Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is the therapeutic model I use primarily in my work as a School Social Worker. It is my belief that if we can change negative thought patterns of kids we can see positive changes in any area! The kids I work with struggle with everything from disrespect, defiance, anger management, trauma, abuse, grief, and overall motivation to succeed.

Implementing the “growth mindset” principal along with Mindfulness-cognitive based therapy has shown astounding positive results. With mindfulness my students are able to focus on the present and work on changing those automatic negative patterns of thinking and behaving.

 

 

Growth Mindset

Growth Mindset means you believe you can develop your own strengths through hard work and dedication. You know that just because you don’t know something YET, doesn’t mean you never will. The opposite of a growth mindset is what we call a fixed mindset. This means you believe you are who you are no matter what and there’s nothing you can do to change it. If you’re not good at something then you never will be. People with this mindset tend to give up when things get hard or they avoid challenges altogether. They fear failure because let’s be honest, no one LIKES to fail, but a person with a growth mindset views failure differently. They see failure as an opportunity to learn and grow as opposed to something to fear or avoid. Now you might be thinking, “uh oh that fixed mindset sounds kind of like me.” That’s ok! If we’re being honest, everyone has been there before. As students work through the Growth Mindset they learn how to set goals, never give up, embrace their failures and change their overall negative thinking patterns.

 

 

Mindfulness

Mindfulness is simply the art of paying attention. It requires that we slow down and learn to bring stillness to our busy minds. When we are mindful we are paying attention to what is happening right here and now. We can choose where we direct our focus, placing it on something helpful and moving it away from something unhelpful. It's a powerful way to live.

 

With mindfulness, we accept whatever is present.

Mindfulness doesn’t eliminate the stressors from your life.

You will still have tests and lots of homework to do. You will still be faced with bullies and difficult challenges with peers.

You will still have fights with your parents and your siblings.

It’s recognizing that

this is what it’s like right now and then we have a choice.

If it’s something we can change,

we can work in the next moment to change it.

If it’s not something we can change, we can soften into it.

With mindfulness, you discover

that there is a way of being, a way of looking at problems and a way of

coming to terms with everything that can make life more joyful

and rich.

And THAT is life changing.

 

Relaxation

Relaxation is a tool to help students manage the overwhelming anger and stress they carry with them each day. It can also help them remain calm, sustain attention, and be able to focus. It does this by helping them pay attention to the present moment through simple breathing and meditation practices to increase awareness of thoughts and feelings to help reduce stress and anxiety and boost levels of attention and concentration.

 

 

Guided Imagery

Guided imagery can teach your child to become more aware of their physical self as well as their reactions to stress in school and in other settings. In turn, this increased awareness allows them to have greater control of their emotional state. When a child can cope with stress, they become more confident in life and develop a positive outlook which is beneficial in various facets of life. Imagery and mediation hone self-awareness. By looking inwards, children can find the path that they want to pursue in life. Additionally, as they develop their senses of self- regulation and intuition, they gain a good measure of independence.

Art Therapy

Art Therapy is a therapeutic technique that encourages free expression of emotions through art. Research studies have proven its clinical effectiveness in most areas of mental health, including grief and loss. The American Art Therapy Association states, “Through integrative methods, art therapy engages the mind, body, and spirit in ways that are distinct from verbal articulation alone. Kinesthetic, sensory, perceptual, and symbolic opportunities invite alternative modes of receptive and expressive communication, which can circumvent the limitations of language. Visual and symbolic expression gives voice to experience and empowers individual, communal, and societal transformation” (https://arttherapy.org/

 

 

Yoga

So often we talk about "mental health" as though it were somehow separate from physical heath; as though the mind can be separated from the rest of the body and dealt with in isolation; largely through talk therapy. Yet in reality mental states manifest in physical ways- just as physical states affect our mind. These two are brought together through yoga.

 

Essential Oils

Last year I was excited to have my Essential Oils Donors Choose project fully funded. This provided me with the opportunity to introduce it school wide! Mental illness in schools is a scary and growing problem. In addition to medications, using essential oils can be extremely effective in dealing with some of the struggles associated with autism, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, impulsivity, anger management, depression, grief and other various emotional and/or behavioral problems. Essential oils can be applied to the body or inhaled through the use of a diffuser. A diffuser is basically an air vaporizer that allows you to disperse your essential oil of choice by adding it to distilled water. With the oils I received from the donors choose funding I was able to make 24 different roller blends including; focus, anxiety, stress, clarity, sadness, anger, peace, calm down, and so many more.

 

 

Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT)

EFT uses tapping combined with breathing and a mantra. You simply tap the pressure points with your fingertips while you breathe deeply and give your subconscious a verbal message (I am in control. I am confident. I am focused). Over time, the tapping becomes associated with the feeling of calm from the conscious breathing, and it helps trigger the shift to a more relaxed state.