Resources
Whether you're a student seeking to better understand yourself, a parent navigating the challenges of raising a child, or an educator looking to enhance your practice, I've curated a collection of valuable resources to empower you on your journey.
My Favorite Resources
Explaining Assessments to Kids
Having children and teens complete an assessment can cause some anxiety. This link, from one of my favorite psychologists, will help you consider different ways to explain the process.
This video might also help kids understand the process.
Learning Disabilities
An oldie but still a goodie! Understood.org has great resources for children, parents, and teachers regarding a variety of different learning disabilities. There are also some websites with information and support for specific disabilities such as Made by Dyslexia.
Neuro-affirming Resources
Neuro-affirming approaches have been picking up popularity over the last 10 years. Some of the best resources are those coming from within the neurodivergent community. Here are just a few of the amazing resources I've used over the years:
Emotional Supports
While emotional support in the home or school will not replace therapeutic services with a professional, it is helpful to have a certain amount of shared mental health language and coping skills in place with your children or students.
I might use YogaBugs for younger students to help with visualizations and introduce meditation. The Breath, Think, Do with Sesame app can also be helpful for younger children. As students get older, students might use apps such as Calm, iBreathe, or Headspace (also available on Netflix).
Using the movie Inside/Out helps develop emotional intelligence for elementary-age students. The first movie also refers to the transition process connected to moving. There is also a great series on Netflix called Brain Child and in season 1, episode 6, they break down emotions. For secondary students, Netflix has a show called The Mind, Explained that looks at memory, anxiety, and mindfulness.
For teens, Daylio is one of my favorites to track emotions. This allows students to reflect in sessions and identify triggers.
Happify is a cute website to help challenge negative thinking and form new positive thinking habits. I would recommend this to tweens and teens.
Please note, it is recommended that you watch any of the videos ahead of time and you might even watch it with your child/student to have healthy discussions around the topic.
Additional Digital Tools for Support
Remember that online tools are useful after students are taught how to use them. Most students need support before using these independently.
Goblin Tools AI is a great tool to help with breaking down assignments.
Trello or Padlet are great for secondary students needing assistance with task management.
Magic School AI has tools to help create social stories.
Pomofocus is a tool that can assist students with time management.