It was an honor to co-present to school counselors and administrators in St. Louis recently about trauma in children. The focus was helping school staff members to know what to do with children that have experienced abuse, loss or other stressors. Some of the strategies and suggestions that we recommended were:
-Look for ways to provide accommodations
-Team approach and outside resources
–Routines are critical
–Don’t paint children into a corner – provide choices
–Provide an increased level of support and encouragement
-Set clear, firm limits
–Provide a safe place to go
-Work to find replacement behaviors for undesired choices
-Warn children in advance of any changes or other items that may cause them to be stressed
We have been asked to present again on this topic at several other local schools. We are also looking forward to presenting on teacher stress, teen anxiety, working with challenging parents, and helping everyone to achieve to their highest potential. Our team is made up of five therapists (who handle the counseling and therapy angle) and an educator.
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Dr. Lena Pearlman & Associates is a mental health therapy practice in St. Louis, Missouri. We provide therapy and counseling services to individuals, couples and families. We specialize in depression, anxiety, stress management and relationships. More information is available at www.stlmentalhealth.com or 314-942-1147.
