Does Your Child Worry Too Much?

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Many thanks to the Asian Pacific American Bar Association of Washington D.C.’s Working Parents Forum for inviting me to present “Does Your Child Worry Too Much?” yesterday evening!

 

We studied what is happening in a young person’s brain during times of stress and then took that Brain Science 101 knowledge to explore dozens of practical ways to help children restore a level of calm and regain their ability to problem-solve effectively.  #lookbeyondbehavior!

New Video Series to Accompany How to Be Angry Book

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I welcome the opportunity to speak live to large audiences about different aspects of child & adolescent mental health, but filming myself–that’s a whole different story!  But with a few nudges from my publisher, I filmed this 4-part video series, How to Be Assertive, that explains the neuroscience behind anger and outlines the practical skills adults can teach to children to express their anger constructively.

Covering a variety of techniques, from regulation practices to sensory-based strategies, these videos offer an easy-to-use toolkit to move a young person from every counterproductive style of anger expression, be it aggression, passivity or passive aggression, to assertiveness, the most constructive form.

 

Here’s what my early viewers are saying about the video series:

“Signe Whitson has created a powerful and accessible video series that discusses how “anger” is experienced in our nervous system. When children understand why they feel the ways they do, there is a sense of relief and empowerment that goes beyond the labels we traditionally integrate into the pathological models within the social and emotional paradigms.”

– Dr. Lori Desautels, Assistant Professor College of Education, Butler University

“In the How to Be Assertive video series, Signe Whitson shares her invaluable advice and wisdom, face-to-face. Her delightful personality and calming demeanor puts the viewer at ease and ready to learn! Signe gently teaches the viewer how children’s brains function differently from adults in a warm, sensitive, and understanding way that has truly become her hallmark. Sharing stories that are relatable, the series is peppered with defining moments of truth, glory, and authenticity. Signe’s video series empowers parents, teachers, counselors, and caregivers to feel motivated and confident to immediately put theory into practice to help children express their anger in more constructive and productive ways.”

– Carrie Tamutus, MAAT, ATR-BC Registered, Board Certified Art Therapist

 

Order your copy directly from Jessica Kingsley Publisher, here!

How to Be Angry Now Available!

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Early Press Review:

Michael McKnight – 4 Directions Seminars

 In her revised edition of How to Be AngryStrategies to Help Kids Express Anger Constructively, Signe has taken her original excellent work to an entire new level. This book integrates the current knowledge of how our brain grows and develops into this critically important topic. She has organized 20 sessions that educators, mental health workers or anyone working with children can use with children they support. It is a complete ready to use program that will help you teach children about this critical human emotion and allow them to recognize it and use anger constructively. Anger is an emotion that our children as well as the adults who serve them, can learn to feel and express in appropriate ways. This is an exceptional resource!!

  • Complete, ready-to-use program including 20 lessons
  • The book is accompanied by downloadable additional resources demonstrating the activities and offering adaptations for parents.
  • Suitable for use with children and teenagers aged 5 – 18
  • Next up: the accompanying video series, How to Be Assertive to accompany the book.  Coming soon!!

How Technology & Social Media Impact Kids’ Brains & Behavior

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Hello, everyone! 

COVID has changed our lives in countless ways, even right down to my small corner of the world of offering Coffee with the Counselor workshops for parents & caregivers.  Since our last event in March 2020, I’ve changed schools and states–but am happy to resume these events live in my new school community in Massachusetts and online via this Blog.

This month’s topic is: How Technology & Social Media Impact Kids’ Brains & Behavior 

I’ll be offering it to my home school community via Zoom on Tuesday, January 18, 2022 at 6:30pm and will post the recording link for you to view right here, following the workshop.

Below, please find some of the content and links that we won’t have time to share in the 1-hour session, but that I want to provide for you as follow up resources.

 


 

THE ZOOM LINK:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/play/OgceJXZk-BQlNc9-FIjjX4qNEjNMWLpGXaG157bvK9U_CfD24NaWhgJe8mlvz7Y7xM2lbSaOOL69igio.UiPTLTUcSKYo384d?continueMode=true

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VIDEO FROM THE POWERPOINT PRESENTATION:

Crazy effects of screentime on your brain

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SIMPLE CELL PHONE CONTRACTS:
Sample Cell Phone Contract (from VeryWell Family)
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TEXTING ACRONYMS GUIDE:
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RECOMMENDED ONLINE ARTICLES & WEBSITES

RECOMMENDED BOOKS

Screenwise: Helping Kids Survive & Thrive in Their Digital World

The Art of Screentime: How Your Family Can Balance Digital Media & Real Life

Disconnected: How to Reconnect our Digitally Distracted Kids

 

SEXTING SLIDES:

Skills for Responding to an Angry Child

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Validation is the verbal skill of helping kids regain control over their behavioral responses by putting language to their emotional state.  This simple, but powerful verbal skill can be the difference between escalating a no-win conflict with a child or helping them feel & understood in a way that improves your overall relationship.

 

Click here to read my full post on Psychology Today, featured as an Essential Read!

FIRE SALE on the 2nd edition of the LSCI textbook

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The 2nd edition of the LSCI text, Talking with Students in Conflict, was the LSCI Institute’s primary text for the last two decades. Now, however, we are proud to use the 3rd edition of the text in all of our courses and trainings!

If you’d like to own a copy for posterity, reference, or even timeless reading, we are offering a fire sale on our remaining 15 copies of the 2nd edition.

Click here to order your copy today, before they are all gone!

Anti-Bullying & School Safety Conference Resources

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Thanks so much to all who attended my Practical School-Based Strategies for Bringing an End to Bullying workshop at the NJ Anti-Bullying & School Safety Conference on 5/26/21.  I hope you learned a lot and are able to apply specific ideas with your students.

 

Here is the Zoom recording of the event:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/kYScCXw2rGM3geQl_ViFOfkGCTJGkbw4pxeYfKBSQyA88IWoyuP3bd1qTwW4dkk.e3W6oQJkX4QDsolL

Passcode: 23Pvj!q4

 

Rather than post the PPT for general audiences, please email me directly (signe@signewhitson.com) if you would like to receive a PDF version.

Here is the direct link to the screening tool for discerning rude, mean & bullying behaviors.

Please check out my 8 Keys to End Bullying book and Activity Book for additional ideas, strategies, games, discussion ideas and activities for students.

Have a great summer!

Signe

Bullying Prevention Tips from the Resilient Purpose Podcast

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Last week, I had the chance to join my friend and former LSCI Trainer extraordinaire, Doug Pfeifer for a conversation about Bullying Prevention on his podcast, The Resilient Purpose.  Please check it out here or on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0Vl_L3JeIY.

 

Great Bullying Prevention Video by IKEA

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A parent from my school just passed on this great Bullying Prevention campaign being run by IKEA.  This is such a great way to teach young people about the impact their words, tone, and voice have on all living creatures.  Such an easy & impactful experiment to do in schools!

 

Kindness Activities, Videos and Links for Kids

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I’ve had a lot of fun this school year creating “Virtual Offices” for my students to visit, even when I can’t be in their classrooms as often as I’d like due to COVID.  This month, we are celebrating Kindness in words, actions, and as a way of being.

 

Here’s a thumbnail of my Virtual Office, along with this link that you can use to enjoy it with students.  Click on the various objects and phrases in the “office” to discover all of its fun features.

 

#beknownforbeingkind

 

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