Lesson Tag: Health/Wellness

"Baby blues" are more common than most people think and can be felt in different ways by different women. Postpartum blues may be particularly intense for those who have a history of depression. JoAnn want to hear from parents about their experiences, answer questions and invite folks to share successes in addressing this challenge and any other topics that are on your mind.  At this session, Autumn and JoAnn will share ideas about

• Why the blues can take hold soon after your baby’s birth
• How to take care of yourself in the early months postpartum
• When to seek professional support. 

While you are still pregnant is a great time to build positive routines for your own self-care.  Having a clear rhythm to your day, honoring the needs of your body to be active, refuel energy, and sleep lay a great foundation for creating a rhythm once baby has arrived.  In this class we will talk about

• The value of self-care for your mood and personal organization
• What counts as self-care 
• How to build a sustainable routine that offers balance

Babies are born ready to interact and rely on parents. Yet many parents feel unprepared to care for a baby. How do you know when your baby is ready to eat, play, sleep? How do you ensure that you and your baby have a secure attachment? In this class we’ll discuss

● How babies let parents know what they need

● What is a secure attachment relationship?

● What’s important for creating a strong foundation with your baby

We hope our children will make healthy choices, form lasting, meaningful connections, and develop a strong, positive sense of self. In other words, we want them to thrive! LGBTQ+ youth face more risks to their well-being than their non-LGBTQ+ peers. Risks are even greater for people with low income and for people of color. The good news is that with the right information you can support your child through these obstacles.

After this class you will be able to:

• Identify the increased risks faced by LGBTQ+ youth
• Build a strong positive connection with your child that will help keep them safe 
• Recognize signs of peer pressure and bullying
• Recognize warning signs that your child needs more help

School refusal, also known as school avoidance, is a misunderstood and complex challenge. While school refusal is often viewed as misbehavior, in most cases students are simply too anxious to enter the school environment and, in the cases of some students, have trouble leaving their homes at all. Often, children with school refusal behaviors may complain of physical symptoms such as headaches or stomach aches before school, or repeatedly ask to visit the school nurse.

After this class you will be able to:

• Identify the ways in which your own emotions and anxiety about truancy affect your child’s recovery or escalation
• Frame the problem for yourself and child in a way that encourages confidence, patience, and compassion
• Apply ways to work with the school to support your child through this difficult time

Sometimes children don’t outgrow fears that are typical in younger children like being apart from parents or extreme fears about specific things or situations like dogs or going to the doctor’s office. Sometimes fears or worries may interfere with home, school or play activities. Sometimes children may seem irritable and angry or experience physical symptoms like stomach aches, and still other kids turn their symptoms inward causing us to miss them. In any of these cases, your child may be experiencing anxiety and will benefit from focused support and sometimes professional services. As parents, we may sometimes be inclined to help in ways that actually make symptoms worse like allowing children to avoid certain situations or getting worried about our children’s worries.

After this class you will be able to:

• Recognize symptoms of anxiety, types of anxiety and related family stressors
• Identify ways that your child manages anxiety and how to help them do so more effectively
• Apply strategies to balance between challenging your child to tolerate anxiety and letting them decide when they are overloaded.
• Define and apply self-regulation and co-regulation as effective support strategies
• Identify treatment options when needed

Your child’s brain is in a process of intense physical, cognitive and social development. They are becoming more aware of themselves and forming identity. As their brain changes and struggles to adapt to their social environment, they may be vulnerable to depression. Risk factors for depression include depression in the family, psycho-social, and environmental stressors.

After this class you will be able to:

• Recognize the risk factors for depression
• Identify red flags
• Learn strategies to support your child and foster resilience

Bullying is a topic of concern in schools across the country. With convenient access to digital devices and social media, hurtful messages are easily spread. Adding to the distress, kids can post harmful messages with anonymity, ease and without a real-time reaction from the victim. In addition, children increasingly look to peers for direction including values, identity and codes of behavior.

After this class you will be able to:

• Understand the importance of emotional intelligence and how to help your child develop it
• Apply strategies to help your child form positive peer relationships
• Understand the role of brain development in peer pressure
• Recognize bullying in its many forms
• Know what you can do to protect your child

Strong, positive parent-child relationships are the foundation of good mental health. This class will help you focus on practical strategies to build those relationships whether you grew up in families with those kinds of connections or not. After this class you will be able to:

• Recognize the connection between relationships and mental health
• Define attachment and recognize its importance for your child’s development
• Identify and apply 10 practical steps to build a strong positive relationship with your child

Parents play an important role in children’s psychotherapy. It is important that you share concerns with the therapist and with your child, participate in creating goals for treatment. Ideally child therapists work with parents to support their child’s healthy development and address symptoms in ways that help. After this class you will be able to:

• Recognize the nature of your role in your child’s therapy and how to effectively carry out that role including changing your beliefs and parenting approaches
• Identify ways to participate in goal setting with your child and their therapist
• Identify indicators of progress and when to consider ending therapy or changing therapists