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Summer Street Counselor Corner

with Ms.Hunt

Summer StreetCounselor Cornerwith Ms.Hunt
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Happy March SSS!

I hope everyone had a fun and restful vacation week- it's hard to believe February is over! This month we are working on the A in STARS, which is Acceptance. How can you demonstrate acceptance at SSS? At home? In your community?


Check out the newsletter below for fun DIYs and informative information on all things SEL!

What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary What to Say to Kids When the News is Scary

What to say to kids when the news is scary : Parenting: Difficult Conversations

What to say to kids when the news is scary : Parenting: Difficult Conversations

Whether a school shooting or a deadly tornado, scary events in the news can leave parents struggling to know when - and how - they should talk with their kids about it. Rosemarie Truglio of Sesame Workshop and Tara Conley, a media studies professor at Montclair State University, give us tips.

launch npr.org

Smoother Homework Time Smoother Homework Time

Strategies to Make Homework Go More Smoothly - Child Mind Institute

Strategies to Make Homework Go More Smoothly - Child Mind Institute

Here is the best guide to helping kids do homework successfully that we've seen, published by the National Association of School Psychologists on their website, NASPonline.org. Our thanks to NASP for sharing it with us. There are two key strategies parents can draw on to reduce homework hassles.

launch childmind.org

Helping Kids Make Friends Helping Kids Make Friends

Kids Who Need a Little Help to Make Friends - Child Mind Institute

Kids Who Need a Little Help to Make Friends - Child Mind Institute

Every parent knows schoolyard friendships are important. Friends enrich our lives, boost our self-esteem, and provide the moral support we need when we're memorizing multiplication tables. Developmentally speaking, making a friend in school is every bit as important as getting an A.

launch childmind.org

Big Feelings Read Aloud Big Feelings Read Aloud

Big Feelings - Read Aloud With Author Alexandra Penfold | Brightly Storytime Together

All feelings are okay to have! Some feelings are going to be bigger than others. Follow along as these kids work through their big feelings throughout the day and still find a way to play with each other.

Change Negative Thinking Patterns Change Negative Thinking Patterns

How to Change Negative Thinking Patterns - Child Mind Institute

How to Change Negative Thinking Patterns - Child Mind Institute

Children can be their own worst critics. This is particularly true for kids with mental health disorders, who may be especially down on themselves. They can get stuck in negative thinking patterns that contribute to depression, amp up their anxiety, or make painful emotions feel overwhelming.

launch childmind.org
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Lynn Lyons Podcast on Parent Traps That Feed Anxiety

Lynn Lyons is an international speaker and psychotherapist based in Concord, New Hampshire who helps children and families manage anxiety disorders. In this episode, Lynn discusses how while parents may mean well, they are feeding their child's anxiety. Lynn "looks at patterns of inconsistency...and the important distinction between emotional availability and emotional enmeshment."


Podcast Link

Supporting v. Enabling Supporting v. Enabling

Supporting vs Enabling - Child Mind Institute

Supporting vs Enabling - Child Mind Institute

Why do parents spoon-feed babies, but expect healthy fourth graders to feed themselves? Because babies aren't able to do the task alone, but older kids can. One of the basic ways we distinguish support from coddling is by assessing what children are capable of doing.

launch childmind.org

Avoid Passing Anxiety On To Your Kids Avoid Passing Anxiety On To Your Kids

How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids - Child Mind Institute

How to Avoid Passing Anxiety on to Your Kids - Child Mind Institute

Witnessing a parent in a state of anxiety can be more than just momentarily unsettling for children. Kids look to their parents for information about how to interpret ambiguous situations; if a parent seems consistently anxious and fearful, the child will determine that a variety of scenarios are unsafe.

launch childmind.org
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Mindful Breathing Wand

Create your own breathing wand! Taking mindful breaths is easier said than done. Have a physical tool to help you focus on your breathing is a great strategy to stay present in the moment. This activity only requires a pipe cleaner and some beads! Make as many as you like in all different shapes and colors, then start practicing some mindful breathing!


Breathing Wand Instructions

Traumatic Grief Traumatic Grief

What Is Traumatic Grief?

What Is Traumatic Grief?

by Steph Coelho, medically reviewed by Jacquelyn Johnson, PsyD Traumatic grief is a form of grief that happens in response to a sudden, unexpected loss. Grieving is always difficult. And when a loss is sudden, coping in the aftermath can feel impossibly hard.

launch newporthealthcare.com
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I'm on Twitter!

Ms.Hunt is on Twitter. Follow my page for SEL updates, articles, and other helpful tips throughout the school year! @MsHuntSSS

Mindful Apps Mindful Apps

Calm
Headspace
Breathe, Think, Do

Parent Resources Parent Resources

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School Adjustment Counselor Website

Looking for more resources? Check out the Adjustment Counselor website for SEL information, resources, and more!


Adjustment Counselor Website

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William James College Interface Referral Service

The Interface referral service is a mental health and wellness referral help line. Callers from Lynnfield are matched with licensed mental health providers from their database within an approximate two week period of time and are matched by location, insurance and specialty needs of the caller.

The number to reach is 888-244-6843 and they can be reached Monday-Friday from 9-5.


***Please note that there are currently long wait times when you call the service. If you cannot get through when you call, feel free to leave a voicemail and they will call you back. Waitlist times for services are dependent upon families individual needs and can be from several days to several weeks.***


https://interface.williamjames.edu/

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A Healthy Lynnfield Mental Health Resource List

We are including this comprehensive list as it is a great resource for mental health resources in our area.


https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-xLJDUNz7g-oD6e-3Rmclvw75nmSWzQJ/view

Hand Hold MA
"You might be noticing your child is struggling in new ways, or that old problems are getting worse. We’ve curated a collection of resources that you can try at home today and organizations that we know can help."
Therapy Matcher
"Therapy Matcher provides free, personalized, and confidential referrals to licensed social workers across Massachusetts."

Previous Newsletters

February

January

December

November

October

September

Contact Me

Heather Hunt, MSW, LCSW

School Adjustment Counselor

Summer Street School

Email: hunth@lynnfield.k12.ma.us

Phone: (781) 334-5830 x3821

Twitter: @MsHuntSSS

Pronouns: she/her/hers (why I identify my pronouns)

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