StrategiesandResourcesforAddressingGiftedStudents’Social-EmotionalIssuesIAGDecember2018

SusanRakow,LPCC,Ph.D.srrakow@gmail.com

216-570-4976

Teacher?Coordinator?Counselor?

• WorkingwithGiJedKidsintheClassroom

• WorkingwithGiJedKidsasaCounselor

• WorkingwithParentsofGiJedKids

• TesOngandAssessment

HelpKidsUnderstandandLabelTheirEmotions

•  AngerisEnergy.Angerisnormal.Learnhowtomanageit.•  DepressionisoJen(thoughnotalways)angerturnedinward.• UnderstandhowthebrainprocessesemoOons•  Fistexample

•  StressisInevitable.Stressisalsoenergy.Learnhowtouseit.•  Expandkids’emoOonalvocabularybecauseeachemoOonhasdifferentwaystodealwithit.

HOWDOYOUFEEL?

EnsuringExecutiveFunctionSkills

• Howaretheserelatedtosocial-emoOonaldevelopment?

• Lackofthemcancontributetoanxiety

• Lackofthemcancontributetounderachievement

• Lackofthemcancontributetoself-esteemissues

ADD/ADHD• Over-diagnosedingiJedboys• Under-idenOfiedingiJedgirls• OJendoesn’tmanifestunOllaterthanwouldbeexpected

• Unrelatedtobeingabletofocusonvideogames/movies•  Conners,Auchenbachandotherscreeners.Workwithparentsandcounselorstocheckthisout.

PerfectionismandUnderachievement

• WhatisPerfecOonism?•  PerfecOonismParalysis

•  PerfecOonismandAnxiety

•  PerfecOonismandDefiance•  Excellent,notPerfect•  Thelanguageweusema`ers

•  Workwithparentsaboutgrades

BibliotherapyforPerfectionism

• WhatToDoWhenGoodEnoughIsn’tGoodEnough:TheRealDealonPerfecOonism(ThomasGreenspan)

• Nobody’sPerfect:AStoryforChildrenAboutPerfecOonism(EllenBurns)

•  TheGirlWhoNeverMadeMistakes(byPe`andRubenstein)

•  AllowkidstofailsomeOmes.Learnitearly.

MindfulnessandRelaxation•  SmilingMind(App)•  CalmDownYogaforKids(Printable)

•  TheStressReducOonWorkbookforTeens:MindfulnessSkillstoHelpyouDealwithStress(GinaBiegel)

•  PracOceaFewofThese–•  MindfulnessforFocus

•  MindfulnessforRelaxaOon

StrategiesforHelpingwithAnxiety•  ScreenforTypesofAnxiety(SCARED)•  Bibliotherapy•  WhatToDoWhenYouWorryTooMuch:AKid’sGuidetoOvercomingAnxiety(HuebnerandMa`hews)

•  OutsmarOngWorry:AnOlderKid’sGuidetoManagingAnxiety(HuebnerandMcHale)

•  LearnedHelplessness(doingtoomuchforkids)creates/contributestoanxietyanddecreasesself-confidence•  ParentsandTeachers

UseREASONforOvercomingAnxiety

• REASON–a6stepplanforparentsandteacherstouse• R–REALISTICDetermineappropriategoals

• E–EFFORTSetsmallstepsthatmakeanefforttowardthechangeyouwanttomake

• A–ASSISTDeviseAssisOvetoolsortechniquestosupportthestepsyouset.

• S–SMILEPosiOveReinforcementthatEncourageswithoutpressure.Also,eventheDalaiLamatalksabouttheimportanceofsmiling!!

• O–OVERHEARThepowerofreferenOalspeech

• N–NICENicesmallrewardscanbemoOvaOng,especiallyforyoungchildren.

StrategiesforHelpingwithAnxiety• CHILL:A5-StepPlantoHelpChildrenPreventAnxiety(BrewerandRimm)

• C–CHANGEBADHABITSINTOGOODONES• H–HEARPARENTS’ANDTEACHERS’WORDSOFWISDOM

• I–INITIATESMALLSTEPSOFEFFORTTOWARDREASONABLEGOALS

• L–LOWERORRAISEYOURGOALSAPPROPRIATELY

• L–LEARNWHATYOUCANACCOMPLISHWITHREASONINSTEADOFANXIETY

OCDandODD• Maybeaformofortheresultofanxiety,perfecOonism,geneOcs,etc.

•  TraumaandAbuse•  ParenOngIssues

DEPRESSION•  SignsofDepression•  Notsleeping•  ChangesineaOnghabits•  SuddenretreatfrompreviouslyenjoyedacOviOes

•  Changeinfriendsandsociallife•  Changeinclothing•  Irritabilityand/orAnger

•  Self-Harm•  Cukng,Piercing,ExcessiveExercise,DrugsandAlcohol,etc.

•  EaOngDisorders•  Suicide

DEPRESSION• The“BigFive”ToHelpAddressMildDepression

• 1.Sleep• 2.Exercise• 3.HealthyandAdequateEaOngandHydraOon• 4.SocialLife• 5.MeditaOon

EmotionallyandSociallySupportiveSchoolsand

Classrooms• UnderstandingofgiJedkids(notjusttheirtestscores)•  RelaOonshipswithatleastonecaringadult•  AdequatebutnotExcessiveChallenge•  ReasonableanddevelopmentallyappropriatebehaviorexpectaOons•  DirectInstrucOoninEFSkills• OpportuniOesfor“downOme”andforexercise

•  CommunicaOonbetweenhomeandschool•  CommunicaOonbetweenclassroomteachers,giJedpersonnel,andguidancecounselors

•  AwarenessofandintervenOonwithbullyingissues•  FlexibilityandaSenseofHumor

Questions??