (teachers, coaches, and spouse) dealing with your child.

Manage your own stress with healthy life choices such as exercise and relaxation. Use respite care and other breaks as needed.

Many children with ODD will respond to the positive parenting techniques. Parents may ask their pediatrician or family physician to refer them to a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional who can help diagnose and treat ODD and any coexisting psychiatric condition.

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Oppositional Defiant Disorder No. 72; Reviewed January 2019 All children are oppositional from time to time, particularly when tired, hungry, stressed, or upset. They may argue, talk back, disobey, and defy parents, teachers, and other adults. Oppositional behavior is a normal part of development for two to three year olds and early adolescents.

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Resources for ADHD

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. It affects up to of kids in the United States.

According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), approximately 2.5 percent of adults also live with this disorder. Males are three times more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than females.

Children and adults with ADHD may deal with impulse control, hyperactivity, and issues paying attention for extended periods of time. Left untreated, it can disrupt one's ability to process, understand, and learn information.

Numerous resources and treatments - such as medication and behavioral therapy - can help those with ADHD live fulfilling and productive lives. There are also a number of organizations, resources, and educational tools - like the ones below - that can help those with ADHD and their friends and family.

Nonprofit organizations can be a helpful resource, offering useful information about ADHD, as well as information for friends and family members.

Below are organizations that provide resources for children and adults living with ADHD. Nonprofit organizations located in Canada and the United Kingdom are also included.

Online resources provide information about the signs and symptoms of ADHD, as well as current research studies that discuss new ways to manage and treat the disorder.

Resource guides can be especially helpful for parents. These tools describe how ADHD can affect a child's ability to learn in the classroom and equip parents with knowledge to better support their children at home and school.

Advocacy groups can help people with ADHD, as well as their loved ones, feel empowered. The organizations listed below highlight various ways to get involved in community outreach (both in the United States and abroad) and advocacy projects.

Support groups provide a safe space for parents of children with ADHD and adults with ADHD to connect with others who understand what they're going through. Support groups can also be therapeutic for loved ones.

Online forums allow individuals to virtually connect with group members and offer convenient access to a supportive community at any time.

Reading books as a way to learn more about ADHD can be a form of therapy, known as bibliotherapy. Books teaching specific tools that help children and adults manage their ADHD can be especially informative.

Check out some great ones below:
Juli Fraga is a licensed psychologist based in San Francisco, California. She graduated with a PsyD from University of Northern Colorado and attended a postdoctoral fellowship at UC Berkeley. Passionate about women's health, she approaches all her sessions with warmth, honesty, and compassion. See what she's up to on Twitter.

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common childhood neurodevelopmental disorders. Left untreated, it can disrupt processing, understanding, and learning information. Check out the several organizations, resources, and tools that can help those with ADHD and their friends and family.

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CHADD - Improving the lives of people affected by ADHD

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Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) is the nation’s leading nonprofit organization serving people affected by ADHD.

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Bipolar Disorder in the Classroom

A powerful guide that offers hope, encouragement and new perspectives for educators as they tackle tough classroom situations. This book shows the educational impact of the illness and gives educators the tools to help their student find success.

The Student with Bipolar Disorder: An Educator's Guide

Teaching children with bipolar disorder can be both rewarding and challenging. This free downloadable brochure gives a concise overview of helping students with bipolar disorder.

Teacher Training: Four Part Webinar Series

The Webinar Series: Listen to our 4 part teacher training webinar series presented to the teachers of the state of Nebraska in association with ESU 13.

​Bipolar disorder can have many effects on a student in the classroom. Symptoms of both depression and mania can interfere with learning and make it difficult for the student to pay attention, stay on task, remain focused, and maintain motivation. In addition, cognitive effects may be seen in multiple areas including executive functioning, memory, and organizational skills. Bipolar disorder can also affect the child's ability to correctly process facial expressions and the emotional meaning of language. This can cause conflict with peers and staff, making social interaction a challenge.

?Isn't this just a behavioral issue

?How can I help a student with bipolar disorder in the classroom

?Do children with bipolar disorder qualify for an IEP

?What accommodations may be helpful

?How can I improve my classroom environment

​Children with bipolar disorder frequently have difficulty processing sensory stimulation. Analyze your classroom from the perspective of your student. Sitting by the pencil sharpener or a noisy air conditioner may overly tax this student as he or she tries to process these noises. Overhead lighting should also be examined. If your student is overly stimulated by these bright lights, consider turning a section of lights off and using a dimmer area for this student. Ask your student about things in the classroom that bother him. Making minor adjustments can make a major difference!

Can kids with bipolar disorder also have learning disabilities?

Can a child with bipolar disorder also be gifted?

Where can I get more information?

This essay by Tracy Anglada was originally published on the web and later included in the appendix of two of her books, Intense Minds and Swivel to Success. It shows the school day from the perspective of a student with bipolar disorder and demonstrates how a little understanding and help can go a long way in making a difference for a child.

My School Day without Help

As technology advances we get a glimpse into the workings of the brain which in turn gives an improved understanding of brain disorders. This download shows brain abnormalities which have been associated with childhood onset bipolar disorder. For a more complete discussion of these abnormalities and how they may impact the child, see the book "Swivel to Success"

Brain Abnormalities Associated with Childhood Bipolar Disorder

Dealing with Cognitive Dysfunction Associated with Psychiatric Disability is a very useful handbook made available by the New York State Office of Mental Health

Cognitive Dysfunction Handbook

LEVEL OF STABILITY/ FLEXIBILITY IN SCHOOL

Bipolar disorder is an illness that doesn't stand still. The symptoms of the illness can range from severely ill to stable. This chart helps teachers and parents clarify how to best meet the needs of the child during various stages of the illness.

Level of Stability/Flexibility in School

Students with bipolar disorder may have multiple sensory sensitivities. This checklist will help you evaluate your classroom environment and make modifications to address the needs of those who are hyper sensitive to noise, lighting, temperature and odors.

Examine Your Classroom Environment

Accommodations are frequently necessary in the classroom setting for students with bipolar disorder. While these should always be tailored to the individual needs of the student, here are some possible accommodations to help.

ACCOMMODATING STUDENTS WITH MOOD LABILITY

A very useful brochure from schoolbehavior.com about students with "mood lability" which includes those with depression and bipolar disorder.

Accommodating Students with Mood Lability

It can take months to recover from an episode that requires hospitalization. Special considerations must be made when a student is received back to school after a hospital stay. This article by Tracy Trudeau gives insight into this important transition.

A tool to help your students identify moods, express themselves, and learn social and emotional skills in the classroom and beyond. Gain insight into your student through technology and find the support you need.

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Bipolar Disorder in the Classroom A powerful guide that offers hope, encouragement and new perspectives for educators as they tackle tough classroom situations. This book shows the educational impact of the illness and gives educators the tools to help their student find success.

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EATING DISORDER FACT SHEET FOR EDUCATORS

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EATING DISORDER FACT SHEET FOR EDUCATORS

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In a profession that seeks to improve the self efficacy and health of others, it is vital that counselors have their own self-care plan that encompasses their self-help strategies. As there...

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Do you practice regular self-care? Many counselors preach self-care to others but often fail to follow their own advice. According to the American Counseling Association, the term self-care refers to "the activities and practices that are engaged in on a regular basis to maintain and enhance a person's health and well-being." When counselors don't practice regular self-care, it's easy to become overwhelmed with stress and eventually burnout. This is why it's important to have a self-care plan in place.

Our lives can get hectic at times with deadlines, meetings, and unforeseen crises. We become obsessed with crossing off tasks on our to-do lists and lose sight of everything else. When we feel overwhelmed, self-care is usually the first thing to go out the window. Somehow taking time out to tend to our needs becomes a luxury and we feel guilty even thinking about taking time out for ourselves.

Self-Care Assessment

When you're in the thick of things, you might not notice that you're neglecting your needs. You become hyper-focused on completing a task and lose yourself in your work. The following are some questions Psychology Today suggests you ask yourself to help determine if you're making your well-being a priority:

1. Are you able to take time for yourself without feeling guilty?

2. Do you believe you deserve self-care?

3. Do you know the difference between self-care and self-indulgence?

4. Do you realize self-care does not equal weakness?

5. Are you OK with slowing down sometimes?

6. Do you have a go-to list of activities?

7. Do you make leisure time a priority?

8. Have you made self-care a habit?

9. Do you have a basic self-care plan, preferably in writing?

As you answer these questions, be gentle with yourself. Try not to judge your answers and just become aware of where you're at with your needs. For a more thorough assessment, you can complete this Self-Care Assessment Worksheet

Self-Care Activities to Restore Balance

The American Counseling Association suggests that your personal plan should cater to the whole self and include activities from physical, cognitive, emotional, and spiritual domains. Here are some examples from each domain:

Physical Health Self-Care Activities

Maintain a healthy, nutritious diet

Engage in regular exercise (consult physician before starting an exercise program}

Drink plenty of water

Get enough sleep

Practice yoga

Get a massage

Reduce stressors in your life (i.e. practice time management, learn to say 'NO')

Cognitive Self-Care Activities

Emotional Self-Care Activities

Practice honoring and respecting your feelings

Share your feelings with others

Laugh (Don't take yourself too seriously)

Practice being in the present moment

Deep breathing

Create a gratitude journal

Practice self-compassion

Participate in activities you enjoy (i.e. cooking, knitting, scrapbooking, hiking, jogging, walking, etc.)

Reach out to others for support

Set positive boundaries

Spiritual Self-Care Activities

Spend time admiring the beauty in nature

Watch a sunrise or sunset

Read spiritual texts

Listen to spiritual music

Connect with a spiritual community

Plant and tend to a garden

In order to effectively help others, it's important to make sure that you are in a good place physically, emotionally, cognitively, and spiritually. This isn't a luxury and you should not feel guilty about taking time for yourself. You deserve to be happy, healthy, and at peace. There's nothing wrong with making yourself a priority.

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Do you practice regular self-care? Many counselors preach self-care to others but often fail to follow their own advice. According to the American Counseling Association, the term self-care refers to "the activities and practices that are engaged in on a regular basis to maintain and enhance a person's health and well-being."

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As a school counselor, your career can be incredibly rewarding. You get to form meaningful connections with students and their families, guide students to postsecondary success and watch them grow into successful adults. However, school counseling can also be a challenging, demanding career. Given your professional responsibilities for young people, taking care of yourself is essential so you can function most effectively and ethically.

The ASCA Ethical Standards state that school counselors should "monitor their emotional and physical health and practice wellness to ensure optimal professional effectiveness." And, "School counselors seek physical or mental health support when needed to ensure professional competence."

Our K-12 students often look to us and other school staff to model how to deal with challenging situations. We can also help graduate students recognize the importance of self-care for school counselors and model how to balance the multiple demands of the school counselor's role.

Warning Signs and Vulnerabilities

When you're able to recognize vulnerabilities connected to your role and warning signs that stress might be negatively affecting your work, you'll be better prepared - to take action should you need support, to re-evaluate your self-care plan and to maintain your ethical practice.

As a school counselor, you may experience burnout, vicarious traumatization and compassion fatigue associated with hearing emotionally difficult stories and dealing with others' needs every day. Burnout signs include physical and/or mental exhaustion, loss of interest in your work and your co-workers and/or feeling overly negative about your job. If you're feeling unable to be sympathetic with students or experiencing intrusive imagery in response to hearing about traumatic experiences, these are warning signs of compassion fatigue and/or vicarious traumatization. Such experiences often initially develop because you're working with students with high emotional needs and you care about helping those students. However, if left unaddressed, burnout, compassion fatigue and vicarious traumatization can impair your work.

Following are some suggestions for practicing self-care.

Supporting emotional wellness: Practicing gratitude, such as journaling or regularly listing what you're grateful for, can go a long way in supporting your emotional wellness. Consider focusing on specific aspects of your work as a school counselor that you're grateful for, such as forming positive connections with students, promoting students' social/emotional wellness or helping students successfully transition to postsecondary options. Focusing on the most motivating aspects of your job can give you a helpful reminder of why you do this important work, particularly on more challenging days.

Consider practicing gratitude on a regular basis by ending each school day with a reflection on a part of your day when you felt most helpful, effective or positive about your role. Journaling or practicing gratitude doesn't have to be an onerous task. It may be as simple as writing down one sentence each day about something that went well or thinking about your daily successes on your commute home. You may want to look into bullet journaling to capture your thoughts and gratitude quickly. Don't make practicing gratitude such a time-consuming task that it's yet one more thing on your to-do list stressing you out.

Similarly, practicing mindfulness, even for a brief period, can be useful. The exciting business of the school day can make your job challenging if there isn't room to take a break. Even taking short breathing breaks to focus on the present moment can help center your thinking and awareness during the school day so you can better focus on your duties. Practicing self-compassion, keeping appropriate boundaries and recognizing when you need support from colleagues and other professionals are useful strategies to cope with challenging aspects of your work.

Fostering relationships: To address potential isolation, incorporate regular consultation and supervision into your schedule. Holding the weight of difficult situations or stories alone can harm your emotional health. Consultation and supervision also help you perform more thoughtfully and ethically in your role. Of course, you need to address confidentiality issues appropriately, but putting systems in place so you have outlets to discuss difficult cases and make more informed decisions both supports your self-care and improves your work as a school counselor.

Fostering professional relationships is also important so you're better equipped to get perspective from a colleague or supervisor should you experience difficult imagery or be personally triggered in response to a particular case. This consultation can help you recognize your own blind spots and get your own counseling or supports when needed.

Furthermore, all professionals have areas where they might benefit from more professional development or consultation. Recognizing those areas and seeking out opportunities for professional growth and collaboration help you practice more ethically and perform more effectively. For example, advocating for a particular professional education opportunity might help you feel more equipped to support your school population, while also bolstering your energy and excitement for your career.

Physical health: Staying active also goes a long way toward good self-care. Take a short walk during the school day if you can fit it into your schedule, or make time for some physical activity before you transition from work to home. Take a few moments to enjoy nature and the world around you. Just like practicing gratitude, physical activity shouldn't be onerous. You don't need to train for a marathon or become a champion weight lifter. Find something you enjoy doing, be it walking, riding a bike, swimming, hula hooping, skating or countless other ways to be active while having fun. Being mindful about your eating or scheduling a healthy lunch with a colleague during the school week can also support your physical health and feeling of connectedness.

Outside of work: Connecting with your loved ones and strengthening relationships with friends outside of work also helps with self-care. Practice leisure activities that make you happy or calm, and prioritize those leisure activities in your regular schedule. For some people, leisure might mean yoga; for others, it might mean painting or going to the movies. Make time for whatever fuels positive feelings in you.

Self-care will look different from person to person. What works for your best friend may not work for you. Making your own self-care plan helps you set personal goals and monitor those goals. Consider how you might integrate a variety of self-care and wellness practices into your regular schedule. How can you include self-care in your work day? How will you integrate it at home or outside of work? What are your self-care strategies within different categories of wellness?

Remember, when self-care is most effectively practiced, it isn't just in response to stressful experiences, and it isn't about waiting to practice self-care until the summer when you're off work or less busy. Practicing self-care is a year-round necessity. You know what they say - put on your own oxygen mask before helping others.

Jacqueline Zeller, Ph.D., is part of the faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education's prevention science and practice/CAS in counseling program. She can be reached at zellerja@gse.harvard.edu.

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As a school counselor, your career can be incredibly rewarding. You get to form meaningful connections with students and their families, guide students to postsecondary success and watch them grow into successful adults. However, school counseling can also be a challenging, demanding career.

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A parent’s guide to Section 504 in public schools

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A parent’s guide to Section 504 in public schools

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Section 504 - just what exactly is it? You've probably heard about it, but every school district addresses Section 504 in a different manner. Some districts have even been heard to say, "We don't do that in this district." But in fact, compliance to Section 504, which is a federal statute, is not optional. This article attempts to answer basic questions pertaining to the implementation of Section 504 in public school systems.

What is Section 504?

Section 504 is a part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that prohibits discrimination based upon disability. Section 504 is an anti-discrimination, civil rights statute that requires the needs of students with disabilities to be met as adequately as the needs of the non-disabled are met.

Section 504 states that: "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined in section 706(8) of this title, shall, solely by reason of her or his disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance..." [29 U.S.C. §794(a), 34 C.F.R. §104.4(a)].

Who is covered under Section 504?

To be covered under Section 504, a student must be "qualified " (which roughly equates to being between 3 and 22 years of age, depending on the program, as well as state and federal law, and must have a disability) [34 C.F.R. §104.3(k)(2)].

Who is an "individual with a disability"?

As defined by federal law: "An individual with a disability means any person who: (i) has a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity; (ii) has a record of such an impairment; or (iii) is regarded as having such an impairment" [34 C.F.R. §104.3(j)(1)].

What is an "impairment" as used under the Section 504 definition?

An impairment as used in Section 504 may include any disability, long-term illness, or various disorder that "substantially" reduces or lessens a student's ability to access learning in the educational setting because of a learning-, behavior- or health-related condition. ["It should be emphasized that a physical or mental impairment does not constitute a disability for purposes of Section 504 unless its severity is such that it results in a substantial limitation of one or more major life activities" (Appendix A to Part 104, #3)].

Many students have conditions or disorders that are not readily apparent to others. They may include conditions such as specific learning disabilities, diabetes, epilepsy and allergies. Hidden disabilities such as low vision, poor hearing, heart disease or chronic illness may not be obvious, but if they substantially limit that child's ability to receive an appropriate education as defined by Section 504, they may be considered to have an "impairment" under Section 504 standards. As a result, these students, regardless of their intelligence, will be unable to fully demonstrate their ability or attain educational benefits equal to that of non-disabled students (The Civil Rights of Students with Hidden Disabilities under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973-Pamphlet). The definition does not set forth a list of specific diseases, conditions or disorders that constitute impairments because of the difficulty of ensuring the comprehensiveness of any such list. While the definition of a disabled person also includes specific limitations on what persons are classified as disabled under the regulations, it also specifies that only physical and mental impairments are included, thus "environmental, cultural and economic disadvantage are not in themselves covered" (Appendix A to Part 104, #3).

What are "major life activities"?

Major life activities include, but are not limited to: self-care, manual tasks, walking, seeing, speaking, sitting, thinking, learning, breathing, concentrating, interacting with others and working. As of January 1, 2009 with the reauthorization of the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act, this list has been expanded to also include the life activities of reading, concentrating, standing, lifting, bending, etc. This may include individuals with AD/HD, dyslexia, cancer, diabetes, severe allergies, chronic asthma, Tourette 's syndrome, digestive disorders, cardiovascular disorders, depression, conduct disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, HIV/AIDS, behavior disorders and temporary disabilities (e.g., broken writing arm, broken leg, etc.). Conditions that are episodic or in remission are also now covered if they create a substantial limitation in one or more major life activity while they are active. Students who are currently using illegal drugs or alcohol are not covered or eligible under Section 504.

What does "substantially limits" mean?

Substantially limits is not defined in the federal regulations. However, in a letter from the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), they state, "this is a determination to be made by each local school district and depends on the nature and severity of the person's disabling condition." New guidance from the Americans with Disabilities Amendment Act states that Section 504 standards must conform with the ADAAA and is "intended to afford a broad scope of protection to eligible persons." In considering substantial limitations, students must be measured against their same age, non-disabled peers in the general population and without benefit of medication or other mitigating measures such as learned behavioral or adaptive neurological modifications, assistive technology or accommodations.

Who can refer a child for consideration for evaluation under Section 504?

Anyone can refer a child for evaluation under Section 504. However, while anyone can make a referral, such as parents or a doctor, OCR has stated in a staff memorandum that "the school district must also have reason to believe that the child is in need of services under Section 504 due to a disability" (OCR Memorandum, April 29, 1993). Therefore, a school district does not have to refer or evaluate a child under Section 504 solely upon parental demand. The key to a referral is whether the school district staff suspects that the child is suffering from a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity and is in need of either regular education with supplementary services or special education and related services [letter to Mentink, 19 IDELR 1127 (OCR) 1993]. If a parent requests a referral for evaluation, and the school district refuses, the school district must provide the parent with notice of their procedural rights under Section 504.

Who decides whether a student is qualified and eligible for services under Section 504?

According to the federal regulations: "...placement decisions are to be made by a group of persons who are knowledgeable about the child, the meaning of the evaluation data, placement options, least restrictive environment requirements, and comparable facilities" [34 C.F.R. §104.35(c)(3)].

Unlike Special Education, the federal regulations for Section 504 do not require or even mention that parents are to be a part of the decision-making committee. The decision to include parents in the decision-making committee is a determination that is made by each school district and should be spelled out in the district's procedures for implementing Section 504. Parents should at least be asked and encouraged to contribute any information that they may have (e.g., doctor's reports, outside testing reports, etc.) that would be helpful to the Section 504 committee in making their determination of what the child may need. Schools are expected to make sound educational decisions as to what the child needs in order to receive an appropriate education.

What information is used in doing an evaluation under Section 504?

Under Section 504, no formalized testing is required. The 504 Committee should look at grades over the past several years, teacher's reports, information from parents or other agencies, state assessment scores or other school administered tests, observations, discipline reports, attendance records, health records and adaptive behavior information. Schools must consider a variety of sources. A single source of information (such as a doctor's report) cannot be the only information considered. Schools must be able to assure that all information submitted is documented and considered.

Can my child be placed under Section 504 without my knowledge?

No. Parents must always be given notice before their child is evaluated and/or placed under Section 504 (34 C.F.R. §104.36). Parents must also be given a copy of their child's Section 504 accommodation plan if the committee determines that the child is eligible under Section 504.

What types of accommodations will my child receive if determined eligible under Section 504?

Each child's needs are determined individually. Determination of what is appropriate for each child is based on the nature of the disabling condition and what that child needs in order to have an equal opportunity to compete when compared to the non-disabled. There is no guarantee of A's or B's or even that the student will not fail. Students are still expected to produce. The ultimate goal of education for all students, with or without disabilities, is to give students the knowledge and compensating skills they will need to be able to function in life after graduation.
Accommodations that may be used, but are not limited to, include:

Highlighted textbooks

Extended time on tests or assignments

Peer assistance with note taking

Frequent feedback

Extra set of textbooks for home use

Computer aided instruction

Enlarged print

Positive reinforcements

Behavior intervention plans

Rearranging class schedules

Visual aids

Preferred seating assignments

Taping lectures

Oral tests

Individual contracts

Will my child still be in the regular classroom or will he be in a "special class"?

A Section 504 eligible child will always be in the regular classroom unless (according to federal regulations): "... the student with a disability is so disruptive in a regular classroom that the education of other students is significantly impaired, then the needs of the student with a disability cannot be met in that environment. Therefore, regular placement would not be appropriate to his or her needs and would not be required by §104.34" (34 C.F.R. §104.34, Appendix A, #24).

Can my child still be disciplined under Section 504?

Yes. Children under Section 504 are still expected to follow the district's student code of conduct. However, when disciplining a child under Section 504, schools must consider the relationship between the disability and the misbehavior if the child is going to be removed from the regular setting for longer than 10 days. This does not mean that a student with a disability cannot be sent to a discipline center or that they cannot go to in-school suspension, or be suspended from school for three days. Very strict guidelines exist for schools in discipline issues with students who have a disability under Section 504. Your campus or district 504 coordinator can assist you in this area should you have additional questions concerning the discipline of students with disabilities. Children having disabilities with behavioral components should have individual discipline plans as well as behavior intervention plans.

If I disagree with the school's evaluation, will the school district pay for an outside independent evaluation?

Under Section 504, schools are not required to pay for an outside independent evaluation. If a parent disagrees with the school's evaluation decision, they may request a due process hearing or file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights. (Ask your district or campus for a copy of Notice of Parent and Student Rights Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.)

How often will my child be re-evaluated?

While there are no specific time lines on this issue, students must be re-evaluated at least every three years or whenever there is going to be a "significant change in placement." The campus 504 committee should re-evaluate your child's plan every year to make sure that his or her accommodation plan is appropriate based on their current schedule and individual needs. The accommodation plan may be revised at any time during the school year if needed.

Will my child still be able to participate in nonacademic services?

Yes. Districts must provide equal opportunity in areas such as counseling, physical education and/or athletics, transportation, health services, recreational activities, and special interest groups or clubs. However, the "no pass, no play " standard used for students in most states also applies to students under Section 504 (34 C.F.R. §104.37).

What are my rights as a parent under Section 504?
As a parent or legal guardian, you have the right to:

1. Receive notice regarding the identification, evaluation and/or placement of your child;

2. Examine relevant records pertaining to your child;

3. Request an impartial hearing with respect to the district's actions regarding the identification evaluation, or placement of your child, with an opportunity for the parent/guardian to participate in the hearing, to have representation by an attorney, and have a review procedure;

4. File a complaint with your school District Section 504 Coordinator, who will investigate the allegations regarding Section 504 matters other than your child's identification, evaluation and placement.

5. File a complaint with the appropriate regional Office for Civil Rights. For additional information, contact: U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C. 20202-1100
(800) 421-3481
www.ed.gov/ocr
E-mail: ocr@ed.gov

Do I contact the State Education Agency (SEA) if I have a complaint concerning Section 504?

No. The State Education Agency has no direct jurisdiction over Section 504 implementation. Complaints may be addressed to your local District 504 Coordinator or to the Office for Civil Rights.
One note of caution: Please do not substitute this information for independent and individual legal advice. Such advice should be sought from a licensed, qualified attorney in the field of Section 504 disabilities. Every situation is different, and a good assessment of the risks involved in your particular situation can only be determined by consulting with your attorney and providing him or her with all of the relevant factual data. Sometimes just one "minor" detail can make a material difference in the outcome of a case. Understood.org is a comprehensive resource for parents of kids with learning and attention issues. Explore their 504 plan tools, including this Sample 504 Plan for a Child With ADHD.
Updated January 2010

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A parent's guide to Section 504 in public schools

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Section 504 - just what exactly is it? You've probably heard about it, but every school district addresses Section 504 in a different manner. Some districts have even been heard to say, "We don't do that in this district." But in fact, compliance to Section 504, which is a federal statute, is not optional.

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The Difference Between IEPs and 504 Plans

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The Difference Between IEPs and 504 Plans

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Both Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans can offer formal help for K-12 students who are struggling in school. They're similar in some ways but very different in others. This chart compares them side by side to help you understand the differences.

A blueprint or plan for a child's special education experience at school.

A blueprint or plan for how the school will provide support and remove barriers for a student with a disability.

To get an IEP, there are two requirements: A child has one or more of the 13 disabilities listed in IDEA. The law lists specific challenges, like learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, and others. And the disability must affect the child's educational performance and/or ability to learn and benefit from the general education curriculum. The child must need specialized instruction to make progress in school.

To get a 504 plan, there are two requirements: A child has any disability. Section 504 covers a wide range of different struggles in school. And the disability must interfere with the child's ability to learn in a general education classroom. Section 504 has a broader definition of a disability than IDEA. (It says a disability must substantially limit one or more basic life activities. This can include learning, reading, communicating, and thinking.) That's why a child who doesn't qualify for an IEP might still be able to get a 504 plan.

There are strict legal requirements about who participates. With a few exceptions, the entire IEP team must be present for IEP meetings. The team must include:

The rules about who's on the 504 team are less specific than they are for an IEP. A 504 plan is created by a team of people who are familiar with the child and who understand the evaluation data and special services options. This might include:

* The child's parent or caregiver

* General and special education teachers

* The school principal

* The child's parent or caregiver

* At least one of the child's general education teachers

* At least one special education teacher

* A school psychologist or other specialist who can interpret evaluation results

* A district representative with authority over special education services

The IEP sets learning goals and describes the services the school will provide. It's a written document. Here are some of the most important things the IEP must include:

There is no standard 504 plan. Unlike an IEP, a 504 plan doesn't have to be a written document. A 504 plan generally includes the following:

* Specific accommodations, supports, or services for the child

* Names of who will provide each service

* Name of the person responsible for ensuring the plan is implemented

* The child's present levels of academic and functional performance - how the child is currently doing in school

* Annual education goals for the child and how the school will track progress

* The services the child will get - this may include special education, related, supplementary, and extended school year services

* The timing of services - when they start, how often they occur, and how long they last

* Any accommodations - changes to the child's learning environment

* Any modifications - changes to what the child is expected to learn or know

* How the child will participate in standardized tests

* How the child will be included in general education classes and school activities

When the school wants to change a child's services or placement, it has to tell families in writing before the change. This is called prior written notice. Notice is also required for any IEP meetings and evaluations. Families also have "stay put" rights to keep services in place while there's a disagreement about the IEP.

The school must notify families about an evaluation or a "significant change" in placement. Notice doesn't have to be in writing, but most schools do so anyway.

How to resolve disputes

IDEA gives families several ways to resolve disputes (usually in this order):

Section 504 gives families several options for resolving disagreements with the school:

* Mediation

* Alternative dispute resolution

* Impartial hearing

* Complaint to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR)

* Lawsuit

* Mediation

* Due process complaint

* Resolution session

* Civil lawsuit

* State complaint

* Lawsuit

And if you need help navigating special education law in your state, consider reaching out to your local Parent Training and Information Center. The people there can answer questions and give practical advice on issues specific to your area.

Do you want to learn more about how IEPs and 504 plans compare? Watch as an expert explains the differences between them.

About the author

About the author

The Understood Team is made up of passionate writers and editors. Many of them have kids who learn and think differently.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

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IEP vs. 504 Plan: What's the Difference?

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Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and 504 plans are similar but different. See how they compare in what they provide and the processes and laws involved.

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What is Solution-Focused Therapy: 3 Essential Techniques

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What is Solution-Focused Therapy: 3 Essential Techniques

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Imagine this scenario: You work at a company that produces widgets. You're at an important business meeting, and you're there to discuss some problems your company is having with its production.

At the meeting, you explain what's causing the problems: The widget-producing machine your company uses is getting old and slowing down. The machine is made up of hundreds of small parts that work in concert, and it would be much more expensive to replace each of these old, worn-down parts than to buy a new widget-producing machine.

You are hoping to convey to the other meeting attendees the impact of the problem, and the importance of buying a new widget-producing machine. You give a comprehensive overview of the problem and how it is impacting production.

One meeting attendee asks, "So which part of the machine, exactly, is getting worn down?" Another says, "Please explain in detail how our widget-producing machine works." Yet another asks, "How does the new machine improve upon each of the components of the machine?" A fourth attendee asks, "Why is it getting worn down? We should discuss how the machine was made in order to fully understand why it is wearing down now."

You are probably starting to feel frustrated that your colleagues' questions don't address the real issue. You might be thinking, "What does it matter how the machine got worn down when buying a new one would fix the problem?" In this scenario, it is much more important to buy a new widget-producing machine than it is to understand why machinery wears down over time.

When we're seeking solutions, it's not always helpful to get bogged down in the details. We want results, not a narrative about how or why things became the way they are.

This is the idea behind solution-focused therapy. For many people, it is often more important to find solutions than it is to analyze the problem in great detail. This article will cover what solution-focused therapy is, how it's applied, and what its limitations are.

What Is Solution-Focused Therapy?

Solution-focused therapy, also called solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), is a type of therapy that places far more importance on discussing solutions than problems (Berg, n.d.). Of course, you must discuss the problem to find a solution, but beyond understanding what the problem is and deciding how to address it, solution-focused therapy will not dwell on every detail of the problem you are experiencing.

Solution-focused brief therapy doesn't require a deep dive into your childhood and the ways in which your past has influenced your present. Instead, it will root your sessions firmly in the present while working toward a future in which your current problems have less of an impact on your life (Psychology Today, n.d.).

This solution-centric form of therapy grew out of the field of family therapy in the 1980s. Creators Steve de Shazer and Insoo Kim Berg noticed that most therapy sessions were spent discussing symptoms, issues, and problems (Good Therapy, 2016).

De Shazer and Berg saw an opportunity for quicker relief from negative symptoms in a new form of therapy that emphasized quick, specific problem-solving rather than an ongoing discussion of the problem itself.

The word "brief" in solution-focused brief therapy is key. The goal of SFBT is to find and implement a solution to the problem or problems as soon as possible to minimize time spent in therapy and, more importantly, time spent struggling or suffering (Antin, 2016).

SFBT is committed to finding realistic, workable solutions for clients as quickly as possible, and the efficacy of this treatment has influenced its spread around the world and use in multiple contexts.

SFBT has been successfully applied in individual, couples, and family therapy. The problems it can address are wide-ranging, from the normal stressors of life to high-impact life events.

The only realm in which SFBT is generally not recommended is that of the more extreme mental health issues, such as schizophrenia or major depressive disorder (Antin, 2016).

Theory Behind the Solution-Focused Approach

The solution-focused approach of SFBT is founded in de Shazer and Berg's idea that the solutions to one's problems are typically found in the "exceptions" to the problem, meaning the times when the problem is not actively affecting the individual (Psychology Today, n.d.).

This approach is a logical one-to find a lasting solution to a problem, it is rational to look first at those times in which the problem lacks its usual potency.

For example, if a client is struggling with excruciating shyness, but typically has no trouble speaking to his or her coworkers, a solution-focused therapist would target the client's interactions at work as an exception to the client's usual shyness. Once the client and therapist have discovered an exception, they will work as a team to find out how the exception is different from the client's usual experiences with the problem.

The therapist will help the client formulate a solution based on what sets the exception scenario apart, and aid the client in setting goals and implementing the solution.

You may have noticed that this type of therapy relies heavily on the therapist and client working together. Indeed, SFBT works on the assumption that every individual has at least some level of motivation to address their problem or problems and to find solutions that improve their quality of life (Psychology Today, n.d.).

This motivation on the part of the client is an essential piece of the model that drives SFBT.

Solution-Focused Model

While there is no formalized "A leads to B, which leads to C" sort of model for SFBT, there is a general model that acts as the foundation for this type of therapy.

Solution-focused theorists and therapists believe that generally, people develop default problem patterns based on their experiences, as well as default solution patterns. These patterns dictate an individual's usual way of experiencing a problem and his or her usual way of coping with problems (Focus on Solutions, 2013).

The solution-focused model holds that focusing only on problems is not an effective way of solving them. Instead, SFBT targets clients' default solution patterns, evaluates them for efficacy, and modifies or replaces them with problem-solving approaches that work (Focus on Solutions, 2013).

In addition to this foundational belief, the SFBT model is based on the following assumptions:

Change is constant and certain;

Emphasis should be on what is changeable and possible;

Clients must want to change;

Clients are the experts in therapy and must develop their own goals;

Clients already have the resources and strengths to solve their problems;

Therapy is short-term;

The focus must be on the future-a client's history is not a key part of this type of therapy (Counselling Directory, 2017).

Based on these assumptions, the model instructs therapists to do the following in their sessions with clients:

Ask questions rather than "selling" answers;

Notice and reinforce evidence of the client's positive qualities, strengths, resources, and general competence to solve their own problems;

Work with what people can do rather than focusing on what they can't do;

Pinpoint the behaviors a client is already engaging in that are helpful and effective and find new ways to facilitate problem-solving through these behaviors;

Focus on the details of the solution instead of the problem;

Develop action plans that work for the client (Focus on Solutions, 2013).

SFBT therapists aim to bring out the skills, strengths, and abilities that clients already possess rather than attempting to build new competencies from scratch. This assumption of a client's competence is one of the reasons this therapy can be administered in a short timeframe-it is much

quicker to harness the resources clients already have than to create and nurture new resources.

Beyond these basic activities, there are many techniques and exercises used in SFBT to promote problem-solving and enhance clients' ability to work through their own problems.

Popular Techniques and Interventions

While some of these techniques are used specifically in SFBT, others have applicability to a wide range of therapies, or even to individuals working on solving their problems without the guidance of a therapist. Working with a therapist is generally recommended when you are facing overwhelming or particularly difficult problems, but not all problems require a licensed professional to solve.

For each technique listed below, it will be noted if it can be used as a standalone technique.

Questions

Asking good questions is vital in any form of therapy, but SFBT formalized this practice into a technique that specifies a certain set of questions intended to provoke thinking and discussion about goal-setting and problem-solving.

One such question is the "coping question." This question is intended to help clients recognize their own resiliency and identify some of the ways in which they already cope with their problems effectively.

There are many ways to phrase this sort of question, but generally, a coping question is worded something like, "How do you manage, in the face of such difficulty, to fulfill your daily obligations?" (Antin, 2016).

Another type of question common in SFBT is the "miracle question." The miracle question encourages clients to imagine a future in which their problems are no longer affecting their lives. Imagining this desired future will help clients see a path forward, both allowing them to believe in the possibility of this future and helping them to identify concrete steps they can take to make it happen.

This question is generally asked in the following manner: "Imagine that a miracle has occurred. This problem you are struggling with is suddenly absent from your life. What does your life look like without this problem?" (Antin, 2016).

If the miracle question is unlikely to work, or if the client is having trouble imagining this miracle future, the SFBT therapist can use "best hopes" questions instead. The client's answers to these questions will help establish what the client is hoping to achieve and help him or her set realistic and achievable goals.

The "best hopes" questions can include the following:

What are your best hopes for today's session?

What needs to happen in this session to enable you to leave thinking it was worthwhile?

How will you know things are "good enough" for our sessions to end?

What needs to happen in these sessions so that your relatives/friends/coworkers can say, "I'm really glad you went to see [the therapist]"? (Vinnicombe, n.d.).

To identify the exceptions to the problems plaguing clients, therapists will ask "exception questions." These are questions that ask about clients' experiences both with and without their problems. This helps to distinguish between circumstances in which the problems are most active and the circumstances in which the problems either hold no power or have diminished power over clients' moods or thoughts.

Exception questions can include:

Tell me about the times when you felt the happiest;

What was it about that day that made it a better day?

Can you think of times when the problem was not present in your life? (Counselling Directory, 2017).

Another question frequently used by SFBT practitioners is the "scaling question."

It asks clients to rate their experiences (such as how their problems are currently affecting them, how confident they are in their treatment, and how they think the treatment is progressing) on a scale from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest). This helps the therapist to gauge progress and learn more about clients' motivation and confidence in finding a solution.

For example, an SFBT therapist may ask, "On a scale from 0 to 10, how would you rate your progress in finding and implementing a solution to your problem?" (Antin, 2016).

Do One Thing Different

This exercise can be completed individually, but the handout may need to be modified for adult or adolescent users.

This exercise is intended to help the client or individual to learn how to break his or her problem patterns and build strategies to simply make things go better.

The handout breaks the exercise into the following steps (Coffen, n.d.):

Step One

Think about the things you do in a problem situation. Change any part you can. Choose to change one thing, such as the timing, your body patterns (what you do with your body), what you say, the location, or the order in which you do things;

Think of a time that things did not go well for you. When does that happen? What part of that problem situation will you do differently now?

Step Two

Think of something done by somebody else does that makes the problem better. Try doing what they do the next time the problem comes up. Or, think of something that you have done in the past that made things go better. Try doing that the next time the problem comes up;

Think of something that somebody else does that works to make things go better. What is the person's name and what do they do that you will try?

Think of something that you have done in the past that helped make things go better. What did you do that you will do next time?

Step Three

Feelings tell you that you need to do something. Your brain tells you what to do. Understand what your feelings are but do not let them determine your actions. Let your brain determine the actions;

Feelings are great advisors but poor masters (advisors give information and help you know what you could do; masters don't give you choices);

Think of a feeling that used to get you into trouble. What feeling do you want to stop getting you into trouble?

Think of what information that feeling is telling you. What does the feeling suggest you should do that would help things go better?

Step Four

Change what you focus on. What you pay attention to will become bigger in your life and you will notice it more and more. To solve a problem, try changing your focus or your perspective.

Think of something that you are focusing on too much. What gets you into trouble when you focus on it?

Think of something that you will focus on instead. What will you focus on that will not get you into trouble?

Step Five

Imagine a time in the future when you aren't having the problem you are having right now. Work backward to figure out what you could do now to make that future come true;

Think of what will be different for you in the future when things are going better;

Think of one thing that you would be doing differently before things could go better in the future. What one thing will you do differently?

Step Six

Sometimes people with problems talk about how other people cause those problems and why it's impossible to do better. Change your story. Talk about times when the problem was not happening and what you were doing at that time. Control what you can control. You can't control other people, but you can change your actions, and that might change what other people do;

Think of a time when you were not having the problem that is bothering you. Talk about that time.

Step Seven

If you believe in a god or a higher power, focus on God to get things to go better. When you are focused on God or you are asking God to help you, things might go better for you.

Do you believe in a god or a higher power? Talk about how you will seek help from your god to make things go better.

Step Eight

Use action talk to get things to go better. Action talk sticks to the facts, addresses only the things you can see, and doesn't address what you believe another person was thinking or feeling-we have no way of knowing that for sure. When you make a complaint, talk about the action that you do not like. When you make a request, talk about what action you want the person to do. When you praise someone, talk about what action you liked;

Make a complaint about someone cheating at a game using action talk;

Make a request for someone to play fairly using action talk;

Thank someone for doing what you asked using action talk.

Following these eight steps and answering the questions thoughtfully will help people recognize their strengths and resources, identify ways in which they can overcome problems, plan and set goals to address problems, and practice useful skills.

While this handout can be extremely effective for SFBT, it can also be used in other therapies or circumstances.

To see this handout and download it for you or your clients, click here.

Presupposing Change

This is a handy technique for SFBT therapists and it doesn't really apply to individuals who are not working with a therapist.

The "presupposing change" technique has great potential in SFBT, in part because when people are experiencing problems, they have a tendency to focus on the problems and ignore the positive changes in their life. It can be difficult to recognize the good things happening in your life when you are struggling with a painful or particularly troublesome problem.

This technique is intended to help clients be attentive to the positive things in their lives, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant. Any positive change or tiny step of progress should be noted, so clients can both celebrate their wins and draw from past wins to facilitate future wins.

Presupposing change is a strikingly simple technique to use: Ask questions that assume positive changes. This can include questions like, "What's different or better since I saw you last time?"

If clients are struggling to come up with evidence of positive change or are convinced that there has been no positive change, the therapist can ask questions that encourage clients to think about their abilities to effectively cope with problems, like, How come things aren't worse for you? What stopped total disaster from occurring? How did you avoid falling apart? (Australian Institute of Professional Counsellors, 2009).

SFBT Treatment Plan: An Example

A typical treatment plan in SFBT will include several factors relevant to the treatment, including:

The reason for referral, or the problem the client is experiencing that brought him or her to treatment;

A diagnosis (if any);

List of medications taken (if any);

Current symptoms;

Support for the client (family, friends, other mental health professionals, etc.);

Modality or treatment type;

Frequency of treatment;

Measurement criteria for progress on goals;

Barriers to progress.

All of these are common and important components of a successful treatment plan. Some of these components (e.g., diagnosis and medications) may be unaddressed or acknowledged only as a formality in SFBT due to its usual focus on less severe mental health issues. Others are vital to treatment progress and potential success in SFBT, including goals, objectives, measurement criteria, and client strengths.

Limitations of SFBT Counseling

As with any form of therapy, SFBT has limitations and potential disadvantages.

Some of the potential disadvantages for therapists include (George, 2010):

The potential for clients to focus on problems that the therapist believes are secondary problems. For example, the client may focus on a current relationship problem rather than the underlying self-esteem problem that is causing the relationship woes. SFBT dictates that the client is the expert, and the therapist must take what the client says at face value;

The client may decide that the treatment is successful or complete before the therapist is ready to make the same decision. This focus on taking what the client says at face value may mean the therapist must end treatment before they are convinced that the client is truly ready;

The hard work of the therapist may be ignored. When conducted successfully, it may seem that clients solved their problems by themselves, and didn't need the help of a therapist at all. An SFBT therapist may rarely get credit for the work they do but must take all the blame when sessions end unsuccessfully.

Some of the potential limitations for clients include (Antin, 2016):

The focus on quick solutions may miss some important underlying issues;

The quick, goal-oriented nature of SFBT may not allow for an emotional, empathetic connection between therapist and client.

If the client wants to discuss factors outside of their immediate ability to effect change, SFBT may be frustrating in its assumption that clients are always able to fix or address their problems.

Generally, SFBT can be an excellent treatment for many of the common stressors people experience in their lives, but it may be inappropriate if clients want to concentrate more on their symptoms and how they got to where they are today. As noted earlier, it is also generally not appropriate for clients with major mental health disorders.

What Does SFBT Have to Do with Positive Psychology?

First, both SFBT and positive psychology share a focus on the positive-on what people already have going for them and on what actions they can take. While problems are discussed and considered in SFBT, most of the time and energy is spent on discussing, thinking about, and researching what is already good, effective, and successful.

Second, both SFBT and positive psychology consider the individual to be his or her own best advocate, the source of information on his or her problems and potential solutions, and the architect of his or her own treatment and life success. The individual is considered competent, able, and "enough" in both SFBT and positive psychology.

This assumption of the inherent competence of individuals has run both subfields into murky waters and provoked criticism, particularly when systemic and societal factors are considered. While no respectable psychologist would disagree that an individual is generally in control of his or her own actions and, therefore, future, there is considerable debate about what level of influence other factors have on an individual's life.

While many of these criticisms are valid and bring up important points for discussion, we won't dive too deep into them in this piece. Suffice it to say that both SFBT and positive psychology have important places in the field of psychology and, like any subfield, may not apply to everyone and to all circumstances.

However, when they do apply, they are both capable of producing positive, lasting, and life-changing results.

A Take-Home Message

Solution-focused therapy puts problem-solving at the forefront of the conversation and can be particularly useful for clients who aren't suffering from major mental health issues and need help solving a particular problem (or problems). Rather than spending years in therapy, SFBT allows such clients to find solutions and get results quickly.

Have you ever tried Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, as a therapist or as a client? What did you think of the focus on solutions? Do you think SFBT misses anything important by taking the spotlight off the client's problem(s)? Let us know in the comments section.

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What is Solution-Focused Therapy: 3 Essential Techniques

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Imagine this scenario: You work at a company that produces widgets. You're at an important business meeting, and you're there to discuss some problems your company is having with its production. At the meeting, you explain what's causing the problems: The widget-producing machine your company uses is getting old and slowing down.

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Savvy School Counselor~Making a Difference One Child at a Time~

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Savvy School Counselor~Making a Difference One Child at a Time~

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The book aims to help children "flip their thinking when anxious thoughts begin and turn them into powerful reminders of all they are capable of accomplishing." The illustrations are adorable and provide a great way of helping young children "visualize" how worry can invade their thoughts.

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Clear Lake Children's Center | When you're ready to find answers

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Reading books together with children is a wonderful way for parents and teachers to reach out and connect, particularly when special circumstances arise. The content and stories in books can be used instructionally to teach new skills, to help communicate understanding, and to share experiences for growth and development across a wide variety of topics. This compilation includes books that you can find on your library bookshelves, in bookstores, and online. There are suggested age ranges listed with each title to help select appropriate books for your child's needs. Check back periodically for updates as well.

Do you have a favorite book you'd like added to our list? Let us know here!

Social Skills/ Friendship

A Rainbow of Friends by P.K. Hallinan (Ages 4-8)

Be Polite and Kind by Cheri Meiners (Ages 4-7)

Best Friends by Charlotte Labaronne (Ages 3-5)

Can You Be a Friend? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)

Can You Talk to Your Friends? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)

Care Bears: Caring Contest by Nancy Parent (Ages 3-6)

Care Bears: The Day Nobody Shared by Nancy Parent (Ages3-6)

Communication by Aliki (Ages 3-8)

Friendship Values to Live By by Sharon Lee Roberts (Ages 3-6)

Fox Makes Friends by Adam Relf (Ages 3-5)

Gigi and Lulu's Gigantic Fight by Pamela Edwards (Ages 3-7)

Heartprints by P.K. Hallinan (Ages 3-6)

How Do Dinosaurs Play with Their Friends by Jane Yolen and Mark Teague (Ages 3-5)

How Do I Feel About Making Friends by Sarah Levete (Ages 4-9)

How to be a Friend by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Ages 4-8)

How to Deal With Friends: A Child's Practical Guide by Richard Powell (Ages 3-7)

How to Lose All Your Friends by Nancy Carlson (Ages 4-9)

Hunter's Best Friend at School by Laura Malone Elliot (Ages 4-7)

I'm a Good Friend! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

I Can Share by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)

I Can Cooperate! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

I am Generous! by David Parker (Ages 2-5)

I'm Sorry by Sam McBratney (Ages 4-7)

It's Hard to Share My Teacher by Joan Singleton Prestine (Ages5-6)

Jamberry by Bruce Degan (Ages 2-5)

Join In and Play by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)

The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear by Don & Audry Wood (Ages 2-5)

Making Friends by Fred Rogers (Ages 3-5)

Making Friends by Janine Amos (Ages 4-8)

Matthew and Tilly by Rebecca C. Jones (Ages 4-8)

Mine! Mine! Mine! By Shelly Becker (Ages 3-5)

Mine! A Backpack Baby Story by Miriam Cohen (Ages infant-2)

My Friend Bear by Jez Alborough (Ages 3-8)

My Friend and I by Lisa John-Clough (Ages 4-8)

One Lonely Sea Horse by Saxton Freymann & Joost Elffers (Ages 4-8)

Big Dog...Little Dog by P.D. Eastman (Ages 4-8)

The Rainbow Fish by Marcus Pfister (Ages 3-8)

Share and Take Turns by Cheri Meiners (Ages 5-8)

Sharing How Kindness Grows by Fran Shaw (Ages 3-5)

The Selfish Crocodile by Faustin Charles and Michael Terry (Ages 4-7)

Simon and Molly Plus Hester by Lisa Jahn-Clough (Ages 5-8)

Sometimes I Share by Carol Nicklaus (Ages 4-6)

Strawberry Shortcake and the Friendship Party by Monique Z. Sephens (Ages 2-5)

Sunshine & Storm by Elisabeth Jones (Ages 3-5)

Talk and Work it Out by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)

That's What a Friend Is by P.K. Hallinan (Ages3-8)

We Are Best Friends by Aliki (Ages 4-7)

Accepting Differences

And Here's to You by David Elliott (Ages 4-8)

Big Al by Andrew Clements (Ages 4-8)

The Brand New Kid by Katie Couric (Ages 3-8)

Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-7)

Chrysanthemum by Kevin Henkes (Ages 4-8)

Franklin's New Friend by Paulette Bourgeois (Ages 5-8)

Horace and Morris But Mostly Dolores by James Howe (Ages 4-8)

I Accept You as You Are! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

It's Okay to Be Different by Todd Parr (Ages 3-8)

Kathy's Hats: A Story of Hope by Trudy Krisher (Ages 4-8)

Margaret and Margarita by Lynn Reiser (Ages 5-8)

Zink the Zebra: A Special Tale by Kelly Weil (Ages 3-8)

Feelings

ABC Look at Me by Roberta Grobel Intrater (Ages infant-4)

"Baby Faces" books (most are by Roberta Grobel Intrater) (Ages infant-4)

Baby Faces by Margaret Miller (Ages infant-3)

Baby Senses Sight by Dr.S. Beaumont (ages infant -3)

Can You Tell How Someone Feels? (Early Social Behavior Book Series) by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)

Double Dip Feelings by Barbara Cain (Ages 5-8)

Feelings by Aliki (Ages 3-8)

The Feelings Book by Todd Parr (Ages 3-8)

The Feelings Book: The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions by American Girl Library (Ages 8 and up)

Feeling Happy by Ellen Weiss (Ages infants -3)

Glad Monster, Sad Monster by Ed Emberley & Anne Miranda (Ages infant-5)

The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle (Ages 1-6)

The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen (Ages 3-5)

The Three Grumpies by Tamra Wight (Ages 4-8)

Happy and Sad, Grouchy and Glad by Constance Allen (Ages 4-7)

How Are You Peeling: Foods with Moods by Saxton Freymann (Ages 5-8)

How Do I Feel? by Norma Simon (Ages 2-7)

How Do I Feel? by Houghton Mifflin (Ages infant-4)

How I Feel Proud by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

How I Feel Silly by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

How Kind by Mary Murphy (ages 2-5)

I Am Happy by Steve Light (Ages 3-6)

If You're Happy and You Know it! by Jane Cabrera (Ages 3-6)

Little Teddy Bear's Happy Face Sad Face by Lynn Offerman (a first book about feelings)

Lizzy's Ups and Downs by Jessica Harper (Ages 3-9)

My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss (Ages 3-8)

On Monday When It Rained by Cherryl Kachenmeister (Ages 3-8)

Proud of Our Feelings by Lindsay Leghorn (Ages 4-8)

See How I Feel by Julie Aigner-Clark (Ages infant-4)

Sometimes I Feel Like a Storm Cloud by Lezlie Evans (Ages 4-8)

Smudge's Grumpy Day by Miriam Moss (Ages 3-8)

The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (Ages 4-8)

Today I Feel Silly & Other Moods That Make My Day by Jamie Lee (Ages 3-8)

The Way I Feel by Janan Cain (Ages 3-6)

What Makes Me Happy? by Catherine & Laurence Anholt (Ages 3-6)

What I Look Like When I am Confused (Let's Look at Feeling Series) by Joanne Randolph (Ages 5-8)

When I Feel Frustrated by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

When I Feel Jealous by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

Happiness

Amadeus is Happy by Eli Cantillon (Ages 2-5)

Feeling Happy by Ellen Weiss (ages 2-5)

If You're Happy and You Know it! by David Carter (Ages 2-6)

If You're Happy and You Know It by Scholastic/Taggies book (Ages infant-2)

The Feel Good Book by Todd Parr (Ages 3-6)

Peekaboo Morning by Rachel Isadora (Ages 2-5)

When I Feel Happy by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

What Went Right Today? by Joan Buzick and Lindy Judd (Ages 3 - 8)

Sadness

Let's Talk About Feeling Sad by Joy Berry (Ages 3-5)

Franklin's Bad Day by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark (Ages 5-8)

How I Feel Sad by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

Hurty Feelings by Helen Lester (Ages 5-8)

Knuffle Bunny by Mo Willems (Ages 3-6)

Sometimes I Feel Awful by Joan Singleton Prestine (Ages 5-8)

The Very Lonely Firefly by Eric Carle (Ages 4-7)

When I'm Feeling Sad by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)

When I Feel Sad by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)

Anger

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst (Ages 4-8)

Andrew's Angry Words by Dorothea Lackner (Ages 4-8)

Bootsie Barker Bites by Barbara Bottner (Ages 4-8)

The Chocolate Covered Cookie Tantrum by Deborah Blementhal (Ages 5-8)

Don't Rant and Rave on Wednesdays! By Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

Goldie is Mad by Margie Palatini (Ages 3-7)

How I Feel Frustrated by Marcia Leonard (Ages 3-8)

How I Feel Angry by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

Let's Talk About Feeling Angry by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Llama Llama Mad at Mama by Anna Dewdney (Ages 2-5)

Sometimes I'm Bombaloo by Rachel Vail (Ages 3-8)

That Makes Me Mad! by Steven Kroll (Ages 4-8)

The Rain Came Down by David Shannon (Ages 4-8)

The Temper Tantrum Book by Edna Mitchell Preston (Ages 3-6)

When I'm Angry by Jane Aaron (Ages 3-7)

When I'm Feeling Angry by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)

When I Feel Angry by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)

When Sophie Gets Angry - Really, Really Angry by Molly Garrett (Ages 3-7)

Lily's Purple Plastic Purse by Kevin Henkes. (Ages 4-8)

Fear/Worry

Creepy Things are Scaring Me by Jerome and Jarrett Pumphrey (Ages 4-8)

Don't Pop Your Cork on Mondays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

Franklin in The Dark by Paulette Bourgeois & Brenda Clark (Ages 5-8)

How I Feel Scared by Marcia Leonard (Ages 2-6)

I Am Not Going to School Today by Robie H. Harris (Ages 4-8)

No Such Thing by Jackie French Koller (Ages 5-8)

Sam's First Day by David Mills & Lizzie Finlay (Ages 3-7)

Sheila Rae, the Brave by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-8)

Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-8)

When I'm Feeling Scared by Trace Moroney (Ages 2-5)

When I Feel Scared by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)

Empathy

Bear Feels Sick by Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman (Ages 3-5)

Can You Tell How Someone Feels by Nita Everly (ages 3-6)

Understand and Care by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)

When I Care about Others by Cornelia Maude Spelman (Ages 5-7)

Problem Solving

Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems (Ages 2-7)

Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems (Ages 2-7)

I Did It, I'm Sorry by Caralyn Buehner (Ages 5-8)

It Wasn't My Fault by Helen Lester (Ages 4-7)

Talk and Work it Out by Cheri Meiners (Ages 4-8)

Self-Confidence

ABC I like Me by Nancy Carlson (Ages 4-6)

Amazing Grace by Mary Hoffman (Ages 4-8)

Arthur's Nose by Marc Brown (Ages 3-8)

The Blue Ribbon Day by Katie Couric (Ages 4-8)

Can You Keep Trying by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)

Don't Feed the Monster on Tuesdays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

I Can Do It Myself (A Sesame Street Series) by Emily Perl Kingsley (Ages 2-4)

I'm in Charge of Me! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

I am Responsible! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

The Little Engine that Could by Watty Piper (Ages 3-7)

Susan Laughs by Jeanne Willis (Ages 4-7)

Too Loud Lilly by Sophia Laguna (Ages 4-7)

Try and Stick With It by Cheri Meiners (Ages 4-8)

26 Big Things Little Hands Can Do by Coleen Paratore (Ages 1-6)

The Very Clumsy Click Beetle by Eric Carle (Ages 3-7)

Whistle for Willie by Erza Jack Keats (Ages 4-7)

You Can Do It, Sam by Amy Hest (Ages 2-6)

Stick Up For Yourself! Every Kid's Guide to Personal Power and Positive Self-Esteem by G. Kaufman, L. Raphael, and P. Espeland (Ages 10-14)

Good Behavior

Can You Listen with Your Eyes? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)

Can You Use a Good Voice? by Nita Everly (Ages 3-6)

David Goes to School by David Shannon (Ages 3-8)

David Gets in Trouble by David Shannon (Ages 3-8)

Don't Tell a Whopper on Fridays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

Excuse Me!: A Little Book of Manners by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)

Feet Are Not for Kicking by Elizabeth Verdick (Ages 2-4)

Hands are Not for Hitting by Martine Agassi (Ages 2-8)

Hands Can by Cheryl Willis Hudson (ages 1-5)

Help Me Be Good! A Children's Book About Being Mean by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Help Me Be Good! A Children's Book About Being Rude by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Help Me Be Good! A Children's Book About Disobeying by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Help Me Be Good! A Children's Book About Fighting by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Help Me Be Good! A Book About Whining by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

I Tell the Truth! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

I Show Respect! by David Parker (Ages 3-5)

Know and Follow Rules by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)

Let's Talk About Being Helpful by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Let's Talk About Needing Attention by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

Listen and Learn by Cheri Meiners (Ages 3-6)

No Biting by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)

No, David by David Shannon (Ages 3-8)

No Hitting by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)

Please is a Good Word to Say by Barbara Joosse (Ages 3-8)

Please Play Safe! Penguin's Guide to Playground Safety by Margery Cuyler (Ages 2-5)

26 Big Things Small Hands Can Do by Coleen Paratore (Ages 3-5)

Quiet and Loud by Leslie Patricelli (Ages 1-3)

Words Are Not for Hurting by Elizabeth Verdick (Ages 3-6)

ADHD

Eagle Eyes: A Child's Guide to Paying Attention by Jeanne Gehret (Ages 6-11)

Jumpin' Johnny Get Back to Work! A Child's Guide to ADHD/Hyperactivity by Michael Gordon (Ages 5-9)

My Brother's A World-Class Pain: A Sibling's Guide to ADHD/Hyperactivity by Michael Gordon (Ages 5-9)

Sit Still! by Nancy Carlson (Ages 3-8)

Family Relationships

A Forever Family: A Book About Adoption by Roslyn Banish (Ages 4-10)

Are You My Mother? by P.D. Eastman and Carlos Rivera (Ages infant-5)

At Daddy's on Saturdays by Linda Walvoord Girard (Ages 5-9)

Baby Dance by Ann Taylor (Ages infant-4)

Because I Love You So Much by Guido van Genechten (Ages 2-5)

Counting Kisses by Karen Katz (Ages infant-5)

Dinosaurs Divorce: A Guide for Changing Families by Laurene Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Ages 4-9)

Do I Have A Daddy? by Jeanne Warren Lindsay (Ages 3-8)

Don't Forget I Love You by Mariam Moss (Ages 2-7)

Full, Full, Full of Love by Trish Cooke (Ages 4-6)

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney (Ages infant-5)

Guji Guji by Chih-Yuan Chen (Ages 5-8)

How Do I Love You? by P.K. Hallinan (Ages infant-5)

I Love it When You Smile by Sam McBratney (Ages 3-5)

I Love You All Day Long by Francesca Rusackas (Ages 3-5)

I Love You: A Rebus Poem by Jean Marzollo (Ages 1-6)

I Love You the Purplest by Barbara M. Joose (Ages 4-8)

I Love You Through and Through by Bernadette Rossetti-Shustak (Ages 1-5)

The Kissing Hand by Audrey Penn (Ages 3-8)

Koala Lou by Mem Fox (Ages 4-7)

Little One by Lisa Wheeler (Ages infant-3)

Mama, Do You Love Me? by Barbara Joosse (Ages 3-6)

More, More, More, Said the Baby: Three Love Stories by Vera B. Williams Morrow (Ages infant-3)

No Matter What by Debi Gliori (Ages 2-5)

Owl Babies by Martin Waddell (Ages 3-7)

Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee (Ages infant-5)

Willie's Not the Hugging Kind by Joyce Durham Barrett (Ages 6-9)

You're All My Favorites by Sam Mc Bratney (Ages 5-7)

Bullying/Teasing

A Children's Book About Being Bullied by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

A Children's Book About Teasing by Joy Berry (Ages 3-8)

A Weekend with Wendell by Kevin Henkes (Ages 4-8)

The Berenstain Bears and the Bully by Stan and Jan Berenstain (Ages 4-7)

Big Bad Bruce by Bill Peet (Ages 4-8)

Chester's Way by Kevin Henkes (Ages 5-7)

Coyote Raid in Cactus Canyon J. Arnosky (Ages 4-8)

Don't Be a Menace on Sundays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

Gobbles! by Ezra Jack Kets (Ages 4-8)

Hats by Kevin Luthardt (Ages 3-6)

Hooway for Wodney Wat! by Helen Lester (Ages 5-8)

Hugo and the Bully Frogs by Francesca Simon (Ages 3-7)

Trevor Trevor by Diane Cullen (Ages 3-8)

The Ant Bully by J. Nickle (Ages 3-8)

Bully Trouble by J. Cole (Ages 7-9)

Who's Afraid of the Big, Bad Bully? by T. Slater (Ages 7-9)

King of the Playground by P. Reynolds Naylor (Ages 7-9)

Push and Shove: Bully and Victim Activity by J. Boulden (Ages 9-11)

My Name is Not Dummy by E. Crary (Ages 9-11)

Simon's Hook: A Story About Teases and Put-Downs by K. Gedig Burnett (Ages 9-11)

Pinky Rex and the Bully by J. Howe (Ages 9-11)

Bully on the Bus by C.W. Bosch (Ages 10-14)

How to Handle Bullies, Teasers, and Other Meanies by K. Cohen-Posey (Ages 10-14)

Grief and Death

Don't Despair on Thursdays! by Adolph Moser (Ages 4-9)

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf by Leo Buscaglia (Ages 5-adult)

Goodbye Mousie by Robert Harris (Ages 3-8)

I Miss You by Pat Thomas (Ages 4-8)

The Next Place by Warren Hanson (Ages 5-adult)

Sad Isn't Bad: Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing with Loss Series by Michaelene Mundy (Ages 5-8)

When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide To Understanding Death by Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown (Ages 3-9)

Scat by A. Dobrin (Ages 5-9)

A Season for Mangoes by R. Hanson (Ages 5-9)

Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by T. DePaola (Ages 5-13)

Bluebird Summer by D. Hopkinson (Ages 6-11)

Annie and the Old One by M. Miles (Ages 6-12)

Felita by N. Mohr (Ages 7-11)

Grandma's Scrapbook by J. Nobisso (Ages 7-12)

Siblings

A Baby for Max by Maxwell Knight

A Baby Sister for Frances by Russell Hoban

Baby Sister Says No by Mercer Mayer

Big Brother by Charlotte Zolotow

Big Sister, Little Sister by Charlotte Zolotow

Do You Know What I'll Do? by Charlotte Zolotow

Go and Hush the Baby by Betsy Byars

I love My Baby Sister (Most of the Time) by Elaine Edelman

Just Me and My Little Brother by Mercer Mayer

Just Me and My Little Sister by Mercer Mayer

Me Too! by Mercer Mayer

Nobody Asked If I Wanted A Baby Sister by Martha Alexander

On Mother's Lap by Ann Herbert Scott

Peter's Chair by Ezra Jack Keats

That New Baby by Sara Bonnett Stein

The New Baby by Fred Rogers

Let Me Tell You About My Baby by Roslyn Banish

Walk Home Tired, Bill Jenkins by Ianthe Thomas

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears (Ages 4-8)

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Bibliotherapy Goldmine for Kids: A Comprehensive List of Books on a Variety of Topics | Clear Lake Children's Center

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Reading books together with children is a wonderful way for parents and teachers to reach out and connect, particularly when special circumstances arise.

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Practicing mindfulness in schools is a counseling topic that is getting a lot of attention these days! I decided to focus on this topic for my July post, which is finally ready for you. I had the honor this month of presenting at the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) conference in Los Angeles and it was a truly wonderful experience! However, all the time involved in presenting really delayed this July post, so better late than never! Here are a couple quick pics of my presentation at ASCA...

This month, I am full of ideas and tips on practicing mindfulness in schools! Since July is that glorious time of the year when school counselors have a bit more time to relax and enjoy the present, this is the perfect time to share this post on mindfulness! Read on to learn how you can use mindfulness to both improve your own life and to assist students in the school setting.

Mindfulness on Your Own

In case you wanted an actual definition of mindfulness in order to understand it better, the Mayo Clinic states, "Mindfulness is the act of being intensely aware of what you're sensing and feeling at every moment - without interpretation or judgment." Of course this definition leaves a lot to the imagination in terms of the specifics of practicing mindfulness. So, here is an article from the Mayo Clinic with a few different mindful exercise s that you can do yourself.

My favorite is the raisin exercise- it sounds a bit silly when you read it, but if you follow their raisin steps, trust me, you will FEEL it. And that is basically the gist of mindfulness- it sounds so simple, almost silly sometimes, but it is actually quite intense, and leads to really good, peaceful feelings. Here are a of my other favorite mindful exercises below- click on the links to try them out.

Practicing Mindfulness in Schools

So let's start off with a little background about mindfulness in schools. Dr Andrew Weil, a Harvard-educated medical doctor who also runs a integrated health center in Arizona, reviewed the practice of mindfulness in schools and the following is his take on this trend sweeping the nation. "Schools in the UK introduced mindfulness training in 2007, and the practice has been expanding there and in the U.S. ever since. In these programs, the goal is to help students improve their attention and better cope with stress and anger, with a view toward avoiding disruptive behavior.... So far, there have been few studies of the effectiveness of mindfulness training in U.S. schools and little understanding of how it might work. Reportedly, however, suspensions nationwide have dropped..."

So what are some ways we can incorporate mindfulness in the schools that we work in? Read on for some ideas.

Practicing Mindfulness in Schools: Guidance Lessons

Remember the Circle Breathing exercise that I mentioned earlier in this post? Well, you can also use it with your students. Start by defining mindfulness with them, and explain how it relates to Circle Breathing. Show them the Circle Breathing video in the link above, model how to breathe with the video, and then give the class a chance to try it out. They will love it and you can foster a fab discussion after the mindfulness exercise by asking them:

What did you like or dislike about this exercise?

Tell what mindfulness is in your own words.

How did you feel while doing the Breathing Circle?

There are activities all over the internet with scripts and videos to lead students through mindfulness exercises. Grounding is another way to promote mindfulness with them, which you can do using my latest counseling guide, Take it Easy.

Practicing Mindfulness in Schools: Group Counseling

The nature of group counseling really lends itself to mindfulness practice. Having a handful of struggling students in a room with you on a weekly basis is the perfect opportunity to teach them to incorporate mindfulness into their daily lives in order to lessen negative feelings and thoughts. I start off most of my groups with a simple mindfulness bell exercise which you can find on my Resources and Links page of this website.

If you are interested in promoting more mindfulness in your counseling groups, check out my group counseling book, Get Your Group On Volume Two at this link. This book has an entire group guide, "The Unstressables", on stress management that incorporates mindfulness activities into every session.

Practicing Mindfulness in Schools: Individual Sessions

Mindfulness is also something that can be effectively implemented in individual sessions. Oftentimes as the go-to mental health expert on campus, school counselors are put in situations where we need to deescalate an upset child. Mindfulness, whether it is through progressive muscle relaxation, grounding, or just simple breath work, can work wonders in these situations. To do this, just invite the child into your office and tell them you'd like to teach them a way to feel better when they are stressed or upset. Then chose a mindfulness technique and lead them through it. In my counseling office, we have a box of crayons and a stack of mandala coloring pages in our waiting room. When an upset child comes in and needs a few minutes to calm themselves, we offer a quiet place to color. This gives the child a chance to self-regulate their emotions while we have a chance to finish up whatever task we were doing when they came in. Once the child is calm and we are finished with our current task, we can meet with them to problem solve. Oftentimes, after some quiet coloring time, they don't even need to talk with us once we are ready to see them because they have calmed themselves on their own. Here is a link to free website that let's you create your own mandalas! So fun!

NEWSY & NOTEWORTHY

I am super excited to announce that Julia Cook's publisher asked me to review her latest book- this means I have some advance copies of Be Where Your Feet Are to review and giveaway! Check back here next week to read my review and enter to win a free copy!

Looking Ahead

That brings me to the end of this July mindfulness post. Please leave a comment because I'd love to hear about how you use mindfulness in your counseling program. Catch up with me again in August for my monthly counseling post that I share during the first weekend of every month!

In the meantime, you can find out about my latest promotions, free stuff, or counseling adventures by following me on my School Counselor Stephanie Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest pages!

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Practicing mindfulness in schools is a counseling topic that is getting a lot of attention these days! I decided to focus on this topic for my July post, which is finally ready for you. I had the honor this month of presenting at the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) conference in Los Angeles and it was a truly wonderful experience!

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Mindfulness is popping up everywhere nowadays. As a school based counselor, teaching students to focus on the present moment and acknowledge their thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way seems like a dream. Better yet, there is research to prove that it can decrease behavioral problems, decrease symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and increase working memory capacity.

If you are like I was, you think the idea of using mindfulness in your school counseling program is great, but then you ask yourself how. How do I introduce and teach this complex concept to my little learners? Is there a way to integrate it into the lessons and activities I am already doing? The task seems daunting. Thankfully, there are many resources out there to help you incorporate this important practice into the groups and lessons you do every day!

Videos are one of my favorite tools to use in my counseling lessons. They are a great way to get students interested and engaged in what they are learning. Fortunately, there are many videos out there that can help you explain mindfulness and how it works. One of my favorites below shows kids from a school in New Zealand sharing about what mindfulness is.

I like this video because it gives students a broad picture of what mindfulness is and they get to see that it is something kids can practice.

For older kids, this video goes into detail about how our brain functions and how mindfulness can help train the brain to be calm.

If you are looking for a way to use videos to help students practice mindfulness, ClassDojo has these videos that kids love and that will help your students to enjoy the present moment. These videos are a great way to introduce the concept of mindfulness in a way that your students will understand!

When introducing the concept of mindfulness to students, it can be helpful to use picture books. Two of my favorite are The Lemonade Hurricane by Licia Morelli and Take The Time: Mindfulness For Kids by Maud Roegiers.

I love these books because students learn what mindfulness actually is and how they can practice it. They are a great way to begin your mindfulness lessons and introduce the concepts of being in the present, deep breathing and noticing your thoughts and feelings.

Guided meditation scripts help students to refocus and calm their minds. They can be read out loud and students can follow along. I love to use these scripts from my Teachers Pay Teachers store at the beginning of lessons to get students ready to learn, after a fun activity when the students are struggling to "come back" to the lesson, and/or at the end of the lesson to help the students with the transition to the next activity.

When you first start using guided meditations, students may need some time to get used to the idea. However, I have found that with consistency, even some of my most reluctant students end up begging for them!

One key mindfulness strategy is deep breathing. Deep breathing is a powerful way to slow down the body and brain, and help us to feel calm and clear. You can use deep breathing strategies with your students when they are facing strong emotions, and as a start and finish to your lessons. Here are some of my favorite deep breathing strategies:

4-7-8 Breathing - This well-known breathing technique is very helpful for relaxing the body and brain. To perform this type of breath, breathe in through your nose for four seconds. Then, hold your breath for 7 seconds and exhale for 8 seconds. Repeat as needed. I love this strategy because it is quick and easy to remember, meaning it is easy for students to use on their own!

Smell A Candle, Blow It Out - This visual is great for helping your students who are just beginning to learn about deep breathing. In this exercise, students will breathe in through their noses, as they pretend that they are smelling a candle. Next, the students will breathe out through their mouths, as they pretend that they are blowing it out. Students can repeat as needed.

Belly Breathing - In this exercise, students will really focus on the presence of the breath in their belly. Students will breathe deeply, in through the nose and out through the mouth, as they notice the way that their stomach moves. For added visual effect, I like to have the students gently place their hands on their stomachs to watch it rise and fall.

For older students, or for students who have well-developed self-regulation skills, I love using mindfulness activities as brain breaks. When students feel overwhelmed, they can take a break and perform a short mindfulness activity.

I place these cards in a jar and keep them in my office. If free time during a lesson, I will allow students to go choose a card as needed. If I notice that a student is starting to struggle, I may suggest that they go visit the jar. However, I never force them to as I don't want it to be seen as a punishment. I love using these because they are short and sweet. They can be done quickly, and they are also easy for the students to remember. I have had many students come back and tell me about a mindfulness activity they used at home that was on one of the brain break cards!

Mindfulness can benefit your students in so many ways, and it doesn't have to be intimidating! There are many resources available to help you integrate mindfulness into your school counseling program. Do you have any mindfulness resources that you love? Let me know about them in the comments section!

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Using Mindfulness In School Counseling - Confident Counselors

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Mindfulness is popping up everywhere nowadays. As a school based counselor, teaching students to focus on the present moment and acknowledge their thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way seems like a dream. Better yet, there is research to prove that it can decrease behavioral problems, decrease symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression, and increase working memory capacity.

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Mindfulness in the Classroom as a School Counselor

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Mindfulness in the Classroom as a School Counselor

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I've heard from several counselors that their big goal for this year is to incorporate mindfulness into their school counseling programs, and I think this is an amazing goal! We know mindfulness has a whole slew of health benefits, but it's so important for the classroom too. Mindful practices can improve attention to task and grow compassion for self and others. So how can we incorporate more mindfulness in the classroom as school counselors? Keep reading for 4 easy-to-implement ideas!

1. Mindful Mondays

Lead students in a mindfulness exercise on Mondays! You can read a mindfulness script over the announcements or even visit classrooms depending on your school size. If you have a large population, record a video of yourself leading students through a mindfulness exercise and send it out to teachers on Monday mornings so that students can start the week on the right foot. Then, teachers can repeat the exercise each day for the rest of the week.

Use these 26 mindfulness exercises that your older students will love and 26 for your younger students as well! Give your teachers a poster or printable with the exercise to create an alphabet line or mindfulness area in the classroom!

2. Mindfulness Meditation Space

A mindfulness meditation space is similar to a "calm down area" but is a designated area for students to engage in purposeful mindful exercises. I've seen many schools recently creating a mindfulness room in the building for students to use. This may not be feasible in your building, but a small mindfulness area is doable!

Arrange your mindfulness meditation space in a private, quiet area for students to use when they need time to refocus on the here and now. Use low lighting, a sound machine or include noise-canceling headphones, and comfortable seating. You can stock your space with artificial flowers lightly scented with essential oils, play dough and other sensory items, a mindfulness story and cards, or simple mindfulness task cards that students can complete independently.

This space below is in Counselor Carter's office! I love the calm lavender color of her walls. She's using the animal-themed mindfulness posters & scripts. Check out her blog to see what she's up to this year.

3. Mindfulness Centers

To directly teach mindfulness strategies in your classroom guidance lessons, let students practice mindfulness exercises through centers or stations. They'll be exposed to a wide variety of mindfulness strategies and be able to pick something that works for them! Students can rotate through centers, spending 5-10 minutes practicing each mindfulness exercise and debrief with small groups to talk about their experiences and impressions. Again, give your teachers information on all of the centers so they can provide time for mini-mindful moments in the classroom when needed!

4. Mindfulness Group

Have a group of students who could really benefit from more practice with mindfulness skills? Gather them up for a Zen Kids small group. They'll learn about mindful breathing, mindful eating, practicing patience, letting things go and more. They can take these skills back to the classroom!

How do you incorporate mindfulness in the classroom? What activities do you do with your students? Let me know in the comments! And check out these other mindfulness activities for school counseling.

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Mindfulness in the Classroom as a School Counselor - Counselor Keri

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I've heard from several counselors that their big goal for this year is to incorporate mindfulness into their school counseling programs, and I think this is an amazing goal! We know mindfulness has a whole slew of health benefits, but it's so important for the classroom too.

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Over the years I've collected a lot of activities to use with kids in individual sessions. I look for things that are fun---or at least feel quite different from "regular" school work---but...

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The School Counselor and Suicide Prevention/Awareness

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The School Counselor and Suicide Prevention/Awareness

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We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

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The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. We're committed to improving crisis services and advancing suicide prevention by empowering individuals, advancing professional best practices, and building awareness.

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Anyone could be struggling with suicide. Find more specific resources below.

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First, you'll hear an automated message featuring additional options while your call is routed to your local 988 Lifeline network crisis center.

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Skip to main content We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States. 988 ¡Los servicios de texto y chat de 988 Lifeline ya están disponibles en español!

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My Career Project - Language Arts Curriculum for Career Exploration

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Download fact sheets that cover changes in the new edition, updated disorders, and general information about the DSM–5.

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The School Counselor and Student Mental Health

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The School Counselor and Student Mental Health

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The School Counselor and Confidentiality

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The School Counselor and Confidentiality

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This section houses all guidance documents, training materials, policy letters and other resources dedicated to protecting student privacy. To narrow the list of documents below, use the drop down menus to select the type of resource, the topic and/or the audience and click the 'apply' button. An updated list of resources will then be displayed below.

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This section houses all guidance documents, training materials, policy letters and other resources dedicated to protecting student privacy. To narrow the list of documents below, use the drop down menus to select the type of resource, the topic and/or the audience and click the 'apply' button.

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Psychosis (Schizophrenia) in Children and Youth

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Psychosis (Schizophrenia) in Children and Youth

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Psychosis (Schizophrenia)

Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are medical illnesses that result in strange or bizarre thinking, perceptions (sight, sound), behaviors, and emotions. Psychosis is a brain-based condition that is made better or worse by environmental factors - like drug use and stress. Children and youth who experience psychosis often say "something is not quite right" or can't tell if something is real or not real. It is an uncommon psychiatric illness in young children and is hard to recognize in its early phases.

The appearance of symptoms of psychosis before age 12 is rare (less than one-sixtieth as common as the adult-onset type), but studying these cases is important for understanding this disorder. For those who might develop psychotic disorders or schizophrenia as adults (adult-onset), it is not uncommon for them to start experiencing early warning signs during puberty or adolescence. The period of time when an adolescent experiences the early warning signs of psychosis is called prodrome. During this time, youth recognize that their experiences (hearing or seeing things that are not there) are strange or concerning. They may not easily admit these problems unless asked. Being aware of the early warning signs and offering support is crucial.

Childhood-onset - Most children with schizophrenia show delays in language and other functions long before their psychotic symptoms (hallucinations, delusions, and disordered thinking) appear. In the first years of life, about 30% of these children have transient symptoms of pervasive developmental disorder, such as rocking, posturing, and arm flapping. Childhood-onset of psychosis may present with poor motor development, such as unusual crawling, and children may be more anxious and disruptive compared to those with later onset.

It is especially important to pay attention to sudden changes in thoughts and behaviors. Keep in mind that the onset of several of the symptoms below, and not just any one change, indicates a problem that should be assessed. The symptoms below should not be due to recent substance use or another medical condition.

Early Warning Signs:

Feeling like their brain is not working

Feeling like their mind or eyes are playing tricks on them

Seeing things and hearing voices that are not real

Hearing knocking, tapping, clicking or their named being called

Vivid and bizarre thoughts and ideas

Sudden and bizarre changes in emotions

Peculiar behavior that seem unusual

Increased sensitivity to light, sounds, smells or touch

Concept that people are "out to get them"

Fearfulness or suspicion that isn't warranted

Severe problems in making and keeping friends

Difficulty speaking, writing, focusing or managing simple tasks

The behavior of children with this illness may change over time. Psychosis can develop gradually or suddenly. Children and youth may begin talking about strange fears and ideas. They may start to cling to parents or say things that do not make sense. Others who used to enjoy relationships with peers may become more shy or withdrawn or seem to be in their own world.

Treatment

Early diagnosis and medical treatment are important. It is especially important that children and youth with the problems and symptoms listed above receive a complete evaluation. These children may need individual treatment plans involving other professionals. A combination of medication and individual therapy, family therapy, and specialized programs (wraparound services, early psychosis treatment) is often necessary. Changes in life style (keeping stress low, taking fish oils), additional supports (therapy and school support) and psychiatric medication can be helpful for many of the symptoms and problems identified.

Making the choice about whether or not to use medications can be difficult. Second-generation (atypical) antipsychotic drugs are usually tried first because they may cause fewer side effects than standard drugs. Serious side effects of second-generation antispychotic drugs can include weight gain, diabetes and high chloresterol. Currently, the Food and Drug Administration approves the use of two second-generation drugs in children ages 13-17, Risperidone (Risperdal) and Aripiprazole (Abilify).

Parents need to ask their family physician or pediatrician to refer them to a child and adolescent psychiatrist who is specifically trained and skilled at evaluating, diagnosing, and treating children with schizophrenia.

To learn more visit:

Other Resources

National Alliance on Mental Illness - Early Onset Schizophrenia

Email Address: info@psychosisprevention.org

Website URL: http://psychosisprevention.org/

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Psychosis (Schizophrenia) in Children and Youth

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Psychosis (Schizophrenia) Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders are medical illnesses that result in strange or bizarre thinking, perceptions (sight, sound), behaviors, and emotions. Psychosis is a brain-based condition that is made better or worse by environmental factors - like drug use and stress.

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What counselors need to know about schizophrenia

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What counselors need to know about schizophrenia

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The adjective "schizophrenic" needs to be removed from counselors' vocabulary, says Elizabeth Prosek, a counselor and assistant professor at the University of North Texas (UNT).

Schizophrenia has a great deal of stigma and negative connotations associated with it, and referring to clients in the first person can lessen these, she says.

"I encourage counselors to advocate for what clients with schizophrenia can do rather than [focusing on] the limitations of experiencing psychosis," says Prosek, who has counseled clients with severe mental health disorders and served on a support team for individuals with schizophrenia living independently. "I once heard someone discuss the 'aggressive nature' of those diagnosed with schizophrenia. I could not help but wonder where that perception evolved. In my experience, clients did not demonstrate aggressive behavior or language."

Counselors, as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team of helping professionals, can play a critical role in the lives of people diagnosed with schizophrenia, say Prosek and Kara Hurt, a licensed professional counselor who works with clients with schizophrenia at an inpatient psychiatric hospital.

Prosek and Hurt, who is also a doctoral student at UNT, recently collaborated to write a practice brief on schizophrenia for the American Counseling Association's Center for Counseling Practice, Policy and Research (see sidebar below).

In the brief, the duo describes schizophrenia as a lifelong illness characterized by negative symptoms, including "delusions, hallucinations (most commonly auditory), disorganized thinking or speech and disorganized or abnormal motor behavior." The estimated prevalence rate for schizophrenia is 1 percent of the population in Western, developed countries.

For counselors, empathy should play a big part in therapy - from knowing the many side effects of schizophrenia medications to fully understanding what it is like to live with hallucinations and psychosis, say Prosek and Hurt. Special training and workshops can help counselors understand the nuances of the disorder, as can materials from mental health agencies (see "for more information" below).

Prosek once attended a seminar at which participants sat through the experience - virtually - of living with hallucinations, experiencing paranoia and hearing voices intertwined with the dialogue of another person.

Prosek and Hurt led a course this past year in which they showed videos of clients with schizophrenia explaining their own experiences.

"When the students in the class debriefed after the video, many confirmed that hearing firsthand from a client decreased their misperceptions about the disorder," says Prosek. "Watching a video of a client with schizophrenia who was articulate and successful in a career reduced stigma of the disorder. Also, I noticed that when person-first language is used when discussing clients with schizophrenia [as opposed to using the term "schizophrenic"], negative connotations are immediately lessened."
What do counselors need to know about schizophrenia?
Elizabeth Prosek: Living with psychosis can be scary and challenging. When working with those diagnosed with schizophrenia, demonstrating empathic concern is essential to build a therapeutic relationship. In my experience, clients appreciated my willingness to embrace their perspective of psychosis. I think all of the clients I worked with experienced their psychosis uniquely, and it was imperative that I understood their lived experience.

Kara Hurt: Schizophrenia affects the client's support system, not just the client. In my experience, it is just as important to provide counseling and support to family members and loved ones of people diagnosed with schizophrenia as it is to provide support and counseling to clients with schizophrenia. All of us counselors can help provide services in some way that help clients diagnosed with schizophrenia and those that love them.

EP: Counselors may provide family members and friends with psychoeducation on the symptoms and treatment options for schizophrenia. Furthermore, counselors may assist family members and friends to build empathy for the experiences of those diagnosed with schizophrenia. There are support groups for family members through the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Find a local NAMI support group through nami.org.

For those clients who do not have a familial support system, encouraging the development of a community support network may be essential for the social and emotional well-being of clients diagnosed with schizophrenia. Regardless of diagnosis, humans in general seek "belongingness" in their community, and those diagnosed with schizophrenia are no different.
What advice would you give about working with clients diagnosed with schizophrenia?
EP: Recognizing strengths can be a great first step to creating an appropriate treatment plan. Several of the clients I counseled had creative interests, such as art and music, and we developed interventions to promote participation in those activities.

Also, I recommend communication with all professionals working with the client. In my experience, collaborating with the client's psychiatrist and case manager allowed for a holistic approach when addressing current therapeutic needs. Having a multidisciplinary team also allows for clients to more easily transition in and out of inpatient psychiatric hospitalization when necessary. With the appropriate releases of information, all professionals involved can be aware of how the client's psychosis presented, any medication changes and any changes in treatment recommendations after an inpatient hospitalization stay.

It did not take long after beginning my work with clients diagnosed with schizophrenia for me to recognize the need for socialization. Several of my clients lived in isolation but longed for social relationships. In collaboration with case managers, I organized social outings for clients, which allowed for a more genuine community-living experience. There are several community resources for clients diagnosed with serious mental health disorders, such as supported-work programs. Having knowledge of such programs in the community will serve as great referral sources for clients diagnosed with schizophrenia.
With what other types of issues can clients diagnosed with schizophrenia present?
KH: One of the presenting issues that I had not expected when I started working with clients diagnosed with schizophrenia was substance abuse. One client in particular stands out in my mind because of the extent of his illicit drug use, which worsened his paranoia and other delusions. When working with clients with schizophrenia, you may need to reconsider your assumptions to appreciate that these clients have many of the same kinds of problems as other clients.

EP: I agree. Substance misuse was prevalent among the clients diagnosed with schizophrenia that I worked with as well. I also observed many secondary diagnoses, including anxiety and depression. I connect the anxiety and depressive symptoms back to the potential isolation clients experienced. Furthermore, it seems to me hearing voices and feeling out of touch from reality would lead to feelings of anxiety. Helping my clients accurately explain symptoms to their psychiatrists allowed for more precise medication prescriptions.
What are some common misperceptions about schizophrenia?
EP: One of the common misperceptions I hear frequently when describing a client with schizophrenia is the term "medication noncompliance." I advocate for this phrase to be removed from counselor language. From my observations, when clients did not take medications regularly or as prescribed, it was not with intentional noncompliance, but rather there was confusion when medication regimens became complex or changed with frequency. Moreover, several antipsychotic medications have uncomfortable side effects. On a bad day, when a client is not feeling well, he or she might not feel inclined to perpetuate the experience by taking medications that may worsen physical symptoms. In counseling sessions, taking time to hear clients' concerns or complaints about side effects may help clients feel validated in their experience.

What challenges do counselors face in this area?

EP: I think there may be a perception that clients with schizophrenia only need a case manager and psychiatrist. From my perspective, counselors can play a vital role in the treatment team. Never underestimate the power of a space in which a client's experience is heard and valued.

KH: I think it is absolutely critical to have good supervision when working with a client diagnosed with schizophrenia. I have felt frustrated with my perceptions of clients' lack of progress or insight, but with supportive supervision, I have been able to be more flexible with my therapeutic expectations and shift my perspective to be a better counselor for my clients. I cannot underestimate the value of good supervision. It can help you gain awareness of potential burnout and the need for regular self-care.

EP: Supervision is helpful. I often felt frustrated with the mental health care system and how clients with schizophrenia became victims of gaps in continuity of care. I agree with Kara that there is a greater potential for burnout when working with clients in and out of crisis.

Another challenge for counselors might be understanding the differences in antipsychotic medications most commonly prescribed for clients with schizophrenia. Actually, Kara introduced me to an app (named Epocrates) that provides names, descriptions and side effects for medications. I remember when I first started working with this population, I had a hard time differentiating the medications the clients were prescribed. There are several research studies published outlining effectiveness and common side effects of antipsychotic medications which may be helpful to read.

Going back to one of Kara's original statements about the importance of family supports, it may be challenging to help family understand the experience of schizophrenia. Counselors can serve as a good source of information to help educate and support family members. Consequently, family members can better support the client diagnosed with schizophrenia.

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For more information
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ACA Center for Counseling Practice, Policy and Research practice briefs
Prosek and Hurt's information sheet on schizophrenia is one of 30 practice briefs available to American Counseling Association members through the Center for Counseling Practice, Policy and Research.

The briefs, which range from working with victims of domestic violence to animal-assisted therapy to posttraumatic stress disorder, are written by ACA members who are experts on that particular topic. New practice briefs are being added regularly.

The practice briefs are designed to be practical, evidence-based resources for ACA members, says Victoria Kress, executive editor of the ACA center's practice briefs project and a professor at Youngstown State University in Ohio.

Counselors can use the practice briefs as a refresher on topics they may not encounter very often, such as schizophrenia, or as a jumping-off point for further research. Each brief contains links to in-depth sources and data on a topic, as well as therapy models and other tools.

Kress says each practice brief is written and edited to be practical and succinct, with focused bursts of information on topics that counselors in all works settings may encounter, from divorce and autism to perfectionism and suicide prevention.

The plan is to post 15 to 20 new briefs each year, Kress says, including on each of the new disorders added to the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders.

Kress began soliciting practice briefs from ACA members, then editing and posting the briefs on the ACA website, close to two years ago. The idea grew out of ACA past president Bradley Erford's focus on counselor use of evidence-based practices, Kress says.

"Counselors don't always have access to, or the time to read, journal articles," she says. "We wanted to provide an outlet for ACA members to sit down and get a quick overview. ... It was really born out of this idea that counselors should be using evidence-based practices. We know that counselors are busy and have competing demands. ... The ultimate idea is that it will improve their practice. It's better for their clients and the profession."

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Bethany Bray is a staff writer for Counseling Today. Contact her at bbray@counseling.org

Follow Counseling Today on Twitter @ACA_CTonline and on Facebook: facebook.com/CounselingToday

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What counselors need to know about schizophrenia - Counseling Today

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The adjective "schizophrenic" needs to be removed from counselors' vocabulary, says Elizabeth Prosek, a counselor and assistant professor at the University of North Texas (UNT). Schizophrenia has a great deal of stigma and negative connotations associated with it, and referring to clients in the first person can lessen these, she says.

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Missouri Comprehensive Guide: Responsive Services Guide & Templates

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Missouri Comprehensive Guide: Responsive Services Guide & Templates

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Mental Health Facts, Stats, and Data

Mental Health America is committed to promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness. We advocate for prevention services for all, early identification and intervention for those at risk, integrated services, care and treatment for those who need it, and recovery as the goal.

We believe that gathering and providing up-to-date data and information about disparities faced by individuals with mental health problems is a tool for change.

Key Findings

Over 44 million American adults have a mental health condition. Since the release of the first State of Mental Health in America report (2015), there has only been a slight decrease in the number of adults who have a mental health condition (from 18.19% to 18.07%)

Rate of youth experiencing a mental health condition continues to rise. Therate of youth with Major Depressive Episode (MDE) increased from 11.93% to 12.63%. There was only a 1.5% decrease in the rate of youth with MDE who did receive treatment. Data showed that 62% of youth with MDE received no treatment.

More Americans are insured and accessing care. We can continue to see the effects of healthcare reform on the rate of Adults who are uninsured. This year there was a 2.5% reduction in the number of Adults with a mental health condition who were uninsured.

...But many Americans experiencing a mental health condition still report having an unmet need. 1 in 5, or 9 million adults reported having an unmet need.

Mental health workforce shortage remains. Many states saw some improvement in their individual to mental health provider ratio. But in states with the lowest workforce there was almost 4 times the number individuals to only 1 mental health provider.

Mental Health in America 2019

The State of Mental Health in America
In the above links you will find a Collection of Data across all 50 states and the District of Columbia answering the following questions:

How many adults and youth have mental health issues?

How many adults and youth have substance use issues?

How many adults and youth have access to insurance?

How many adults and youth have access to adequate insurance?

How many adults and youth have access to mental health care?

Which states have higher barriers to accessing mental health care?

Our Goal:

To provide a snapshot of mental health status among youth and adults for policy and program planning, analysis, and evaluation;

To track changes in prevalence of mental health issues and access to mental health care;

To understand how changes in natinoal data reflect the impact of legislation and policies; and.

To increase dialogue and improve outcomes for individuals and families with mental health needs

Why Gather this Information?

Using national survey data allows us to measure a community's mental health needs, access to care, and outcomes regardless of the differences between the states and their varied mental health policies.

Rankings explore which states are more effective at addressing issues related to mental health and substance use.

Analysis may reveal similarities and differences among states in order to begin assessing how federal and state mental health policies result in more or less access to care.

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Mental Health Facts, Stats, and Data Mental Health America is committed to promoting mental health as a critical part of overall wellness. We advocate for prevention services for all, early identification and intervention for those at risk, integrated services, care and treatment for those who need it, and recovery as the goal.

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When & How to Refer for Mental Health Issues

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When & How to Refer for Mental Health Issues

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Most children and parents will have some distress or upset - so how do I know when a child or family needs additional help?

Ask your patients (and their parents) about reactions and coping.

Listen for ongoing or severe traumatic stress symptoms.

Consider a referral for a more thorough evaluation with a mental health professional if:

Traumatic stress reactions are severe or prolonged (more than a month).

Traumatic stress reactions interfere with recovery or with returning to normal activities.

Consider: Is the child participating in daily activities to the extent possible given their medical condition? Are stress reactions interfering with treatment adherence? Are new fears or worries troubling the child or parent?

Steps for making a referral Effective mental health treatment for traumatic stress Online resources - help in finding a mental health professional Distinguishing between types of mental health professionals
Therapist Resource Guide: There are many ongoing stressors that children and families endure after diagnosis of an illness or an injury. This guide focuses specifically on medical traumatic stress and responses that children and families may have.

Steps for making a referral

Mention concerns you have identified.
Say something like: "I'm concerned that (you are / your child is) having these upsetting thoughts and feelings. It might be useful to talk with a specialist who can help your family more."

Involve child and family in making a plan.
Ask for their ideas about what is needed now
Say something like: "What issues or difficulties are impacting you / your family the most right now? What would help make things better?"

Ask for permission to offer advice. Present advice as range of possibilities; be sure to incorporate patient/family ideas

Say something like: "I have some suggestions that have helped other patients in the past in situations similar to yours. May I share them with you?"

Range of possibilities might include: patient education materials / websites; speaking with social worker, local clergy, school counselor; seeking out support group, referral to therapist / community mental health center.

Ask about their readiness to act on this now or in the future.
Say something like: "Is this (suggested plan) something you would be willing to do when you leave today, or if you need it next week...month?"

Ask about barriers to potential plans / referrals, and strategies to overcome barriers.
Say something like: "What kinds of things would interfere with following-up on this plan we just discussed? How can we work through this so you end up getting the help you need.?"

Involve the child and parent in setting the agenda*:*Adapted from Wissow et al. (2008)

Keep the door open.

If your patient or their parents are not quite ready to act on a suggested referral now, arrange to follow up to see how your patient is doing.

You might say: "I'd like to talk with you again in a few weeks to see how things are going."

Promote continuity of care.
If your care for this patient is ending, ask permission to communicate your concerns about traumatic stress reactions or risk factors to the child's primary care provider, or to other providers who will continue to take care of this patient.

Facilitating collaboration between pediatric health care and mental health providers: The American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Mental Health has developed tools to facilitate collaboration between pediatric health care providers and mental health professionals, including a Physician Referral and Feedback Form template

Effective mental health treatment for traumatic stress

There are very good and helpful treatments for children who continue to have traumatic stress symptoms.
What treatment approaches are effective?
Evidence-based treatments include cognitive-behavioral treatment approaches, and in particular Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT).

Click here for a fact sheet about effective treatments for youth trauma from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network.

A recent article includes informative summaries of effective mental health treatments for child traumatic stress symptoms, and guidance for health care professionals:
Cohen, J, Kelleher, K, Mannarino, A.. Identifying, treating, and referring traumatized children: The role of pediatric providers. Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine 2008;162(5):447-452 How can I help parents find effective treatment for their child?
When helping parents find a counselor or therapist to help their child with traumatic stress symptoms, you might suggest that they ask prospective therapists questions such as:

Do you have experience working with children after trauma?

What is your approach to working with this type of problem?

What is your success rate?

How do you work with parents?

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network offers useful tips and information about finding a mental health professional to help children and their families after trauma.

Online resources - help in finding a mental health professional

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has trauma-trained, child mental health professionals and community-based treatment centers in 35 states in the US. For information about or referral to a NCTSN center near you, please go to the NCTSN Organizational Members site.
American Psychological Association - Psychologist Locator National Association of Social Workers - Find a Licensed Social Worker American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatrists - Psychiatrist Finder Anxiety Disorders Association of America - Find a Therapist Sidran Institute Help Desk - Locate Trauma Resources ISTSS Clinician Directory - Find a Clinician, Counselor or Mental Health Professional
Distinguishing between types of mental health professionals

Psychologists are professionals who have earned a doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.) after 4-6 years of graduate-level training in human behavior and development, psychological testing and evaluation, and psychotherapy. Psychologists are licensed by the state in which they practice.

Psychiatrists are physicians (M.D. or D.O.) who have completed medical school, plus additional advanced training in the evaluation and treatment of psychiatric disorders and emotional and behavioral problems. Psychiatrists are licensed by the state in which they practice. As medical doctors, psychiatrists can prescribe and monitor medications.

Clinical Social Workers are professionals who have earned a master's degree (M.S.W.) after 2-3 years of graduate training. Clinical Social Workers are licensed by the state in which they practice (LCSW or similar credential - varies by state).

Marriage and Family Therapists are professionals who have completed a master's degree (M.A. or M.S.) after 2-3 years of graduate training. Some Marriage and Family Therapists have completed a required amount of clinical hours and passed a state-administered examination to become licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT).

Licensed Professional Counselors (LPC) & Licensed Mental Health Counselors (LMHC) are mental health professionals who have earned a master's degree (M.A. or M.S.) after 2-3 years of graduate training and have obtained a required amount of clinical experience and passed a state-administered licensing examination.

For more information on the training and credentialing of mental health professionals, see Mayo Clinic: Mental health providers.

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When and How to Refer for Mental Health Care

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Pediatric providers can follow specific steps to determine if and how to refer a child and familiy for further mental health services after a medically traumatic event. Providers can also become familiar with current evidence-based treatments and online resources for mental health services for traumatic stress.

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AddressingMental Healthin School Crisis Prevention &Response

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AddressingMental Healthin School Crisis Prevention &Response

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School Mental Health Referral Pathways Toolkit

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School Mental Health Referral Pathways Toolkit

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The School Counselor and Safe Schools and Crisis Response

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The School Counselor and Safe Schools and Crisis Response

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A Guide for Elementary Counselors/San Angelo ISD

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A Guide for Elementary Counselors/San Angelo ISD

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Role of the Elementary School Counselor/ASCA

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Role of the Elementary School Counselor/ASCA

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At a glance

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide special education services to eligible students.

IDEA covers 13 disability categories.

Not every student who struggles in school qualifies.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires public schools to provide special education and related services to eligible students. But not every child who struggles in school qualifies. To be covered, a child's school performance must be "adversely affected" by a disability in one of the 13 categories below.

1. Specific learning disability (SLD)

The "specific learning disability" (SLD) category covers a specific group of learning challenges. These conditions affect a child's ability to read, write, listen, speak, reason, or do math. Here are some examples of what could fall into this category:

SLD is the most common category under IDEA. In the 2018-19 school year, around 33 percent of students who qualified did so under this category.

2. Other health impairment

The "other health impairment" category covers conditions that limit a child's strength, energy, or alertness. One example is ADHD, which impacts attention and executive function.

3. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

ASD is a developmental disability. It involves a wide range of symptoms, but it mainly affects a child's social and communication skills. It can also impact behavior.

Various mental health issues can fall under the "emotional disturbance" category. They may include anxiety disorder, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and depression. (Some of these may also be covered under "other health impairment.")

5. Speech or language impairment

This category covers difficulties with speech or language. A common example is stuttering. Other examples are trouble pronouncing words or making sounds with the voice. It also covers language problems that make it hard for kids to understand words or express themselves.

6. Visual impairment, including blindness

A child who has eyesight problems is considered to have a visual impairment. This category includes both partial sight and blindness. If eyewear can correct a vision problem, then it doesn't qualify.

Kids with a diagnosis of deafness fall under this category. These are kids who can't hear most or all sounds, even with a hearing aid.

The term "hearing impairment" refers to a hearing loss not covered by the definition of deafness. This type of loss can change over time. Being hard of hearing is not the same thing as having trouble with auditory or language processing.

Kids with a diagnosis of deaf-blindness have both severe hearing and vision loss. Their communication and other needs are so unique that programs for just the deaf or blind can't meet them.

10. Orthopedic impairment

An orthopedic impairment is when kids lack function or ability in their bodies. An example is cerebral palsy.

11. Intellectual disability

Kids with this type of disability have below-average intellectual ability. They may also have poor communication, self-care, and social skills. Down syndrome is one example of a condition that involves an intellectual disability.

12. Traumatic brain injury

This is a brain injury caused by an accident or some kind of physical force.

13. Multiple disabilities

A child with multiple disabilities has more than one condition covered by IDEA. Having multiple issues creates educational needs that can't be met in a program designed for any one disability.

Having a disability is not enough to qualify for special education. The disability has to have an "adverse effect" on a child's education.

Key takeaways

Each of the 13 disability categories in IDEA can cover a range of difficulties.

Dyslexia, dyscalculia, and written expression disorder fall under the "specific learning disability" category.

"Other health impairment" can cover ADHD.

About the author

About the author

Andrew M.I. Lee, JD is an editor and attorney who strives to help people understand complex legal, education, and parenting issues.

Reviewed by

Reviewed by

Rayma Griffin, MA, MEd has spent 40 years working with children with learning and thinking differences in the classroom and as an administrator.

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See a list of the 13 IDEA disability categories. Find out which disabilities can qualify kids for special education.

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Choose Love Movement/Free SEL Curriculum

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Choose Love Movement/Free SEL Curriculum

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Where Would You Like To Choose Love Today? - Choose Love Movement

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Teaching people everywhere to choose love. The Choose Love Movement is teaching children and adults around the world how to change an angry thought to a loving one, and live a life filled with "Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action." 1 MILLION PEOPLE 1 Countries 1 Schools 1 MILLION PEOPLE 1 Countries 1 Schools ...

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychological disorder that causes significant distress and severe anxiety. Symptoms include obsessions and/or compulsions that are time consuming and impairing, meaning they get in the way of a person's day-to-day life and lead to problems in friendships, school/jobs, and within the family.

When is an obsession more than just "a worry"?

Obsessions are thoughts, images or impulses that occur over and over again. OCD obsessions are different from everyday worries because they feel tremendously difficult to control, happen very frequently and repeatedly, and are extremely upsetting. Obsessions can be about almost anything, but some common categories include extreme worries about contamination (germs and illness), danger or harm, magical thinking/superstitious fears, and about the need for things to be "just right."

For example: In the film, Vanessa's obsessions were related to fears about contamination. Holden's obsessions were in the domain of magical thinking.

Compulsions are behaviors that someone with OCD feels they must do in order to feel less worried and/or prevent something bad from happening. Compulsions can be very different from person to person, but there are some compulsions that are more common.

These include checking and repeating behaviors (e.g., turning the doorknob to see if the door is locked 5 times), ordering or arranging objects, repeating rituals (e.g., turn on/off light switch), and mental behaviors (e.g., saying a certain phrase in your mind over and over, or a certain number of times). Compulsions are sometimes referred to as rituals.

Compulsions in the film included Ariel's checking behaviors and praying. Sharif and Sarah both engaged in checking and repeating behaviors as their primary compulsions.

When do OCD symptoms usually start?

The best way find out if you have OCD is for a trained and licensed clinician to make a diagnosis is through an interview with the individual suffering from OCD, or (in the case of a child) the child with OCD and their parents. A standardized assessment of OCD symptoms called the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) or Children's Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (CY-BOCS) should also be administered in an interview format.

What does OCD treatment look like? Does it ever go away?

Fortunately, OCD can be treated! Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), has been found to be the best type of therapy for the disorder and is considered the "gold standard" of treatment. Within CBT, Exposure and Response Prevention Therapy (ERP) is the main technique used.

During ERP, the person with OCD is exposed to what causes their severe anxiety (related to their obsessive thoughts). At the same time, they are prevented from avoiding the trigger and engaging in their compulsions. While this is difficult and increases anxiety at first, it eventually leads to habituation, or a decrease in anxiety and OCD symptoms.

In UNSTUCK, Holden's obsessions were related to strength and superheroes. For exposures, Holden looked at pictures of superheroes, watched workout videos, and eventually hugged a real bodybuilder. Before treatment, this would have seemed impossible but by repeatedly doing these exposures, his anxiety eventually lessened and his OCD got better.

What can family members and friends of someone with OCD do to help?

One way that family members and friends can help a person with OCD is by learning about it. The more you know, the more you can assist in getting those with OCD the help they need.

While OCD is most impairing and distressing to the individual with the condition, it affects the entire family. When a child is in distress, family members also become stressed and want to make the child feel better. This often involves providing reassurance, accommodating OCD compulsions, and allowing the child to avoid stressors. Although intentions are good, accommodating OCD usually makes it worse. Therefore, it is essential that parents and family members are highly involved in OCD treatment in order to learn strategies to support their child and help in making treatment gains. Silbings can get more advice here.

Should people with OCD take medication?

Usually, CBT and ERP are the first line of treatment for OCD. When symptoms are very severe and/or are causing significant issues in the individual's everyday life and functioning, medications can help. In addition, if a person with OCD has been receiving good therapy treatment but progress is slow, minimal, or hits a plateau, medications may be considered. Specifically, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) have been approved to treat OCD. It is important to remember that combining SSRIs with therapy is much more effective than treating OCD with medication alone. Please consult a psychiastrist or your medical doctor to discuss things like dosage, side-effects and which medication might be right.

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Helpful OCD resources, information and videos - UNSTUCK: an OCD kids

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Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a psychological disorder that causes significant distress and severe anxiety. Symptoms include obsessions and/or compulsions that are time consuming and impairing, meaning they get in the way of a person's day-to-day life and lead to problems in friendships, school/jobs, and within the family.

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school safety nonprofit, founded by Sandy Hook parents

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What Does OCD Look Like in the Classroom?

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What Does OCD Look Like in the Classroom?

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For children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. And for a teacher, it can be easy to misread the symptoms of OCD as oppositional behavior on the child's part, or as ADHD.

But if teachers can recognize the behaviors associated with OCD, especially when a child is embarrassed and trying to hide his anxiety, they can help save him to receive treatment or make adjustments to from unnecessary struggle, and clear the way for him to learn successfully.

Related: How Teachers Can Help Kids With OCD

Here are the kinds of obsessive behaviors you might see in kids with OCD:
Frequent requests to go to the bathroom: This could be to wash hands, if someone near the child was coughing or sneezing, or if she touched something that she perceives as contaminated. She could be washing items-pens, pencils, backpacks, books. It could also be an excuse to get out the classroom and just be away from everyone, and have some respite.

Constant reassurance-seeking. This takes the form of repetitive questions. "Are you sure that's the answer? Could you tell me again? Did you hear what I said?" Checking doors, windows, lockers, desks. Over and over and over again.

Getting stuck on tasks. Sometimes kids with OCD will need to finish something to completion, or understand it to completion, before they're able to move on. So if a child is working out what he did wrong on a math test, and the teacher says, "Now let's open the textbook and start a new chapter," he's not going to be able to shift gears.

Retracing: If a child leaves the classroom and worries that she left a pencil behind, she'll go back into the classroom and go to her desk and check. If she had a bad thought as she went through the doorway, she might have to "fix it" by going back through the doorway again saying a good word. If she had a bad thought when she went down a flight of stairs on the way to class, she might need to go back up that same stairway at the end of the period, even if it means being late to her next class.

Obsessive erasing: A child could be erasing a lot because the letters have to look perfect. Or he could have used a word that disturbs him. For example, if he has a fear of vomiting and he's written the word vomit, he might not be able to stand seeing that word, so he erases it. Kids start having erasers worn down to the metal. Teachers start to see holes in the paper. Words will be drawn over on the back of the page. A lot of different areas of writing become problematic.

Distraction: If a child is busy thinking that if she doesn't turn the pen cap and count to four the right way then her mom is going to get sick, she's not going to be paying attention in class. And if her teacher calls on her to answer a question, her distraction might look like ADHD, but it isn't.

Slowness on exams and papers and tasks: Sometimes when kids take a long time they're struggling with the perfectionism of needing to do things the right way. This could look like learning problems, or inattention, but it isn't.

Avoidance: Teachers might see a child who doesn't want to sit on the floor, or pick things up that touched the floor, or get his hands dirty in art class. He may avoid a lot of playground activities-kids with germ fears will look at the playground the way some adults look at the subway-it's gross. Why touch anything there?

Tapping and touching symmetrically: If a child sits down at her desk and she accidentally kicks the chair of the kid next to her with her right foot, she's going to have to then kick it with her left foot. That might look like somebody who's being oppositional, or somebody who's got too much energy, but actually it's OCD.

Complaints of anxiety and fatigue. There's one interesting theory that kids with OCD are smarter than other kids. And if you consider how much thinking they're doing, they're really using their brain more frequently than a lot of other kids are. But when that's coupled with a lot of anxiety, you can have a lot of fatigue. So it's common for kids with OCD to want to come home and take a nap after school.

Read More:
What Teachers Should Know About OCD
The Pain of Hiding OCD
OCD and Internal Compulsions

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What Does OCD Look Like in the Classroom?

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For children who have obsessive-compulsive disorder, functioning in school can be complicated and very difficult. And for a teacher, it can be easy to misread the symptoms of OCD as oppositional behavior on the child's part, or as ADHD.

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Approximately 1 in 200 children have OCD, although this may be an underestimate, as OCD is likely underdiagnosed in children for a variety of reasons. Given these large numbers (more than the number of kids with juvenile diabetes), and the disabling nature of OCD, it would seem sensible for schools to be aware of OCD. In an ideal world, all teachers would be fully aware of what OCD looks like and how to effectively assist their students with OCD. Unfortunately, this is far from the case.

No one would question that schools want to be of the utmost help to all their students. The problem is that despite the advances made over the last twenty years in raising awareness of OCD, there is still a great gap to be filled, and more can and should be done on both the national and local levels to accomplish these goals. Teachers and school counselors are over-burdened, and most do not receive any specialized training on how to work with children with OCD.

As a result, you will likely need to do a lot of advocating for your child to make sure his or her school and teacher understand what it means to have OCD, how it is affecting your child's school work, and what the school staff can do to help. Here are some tips and guidelines that may help. More information about managing OCD in the school setting will be available on our Anxiety in the Classroom website.

Seriously consider disclosing your child's diagnosis.

Many families are so worried about their child being stigmatized that they do their best to keep the condition a secret from the school. The fear is that it will somehow appear on a child's record, make a child stand out in a negative way, cause the child to become isolated and picked on, and ultimately hamper the child's ability to get accepted to a college at some later date.

In answer to these concerns, let me say that in nearly thirty years of treating children with OCD, I have never seen any of these things happen to any child whose school knew of their disorder. For one thing, even if it somehow did happen, it would be a clear case of illegal discrimination. For another, I have seen far more problems involving children who were struggling in school due to their disorder, unable to get extra help or resources that could have made a big difference if only the school had been informed.

Keeping secrets such as this can only increase the stigma of psychiatric illness. There was once a time when having depression was also treated as some kind of shameful secret. Nowadays, it is common to see commercials for antidepressant medication on television. As a further indicator of how times have changed, one of my own teen patients, with the encouragement of her guidance counselor, recently wrote her college essay on how hard she has worked to overcome her OCD. On the whole, I believe that it is better to share this information with those people who are responsible for educating your child rather than leaving them scratching their heads and feeling unable to help.

Engage your child's teacher(s) from the start.

Be open and honest with your child's teacher about your child's diagnosis and how this has affected your child's ability to do schoolwork and homework. Come to the meeting prepared with information about OCD such as printed out articles from this website or books that you can ask the teacher to read. Dr. Gail Adam's book, Students with OCD: A Handbook for School Personnel, is a great suggestion for teachers.

If your child's teacher is up for it, you might also consider having your child's therapist talk with the teacher about your child's treatment plan and what they can do to help. If your child is in middle or high school, there will be a number of different teachers you can approach and share information with. The goal is to get everyone on the same page.

Branch out and engage other staff members as appropriate.

This could include the school's social worker, guidance counselors, and school psychologists. These are all personnel that a child with OCD might have dealings with who should be informed about OCD and its impact on students.

Request an evaluation from the school to see if your child qualifies for special education services.

OCD can significantly affect a child's academic, social, and emotional functioning, which is collectively defined as his or her "educational performance" by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Fortunately, parents and educators can work together to address the educational needs of youth with OCD. In fact, schools are required by law to assist students with disabilities such as OCD. Under IDEA, any legal guardian can request an evaluation to determine if his or her child may benefit from special education services, though how schools respond may vary from district to district. To learn more about IDEA and how to advocate for education accommodations for your child, click here.

Make sure staff are trained to recognize signs and symptoms of OCD.

Some symptoms that might present themselves more commonly in a school setting include:

Lining up, checking, ordering, or arranging items on desks, in backpacks, or lockers repeatedly

Wanting to complete assignments "perfectly," checking, and re-doing it.

Sloppiness or carelessness in completing assignments, which is not typical for the child.

Erasing repeatedly until the paper has holes in it, the ink is smudged, and the writing or drawing is illegible.

Reading letters, words, or sentences repeatedly, repeating syllables until they sound right.

Incomplete assignments or homework, although the child is capable of doing them

Frustration or anger when things are disorganized, interrupted, or routines change unexpectedly.

Asking the teacher or other students the same questions repeatedly even though the child knows the answer

Frequent trips to the bathroom either to use the toilet or wash hands

Refusing to touch others' books, pencils, the ball in gym, etc. or getting upset if own personal items are touched by others

Sudden avoidance of familiar things or reluctance to try new things

Odd behaviors such as walking in specific patterns through doorways, counting tiles or syllables, touching or tapping in symmetry, or sitting and standing repeatedly

Opening doors, lockers, desks, or books with elbows or with tissue in hand, holding hands in the air to avoid physical contact, refusal to shake hands, share pencils, or other supplies.

Work to increase general awareness of mental health in the school.

Start by inquiring if there is a mental health unit as part of the school district's health education program. When done well, these programs can do a lot to spread accurate information and decrease the stigma surrounding mental illness. If there isn't, try working through your local SEPTA (Special Education PTA) to lobby the district to include one. If there already is one, see if they include accurate information about OCD.

You might try to get your school or district to sponsor an OCD Awareness Day. An even better idea would be to have them do it simultaneously with the IOCDFs annual OCD Awareness Week.

Obtain OCD books and materials for your school libraries.

One mother in Delaware went even further and got a state NAMI (National Association for Mental Illness) grant to buy children's books about OCD to be distributed to school and public libraries throughout the state.

As you can see, there is a lot that can be done. The above list is by no means exhaustive, and there are no doubt many other things you can do if you put your mind to it. The things you do will not only benefit your own child, but many others out there who suffer from OCD. Get going today!
Adapted from an article by Fred Penzel, PhD

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Talking to Your Child's School - OCD in Kids

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Approximately 1 in 200 children have OCD, although this may be an underestimate, as OCD is likely underdiagnosed in children for a variety of reasons. Given these large numbers (more than the number of kids with juvenile diabetes), and the disabling nature of OCD, it would seem sensible for schools to be aware of OCD....

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School Counselor Resources - The School Counselor Toolkit

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The School Counselor Toolkit. Explore School-Counselor.org's resources for school counselors.

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Model District Policy on Suicide Prevention 

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Model District Policy on Suicide Prevention 

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The Trevor Project

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Teaching Guides for K-12 Character Education & Social Emotional Learning

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Teaching Guides for K-12 Character Education & Social Emotional Learning

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Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making

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Practitioner’s Guide to Ethical Decision Making

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K-12 Counseling Curriculum

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

Coming soon! UDL Guidelines 3.0

The UDL Guidelines are a living, dynamic tool that is continuously developed based on new research and feedback from practitioners. In 2020, CAST launched our most recent effort to update the UDL Guidelines, with a specific focus on equity. There has been a strong call from the field-both practitioners and researchers alike-to more fully develop the Guidelines to address critical barriers rooted in biases and systems of oppression. The current update aims to respond to this call and to work toward fulfilling the promise of the Guidelines as a tool to guide the design of learning environments that more fully honor and value every learner.

Since our launch in 2020, we have been committed to a community-driven, inclusive, and transparent updating process. As part of this effort, we are:

Collaborating with an Advisory Board, a UDL Guidelines Collaborative, and a Young Adult Advisory Board to guide our work

Conducting focus groups with a diversity of participants to learn from their perspectives, lived experiences, and feedback

Reviewing the research on the UDL Guidelines research pages to understand the balance of different research fields, methodological approaches, epistemological approaches, and author positionalities

Conducting literature reviews of equity-oriented research that connect to and extend the Guidelines, such as disability studies and critical pedagogy studies

We are excited to share this next iteration of the UDL Guidelines in 2024. If you are interested in receiving our UDL Guidelines 3.0 newsletter to stay updated on our progress and to share your ideas and perspectives, please complete this brief form.

Review the Summary

Explore the Full Draft

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The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST.

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21 DAY DAILY DATA CHALLENGE
Daily Challenge sheet
Daily Data Challenge folder (ASCA forms)
Data Binder Covers

BACK TO SCHOOL
Student Needs Assessments
K-2 Grade Student Needs Assessment
3-8 grade Student Needs Survey
This year will be... (a student needs survey)

Teacher Needs Assessments
Student Skills Survey
School Counseling Services Survey
Teacher Survey of Counseling Program (end of the year, Google Form)

Parent Needs Assessment
Parent Interest Survey

Counselor Information Resources
The Role of the School Counselor (for teachers or parents) Powerpoint
What is a School Counselor (based on ASCA model) Powerpoint
Back to School Parent letter
School Counselor Brochure

Meet the Counselor Classroom Lessons
What is a School Counselor Kindergarten
What is a School Counselor grade 1
What is a School Counselor grade 1 Powerpoint
Meet the Counselor: How much do you know about your School Counselor (Making a Counselor Catcher grade 5)
Counselor Catcher Pattern #1
Counselor Catcher Pattern #2
"School Counselor" Jenga question sheet

School Advisory Council
School Advisory Council PowerPoint

Behavior Plan Resources
Scatterplot example
Scatterplot
ZZ reinforcer survey
Behavior Interview and Reinforcer Survey
Sample Primary Behavior Plan
Sample Work Completion Plan
Sample Intermediate Plan
Sample Behavior Contract
Sample Rewards Menu
Teacher Pre/Post Survey for Student Social Skills group

Good Choices Chart (Primary grades)
Good Choices Chart English
Good Choices Chart Spanish

Behavior Websites for Charts, Information, Interventions, Plans, Printables, Resources
InterventionCentral.org
ChartJungle.com
BehaviorDoctor,com
BehaviorAdvisor.com
PBISWorld.org
Rewards and Incentives

BULLY PREVENTION LESSONS
Chrysanthemum Lesson Plan (recommended for grades K and 1)
Aloha Potter Lesson Plan (recommended for grades 2-4)
Aloha Potter Solution Posters
Aloha Potter Solution Cards
Aloha Potter Bully Statement Cards
It Depends and Just Kidding (2 lesson plans one document, recommended for grades 4-5)
It Depends Card Sorting Mat
Nobody Knew What to Do Lesson Plan (recommended for grades K-2)
Reporting vs Tattling vs Let it go! Lesson (recommended for grades K-2)
Reporting vs Tattling Chart
Report/Let it go sorting mat
Report/Let it go situations

DATA DAY RESOURCES ( A Data Day is like a Mental Health Day)
The ABC's of Implementing a Comprehensive School Counseling Program (PowerPoint)
Agenda
Evaluation (exit ticket)
Folder of Counselor Handouts (11 documents)

FREE WEB RESOURCES
Exploring Free Online Resources for School Counselors (26 categories, over 90 links)

Creating Google Forms Revised step by step info sheet
Updated Google Forms for School Counselors a step by step Powerpoint
Counselor Activity Form (not as detailed a form, not for recording specifics about students, more recording of direct/indirect/non-counseling tasks)
Counselor Daily Activity Log a form for recording the daily activities of the (SC most detail)
Online referral Form for individual counseling by faculty

Group Counseling Tools
Group Counseling Permission slip
Group Counseling Log
Teacher Pre/post test for Student Success Skills group
Teacher Pre/post test for Student Social Skills group

HOLIDAY FORMS
Holiday Gift Info Sheet English
Holiday Gift Info Sheet Spanish
Letter of Explanation Christmas Gifts English
Letter of Explanation Christmas Gifts Spanish
Wait list Families Holiday Assistance English
Wait List Families Holiday Assistance Spanish
Holiday Food and Toy Drive English
Holiday Food and Toy Drive Spanish
ICEBREAKERS
Human Bingo
KINDERGARTEN ORIENTATION
Kindergarten Orientation PowerPoint (English)
Kindergarten Orientation PowerPoint (Spanish)
Tell Us About Your Child (English)
Tell Us About Your Child (Spanish)
School Counselor Brochure
Summer Activities (English and Spanish)
PBIS Behavior Matrix (English)
PBIS Behavior Matrix (Spanish)
Websites for Children

NATIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELING WEEK
In a "crunch" template
Stress Reliever template
Open office invite
Counselor Challenge Home
Counselor Challenge School
Have I told you Reesently...
SC are the heart of the school
Cause I Ain't Got no Pencil

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES
PLC meeting minutes form PLC Agenda (sample 1)
PLC Agenda (sample 2)
PLC Course Description

RED RIBBON WEEK LESSONS
Kahoot! What do you know about drugs? (5th-8th grade possibly higher)
What do you know about drugs? PowerPoint (5th-8th grade possibly higher)
What do you know about drugs? Lesson plan (5th-8th grade possibly higher)
Over the Counter and Prescription Drug Lesson Plan (grades 3-6)
Over the Counter and Prescription Drug PowerPoint (grades 3-6)
Pills vs. Candy PowerPoint from pills vs candy.org (grades k-adult)
How RRW started a morning message
RRW Survey for Faculty (paper/pencil version) looks odd in Google Drive, downloads ok
RRW Survey for Faculty Google Form version
Safe or Not Safe? PowerPoint (recommended for K-1)
Safe or Not Safe? Lesson Plan
Safe or Not Safe? Activity Sheet "What's good for me?"
Safe or Not Safe? Clip art
Safe or Not Safe? Mouth clip art
Who can give you medicine? Lesson Plan (recommended for K-2)
Who can give you medicine? circle slash clip art
Who can give you medicine? Star clip art
What is medicine? PowerPoint (recommended for grades 2-3)
Decision Making and Peer Pressure Lesson Plan (recommended grades 4-5)
Saying NO PowerPoint (recommended for grades 4-5)

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21 DAY DAILY DATA CHALLENGE Daily Challenge sheet Daily Data Challenge folder (ASCA forms) Data Binder Covers BACK TO SCHOOL Student Needs Assessments K-2 Grade Student Needs Assessment 3-8 grade Student Needs Survey This year will be...

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College Navigator - National Center for Education Statistics

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College Navigator is a free consumer information tool designed to help students, parents, high school counselors, and others get information about over 7,000 postsecondary institutions in the United States - such as programs offered, retention and graduation rates, prices, aid available, degrees awarded, campus safety, and accreditation.

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Developing & Implementing School Protocol

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Stop Bullying on the Spot

When adults respond quickly and consistently to bullying behavior they send the message that it is not acceptable. Research shows this can stop bullying behavior over time.

Parents, school staff, and other adults in the community can help kids prevent bullying by talking about it, building a safe school environment, and creating a community-wide bullying prevention strategy.

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StopBullying.gov provides information from various government agencies on bullying, cyberbullying, prevention and response.

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Uncommon Sense: Moving from a Problem-Focused to Solution-Focused Mindset | Mel Gill | TEDxVarna

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Texas Dept. of Health and Services: Mental Health and Substance Abuse

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Texas Dept. of Health and Services: Mental Health and Substance Abuse

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Thank you for visiting the Texas Mental Health and Substance Use web page. The Department of State Health Services maintains this web page, but the 84th Legislature made structural changes to the Health and Human Services system including transferring some DSHS functions to the Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC).

As of September 2016, all Mental Health and Substance Use programs transferred to HHSC from DSHS.

More information about HHS Transformation

Other transitioning programs

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Texas Department of State Health Services

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Thank you for visiting the Texas Mental Health and Substance Use web page. The Department of State Health Services maintains this web page, but the 84th Legislature made structural changes to the Health and Human Services system including transferring some DSHS functions to the Health and Human Serv…

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Using Bibliotherapy in the Classroom: Sample Lesson

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Using Bibliotherapy in the Classroom: Sample Lesson

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Teaching Students with Emotional Disturbances: 8 Tips forTeachers

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Teaching Students with Emotional Disturbances: 8 Tips forTeachers

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6 Types of Anxiety that Can Affect Children

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6 Types of Anxiety that Can Affect Children

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PsyCom.net - Mental Health Treatment Resource Since 1986

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Childhood itself is quite an anxious process. Kids are tasked with learning new skills, meeting new challenges, overcoming fears, and navigating a world that doesn't always make sense. But sometimes these fears or stressors prove too much to handle, and the normal comforts that adults can provide don't quite seem to be enough. In these cases, a child may have a diagnosable anxiety disorder.

Anxiety disorders are the most commonly experienced mental illnesses in the United States, and kids are no exception. ¹ Roughly one in eight children may have an anxiety disorder, but a majority of children who would qualify for a diagnosis are not getting the treatment they need. ² Not treating anxiety leaves a child at risk of decreasing performance in school, poor social skills, and harmful behaviors like substance abuse.

Article continues below

Types of Childhood Anxiety Disorders

There are many types of anxiety disorders, but here are the disorders most common anxiety disorders experienced by children. ³

Generalized Anxiety Disorder - If your child experiences excessive anxiety or worry that results in fatigue, irritability, muscle tension, difficulty concentrating, or sleep disturbances, then they may receive a diagnosis of generalized anxiety disorder. This worry may be about school performance, friendships, family relationships, or other activities or concerns.

Separation Anxiety Disorder - Some separation anxiety is developmentally appropriate, especially for children between 1-3 years old. But for older children, if they have excessive fear or anxiety about being separated from caregivers, then they may qualify for a diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder. Children with the disorder may frequently worry about parents dying or becoming separated from them. They may refuse to go out or go to school, have nightmares about separation, or experience physical symptoms like headaches or nausea due to this anxiety.

Selective Mutism - Children with selective mutism may refuse to speak in certain social situations, even though they are very talkative at home or wherever they feel comfortable. They may refuse to speak at school and withdraw from others or avoid eye contact. Children around the age of 5 are most commonly diagnosed with this disorder.

Specific Phobia - Some children may exhibit fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation. If this fear lasts a long time and is out of proportion to the actual danger posed, this fear may be classified as a phobia. Children will cry, freeze up, or cling to an adult when their fear is present. Children can have phobias that include (but are not limited to) animals, storms, needles, loud sounds, and enclosed spaces.

Panic Disorder - Children who experience recurring panic attacks and worry about having more may have panic disorder. A child having a panic attack may complain of symptoms that can include shortness of breath, chest pain, sensation of choking, nausea, dizziness, chill or heat sensations, fear of "going crazy," and fear of dying.

Social Anxiety Disorder - If your child has an intense fear of having to participate in class or interaction with their peers, then they may have social anxiety disorder. Children may exhibit this fear through throwing tantrums, crying, clinging to adults, freezing up, or refusing to speak. They may also attempt to avoid social situations that provoke this fear.
Helping Kids with Anxiety
Never hesitate to consult with professionals about your child's anxiety, as they can guide you towards the right resources and conduct a proper assessment. Children with anxiety disorders are typically treated with talk therapy, medication, or a combination of the two. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help a child test out what thoughts they have are realistic or unrealistic. Play therapy may work best for young children to work through anxieties. For some kids, medication may be prescribed in the short-term or the long-term, depending on the nature and severity of symptoms. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly prescribed medication to treat anxiety disorders among children. ⁴

Parents often can feel helpless when they see their child experiencing intense fear or worry. There may be a temptation to simply remove the child from all situations that prompt this anxiety or to over accommodate for their child's fear. These actions only make a child more sensitive to these environments. Parents can validate the child's feelings but also model calmness and confidence that their child is going to be okay and can master scary situations like school or meeting new people. Also, because children are most anxious leading up to a challenging situation, it's important for parents not to ask too many questions about the anxiety. Remember, as a parent, it's not your goal to eliminate all anxiety from your child's life. Your job is to help your child learn to manage anxiety effectively so that they can deal with life's challenges long into adulthood.

Anxiety is inevitable in life, but no child should have to feel stuck with it. What steps can you take today to help your child learn to manage anxiety successfully?

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6 Types of Anxiety that Can Affect Children and How to Help

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Childhood itself is quite an anxious process. Kids are tasked with learning new skills, meeting new challenges, overcoming fears, and navigating a world that doesn't always make sense. But sometimes these fears or stressors prove too much to handle, and the normal comforts that adults can provide don't quite seem to be enough.

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A child struggling with a bipolar disorder is often highly gifted, but may have difficulty making transitions, and may have co-morbid syndromes that make him or her distractible, inattentive, anxious or very perfectionistic. He or she may also be sleepy from medications or may be having cognitive difficulties as a result of them. Frequently, children with bipolar disorder have associated learning disabilites and executive function deficits which make it extremely difficult for them to organize and break things down and accomplish complex tasks ( we will discuss these executive function deficits in more detail).

All of these co-morbid conditions, medication issues, known and unknown learning disabilities and organizational deficits complicate a student's acquisition of knowledge and adjustment to academic demands.

When one also considers that these children have an illness which causes their ability to focus and energy levels to wax and wane (often according to the season) it's not hard for parents and educators to realize these children need special accommodations in school.

In creating the type of education you want for your son or daughter, you must keep in mind that although all the children we are discussing here have bipolar disorder, each child is an individual with different social, emotional, and academic strengths and weaknesses. Therefore, their educational needs may vary from one season or school year to the next.

This section is intended to help parents, teachers and the educational team ease the strain for the child struggling with these issues and to ensure a comfort level that allows these students to learn, benefit, and excel in the academic environment.

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Educational Issues Facing Children with Bipolar Disorder - Juvenile Bipolar Research Foundation

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A child struggling with a bipolar disorder is often highly gifted, but may have difficulty making transitions, and may have co-morbid syndromes that make him or her distractible, inattentive, anxious or very perfectionistic. He or she may also be sleepy from medications or may be having cognitive difficulties as a result of them.

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Raising Digital Citizens

The internet is a wonderful place for learning and entertainment, but like the world around us, it can pose dangers if precautions are not taken. Allowing free access puts your child, your computer and your personal data at risk.

Remain positively engaged: Pay attention to and know the online environments your children use. Surf the web with them. Appreciate your children's participation in their online communities and show interest in their friends. Try to react constructively when they encounter inappropriate material. Make it a teachable moment.

Support their good choices: Expand your children's online experience and their autonomy when developmentally appropriate, as they demonstrate competence in safe and secure online behavior and good decision making.

Keep a clean machine: Safety and security start with protecting all family computers with a security suite (anti-virus, anti-spyware and firewall) that is set to update automatically. Keep your operating system, web browsers and other software current as well, and back up computer files on a regular basis.

Know the protection features of the websites and software your children use: All major internet service providers (ISPs) have tools to help you manage young children's online experience (e.g., selecting approved websites, monitoring the amount of time they spend online or limiting the people who can contact them) and may have other security features, such as pop-up blockers. Third-party tools are also available. But remember that your home isn't the only place they can go online.

Review privacy settings: Look at the privacy settings available on social networking sites, smartphones, apps and other social tools your children use. Decide together which settings provide the appropriate amount of protection for each child.

Teach critical thinking: Help your children identify safe, credible websites and other digital content, and be cautious about clicking on, downloading, posting and uploading content.

Explain the implications: Help your children understand the public nature of the internet and its risks and benefits. Be sure they know that any digital info they share, such as emails, photos or videos, can easily be copied and pasted elsewhere and is almost impossible to take back. Things that could damage their reputation, friendships or future prospects should not be shared electronically.

Help them be good digital citizens: Remind your children to be good "digital friends" by respecting personal information of friends and family and not sharing anything about others that is potentially embarrassing or hurtful.

Just saying "no" rarely works: Teach your children how to interact safely with people they "meet" online. Though it's preferable they make no in-person contact with online-only acquaintances, young people may not always follow this rule. So talk about maximizing safe conditions: meeting only in well-lit public places, always taking at least one friend and telling a trusted adult about any plans they make - including the time, place and acquaintance's contact information. Remind them to limit sharing personal information with new friends.

Empower your children to handle issues: Your children may deal with situations like bullying, unwanted contact or hurtful comments online. Work with them on strategies for when problems arise, such as talking to a trusted adult, not retaliating, calmly talking with the person, blocking the person or filing a complaint. Agree on steps to take if the strategy fails.

Encourage your children to be "digital leaders:" Help ensure they master the safety and security techniques of all technology they use. Support their positive and safe engagement in online communities. Encourage them to help others accomplish their goals. Urge them to help if friends are making poor choices or being harmed.

More Ways to Keep Your Children Safer and More Secure Online

Keep your home computer in a central and open location: If your computer is in the open, you can physically monitor your children while they are online.

Be aware of all the ways people connect to the internet: Young people have many options to connect to the internet beyond a home computer. Phones, tablets, gaming systems and even TVs have become connected. Be aware of all the ways and devices (including what they do at friend's houses) your children are using, and be sure they know how to use them safely and responsibly.

Talk to other parents: When and how you decide to let your children use the internet is a personal parenting decision. Knowing what other parents are thinking and allowing their children to do is important and can be helpful for making decisions about what your children do online.

Know the rules: Not all online services are for kids. Even some of the most popular social networking services and other sites are meant only for use by people 13 and older. There are many terrific sites designed specifically for younger children that provide a safer, more secure and age-appropriate environment.

Stay current. Keep pace with new ways to stay safe online: The online world is ever changing. New services with great features continually emerge. Knowing about them and how young people use them can help you better understand the digital life your children experience as well as any concerns you may have for your children.

Consider separate accounts on your computer: Most operating systems allow you to create a different account for each user. Separate accounts can lessen the chance that your child might accidentally access, modify, change settings and/or delete your files. You can set up certain privileges (the things that can and can't be done) for each account.

If you know of a child in immediate risk or danger, call law enforcement right away. Report instances of online child exploitation to the National Center For Missing and Exploited Children's Cyber Tipline.

Additional Resources

ConnectSafely.org has basic guidelines for teens and parents about cyberbullying, sexting, social networking, and more.

iKeepSafe.org seeks to give parents, educators, and policymakers the information and tools which power them to teach children the safe and healthy use of technology and the internet.

NetSmartz is a safety resource from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) and Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) for children aged 5 to 17, parents, guardians, educators and law enforcement that uses activities to teach internet safety

Lookout Mobile Security & The Online Mom's Generation Smartphone: A Guide for Parents of Tweens & Tweens has resources to help families talk to their kids about mobile security and safe smartphone use.

OnGuardOnline.gov is the Federal Trade Commission's main consumer-facing page to educate everyone on staying safe and secure online.

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Raising Digital Citizens - Stay Safe Online

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The internet is a wonderful place for learning and entertainment, but like the world around us, it can pose dangers if precautions are not taken. Allowing free access puts your child, your computer and your personal data at risk. Remain positively engaged: Pay attention to and know the online environments your children use.

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The Internet can be wonderful for kids. They can use it to research school reports, communicate with teachers and other kids, and play interactive games.

But online access also comes with risks, like inappropriate content, cyberbullying, and online predators. Using social media apps and websites where kids interact, predators may pose as a child or teen looking to make a new friend. They might prod the child to exchange personal information, such as address and phone number, or encourage kids to call them, seeing their phone number via caller ID.

Parents should be aware of what their kids see and hear online, who they meet, and what they share about themselves. Talk with your kids, use tools to protect them, and keep an eye on their activities.

Internet Safety Laws

A federal law, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) helps protect kids younger than 13 when they're online. It's designed to keep anyone from getting a child's personal information without a parent knowing about it and agreeing to it first.

COPPA requires websites to explain their privacy policies and get parental consent before collecting or using a child's personal information, such as a name, address, phone number, or Social Security number. The law also prohibits a site from requiring a child to provide more personal information than necessary to play a game or enter a contest.

Online Protection Tools

Online tools let you control your kids' access to adult material and help protect them from Internet predators. Many Internet service providers (ISPs) provide parent-control options. You can also get software that helps block access to sites and restricts personal information from being sent online. Other programs can monitor and track online activity.

Getting Involved in Kids' Online Activities

More important than blocking objectionable material is teaching your kids safe and responsible online behavior, and keeping an eye on their Internet use.

Basic guidelines to share with your kids for safe online use:

Follow the family rules, and those set by the Internet service provider.

Never post or trade personal pictures.

Never reveal personal information, such as address, phone number, or school name or location.

Use only a screen name and don't share passwords (other than with parents).

Never agree to get together in person with anyone met online without parent approval and/or supervision.

Never respond to a threatening email, message, post, or text.

Always tell a parent or other trusted adult about any communication or conversation that was scary or hurtful.

Basic guidelines for parental supervision:

Spend time online together to teach your kids appropriate online behavior.

Keep the computer in a common area where you can watch and monitor its use, not in individual bedrooms. Monitor any time spent on smartphones or tablets.

Bookmark kids' favorite sites for easy access.

Check your credit card and phone bills for unfamiliar account charges.

Find out what, if any, online protection is offered by your child's school, after-school center, friends' homes, or any place where kids could use a computer without your supervision.

Take your child seriously if he or she reports an uncomfortable online exchange.

If you're aware of the sending, use, or viewing of child pornography online, call the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at (800) 843-5678 or go online to their CyberTipline. They'll make sure the info is forwarded to law enforcement officials for investigation. Contact your local law enforcement agency or the FBI if your child has received child pornography via the Internet.

Watch for warning signs of a child being targeted by an online predator. These can include:

spending long hours online, especially at night

phone calls from people you don't know

unsolicited gifts arriving in the mail

your child suddenly turning off the computer or other device when you walk into the room

withdrawal from family life and reluctance to discuss online activities

Talk to your kids! Keep an open line of communication and make sure that they feel comfortable turning to you when they have problems online.

The Internet and Teens

As kids get older, it gets a little trickier to monitor their time spent online. They may carry a smartphone with them at all times. They probably want - and need - some privacy. This is healthy and normal, as they're becoming more independent from their parents. The Internet can provide a safe "virtual" environment for exploring some newfound freedom if precautions are taken.

Talk about the sites and apps teens use and their online experiences. Discuss the dangers of interacting with strangers online and remind them that people online don't always tell the truth. Explain that passwords are there to protect against things like identity theft. They should never share them with anyone, even a boyfriend, girlfriend, or best friend.

Taking an active role in your kids' online activities helps ensure that they benefit from them without being exposed to the potential dangers.

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The Internet is a wonderful resource, but access to it has its hazards for kids. Here's how to make sure your kids go online safely.

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Internet and Social MediaUse by Students

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Internet and Social MediaUse by Students

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Response To Intervention – RTI Resources

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Response To Intervention – RTI Resources

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Response to Intervention | RTI | RTI Resources | Intervention Central

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Intervention Central is the leading resource for Response to Intervention (RTI) tools and resources, including academic and behavior interventions for classroom management.