Term 1 Week 9

From the School Counsellor - This week, some Honouring Otis Observations around Anxiety and School Related Anxiety (with links to further information and parent / carer tips and support strategies).

Honouring Otis Observations 

– Helping young people to adapt and respond,  

to be resilient to difficulties and self-regulate (learnt first through co-regulation) - 

Anxiety is a word I hear regularly these days, we can all experience it, at various levels and it can affect us in different ways.  A small amount of anxiety can be helpful with motivating us to achieve tasks (especially when there’s a deadline!), but for others it can take a hold and interfere with our daily living. There is a difference between experiencing occasional feelings of anxiety (along with its support crew of stress, worry, fear, shame... to name a few) versus struggling with problem anxiety (and possibly an Anxiety Disorder).   

The biology of anxiety is intricate, with many brain systems involved. It is important to know that avoidance of the things that make us anxious can be like adding petrol to a bonfire. Whilst avoidance is an adaptive protective response to something we fear, like a threat (whether perceived or real), it can fuel feelings of anxiety, causing it to grow and feel overwhelming.  When we are supported to face our fears and be brave (with a gradual, stepped approach), it allows our brain to switch out of survival mode and learn that we can feel both anxious and still be ok (even though it may be difficult and uncomfortable). 

Some children experience anxiety (for many different reasons) related to attending school or returning to school after holiday breaks (only 6 more sleeps, where did this term go?).  These links have some information regarding possible signs and support strategies / tips for parents / carers  to help manage school related anxiety.  Awareness of, and early intervention, are the best preventative strategies before it escalates to a school refusal situation, so please reach out to your class teacher if you have concerns.  This helps us to be Together Terrys providing an Inclusive Iggy supportive response to our amazing Growing Gilbert MDPS students.  

Week 7 - Illuminating the School Counsellor (SC) Possibilities

With the start of a new year, I thought it would be timely to illuminate the SC role, sharing some general purpose information about the TCS service delivery model that underpins the scope and purpose of the role, as well as some practical information about the SC role possibilities here in the MDPS community. 

TCS SC Role / Purpose - in terms of individual sessions with students, the scope of the SC role is to focus on supporting the wellbeing of the students to engage in their learning at school, by providing short term, brief, solutions-focussed interventions.  If there are challenges needing long term / ongoing therapeutic support for students, then parents and students can be supported by the SC to navigate pathways and systems for a variety of external providers.   Supporting the wellbeing of students to engage in their learning has many possibilities, including supporting the staff and parents to support the students in a variety of ways across the 3 tiers outlined below. 

TCS service delivery is based on a Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) with 3 tiers.  Essentially, Tier 1 is universal intervention / prevention ('to the many').  This support is often provided by our dedicated Class Teachers (ensuring it happens in the moment, on the day, multiple times), and through the important friendship / social skills / problem solving / wellbeing strategies that are taught during the Disposition Lessons on Friday mornings every week. These lessons can be adjusted, and tailored to current / ongoing situations, to provide a Tier 2 level targeted support for the whole class / group learning (once the teacher is informed of a need). These classroom interventions require time to take place, for discussions to occur and learning applied before Tier 3 (intensive 1:1) individualised interventions are provided. If Tier 2 strategies are not effective over time, then Tier 3 support (e.g. individual sessions with the SC) may be needed / provided.

 Referrals to the SC: There are a few referral pathways depending on the situation, the 'how', and the 'what' needs have been identified.  Typically though, if parents or carers have concerns about a child's ability to engage in learning at school, the first step is to liaise with the class teacher, so the Tier 1 and/or Tier 2 interventions can be initiated, and monitored over time to see if they've been effective.  If the need continues, there is a Student Support Committee Review process that allows the complexity of a student's needs to be addressed and subsequent support provided to teachers, parents / carers and possibly directly with students.  The class teacher will liaise with parents / carers around this process, and possible options / actions available (including the SC consent and referral paperwork if that is an outcome). The next step would be a meeting with parents / carers to find out the important background information, and ensure the student is a willing participant prior to sessions beginning.  Alternatively, support meetings may also happen just with teachers, and/or parents / carers, without a student referral eventuating.   

In school availability: While I work full time for TCS, the MDPS SC position is part time, working during the school term every Thursday and Friday and alternate Wednesdays (even numbered term weeks) in the school.  The students know me as Ms Karen and are likely to see me visit their classrooms throughout the year, mostly during Disposition Lessons, or at the WMC entry for Assemblies (please say hi if you are attending too), or of course one on one (if they have been referred). Professionally, I work from a non-judgemental BioPsychoSocialEducational framework, (being curious about all of those possible sources of contributing factors), understanding that behaviour is communication (often about an unmet need or not yet developed skill) and appreciate Ross Greene's philosophy of "children do well if they can".

To infinity and beyond... We have some exciting exploration possibilities happening in the wellbeing space at MDPS this year, which I am sure Michael will illuminate in the near future.  So, stay tuned for that whole of school process, and some regular latest news contributions from myself as well.  I look forward to supporting and getting to know more of our MDPS community in 2024.

Separation Anxiety - Webinar for Parents and Carers

Peaceful Parents Workshop

Lifeline - Supporting Children After Separation counselling Program information

Introducing WellBe

Mater Dei is trialing WellBe in 2022. WellBe connects social and emotional learning, holistic wellbeing measurement and engaging content to deliver classroom productivity, student agency and positive student wellbeing. 

WellBe is a university-designed measurement and monitoring of physical, social, emotional and psychological wellbeing. 

There are 2 measuring tools: 

1. Survey of 20 questions that will be completed by each student at minimum once per term 

1. An eCheckIn once a day or more (will vary from class to class) where students identify which character they identify with – please see the characters below 

Classrooms are beginning to learn about, understand and use these characters to enhance their wellbeing at school. 

f you’d like to know more please go to https://wellbeplatform.com/ and if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call or email me christina.peak@twb.catholic.edu.au