Why scalable mental health solutions matter more than ever
The National Association of School Psychologists recommends one school psychologist for every 500 students. Yet, the national average is closer to 1:1,127, according to recent data.¹ That’s nearly double the recommended ratio. Even in an ideal scenario, can a single counselor truly understand the day-to-day emotions, stressors, and goals of 250 students? The answer is […]
From challenge to change: 5 lessons learned on elevating mental health support in school
May is Mental Health Awareness Month—but awareness alone isn’t enough. The youth mental health crisis has been at the center of education conversations for years, yet the time has come to shift our focus from awareness to action. And where better to act than in schools—the places where young people spend the majority of their […]
How teletherapy can transform mental health services in schools
The need for robust behavioral and mental health services in schools is undeniable. Students face a growing range of challenges, from academic pressures and peer stressors to family conflicts and bullying. Meanwhile, shortages of qualified clinicians leave onsite specialty staff, such as school psychologists, social workers, and speech-language pathologists working exhaustively to support student needs. […]
Child burnout: A growing concern for parents and schools
The role of schools in addressing child burnout More than two-thirds of parents (70%) believe that their child is experiencing more burnout than they are. A new survey of 2,000 parents of school-aged children found that 66% of parents said that their child comes home with a “low mental battery” after school and half of […]
5 Must-dos to Launch Your School Mental Health Program
Amid the mental health crisis in the U.S. today, we are in desperate need of licensed mental health providers and services—especially to serve our youth.¹ In fact, the American School Counselor Association recommends one school counselor for every 250 students, yet only 14% of schools met the ratio.² Research reveals children’s mental health and social […]
Salvage Your Clinical Session: 3 Ways to Reverse Learned Helplessness
What is Learned Helplessness? For students who have absorbed the message that they’re doomed to fail, instilling realistic optimism can be a game-changer. Educators and therapists have long advocated reframing “failure” positively as a “learning opportunity,” but when failure becomes so pervasive that it causes resignation, learned helplessness isn’t far behind. Learned helplessness is a […]
5 Ways to Deal with the New School Epidemic of Toxic Positivity
Is it So Bad to Be Overly Positive? In March 2020, high school English teacher Irene Yannascoli entered a faculty meeting filled with bright decorations, icebreaker games, words of affirmation, and the screening of a TED talk titled “How to Make Stress Your Friend.” This was after schools began exploring online learning options when beset […]
Why is your Kid a Bully? Probably for At Least One of These Five Reasons
The Shock of Your Life One morning you receive a call from your son’s school principal. She tells you that your son has been involved in an incident and asks you to come in for a conference to speak with her, together with his teacher and the school counselor. As you race to the school, […]
Reversing the 3 Lifelong Consequences of Adverse Childhood Experiences
The Study that Shook the World of Mental Health A pivotal study conducted at Kaiser Permanente between 1995 and 1997 under the direction of Dr. Vincent Felitti and Dr. Robert Anda shook the world of Mental Health. That study, in which more than 17,000 people answered questions about their adverse childhood experiences, came to be […]
5 Effective Methods for Building Self-Esteem in Children with Special Needs
Introduction While any child can suffer from low self-esteem, students with learning disabilities are particularly vulnerable. It’s not that these children are less intelligent than other children, but rather they learn differently. However, most learning programs are designed for neurotypical children. This mismatch between learning style and learning program can frustrate students and cause them […]
The 6 Stages of Grieving: How to Re-engage in Life After a Crushing Loss
Sadness vs. Grief Sadness is a temporary emotional reaction to a loss or disappointment. It generally passes in a couple of days. Grief is less an emotional reaction TO something and more an actual embodiment of loss. It’s the experience of being changed by the loss. When we grieve we embody the sense of loss […]
5 Ways to Help a Child Navigate The Intersection of Autism & Bullying
In a 2018 review of studies, Daniel Hoover, a child and adolescent psychologist at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, and a colleague found that 40 to 90 percent of children with autism are bullied, compared with 10 to 40 percent of typical children. Why are Autistic Kids More Vulnerable to Bullying? “There’s a […]