Week 4/27-5/1

Distance Learning

Grizzlies--I know you are rocking the distance learning; however, if you need some quick tips, to truly master this "new normal" way of learning, check out this video:

Mental Health Focus: Anxiety
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health disorders of childhood and adolescence: phobias and separation anxiety affect young children; social anxiety develops later, as peer relationships become more important.

As a Grizzly, it is important to remember the following:

1. BE RESPECTFUL. Treat Everyone with Respect: Be empathic and understanding of other people’s feelings!
2. BE RESPONSIBLE. Speak Up If You’re Feeling Overwhelming Anxiety: Talk about how you are feeling with a trusted adult!
3. BE SAFE. Stand Up for Others: Stay grounded, speak up, and help to destigmatize anxiety!

Click here for more information regarding anxiety. In addition, please watch "3 Things About Anxiety Disorder You Should Know" which discusses how anxiety manifests, physical and emotional symptoms, and how to ease your anxiety below: 

App Spotlight: Calm

Click here for the Calm app (Apple and Google Play) review by Clinical Psychologist, Dr. Allison, who breaks down the app and its features honestly. I really like this app and I feel it helps ease my stress and anxiety, while calming me (go figure).

Week 4/20-4/24

Welcome Back to Distance Learning!

I hope you had a relaxing spring break--you are in the home stretch and it looks like we will finish this year out with distance learning. Unfortunately, this means that I will not get to see you in person until Fall 2020. Remember, I am here for you--email, call, text, etc., and I will respond! I miss all of you so much and I hope that you are taking care of yourself and family, staying up to date on assignments, eating healthy, and exercising!
Mental Health Focus: Anxiety
1. Preventing and Reducing the Recurrence of Anxiety

• Examine thoughts and decide whether worries are realistic or unrealistic
• Engage in flexible thinking
• Practice responding to anxiety-inducing situations
• Model adaptive way of coping with anxiety

2. Responding When Anxious Behaviors Occur

• Teach tolerance and acceptance of anxious feelings
• Encourage solutions to solve problems
• Teach the connection between anxiety and physical symptoms
• Teach self-monitoring and strategies to manage symptoms

3. Classroom/Home Activities

• Use journaling activities
• Build on strengths
• Facilitate discussions about mental health and coping
• Encourage collaborative exercises
• Incorporate positive coping strategies, or mindfulness, into class activities

Click here for more information regarding anxiety. In addition, please watch "4 Ways to Cope with Anxiety"  which discusses anxiety and gives children and parents 4 tips to cope with anxiety below: 

App Spotlight: Mindshift CBT

In addition, grounding techniques are really popular to cope with stress, anxiety, and other difficult and/or overwhelming emotional states and experiences. Click here to read the article, "Grounding: How to Use Our Senses to Calm Stress and Stay Present-Focused." My favorite is the 5-4-3-2-1!

Week 4/13-4/17

Happy Spring Break and Self-Care!

I hope every single one of you has a relaxing spring break and that you take some time for self-care. Here are some examples of self-care:

1. Put Down the Phone
Young people consume so much social media and spend so many hours on their phones that no wonder there are increased levels of anxiety for teens in general. Too much social media has been linked with health issues, including depression and a lack of self-esteem. Take a break!

2. Try Contemplative Practices, Like Meditation
Having a regular meditation practice, like for 10 minutes per day, can be life-changing. It reduces stress, controls anxiety, and makes you more mindful and self-aware. Even a few deep breaths in the middle of the day can help your teen to regain focus and relieve stress. A short, daily practice can be more effective than long sessions, so start your teen out with a mindfulness app like Headspace or Calm. 

3. Indulge in Creative Expression
Creative expression has multiple benefits for emotional health. It gives teens a way to release complicated emotions through music, journaling, visual arts or hobbies. Extracurricular activities that invoke a sense of peace and calm can be wildly effective for reducing stress during the teen years. 

4. Have a DIY Spa Day at Home
You don’t have to spend a lot of money to enjoy a spa day. All you need are some face masks, bath bombs, bubble bath, your favorite music, and a candle that smells amazing.

5. Saying Positive Affirmations
Positivity can have a huge effect on overall mindset and self-esteem for teens. Try repeating positive affirmations, like “I am strong. I love myself. I am worthy. I believe in myself,” on a daily basis so that you aren’t so hard on yourself. 

6. Explore Nature
Research has repeatedly shown a link between being outdoors and lower levels of stress, depression and anxiety. Time in nature also helps counteract the mood disturbance caused by too much screen time. Doing regular outdoor activities as a family can help adolescents build this all-important habit.

7. Regular Movement
Whether it’s sports, workouts, walks, running, Zumba or yoga, movement helps both physical and mental health. The activity doesn’t matter as long as it’s consistent. 

Week 4/6-4/10

Happy Week Before Spring Break!

Last week, you had your first week of virtual schooling. I am sure there were a lot of adjustments and it is different from typical school; however, I hope you enjoyed it! Here is a message from all of us to you:

Self-care is more important than ever! Click here for a Self-Care Worksheet (parents) and Self-Care for Children and Teens (students) to help take care and support mental health during this pandemic. 

In addition, you can also use a Coping Calendar which has 30 suggested actions to look after ourselves and each other as we face this global crisis together.

Mental Health Focus: Anxiety

Anxiety is the reaction to situations perceived as stressful or dangerous, which everyone faces; however, when anxiety becomes severe it interferes with daily life such as avoiding situations, experiencing extreme and persistent fear, and/or worry much more than expected in general or specific situations/contexts. Symptoms may include:

• Physical: somatic complaints such as headaches, stomachaches, muscle tension, and increased heart rate
• Behavioral: efforts to escape or avoid anxiety-inducing situations (e.g., refusing to go to school on the day of a test)
• Cognitive: related to thinking (e.g. negative thinking, perfectionistic attitudes, and have disruptions in thoughts patterns that interfere with learning)

Click here for more information regarding anxiety. In addition, please watch "Release"  which focuses on stress and anxiety as experienced by middle school kids below: 

App Spotlight: Self-Help for Anxiety Management

In addition to the help that SAM can provide as an app, click here for more information regarding anxiety and some strategies to help manage anxiety, in general. During this COVID19 pandemic, click here for more information from the CDC on managing stress and coping.