All of us experience grief and loss at some point in our lives, with many of us navigating our first loss as children. Coping with grief while balancing academic and social responsibilities (and just being a kid!) is challenging! As the school counselor, you have a unique opportunity to provide support and teach students practical skills for managing grief that will last a lifetime. Having engaging and interactive activities on hand to support students is crucial in providing this much-needed ... VIEW POST
Grief & Loss PART 4: Activities to Help Students Cope with Grief & Loss
Grief & Loss PART 3: Resources to Help Students Cope with Grief & Loss
Grief is a complex emotion that follows a great loss in a person’s life. For elementary students, these losses can include the death of a loved one, a major life change like moving schools, or a severed friendship. As a school counselor, having high-quality resources on hand to support your students through grief is critical!Introduction to Grief in Students and How School Counselors Can HelpGrief is such a big emotion for students to deal with. It is defined as deep sorrow.Grief can manifest ... VIEW POST
Grief & Loss PART 2: Storybooks to Help Students Cope with Grief & Loss
As school counselors, we never know what students will bring to us each day, and sometimes their needs are so great, so profound, that it can be overwhelming even for us as trained professionals. Storybooks are a great tool to help students cope with grief and loss!What Does Grief Look Like in Students? Grief is defined as deep sorrow. Students who do not process big emotions, like grief and loss, are at-risk for several physical, social, emotional, and academic hardships:Read more ... VIEW POST
Must-Have Books to Help Kids Cope with Anger
In these post-pandemic times, anger, anxiety, and stress are on the rise in school-age children (and adults!). More and more students are coming to their school counselor looking for tools and strategies to manage BIG feelings. As school counselors, our role is not to eliminate anger in our students, but to guide them in harnessing its power in a positive and constructive way.If you know me, you know that storybooks are my go-to therapeutic tool. They help children feel “not-so alone” in their ... VIEW POST
Must-Have Storybooks to Help Kids Cope with Anxiety
Anxiety is on the rise in school-age children, and more and more students are coming to their school counselor for anxiety support. To help kids manage these big feelings, storybooks are my go-to therapeutic tool. They help children feel "not-so alone" in their experiences, teach practical skills, and relate to them on their level like nothing else can.Read on to learn more about anxiety in children, why books are an effective resource, and 4 MUST-HAVE books to add to your school counselor ... VIEW POST
Everything You Need to Know About Trauma in Children, and How to Help
Childhood trauma is more prevalent than most expect. According to the National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative, greater than 65% of children report at least one traumatic event by the time they turn 16 years old.Trauma can have a lasting impact on the brain, as well as the social, emotional, and academic development and well-being of the child.As educators, it’s essential that we know how to identify trauma in our students and support them through it.What is Trauma?Traumatic events are ... VIEW POST