School counselors at Indian Mills Memorial Middle School and Indian Mills Elementary School have recently created a “Coffee with the Counselors” presentation about mental health awareness for children. The topics range from anxiety, depression, ADHD and suggested coping mechanisms.
The introduction of “Coffee with the Counselors” comes as Indian Mills Elementary School counselor Stacey Boyle-Weller and Indian Mills Memorial Middle School counselor Ryan Vaux discovered a need for mental health awareness among the Shamong Public Schools community.
Boyle-Weller explained that the idea to partner for this program blossomed as a result of the COVID pandemic, and the pair wanted to step forward to help. In addition to this, the idea of involving the Shamong parent community came from Boyle-Weller’s ‘monthly counselor corner’ which goes out in Thursday packets.
“Talking to Ryan about kids coming back to school and feeling anxious and just the state of the world, we thought maybe parents would like to hear from us,” Boyle-Weller said.
Virtual meetings are now being held for parents of children at the elementary school and middle school level. These meetings allow parents to sit down with the counselors and hear how teachers are helping students who show signs of anxiety and how parents can support their own children beyond the classroom.
Topics introduced at the most recent meeting on Feb. 17 from 10 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. included anxiety, depression and ADHD and how parents can stay informed on signs of anxiety in children, which will follow with a presentation on coping mechanisms at the end of the month.
“We thought about what would be very beneficial for parents to hear about right now and we’re both comfortable speaking on the topics of anxiety and coping skills,” Boyle-Weller said.
Along with an informative presentation, the counselors also provided resources available to the parents such as “10 Tips for Parenting Anxious Children” from WebMD, and “Tips for Parents and Caregivers” from the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. Tips included staying calm when your child becomes anxious about a situation or event and recognize and praise small accomplishments.
Other resources included “15 Books for Kids with Anxiety”, recommended by educators such as “Is a Worry Worrying You?” by Ferida Wolff and Harriet May Savitz for students in preschool through second grade. This book invites kids to think about creative ways to solve worrying problems.
Another option includes , “My Anxious Mind: A Teen’s Guide to Managing Anxiety and Panic” by Michael A. Tompkins and Katherine Martinez for ages seven and up. This book presents how the proper nutrition, sleep and exercise can help manage anxiety.
The counselors also suggested local sources in Burlington County for those in need of medical attention, but advised parents to check with their insurance carriers first before pursuing any options.
Boyle-Weller spoke about the importance of reaching the parents in the elementary and middle school level to let them know they have support.
“You can pick up any newspaper or see anything on your Google feed when you look at your phone on the state of mental health and kids in the country right now,” Boyle-Weller said. “And we really need to do all we can to help kids with that, and one of the ways in doing that, in addition to meeting with kids and doing classroom guidance lessons and small groups and individual counseling, is to help parents help their own children.”
She continued on how “Coffee with the Counselors” will help others bring that message forward.
“I think it will help parents feel more comfortable in talking with their kids about their mental health needs,” she said.
