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The Chill

A Wellness Newsletter for Students

One of the things I took away from my internship as a school counselor is that there is just not enough hours in a day! The assumed goal to is tend to all students in need of support-- but with over 500 students and just two counselors, this was clearly a challenge. In an effort to reach every student and promote social emotional learning, I created a Wellness Newsletter. "The Chill" is the school's first publication for students. Every three to four months, through the school year, a new issue was released-- covering topics such as stress, relationships, gender, culture diversity, etc.

After the first issue was published, I was overwhelmed with the amount of positive feedback and participation from the students, teachers, and faculty. The Chill quickly became an outlet for discussion and expression. It initiated conversation about sensitive subjects and provided an opportunity to share traumatic stories, ultimately building stronger connections and support within the school community. 

So, here it is! The first edition of The Chill! Stay tuned next week for the 2nd issue focusing on Culture and Diversity!

The chill #1 final (1) from Alexandra Rupp

Mental Health in Schools

Mental Health in Schools from Alexandra Rupp

Protective Factors in Adolescent Resiliency

Many studies throughout history reveal that when an adolescent is exposed to trauma or risks, they are more likely experience a negative developmental trajectory, mental and emotional risks, behavioral issues, and delinquency. Although, there are a number of protective factors that encourage resiliency in adolescent development. Emma Werner’s longitudinal study found that one third of all high-risk children displayed resiliency. Those who avoided continuity developed into caring, competent and confident adults despite their problematic developmental histories (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emmy_Werner). According to Sroufe (2005), there is a great variation in how well children develop in the face of some known risk, and some children who are troubled for a period get better, while others do not. Werner and fellow researchers found that resilient individuals had a strong bond with a nonparent caretaker (such as an aunt, babysitter, or teacher) and were involved with groups in their community (Wikipedia.org).

In addition to adolescent support, Stress appears to be another factor affecting resiliency. When children positively adapt and change to risks or trauma, studies show increased support, decreased stress, or both. According to Sroufe (2005), children with and without serious levels of stress may be distinguished by the supports that are concurrently present. From my experience as a mental health counselor with both adults and children, I have noticed their to be a correlation between stress and support. When a client has a history or an increase in support, their stress levels are generally low or decrease. Overall, A supportive, positive care system is a major protective factor for resiliency because adolescents desire the acceptance by those in their immediate environment. Substantial support and encouragement from parents, teachers, peers, and the community will foster resiliency in the affected adolescent.

Collaborate Discussion: Development of Values in School aged Children

This week’s collaborate session covered school aged children ranging from 6- 12 years of age. During the discussion, we weighed the benefits and disadvantages of homeschooling a child. Everyone seemed to be in agreement that a homeschool setting doesn’t provide the social environment that children need to socially develop and build relationships. One of my peers made a comment of how a child may not learn how to interact with peers of the same age range and have the tendency to be antisocial. In my opinion, a child that is homeschooled may have issues collaborating in groups or working with a team later in life. Homeschooled children do not have the opportunity to work with other kids their age and will likely show difficulty in accepting and utilizing information that others have to offer. They may depend more on independent thinking and lack the insight offered by others. Another classmate mentioned that the benefits of homeschooling could depend on the urban or suburban area of the school. A co-worker of mine has decided to homeschool her school aged daughter because the school system in her area is not academically successful and does not foster further education.

Ugly Ted

Another part of the discussion was on the three common values among children (ages 6-11). I think that these values encourage children to bully others or accept bullying behaviors from others. Its interesting to think how a child won’t express to an adult figure that they are being bullied to avoid being called a tattletale. In some cases, children who speak up about their mistreatment from a peer or peers face harsher bullying than before they told an adult. I like the idea of using an “Ugly Ted”  teddy bear to teach children about tolerance, acceptance, and the differences among them. I think a child becomes more aware of how their behavior affects others when they are asked to put themselves in another’s shoes. I think this is a useful technique when working with adults as well.

Children aim to be similar to their peers but it is obvious that there are some apparent differences that might separate a child from their peers. This made me reflect on my adolescents and the friends I made at school. It is true that children, at such a young age, begin to identify themselves with peers of similar backgrounds. They also begin to call the friends that they share the most interests with as their best friend. I remember making clubs with girls in my class where we shared a common in boys, the Spice Girls, and glittery pens.  

Collaborate Discussion: "What does it mean to be a Social Worker"

Social Work is a profession devoted to helping people to solve and cope with the challenges they face in their everyday lives. Professionals in this field are dedicated to facilitating change and shaping healthy social environments for individuals, families, and communities, particularly those who have been underserved and underrepresented.  Overall, Social Workers provide versatile, creative, and culturally sensitive service in a variety of settings and with diverse populations.

All exceptional Social Workers share the same values of service, social justice, respect, human relationships, integrity, ethical principles and competence while interacting with others.  Social Workers treat each person in a compassionate and respectful manner, being mindful of individual differences and cultural diversity. Keeping this in mind, a Social Worker provides services and assistance to empower, connect, and advocate for groups in society.

My passion for strengthening human relationships is an important principle of Social Work. I encourage people to collaborate their efforts with those who share similar beliefs and interests in the change they wish to accomplish. To me, Social Work is a broad profession dedicated to maximizing the well-being of society. As a Social Worker, I contribute to the increase of positivity in our surroundings. I work to alleviate the struggle or pain confronted by various groups in our society. A Social Worker is a person who possesses the appropriate empathy and rational thought and experience to help those in need!

Click here to see my post on "Why Social Work"