For many children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety, the thought of returning to school and other in-person interactions has triggered increased anxiety symptoms. Early on in the pandemic many children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety may have experienced relief. They may have experienced relief from bullying and social anxiety and may have worried less about their performance and how they are perceived by others.  Studies show that some children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety reported an improvement in their symptoms of anxiety and depression since the start of the pandemic and their ability to attend school and other events remotely. Attending school virtually has decreased unpredictability and uncertainty which is the trigger for anxious symptoms in many children and adolescents. Many children and adolescents have become accustomed to attending school remotely. Therefore, some may be experiencing intensified anxious symptoms as they emotionally prepare to return to in-person school and activities.

What is Social Anxiety?

Social anxiety also referred to as Social Phobia, is a mental health condition where you may suffer from increased anxious symptoms and self-consciousness in social situations. You may experience a persistent fear of social situations and be watched or judged by others. This may affect work, school, and your other everyday activities and functioning. For children the median age of onset is 13-years-old, however, onset can also occur between the ages of 8 and 15-years-old (Psycom.Net).

For children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety, they may be easily triggered by numerous situations, including engaging in conversations with others, speaking in public, making eye contact, entering rooms, using public restrooms, reading out loud, reading out loud, going to parties, eating in front of other people, starting conversations, and going to school or work. They may experience fearfulness of being judged in social situations or embarrassment, accidentally offending another person, experiencing increased anxious thought processes during conversations, or being the center of attention. Children may experience intensified worries in social situations, including school, play dates, and sports teams.

Those who experience social anxiety may avoid social stimulation and social events engaging in the cycle of avoidance. This can later lead to low self-esteem, poor social skills, depression, and increased negative thought processes.

Social Anxiety can cause many children and adolescents to experience high distress and may harm social relationships, academic performance, self-confidence, and academic performance.

What symptoms do those with Social Anxiety Experience?

Many children who struggle with Social Anxiety experience fear and anxiety manifested as meltdowns/tantrums, clinging, crying, freezing, or refusing to speak (psycom.net).  They may also experience several physical symptoms including:

• Rapid heartbeat
• Dizziness/Lightheadedness
• Stomach distress
• Muscle tension
• Inability to catch a breath
• “Out-of-body” sensation/ Disassociation
• Shakiness/Trembling

How you can support your socially anxious child?

Parents can assist children to cope with their Social Anxiety by helping them understand the nature and meaning of their mental illness and coping with their symptoms. Parents and mental health professionals can assist children to make connections between emotional responses, physical symptoms, and triggers to begin learning how to cope. Providing psychoeducation and providing normalcy in how anxiety impacts thinking and behavior can significantly impact the ability to cope with negative emotional experiences.

Helpful Coping Mechanisms for Children and adolescents who Experience Social Anxiety:

• Relaxation Strategies
  • The first step is to assist your child to understand physical responses to anxiety within their body and relax to utilize adaptive coping strategies.
    • Deep Breathing: Deep breathing has been effectively proven to calm the rapid heart rate and slow down breathing and feelings of dizziness. You can teach your child numerous deep breathing strategies, including ocean breathing, balloon breathing, and deep belly breathing (inhale for 4 seconds, hold, exhale for 6 seconds).
    • Progressive Muscle Relaxation: For those who experience intensified anxious responses they may experience tension and stress within their muscles. Progressive Muscle Relaxation teaches children to relax muscles and release tension throughout the body from arms, neck, and shoulders to feet and legs.
    • Imagery: As our thoughts have a powerful influence on our feelings guided imagery focusing on a calming environment, such as the beach, mountains, or sky, can significantly reduce intensified anxious symptoms.
  • Problem Solving Skills
    • Children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety tend to engage in the cycle of avoidance. This may provide temporary relief, however, may worsen the anxious symptoms over time. Problems solving techniques can assist children to manage feelings of anxiety. Assisting your child to identify triggers that lead to social anxiety in order to discuss problem-solving skills can assist them to work through these anxiety-provoking themes or situations. For example, assisting your children to develop social skills through role-play and modeling can assist them to gain confidence and reduce anxiety symptoms.
  • Challenging Anxious Thoughts & Cognitive Reframing
    • Children and adolescents who struggle with social anxiety are sometimes overwhelmed with negative core beliefs which magnify anxious thoughts. They may experience anxious thoughts surrounding assuming worst-case scenario, believing that others view them negatively/struggling to differentiate between self-image verse others perceptions, personalization, etc. Therefore, examining evidence of the thoughts can reduce anxious feelings. Teaching children to recognize anxious thoughts, examine the evidence which does not support anxious thoughts, and replacing them with positive thoughts can assist in reducing anxious thoughts and symptoms.

If you would like personalized support and guidance on how you can support your socially anxious child, please call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 to schedule your complimentary consultation.

The post How You Can Support Your Socially Anxious Child first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post How You Can Support Your Socially Anxious Child appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) has had an affect on the mental health of adults, children, and teenagers. Socialization with friends and peers has been limited because of the quarantine, causing many teenagers to feel isolated and withdrawn. Now that teenagers are returning to school, the affect of COVID-19 on their mental health is even more apparent. Many activities including sports have been postponed or cancelled. Students are unable to socialize with their friends at school due to safety precautions, and some schools remain all-virtual during this time.

Many of these changes can cause teenagers to appear sad, down, disappointed, and angry or irritable. If your teenager’s mood has changed, you may be wondering how to tell the difference between sadness and clinical depression. It is valid to  have concerns about your child’s mental health during this stressful time.

 Signs and Symptoms of Depression in Teens

1. Social isolation and withdrawal. Be aware if your teen has started to isolate from family, friends and peers.
2. Negative self-talk and self-criticism. Listen to what your teen is saying. If they are making negative self-statements such as “I’m a failure,” “Everything I do is wrong,” or “I’m useless,” this could be a sign of depression.
3. Hopeless self-talk. Similarly, be aware if your teen is making hopeless statements such as “What’s the point” or “I just can’t do this anymore.”
4. Academic changes or decline. Another sign of depression may be a decline in academic performance.
5. Physical complaints, such as headaches and stomachaches, can be connected to depression.
6. Increase in reckless behaviors, including substance use. Teenagers who struggle with mental health disorders may be more likely to self-medicate using substances or engaging in other impulsive behaviors.

Talking to Your Teen About Mental Health

1. Validate, Validate, Validate. It is important to let your teenager know that you can understand things have been hard. Let them know that if you were in their shoes, you might feel the same way. Express your love, care and concern.
2. Ask them how they are feeling. Don’t make assumptions about what your observe. Encourage your teen to use ‘feeling words’ such as  ‘sad,’ ‘mad’ or ‘worried.’
3. Stick to the facts and be specific. Let your child know what symptoms and behaviors concern you. Ask them if they have noticed the same concerns. You can also ask them what they think about a particular concern (i.e. ‘I noticed your grade went from an A to a C, what do you think is going on there?’).
4. Let your child know that you want to speak to them, and choose a day and time together. This can allow them to feel they are participating in the conversation, and can also help them feel more prepared for a conversation.

 Getting Help and Support

Helping your teenager get help and support can be an important part of showing your care for them. Teenagers may want to speak to an objective person about their problems, such as a therapist or counselor. You can explore support services at your teenager’s school, such as school counselors or a Student Assistance Counselor (SAC). It can be very helpful to find a therapist for your child to speak to as well. Keep in mind that if you have safety concerns for your child, or if they are making statements about self-harm or suicide, then it is recommended for you to bring your child to a local emergency room to keep them safe.

PerformCare NJ offers a list of treatment resources and support resources for youth, parents and caregivers. You can visit their website here: PerformCare NJ Resources

The New Jersey Hopeline is a 24/7, confidential peer support and suicide prevention hotline. Hotline specialists can provide youth and family with resources and referrals for additional help during a challenging time. The phone number is 1-855-654-6735.

2nd Floor Youth Helpline is a 24/7 helpline available to youth ages 10-24, to provide support and to help come up with solutions to problems. 2nd Floor can be reached by phone or text message at 1-888-222-2222.

If you would like more information about therapy treatment services for your teenager, or for family therapy, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678 to make an appointment. You can also visit us online at Specialized Therapy.

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The post Mental Health and COVID-19: How to Talk to Teens About it appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

• Rest & Relaxation: Stress is one of the most prevalent causes of fatigue. We often react to chronic stress with a fight-flight-freeze response. “Fight” may mean increased irritability or reactivity. “Freezing” may look like shutting down or disengagement. And “flight” may entail feeling a need to escape or run away. Day to day threats, whether real or perceived, and the cascade of hormones and neuro-chemicals that follow, can leave your system depleted and in need of serious repair. Implement one new relaxation technique such as meditation, reading, journaling, listening to inspirational music or whatever allows you to feel calm.

• Sleep: Sleep is one of the most underrated tools we have. Clearly, lack of quality sleep can leave you feeling tired, but did you know that over time, being sleep deprived can set you up for mental and physical illness? Sleep is needed for cellular repair, detoxification, brain health, immunity, and balanced mood and hormones. Our non-stop culture and 24/7 access to information and entertainment can trick you into thinking of a full night’s sleep as optional. If you are struggling to fall asleep, waking in the night, or wake up and do not feel rested, start with the basics: eliminate exposure to blue light, have a wind-down routine, make sure your bedroom is sufficiently cool and dark, and avoid working in bed.

• Nutrients: Food is meant to make you feel nourished. But if what you are eating leaves you feeling fatigued, it may be due to a food sensitivity, such as gluten, poor blood sugar balance, or a lack of micro-nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Beyond avoiding sugar bombs and reading labels, focus on adding in a rainbow of vegetables each day. Eat a combination of fat, fiber and protein from whole-food sources to avoid spikes and crashes in your energy levels. Work with a practitioner to try an elimination diet or get tested to rule out any food sensitivities.

• Movement: Physical activity doesn’t have to mean a grueling workout. In fact, studies show that more moderate exercise is less likely to contribute to inflammation than a more strenuous regimen. Do what you enjoy most, whether that’s walking, biking, tennis, dancing, swimming, yoga or MIIT (moderate- or medium-intensity interval training). Movement is important for your body and mind, supporting detoxification pathways, mood, insulin sensitivity, stress, immunity, longevity, and yes, energy-balance. Speak with your health or medical practitioner prior to starting a new exercise plan, especially if you are recovering from an acute illness, have a chronic condition or suspect adrenal issues.

• Connection: Whether you are still adjusting or have already adapted to life “at home”, this can be a time of significant isolation, even for those with family or friends nearby. Detachment from significant others, withdrawal, or even a feeling of disconnection from yourself, can be read flags. If you don’t feel secure spending time with loved ones even while physically distant, outdoors, with a mask, try spending time in nature. Connection to the natural world can increase perspective, optimism, and take you beyond the four walls of your home, or your mind. Speaking of nature…

• Sunlight: You know how plants need sunlight to thrive? So do we. If you are finding yourself spending days on end indoors, this can definitely contribute to low energy and fatigue. There are plenty of ways to venture out in a safe and secure way. This may mean a walk around the neighborhood. Perhaps a day trip to a botanical garden or beach. Try hiking in a forest, boating on a lake, or even a picnic in a local park. You can even make it a point to have a meal outside on your deck, patio or yard each day. Sunlight is an important source of vitamin D and can help lift your mood, boost immunity and help you get more restful sleep.

• Tech break: More than ever, we are attached to our devices. In addition to excess exposure to blue light and its consequences for sleep, bombardment by media images of danger and suffering, or increased sedentary lifestyles, both the American Academy of Pediatrics and American Heart Association advise dramatically reducing time on tech for both children and adults. This can help combat fatigue. Even if you and your family need to stay connected for work and school, identify certain times each day or places in the home, to have a “screen-free zone” such as the dinner table or between 10pm and 8am. Experiment by staying off media for several hours or even one whole day to sense the difference in how you feel. Focus on what you will gain, such as time or energy, instead of what you will potentially miss out on.

• Functional Medicine: Many illnesses can lead to fatigue, in some cases extreme. Functional medicine uses root-cause assessment and resolution to find out why you are having the symptoms, and provides a more comprehensive plan for how to address them. If you suspect an illness such as autoimmunity, fibromyalgia, anemia, chronic fatigue syndrome, adrenal insufficiency, gut imbalance, infections, or thyroid issues, a functional medicine practitioner can help you combat fatigue and can offer a more lasting solution. Learn more at https://fxmedcenters.com/

• Therapy or coaching: Fatigue and exhaustion can be serious. Don’t ignore the signals. Depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, alcohol use disorder, and many other conditions can increase fatigue, and if you have fatigue, it can make these conditions harder to manage. If you are struggling with your emotions, mood, relationships, or traumas, consider working with a therapist. If you are interested in implementing some of the above lifestyle suggestions, but aren’t sure how, or would benefit from more support to follow through, a coach can partner with you to work toward your goals and help you make your vision a reality. Call 201-488-6678 to learn more or schedule your first appointment to help combat fatigue.

By Anna Sandbank, LCSW, INHC, CMHIMP, Director of Integrative Mind-Body Health, Specialized Therapy Associates, Fx Med Centers, Xceptional You

Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice, or replace treatment or intervention by a qualified medical or mental health professional.

The post 9 Powerful Strategies to Combat Fatigue first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post 9 Powerful Strategies to Combat Fatigue appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Apprehension about kids and technology is nothing new. Years ago, when it was first introduced, cable television was considered to be a serious risk to the healthy development of children. Today we don’t think twice about it. Closed-mindedness or even fear about new technology holds us back from developing a balanced view of the benefits and risks associated with it. The truth is that technology allows children access to invaluable resources and learning opportunities but also creates real parenting challenges.

Digital literacy and effective parenting

Digital literacy refers to the set of skills we need to survive in the digital age, including communication and collaboration on social media, the ability to find, select, and evaluate information, cultural and societal understanding, and critical thinking. Parents who spend time to become digitally literate are able to make informed decisions. They know and enforce limits appropriately. Digitally literate parents are able to effectively and fairly  moderate the duration, content, and quality of their child’s digital involvement.

Effective parenting requires a balance between flexibility and firmness. Restricting children builds resistance, while guiding them builds judgement. Several strategies to use in communicating about digital use include:

•Offer information about choices, consequences and responsibility

• Prepare, don’t scare

•Offer problem solving and guidance

•Be firm about your expectations and values. Encourage and support your child’s curiosity by demonstrating how the internet can be used as a tool for learning and self-discovery.

Prepare your children for a healthy digital behavior.

Talk to your child about internet safety and their growing digital literacy before it becomes an issue. It is important for every parent to understand that information in the cyber-universe is permanent and not difficult to retrieve to be used against you given proper motivation.  It is  very important to ask your children who they talk to online or if they have friends they only know online. Find out If they talk to someone who upsets or worries them. Make sure they feel they can come to you if they have any uncomfortable exchanges on the web. Are they sharing pictures of themselves? Make sure your child knows that they can talk to you if they are feeling pressured into sending or receiving personal or sexual images.

Warning signs of problematic digital behavior: What signs to look for.

Secretive behavior, evasive answers, excessive time spent on the internet. Upset during or after use. Late night or all-night texting. Diminished in person social contact.

Remember:
As James Baldwin states “Children have never been very good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” A parent who is constantly on their phone encourages the same behavior in their children.

At times, we may feel powerless to establish a more effective parenting style that balances between flexibility and firmness and need help of a professional to ease our mind and guide us on a more fruitful path. To get help you want, please call 201-488-6678, click here,  or fill out a form below.

The post Digital Literacy: How can Parents be Prepared first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Digital Literacy: How can Parents be Prepared appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Rewards and Consequences

Set up some rewards for yourself if you complete tasks or chores you have been avoiding. For example, if you complete that project in school, treat yourself by watching your favorite TV show or go out with your friends. When you finish the chores around the house, treat yourself to a unique dinner or snack. Rewards need to be realistic and achievable to be most effective.

Although it sounds difficult to set up consequences for yourself, it is doable. Try limiting yourself to a fun task if you don’t complete an important job. If you have difficulty keeping yourself accountable, you can ask a friend, parent, spouse, or your therapist to help you.

Ending Procrastination Now

First, identify the best times for yourself to complete a task or chore you’ve been avoiding. If you know your optimal time for working is at night, set up a time in the evening to complete your assignments. If you find yourself getting stuck in patterns of procrastinating after work, set up an activity as soon as you get home to break this cycle such as going for a walk.

Secondly, break down large tasks into smaller steps. Identify the very first, smallest step towards your goal. When we have a large task in front of us, it can be overwhelming. This can make us avoid it altogether. Yet, if you can take one small step at a time, you will find yourself moving forward with your tasks more easily. Goals should be specific rather than general, which will help you focus more on one task at a time. For example, if your goal is to ‘finish my research paper,’ start with a more specific goal for the first step, such as ‘write an introduction paragraph’ or ‘gather my resources.’

Counseling and therapy can assist you in the process of addressing reasons for procrastination and can help you best utilize these strategies.

If you would like more information about making a change to feel healthier, contact Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678 or visit us online at specializedtherapy. We look forward to hearing from you!

The post Putting an End to Procrastination (no, don’t do it tomorrow) first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Putting an End to Procrastination (no, don’t do it tomorrow) appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

•    Classroom Behavior
•    Concentration
•    Effective Listening
•    Homework
•    Memorization
•    Note Taking
•    Procrastination
•    Reading
•    Test Anxiety
•    Test Taking Strategies
•    Time Management
•    How to study for:  HISTORY; SCIENCE; MATH; FOREIGN LANGUAGE
If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, Specialized Therapy Associates (STA) just might be able to help!  STA currently has openings in their widely acclaimed Academic Success Program.  This program was developed by Dr. Joshua Shifrin and Dr. Bonnie Adams, both of whom run our psychological and academic testing services for children, one of our many child services that we offer.

Dr. Shifrin received his Ph.D. from Florida State University in a combined School Psychology and Counseling Psychology doctoral program.  Dr. Shifrin is also a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, as well as a Diplomate of the American Board of School Neuropsychology.  Dr. Shifrin has done extensive research in this field, and is the author of ‘Study Skills 365: A Study Skill For Every Day Of The Year’.

Dr. Bonnie Adams received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Fairleigh Dickinson University. Dr. Adams has extensive experience with adolescents and children undergoing academic, family, and legal challenges. She has provided testing services for school districts and Child Study Teams and counseling for adolescents, children, and families.

Register online today!

Click here for more information.

The post Academic Success Program first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Academic Success Program appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Dr. Gazzaley discusses the results of research in his lab and others’ research which demonstrates that there are limits to the amount of cognitive control our brains can bring to a situation.  Our attention is affected by issues related to selectivity, distribution of attention, sustainability of attention over time and processing speed limitations. For example, focused attention results in improved performance compared to distributed attention. Working Memory, the ability to hold information actively in our minds for brief periods of time to guide our subsequent actions, has limits both for capacity and for fidelity. In terms of issues involved with Goal Management, when it comes to Multitasking, it turns out that we can engage in two behaviors at the same time, particularly those consisting of basic motoric subroutines, e.g. walk and chew gum, but we are only able to focus our attention on one thing at a time. What people actually do while they think they are multitasking is task switching, rapidly alternating their attention back and forth between two (or more) tasks. However, task switching results in loss of accuracy and performance speed.

Dr. Rosen’s lab has specialized in looking at the effects of modern technology on our attention. The authors offer statistics indicating how pervasive the use of smartphones has become in our culture. People look at multiple screens at home, school and in the workplace. Studies show that doing so results in impaired learning, reduced amount of work performed at people’s jobs, a reduced amount of sleep and impaired driving. Impairments are also increased for children and older adults, especially those dealing with ADHD, depression, and anxiety. The authors present a theoretical model that explains why people interrupt themselves to seek more information which they say we are driven to do because before our current age of excess information, more information was helpful to our survival.

The third part of the book offers the presentation of factors supported by research, to varying levels of persuasiveness, that boost our control by making changes in our mental functioning. The strongest factor is physical exercise with cognitive exercise, video game training and meditation not far behind. Dr. Gazzaley’s lab is also researching a multimodal approach. The authors also offer suggestions for modifying our behavior that will enhance our cognitive control. These factors either improve our awareness of the costs of multitasking/task switching, limit accessibility to new information sources, decrease boredom while focusing on a single goal or reduce the anxiety that prompts people to switch to a new source of information. They offer strategies for safe driving, focusing on critical assignments, improving social interactions and improving sleep. It turns out that there are many apps for that and Dr. Gazzaley and Dr. Rosen tell you what they are. It’s all worth learning a lot more about.

The post The Distracted Mind first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post The Distracted Mind appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

To implement limits and boundaries successfully, practice is required. You will also need patience in the process of practicing limit setting. Often times, teens will try to “split” parents, meaning that they may ask one parent to engage in an activity or behavior, and then ask the other parent to try to get a different response. Sometimes, the adolescent might get a sense that one parent is “weaker” or more laid-back with rules, and they may go to that parent first to get the answer they want, even though they know their other parent won’t allow it. Therefore, being on the same page as parents together can help prevent splitting and prevent the adolescent from manipulating parents to get what they want.

Yes, your adolescent will probably be angry and might even nag one or both parents, but by sticking to your unified response and setting this limit, you can demonstrate to your teen that they cannot manipulate. Not only is limit and boundary setting important for parenting your teen, but doing so also sets a good example to your teen so they can learn to set their own limits and boundaries within their relationships with friends, peers, or future romantic partners.

So what are some ways to successfully establish limits and boundaries? First and foremost, always consult with the other parent about the teen’s request before giving an answer or making a decision. If your teen asks to go to a party and you say ‘yes,’ but then your spouse says ‘no,’ this can create a discrepancy in limit and boundary setting and cause confusion and frustration for your child. Let your child know when you will have an answer for them. If you need to consult with your spouse, tell your teen that you will let them know by the end of the day, or by the following day. Your adolescent will know that they are not being forgotten or dismissed.

When setting limits and boundaries, keep calm in your tone of voice and try to validate your adolescent’s feelings. Even if your child tries to argue with your boundary, calmly repeat it rather than argue back. This is a positive tip for parenting, but also for general communication with your child. For example, if your teen wants to go to a party: “I hear that this party is important to you, but I need to talk to your father and I’ll let you know at 6pm” or “I understand the importance of going to this party, but you cannot go tonight because of the poor grade on your report card.” In these examples, you are showing your child that you hear them and can understand, but you still stand firm on your boundary.

It is essential to set limits and boundaries that are realistic and time specific. When implementing consequences, it is important for your adolescent to know how long they are going to experience the consequence. For example, if you say to your teen that you are taking their phone away FOREVER, they may not attempt to improve behaviors because there is no hope to get their phone back. If you let your teen know they are losing the phone for two weeks, they might be frustrated, but attempt to improve behavior within that time to get their phone back. It’s important to remember not to establish a limit or boundary that you will not follow through with. This sends the adolescent the message that they can essentially do what they want without consequence.

For more information on limit and boundary setting, parenting, and adolescent issues, call Specialized Therapy Associates at (201)-488-6678. By calling this number, you can also obtain information on counseling services, parenting group therapy services, adolescent group therapy services, and holistic physical and mental health and wellness services.

The post Parenting Teens: Setting Limits and Boundaries first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Parenting Teens: Setting Limits and Boundaries appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Let’s look at one way to do this. The first thing you need to know is- SMART

Specific– Is your goal specific? Before pursuing a goal make sure it’s detailed and concise. Focus on the details of who, what, when, where and why. Having a specific goal helps it feel more tangible.

Measurable-How will you measure progress towards your goal? How will you know when you’ve attained your goal? Being able to measure your progress as well as when you’ve reached your goal can help with motivation.

Attainable/Action Oriented-Ask yourself if this goal is attainable at this time. Use verbs to describe how you will work towards your goal. Do you have control over making this goal happen? Set yourself up for success and ensure you can take the steps necessary to accomplish your goal.

Realistic & Relevant-How does this goal fit into your life currently? Is this goal important to your life or feasible with your current circumstances? Are you putting other things off or will something more important suffer?

Time Bound-What is my timeline? Is this a reasonable timeline? Does this timeline fit with what I’ve identified as Realistic and Attainable?

Taking a little bit of time to answer these questions can help make any goal more achievable.

For further information or should you have any interest in treatment please call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201.488.6678 for details.

The post Achieving Your Goals first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Achieving Your Goals appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Summer is coming to a close and even if kids want to forget that school exists, you can’t miss all the ‘School Day Sales’ signs in stores. There are several ways to ease the transition:

1. Talk to your child about going to school. Focus on the positives of going back, seeing friends, joining after-school clubs, or talking to their favorite teachers.

2. Plan ahead. Purchase school supplies now and plan for more than your child needs. It is inevitable that kids need another notebook for journaling in English class or a separate folder for spelling words.

3. If your child has a disability, review the IEP or school plan. It is helpful for the new teacher when parents develop a list of problems their child may have, how the school plans to address problems, and/or what has worked for teachers and parents in the past.

4. Get back on a regular school-based bedtime at least one week before school starts. It takes 1 – 2 weeks for sleep patterns to acclimate.

5. Cut back on excess television time now. Begin to move back to a structured daily schedule.

6. Make a quick review of the closets. Be sure to have a presentable pair of shoes, sneakers that fit for the gym, a raincoat, an umbrella that is not broken, etc.

7. If your child has after-school care, call to confirm schedules and pick up times. Go to visit for an afternoon if possible. This allows kids to meet any new children or just reconnect with caregivers.

8. Parents need to review work and activity schedules with each other and with other caregivers. Be sure everyone understands when kids are in activities and who is expected to do the drop-off and pick up.

9. Accept kids’ feelings if they are not happy about going back. Who really would rather give up a day at the beach for 6 hours of sitting at a desk doing work?

10. Do not be upset if parents are happy about children returning to school. Everyone deserves a quiet time after a busy summer.

Learn about our many Specialized Therapy Associates programs and how they can assist in providing back to school relief today by calling our intake specialists at 201-488-6678.

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