Cate's Counseling Corner

  Be Present with Your Emotions As we head into the holiday season and the season of being spread thin (either financially, emotionally, physically), I want you to take time to just be present with your emotions. Sit down and focus on how you are feeling, how your body is holding those emotions and listen to what your body needs. Does your body need you to say "no" to one more holiday event? Does your body need you to take time to rest so you can recharge? Does your body need you to not drink that one more cup of coffee?  Take time to really focus and take care of yourself. 

 Gratitude As we walk into the week of Thanksgiving, focusing on gratitude is a societal norm. But focusing on gratitude is a daily practice that can increase your emotional health and your outlook on life. You hear a lot about "gratitude journals" but what happens if you are trying to figure out what gratitude is? or even tougher- explaining gratitude to your child?  Gratitude You can use this as a guide to set up and explain the idea of gratitude and set up ways to express gratitude.  Some of my favorite gratitude ideas is- Expressing gratitude when the moment occurs ("I am so thankful for all of your help and support") Using words of affirmation to show my gratitude ("You do such an amazing job at being a good friend") Writing what I am grateful for in my daily planner Having time on the way home from the school where my daughter and I talk about what we were grateful for each day.  These are small things you can implement during your day, they can beco...

 Respect Respect is a characteristic that we feel our kids know but unless we have conversations around what respect is, the more understanding our kids will know about what respect looks like. During this Launch lesson, we focused on the idea of respect and how to show/receive respect from others.  Respect Continue the conversation about how you want to receive respect, how others may want to receive respect and what is the kids comfort level with showing respect. Conversation is imperative with kids. Be open and continue to communicate about age appropriate experiences and boundaries with others. 

 Conflict Resolution How many of us enjoy conflict? If you know me, you know I do not enjoy conflict but I am an advocate for having conversation about tough things. There is a way to have these conversations appropriately. During Launch we were able to discuss conflict resolution.  Conflict Resolution Our students are working through conflict with so many people in their life, because we are all different, with different opinions, perspectives and outlooks on life. Conflict is something that we cannot get rid of, but it is something that we can continue to grow, encourage and support our kids who are experiencing conflict resolution. 

 Checking In With Life There are times when we, as adults, may not feel like we really can pick up on how kids are feeling. The generic "I'm fine" or "good" may make it hard to buy what these kids may be selling, if you know what I mean.  A small way to just check in with your kids is to have them complete a small check in. Here are two examples.  By starting with this page, you are able to see the self and how the kid may be feeling. Notice there is positive and negative things on the assessment. There is times where people feel a mixture of the positive and negatives. This is a great tool and a great way to start conversation with kids.  This second page is really associated with seeing how they are coping. Are they using positive and productive coping skills or are they falling into utilizing skills that may not be as helpful. This is a great way to ask a child "what makes you feel like ignoring your responsibilities is the best way to feel in control?...