PSB Student Services

09/16/2023

Helping Children with Weather Event Worries - Tips for Grown Ups

09/29/2022

Helping children after a natural disaster: Tips for parents and educators.

These tips are also relevant for us adults. Take care of ourselves to help take care of each other. ❤️

National Association of School Psychologists

https://www.nasponline.org/resources-and-publications/resources-and-podcasts/school-safety-and-crisis/natural-disaster-resources/natural-disasters-brief-facts-and-tips?utm_content=bufferc032d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer&fbclid=IwAR0N-E0O_c2ZhQUgxdSSlykSG7EeUh4oo2QGzcGKxMoFIEFQVRKZmoOYeXg

02/28/2022

Welcome to Week 8 of Mindful Mondays! This post provides something for everyone.

There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series has focused mostly on self-regulation, which is basically how we respond to stress.

In Week 8, it’s time for a bit of silliness. What does this have to do with mindfulness??

“If you can’t be silly, you can’t be free.”
– from Ten Percent Happier

In comedy, timing is everything. Sometimes life really isn’t funny. Obviously (and importantly!) it’s entirely up to you as to when you choose to do an exercise like this. But some stressful moments can also be a great opportunity to introduce a laugh. Silliness and laughter can get us out of the spinning wheel of negative thought and emotion. They reduce stress levels in several different ways: by activating several different organs, change in muscle tone, release of neurotransmitters in the brain associated with well-being, and an increase in our sense of connection to others.

Here are some options for building self-regulation skills – and for entertainment!

#1: indulge your silliness and name that mood with the Mood Walk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k32x-_aYI4

#2: “affirmations” with a fit Australian person
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SQbEMVBrqg

#3: an over-the-top lesson on self-regulation (especially when faced with cookies)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9PnbKL3wuH4

That’s a wrap for our Mindful Mondays series! We hope that trying even one of these, even only the once, was helpful for even the shortest period of time. Next week, we will post a summary and links to all the exercises, so you can find them all in one place. Feel free to explore any and all of the source websites to continue your mindfulness journey.

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Additional info:

Video #1 …
Naming our emotions and paying attention to how they feel in our bodies can go a long way toward learning to self-regulate. Here is some more information on how to go about it, especially with children.
https://childmind.org/article/how-to-ask-what-kids-are-feeling-during-stressful-times/
Got a teen? Dr. Dan Siegel has done a lot of work on the developing teen brain. More information and resources can be found here: https://drdansiegel.com/resources/

Videos #2 and #3 …
Here are a couple of articles that explain what is happening within and among us when we laugh.
From the Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress-relief/art-20044456
From Advances in Physiology Education: https://journals.physiology.org/doi/full/10.1152/advan.00030.2017

For a sampling of mindfulness for adults on various topics from Ten Percent Happier:
https://www.tenpercent.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/TenPercentHappier/videos

Thank you to our colleagues and partners in Student Services!
from the Psychology team: Robin Anne Ettles, M.A.Ps., Maggie MacFarlane, M.A.S.P., & Christina Gallant-MacLean, M.A.
Lana MacIsaac, Information Technology Facilitator
The School Therapy OT team
and Terri MacAdam, Director of Student Services, for giving the green light for this project.

Explore, name and act out your emotions as you go on a mood walk with Blazer Fresh.Subscribe To GoNoodle for more FUN kids videos: https://www.youtube.com/c/...

02/22/2022

Welcome to Week 7 of Mindful Mondays! Link A for CHILDREN

We’ll be posting a mindfulness exercise each Monday for a total of 8 weeks. Most exercises are ABOUT 5 MINUTES! There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series will focus mostly on self-regulation. Self-regulation is basically how we respond to stress.

In Week 7, let’s get moving in a different way this time! Getting our brain and body reconnected with yoga can be a great refresher.

Animal yoga for younger kids:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WS70O0Del7I

Flow yoga for all of us!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4-tz1XR0gI

Feel free to give either (or both) a try today. Maybe again tomorrow. Or even every day this week if you can! The more we practice, the more it is likely to be helpful.

For the grown-ups: any exercises geared toward kids can be helpful for us, too. Feel free to test them out by doing them with your child.

After each exercise, take a moment. Do you and your child feel about the same as before you did the exercise? Do you notice any difference? You may prefer some exercises over others. That said …

See you next Mindful Monday!

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Additional info:

Yoga is older than all of us put together, and then some! The word ‘yoga’ means ‘yoke’ in Sanskrit. When we spend a lot of time focusing mentally, our bodies tend to miss out on our attention. Muscles become stiff, oxygen and blood don’t flow as well, etc. Yoga is a mind-body workout that promotes the well-being of our whole selves.

The animal yoga video above is from the Mindmasters 2 mindfulness program created with the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario. Here is the link to the full program, with lots of info about and mindfulness exercises for children:
https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/resources-and-support/mindfulness.aspx

There are lots of articles about yoga and its benefits. This one sums them up well.
https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga/

Watch and follow along with these kid-friendly yoga poses from the MindMasters 2 program. View the full program at www.cyhneo.ca

02/22/2022

Welcome to Week 7 of Mindful Mondays! Link B for TEENS and adults

We’ll be posting a mindfulness exercise each Monday for a total of 8 weeks. Most exercises are ABOUT 5 MINUTES! There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series will focus mostly on self-regulation. Self-regulation is basically how we respond to stress.

In Week 7, let’s get moving in a different way this time! Getting our brain and body reconnected with yoga can be a great refresher. Here are a few options:

Flow yoga for all of us!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4-tz1XR0gI

Chill Yoga with Adriene:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLS9uQQQyB0

And a stress buster one – nice and short, but maybe best for those with a little more yoga experience:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQFf38xeBww

Feel free to give any (or all) of these a try today. Maybe again tomorrow. Or even every day this week if you can! The more we practice, the more it is likely to be helpful.

For the grown-ups: any exercises geared toward kids can be helpful for us, too. Feel free to test them out by doing them with your teen (or on your own!).

After each exercise, take a moment. Do you and your child feel about the same as before you did the exercise? Do you notice any difference? You may prefer some exercises over others. That said …

See you next Mindful Monday!

-----------

Additional info:

Yoga is older than all of us put together, and then some! The word ‘yoga’ means ‘yoke’ in Sanskrit. When we spend a lot of time focusing mentally, our bodies tend to miss out on our attention. Muscles become stiff, oxygen and blood don’t flow as well, etc. Yoga is a mind-body workout that promotes the well-being of our whole selves.

There are lots of articles about yoga and its benefits. This one sums them up well.
https://osteopathic.org/what-is-osteopathic-medicine/benefits-of-yoga/

Feel the flow and get your stretch on with this quick video! Flexibility is an important part of keeping your muscles strong and healthy. Just 5 minutes of s...

02/15/2022

Virtual Presentation on the Disability Tax Credit and the Registered Disability Savings Plan hosted by the Autism Society and Stars for Life

https://mailchi.mp/9e93c5c63a05/virtual-presentation-on-the-disability-tax-credit-and-the-registered-disability-savings-plan-hosted-by-the-autism-society-and-stars-for-life?e=[UNIQID]

The Autism Society of PEI and the Stars for Life Foundation for Autism will be hosting a virtual information presentation on Wednesday, February 23rd from 7:00-8:30pm.

02/14/2022

Welcome to Week 6 of Mindful Mondays! Our post is for kids, teens, and adults again this week.

We’ll be posting a mindfulness exercise each Monday for a total of 8 weeks. Most exercises are UNDER 5 MINUTES! There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series will focus mostly on self-regulation. Self-regulation is basically how we respond to stress.

For Week 6, here is the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding exercise. This is demonstrated by our very own Christina Gallant-MacLean, Psychologist – and her dog, Millie!

https://youtu.be/Be1uL01oJlw

Check out the comments section for two handy options for a reminder of the steps.

Feel free to give this exercise a try today. Maybe again tomorrow. Or even every day this week if you can! The more we practice, the more it is likely to be helpful.

After each exercise, take a moment. Do you and your child feel about the same as before you did the exercise? Do you notice any difference? You may prefer some exercises over others. That said …

See you next Mindful … Tuesday (following the long weekend)!

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Additional info:

Similarly to last week’s Five Finger Breathing, this week’s 5-4-3-2-1 grounding makes use of our senses. Our senses tell us what is happening in the world around us in this very moment. This can help us feel more grounded, and reduce stress in the short term. If we keep practicing, it can have benefits in the long term, too.

Then there’s the outdoors – which can have positive effects on the brain even after a short period of time. Outdoor recess matters for all of us!

https://www.apa.org/monitor/2020/04/nurtured-nature

https://childmind.org/article/anxiety-and-coping-with-coronavirus/

Thanks to the Middletown Centre for Autism (www.managing-change.middletownautism.com) for the checklist provided in the comments.

02/07/2022

Welcome to Week 5 of Mindful Mondays! This week’s post is for everyone – kids, teens, and adults.

We’ll be posting a mindfulness exercise each Monday for a total of 8 weeks. Most exercises are UNDER 5 MINUTES! There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series will focus mostly on self-regulation. Self-regulation is basically how we respond to stress.

For Week 5, here is the Five Finger Breathing exercise! Thanks so much to our own Maggie MacFarlane, Psychologist with the Public Schools Branch, for this one.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1XlZ_yai0p-bySKdg9I5lgDf50fHeIwQ1/view?usp=sharing

Feel free to give this exercise a try today. Maybe again tomorrow. Or even every day this week if you can! The more we practice, the more it is likely to be helpful.

After each exercise, take a moment. Do you and your child feel about the same as before you did the exercise? Do you notice any difference? You may prefer some exercises over others. That said …

See you next Mindful Monday!

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Additional info:

As Maggie said in the video, the Five Finger Breathing technique brings in seeing, feeling, and awareness of multiple locations (both of your hands, your breathing, etc.). Multisensory techniques can help with focus and calm, especially when we’re feeling particularly anxious. The purpose is to get out of the spinning wheel of thoughts or stress in order to give yourself a break from them. It won’t solve all your problems – but even the smallest break might bring a little more perspective or energy.

This was a super short explanation as to how this exercise works. If you’re interested in a more detailed, neurosciency explanation, Dr. Jud Brewer has one! He also provides a demo. His brief talk and video can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QVqMaWrP-s

01/31/2022

Welcome to Week 4 of Mindful Mondays! Link A for CHILDREN

We’ll be posting a mindfulness exercise each Monday for a total of 8 weeks. Most exercises are UNDER 5 MINUTES! There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series will focus mostly on self-regulation. Self-regulation is basically how we respond to stress.

For Week 4: sleeeeeep. Wouldn’t it be nice to get even just the tiniest bit more?

for kids:
Relaxing Wind Down Body Scan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o9etQktCpI
3 Minutes Sleep / Relaxation Meditation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCmnnGMt_dw

Maybe watch both, and see which one you might like to try with your child. If it’s helpful, it can be used as often as you wish.

Not for your child, or for you? Some of the other exercises we’ve looked at so far can also help clear the way for sleep, like the 4-7-8 breathing exercise from our first Mindful Mondays post. Physical exercise – not so much! Exercise and meals are not recommended within three hours before bed.

It’s a time of extra uncertainty, which can impact our sleep. A review of the basics might come in handy. Feel free to check out our sleep infographic below (first posted last spring).

Goodnight … and see you next Mindful Monday!

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Additional info:

There are endless sleep-facilitating practices out there. Sleep stories, yoga nidra, bedtime yoga, body scan, music designed for sleep, soundscapes, white noise apps, videos of pasta making, fruit slicing, balloon sculpting … etc. Some are short, which we chose here. Some are hours long. One size does not fit all, especially for the grown-ups. Feel free to explore and find the one that works for your child – and for you! Thanks to the Headspace and Fablefy YouTube channels for this one.

A simple visualization to soothe the mind and relax the body, creating the ideal conditions for healthy, restful sleep. Try all of our wind downs plus 12 new...

01/31/2022

Welcome to Week 4 of Mindful Mondays! Link B for TEENS and adults

We’ll be posting a mindfulness exercise each Monday for a total of 8 weeks. Most exercises are UNDER 5 MINUTES! There are many, many mindfulness practices out there. Our series will focus mostly on self-regulation. Self-regulation is basically how we respond to stress.

For Week 4: sleeeeeep. Wouldn’t it be nice to get even just the tiniest bit more?

For teens and adults:
Falling Asleep
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KUQHDhS7US0
Relaxing Wind Down body scan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o9etQktCpI

Maybe watch both, and see which one you and your teen might like to try. If it’s helpful, it can be used as often as you wish.

Not for your child, or for you? Some of the other exercises we’ve looked at so far can also be effective right before bed, like the 4-7-8 breathing exercise from our first Mindful Mondays post. Physical exercise – not so much! Exercise and meals are not recommended within three hours before bed.

It’s a time of extra uncertainty, which can impact our sleep. A review of the basics
might come in handy. Feel free to check out our sleep infographic below (first posted last spring).

Goodnight … and see you next Mindful Monday!

-----------

Additional info:

There are endless sleep-facilitating practices out there. Sleep stories, yoga nidra, bedtime yoga, body scan, music designed for sleep, soundscapes, white noise apps, videos of pasta making, fruit slicing, balloon sculpting … etc. Some are short, which we chose here. Some are hours long. One size does not fit all, especially for the grown-ups. Feel free to explore and find the one that works for your child – and for you! Thanks to the MyLife and Headspace YouTube channels for this one.

A short, relaxing sleep meditation created to help you calm down and fall asleep. Bring a sense of open, calm awareness into sleep, and help reduce stress or...

01/27/2022

Parent/Guardian Guide - How to support a child around COVID-19 and getting sick during such an uncertain time.

Covid-sickness tips | Piktochart Visual Editor

01/27/2022

Tips for returning to school during COVID_19

When COVID-19 restrictions ease, students and educators must adapt and prepare for a return to schools. School staff will need to support students in the transition back to the classroom, and at the same time manage their own transition and anxiety.This article provides suggestions for school staff....