Counseling Corner - Week 8
"You will never speak to anyone more than you speak to yourself in your head. Be kind to yourself."
A person can speak, on average, between 140-180 words per minute. That seems like a lot until you learn that we can think an average of 4,000 words per minute! With so much inner talk going on in every minute, of every hour, for a whole day, our inner speech is a huge part of us that we could never fully relay to someone else. 80% of that inner speech is estimated to be negative, and 95% of them are thought to be repetitive. So that one awful thing you tell yourself could repeat and repeat almost all day.
Why do we do that to ourselves, and why do we let it be okay? What we say to ourselves would never be okay to say to someone else, and yet we make little effort to change it.
This week, as continued self-care, we're going to "combat," or "challenge" some of that negative self-talk. When those repetitive thoughts start getting you down, write it out or say it out loud, and slow it down. Challenge it. Ask the question if that thought is true, or valid, or if it is hurtful and bringing you down. Try self-reflection.
You are awesome! You deserve better!
https://medium.com/the-mission/a-practical-hack-to-combat-negative-thoughts-in-2-minutes-or-less-cc3d1bddb3af - Check out this site to build a two-minute exercise to fight our negative self-talk
Remember to join me for an open Zoom session on Thursday or Friday from 11-12, or email me if you want to schedule something one-on-one. https://us02web.zoom.us/j/91944011606?pwd=cXRiWDR5M2t4aXdhUHVsV1J3QVJSUT09 - This week's password is: Blackhawk
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With Care!
Mrs. Stone
Week 6 Links
https://habitlist.com/ - Habitlist is an app that can help you break bad habits and form new ones. It has tools to help you set short term daily, weekly, or monthy goals, as well as something more long-term.
https://www.edutopia.org/article/framework-student-goal-setting - Learn more about the benefits of making smart goals and how that can benefit you.
https://xello.world/en/ - Check out Xello for help learning more about academic or career goals. This is free for our students and is a wealth of information! (Log in by using your school G-mail address as user name ! Password is your g-mail password (not chrome book password) ! If password doesn’t work, send a request to your email.)
Week 5 Links
https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_to_help_teens_become_more_self_compassionate - Developing self-compassion, which is a great way to give yourself some grace, forgiveness and peace
https://rochester.kidsoutandabout.com/content/250-creative-ways-keep-your-family-sane-during-covid-19-crisis - 250 suggestions on what to do as a family to stay together
Week 4 Links
-https://www.mhanational.org/mental-health-month - This site, put together by Mental Health America has some great toolkits for keeping our mental health in check.
-https://www.pta.org/home/events/PTA-Teacher-Appreciation-Week - There are some great ideas and printouts and downloadables for showing your appreciation for the teachers in your life!
Week 3 Links
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOe_y6KKvS3PdIfb9q9pGug - Actor John Krasinski has created a YouTube Channel all about "SomeGoodNews." If you haven't seen any of his uploads in the last few weeks, take a little time to watch his take on positive news. We could all use some lighthearted reminders that there are still some awesome silver linings in the world!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLU2Y3Ev1cc or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-eSwhX5QaU - Check out either of these links for a comedic look at quarantine news at home, or parent's homeschooling students during quarantine.
Week 2 Links
https://www.cratejoy.com/box-insider/self-care-tips-and-activities-for-teens/ - This website goes a bit more in depth on the importance of self-care, and offers some suggestions to try to build those habits into your everyday life.
https://www.mindful.org/how-to-create-a-glitter-jar-for-kids/?fbclid=IwAR3J4A2DZZOGH-iStf6WbFt58nxbi8DVnnj5D1ovnRlH379DU4Jp6si_-as - This website offers a fun Do-It-Yourself activity you might want to try at home to create a Glitter Jar to focus on Mindfulness (the act of creating calmness in the here-and-now despite the chaos that may surround us). Try this with parent supervision and let me know how the guided thoughts help you!
Week 1 Links
- https://www.headspace.com/meditation/basic-meditation - This is an excellent introduction into meditation. The website and app offer a ton of guided tools to help reduce stress and anxiety, and cope with difficult times. The direct link above is a basic 5-minute introduction into the techniques. Find a quiet spot and hit play when you get a chance this week, and explore some of the other resources the site has to offer!
- https://emergency.cdc.gov/coping/selfcare.asp - This is a resource though the CDC regarding some basic thoughts on Emotional Health during a disaster or traumatic event. It provides some common signs of distress that you may want to be aware of, as well some helpful steps to take when coping during times such as these.
Student Exploratory Sheets
These sheets are a very important tool to help your student with securing their classes for next year. Please click the appropriate grade level to see the options available to them. These forms are due to the Student Services Office by Friday, February 14th.