December 2014 Counseling News
Kacy Rodgers, MA, CSC, LPC-Intern
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays
I hope you all enjoyed your Thanksgiving break and are ready to tackle the next three weeks of school! We always plan such fun learning activities around this time of year, but we need to keep in mind that the holidays are not always as happy and joyous for some as they are for others. For our students (and adults) who have experienced a loss of a family member, job, life style, or are living in poverty this time of year may be more of a stress than a joy. Often times this stress can be more than the family can handle. Keep an eye on your students this holiday season, and after, for signs of family stress, and complete the referral form below for anyone you would like me to visit with.
Also as the weather gets colder, please complete the "Student in Need" form below, when you notice a child who is not properly dressed or is hungry, there are organizations in our community that want to help.
School Counseling Referral Form
Click here to refer a child for individual crisis counseling, no permission required for single visit. If further counseling is needed I will contact parent.
Student in Need
Please complete this form for students that need clothing, coats, shoes or other items throughout the year.
CharacterCounts!-Fairness
It's Not Fair!
Active Listening and Body Language
Active listening is really the application of the Golden Rule and perhaps the most critical skill for resolving conflict. To know how to listen to someone else, think about how you would want to be listened to. While the ideas are largely intuitive, it might take some practice to develop (or re-develop) the skills.
How to do it
Let your body language show you are listening through your:
Facial expressions
Gestures
Eye Contact
Posture
Keep the focus on the other person.
Do not interrupt, offer advice or give suggestions.
Do not bring up similar feelings or problems from your own experience.
Don’t take sides.
Paraphrase the person’s most important thoughts and feelings.
Make sure people understand it is okay to have these feelings.
Put yourself in the other person’s place to understand what the person is saying and how they feel.
Source: Excerpted from The Mediation Network of North Carolina
CRE Calendar Usage: 3rd Edition
How to do it
Let your body language show you are listening through your:
Facial expressions
Gestures
Eye Contact
Posture
Keep the focus on the other person.
Do not interrupt, offer advice or give suggestions.
Do not bring up similar feelings or problems from your own experience.
Don’t take sides.
Paraphrase the person’s most important thoughts and feelings.
Make sure people understand it is okay to have these feelings.
Put yourself in the other person’s place to understand what the person is saying and how they feel.
Source: Excerpted from The Mediation Network of North Carolina
CRE Calendar Usage: 3rd Edition