Recently, I had the privilege of co-hosting the #HSCCHAT with school counselor, Jessica Davies. This month's topic was on the area of student mental health. One of the questions we posed to the group of high school counselors was to share their creative ideas for assisting students with mental health issues at school. The group gave some very insightful strategies which I thought I share with other high school counselors.
12 Creative Strategies to Assist Students Facing Mental Health Issues During the School Day
1. I have used such methods as art (coloring books), journaling, self care kits, and going for a walk with the student.
What to Put in a Teen Self Care Kit
2. Offer the parents for their kids to attend group counseling at the school with me! And constantly look for community resources that can suit the needs.
10 Quick and Easy Group Counseling Activities by Confident Counselors
3. I’ll have students make a playlist for songs that speak to them, draw a “self portrait “ that symbolizes them, we go for walks (thankful for an indoor track!), I’ve had sessions where we write back & forth because it’s too painful for the students to speak.
How to Make a Playlist
4. I love the coloring books idea. In elementary, I have a cool down bucket filled with fidgets. I let kids vent too and empathize with them. Sometimes just allowing students to be heard helps. Fidgets for Teens 5. Offer the parents for their kids to attend group counseling at the school with me! And constantly look for community resources that can suit the needs.
How Do You Get Parent Buy-In For Counseling Services by Confident Counselors 6. Teaching self-care and coping techniques have been extremely helpful. Last year, I got to spend a whole period with each of my freshmen English classes to do progressive relaxation, coloring, and self-care plans. 80 Self Care Activities for Teens 7. Coloring, journaling, fidgets, and making self-care kits are my top go to strategies. Fidgets are Tools Not Toys by Confident Counselors 8. Stress balls, music, and a coworker had a bowl of sand with mini-rakes in it that worked wonders. I often went in her office and used it too!!! Sand Trays 9. Coloring, journaling, fidgits, walking the track, playing b-ball, making crafts, progressive muscle and deep breathing techniques, small group counseling, sensory breaks throughout day. 50 Therapeutic Journal Prompts for Teens and Adults
4. I love the coloring books idea. In elementary, I have a cool down bucket filled with fidgets. I let kids vent too and empathize with them. Sometimes just allowing students to be heard helps. Fidgets for Teens 5. Offer the parents for their kids to attend group counseling at the school with me! And constantly look for community resources that can suit the needs.
How Do You Get Parent Buy-In For Counseling Services by Confident Counselors 6. Teaching self-care and coping techniques have been extremely helpful. Last year, I got to spend a whole period with each of my freshmen English classes to do progressive relaxation, coloring, and self-care plans. 80 Self Care Activities for Teens 7. Coloring, journaling, fidgets, and making self-care kits are my top go to strategies. Fidgets are Tools Not Toys by Confident Counselors 8. Stress balls, music, and a coworker had a bowl of sand with mini-rakes in it that worked wonders. I often went in her office and used it too!!! Sand Trays 9. Coloring, journaling, fidgits, walking the track, playing b-ball, making crafts, progressive muscle and deep breathing techniques, small group counseling, sensory breaks throughout day. 50 Therapeutic Journal Prompts for Teens and Adults
10. "Quiet Time/Tea Time" - specifically one student who comes and asks for tea when she’s “frazzled”; walk around the building or outside on nice days; Hoberman Sphere; Play Dough Time. Hoberman Sphere for Breathing Five Ways to Use Play Dough in Counseling by Confident Counselors 11. Teaching about the fight/flight/freeze response and what’s happening in their mind/body and explaining why we get anxiety is SO POWERFUL and so easy. Dr. Dan Siegel's upstairs/downstairs brain is a game changer for all students, not just those with a diagnosis.
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| Dr. Siegel's Hand Model of the Brain |
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