Miss Abby's Counseling Corner
Abigail Vickery, L.C.S.W. Boulder Creek School Counselor
Hello Wonderful Boulder Creek Families!
Welcome to my very first Counselor Corner newsletter! I am looking forward to using this as a way to stay connected and I hope that you find the resources helpful and encouraging to you!
We are in the midst of an unprecedented time. As I have talked with my colleagues and some of our students and families there seems to be a theme in our conversations. When I ask someone, “How are you feeling about all of this?” The typical initial response is, “I am not really sure”, or, “I feel weird”. I agree with both of these statements. I too have felt unsure about my overall feelings during this time and I absolutely agree with the “I feel weird” statement!
Many of us feel scared and anxious. Many caregivers continue to work and have had significant struggles finding daycare, balancing work, and assisting their children with online learning. Some are able to spend quality time together and make memories they wouldn’t have otherwise had, which can make us feel happy, guilty and overwhelmed all at the same time. All of those emotions and the vast sum of them wind up making us feel….weird.
Several days ago I came across an article that seemed to illustrate this in a really helpful way. I have included it below as you might find it helpful as well! The author uses the feeling word ‘discomfort’ and the article states that these feelings are a representation of the grief that we are all experiencing right now. This situation removed all of us from our typical daily lives pretty quickly. We are grieving that and working hard to establish a new normal.
Although the article is geared for adults - remember your children as you read it. They are grieving too, and they don’t have the same level of coping skills that we do. There are some really practical ideas listed in the article that can support you during the grieving process.
Although I am working remotely I am HERE for you! You can reach me via email at avickery@eesd.net. Please feel free to reach out to me! I will be providing a weekly “Counselor’s Corner” during the school closure. I will include resources for caregivers as well as students! Feel free to email me with feedback!
With Gratitude,
Miss Abby
P.S. You will see that I have included a couple of YouTube videos. Although students are not able to access these independently on their chromebooks you can allow them to watch on another device and I encourage you to watch together!
RESOURCES FOR CAREGIVERS
A Child's Behavior Is Their Language
Supporting Mental Health During Self Isolation
Help Your Child Express Their Big Feelings
RESOURCES FOR KINDER-5TH GRADERS
RESOURCES FOR 6TH-8TH GRADERS
BC Jr. High! Check out these helpful tips & an encouraging video!
The following tips are from a wonderful online resource that supports teen mental health, you can find the website at erikaslighthouse.org:
STAY CONNECTED! Everyone gets lonely, but don't let that get you down. In this wired world, there are so many ways to stay in touch with them - like you are there:
FaceTime, Hangouts, Zoom or any other video chat technology can instantly connect you!
Text, call, email, write letters, whatever you need to do to keep in touch.
Host Video Chat get togethers with friends while eating or playing games and feel like you are there.
And there are so many more ways to keep in touch!
PRACTICE GOOD MENTAL HEALTH! Follow these tips to maintain positive mental health:
Eight to ten hours of sleep per night
Three nutritious meals per day
Three or more days of exercise a week
Avoid drugs and alcohol
Take care of your physical health
Engage in activities that bring happiness
Spend time with your favorite people
Relaxation exercises, ie: bubble bath, deep breathing, meditation, a walk in nature
Maintain reasonable expectations and boundaries
Ask for help and support when needed.
I am here for you!
Email: avickery@eesd.net
Location: 505 Springer Drive, Redding, CA, USA
Phone: (530)224-4140