Clinician Guidelines to Culturally Competent Care

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is a highly prevalent and pervasive neurodevelopmental disorder. ADHD typically occurs in early development, prior to a child’s school enrollment and is characterized by persistent inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that affects an individual’s functioning and/or development. Individuals with ADHD can present with symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or a combination of both.

Inattention manifests behaviorally as failing to attend to details or making careless mistakes, wandering off task, lacking persistence, difficulty sustaining focus, and being disorganized. Individuals with inattentive features tend to reduce their engagement in tasks or activities that require sustained cognitive effort and may appear forgetful or distracted. Hyperactivity and impulsivity manifest behaviorally as excessive motor activity, restlessness or an inability to sit still when appropriate, appearing as if “driven by a motor”, difficulties waiting for one’s turn in social settings, social intrusiveness, and engagement in actions without recognition of the potential for harm or aversive consequences.

For a diagnosis of ADHD to be met, individuals must exhibit six or more symptoms of inattention or hyperactivity/impulsivity or a combination of both. Symptoms must be present for at least six months, are inconsistent with developmental norms, and directly interfere with an individual’s functioning. Symptoms must be present in at least two settings, such as at home, school, with peers/family, or during leisure activities.

ADHD is highly prevalent among youth and adult populations, with 11% of youth and 8.1% of adults affected during their lifetime. Recent research by London & Landes (2021) has demonstrated a significant increase in estimates of ADHD in adult populations by 24.6% in individuals aged 18-64 and a decrease in gender differences with respect to ADHD prevalence.

While estimates have shown higher rates of ADHD among men and boys, greater diagnostic clarity, symptom recognition, and systematic changes in health care have increased the assessment and recognition of ADHD symptoms in women and girls. However, disparities continue to exist for ADHD prevalence cross-culturally. These disparities in prevalence among diverse cultures may be due to cultural biases inherent in diagnostic assessment and clinical screening tools. Cultural prevalence rates may also differ, due to differences in the ways ADHD manifests in diverse cultures, interpretation of diverse youth behavior by clinicians or caregivers, and bias in rating and screening.

Despite research that demonstrates ADHD occurs in virtually all cultures and countries, the majority of the research on ADHD focuses on Caucasian Americans. However, race, culture, and ethnicity are critical to the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of ADHD. While, searches for articles that include “ADHD” and “Race” have increased from 1990-2000, as well as reductions in bias in clinical care through diversity training that aim to reduce implicit bias, cultural biases in ADHD diagnosis continue. Furthermore, factors such as racism, stereotyping, trauma, and social disadvantage contribute to the maintenance or exacerbation of ADHD symptoms. These factors can also affect how an individual’s symptoms manifest, the likelihood an individual receives a diagnosis and treatment, and the rate of ADHD detection. Thus, recognizing how ADHD can present across various cultures is significant for clinicians and our communities.

For example, people of Hispanic heritage may be at risk for over-diagnosis, due to expectations within their culture to attend to and perform a variety of tasks during one period of time. This is in contrast to European American cultures who organize tasks and activities in a linear fashion, attending to a singular task or activity, prior to initiating another. Additionally, Hispanic culture deemphasizes structure, routine, and punctuality, whereas European Americans place a higher value on these factors. Therefore, Hispanic children may be at a higher risk of being perceived as impulsive and inattentive, symptomatic of ADHD, rather than behaving in accordance with their culture.

Because ADHD occurs during early, critical periods of an individual’s development, assessment and treatment of ADHD in all cultural groups is critical for the attainment of important skills required for a successful transition into adolescence and adulthood.

Tips for Clinicians in Providing Culturally Competent Care:

1. Identify your own cultural biases and reduce them, through:
   1. Intellectual Engagement (learning about cultural groups through articles, videos, journals)
   2. Emotional Engagement (engaging in personal reflection with own biases, attitudes, and experiences with diverse groups)
   3. Relational Engagement (developing positive relationships with people from different cultural groups)
2. Reflect on your life experiences with people of diverse cultural backgrounds
3. Consider your own experiences of discrimination. Ask yourself: “Are there aspects of your identity that impact the way you perceive others?”
4. Understand and assess key historical events, sociopolitical issues, basic values and beliefs, and cultural practices of your client.
5. Consider cultural explanations in the diagnosis and conceptualization of mental health issues.
6. Assess mental health through the use of a Cultural Formulation Interview*

Cultural Formulation Interviews in the diagnosis of mental disorders aims to identify and clarify key aspects of the presenting problem from the point of the individual and family members within the client’s social world.

A Cultural Formulation Interview:

1. Elicits the individual’s view of core problems and key concerns
2. Focuses on the individual’s way of understanding the problem
3. Uses client language in the description of the problem
4. Asks how the individual talks about their difficulties or symptoms with family and friends
5. Focuses on the aspects of the problem that are most salient to the individual
6. Obtains cultural perceptions of the cause of the problem, as well as factors that contribute to resiliency or the worsening of symptoms.
7. Identifies the role of culture as a protective or promotive factor in healing and wellness.

While little research has been conducted on ADHD in diverse cultures, and racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to be assessed, diagnosed, and treated for ADHD, clinicians can mitigate these disparities in mental health care by utilizing a culturally informed approach to care with all clients.

Specialized Therapy Associates includes staff that is highly skilled in the assessment and treatment of a wide range of mental health issues.  For a free consultation with our intake coordinator who will match you to the best provider and service to fit your needs and goals, call 201-488-6678 or visit https://www.specializedtherapy.com/make-an-appointment/ to schedule an appointment.

References:

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

Centers for Disease Control (2020, November 16). Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder  (ADHD). Data and Statistics About ADHD. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/adhd/data.html

Conrad, P., & Potter, D. (2000). From hyperactive children to ADHD adults: Observations on the expansion of medical categories. Social Problems, 47(4), 559-582. https://doi.org/10.2307/3097135

Danielson, M. L., Bitsko, R. H., Ghandour, R. M., Holbrook, J. R., Kogan, M. D., & Blumberg, J. (2018). Prevalence of parent-reported ADHD diagnosis and associated treatment among U.S. children and adolescents, 2016. Null, 47(2), 199 212.         https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1417860

Fletcher, J. M. (2014). The effects of childhood ADHD on adult lab market outcomes. Health

Economics, 23(2), 159-181. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1002/hec.2907

Fletcher, J., & Wolfe, B. (2009). Long-term consequences of childhood ADHD on criminal activities. The journal of mental health policy and economics, 12(3), 119–138.

Evans, S. W., Owens, J. S., Wymbs, B. T., & Ray, A. R. (2018). Evidence-based psychosocial treatments for children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Null, 47(2), 157-198. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374416.2017.1390757

Hook, J.N., Davis, D., Owen, J., & DeBlaere, C. (2017). Cultural Humility: Engaging Diverse Identities in Therapy. Washington, D.C., USA: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1-4338-2779-4 (Digital, undefined format) or ISBN 978-1-4338-2779-2 (Digital, undefined format)

Iwamasa, G.Y. & Hays, P.A. (2019). Culturally Responsive Cognitive Behavior Therapy: Practice and Supervision (2^nd edition). Washington, D.C., USA: American Psychological Association. ISBN 1-59147-360-8 (Hardcover)

Lensing, M. B., Zeiner, P., Sandvik, L., & Opjordsmoen, S. (2015). Psychopharmacological treatment of ADHD in adults aged 50+: An empirical study. Journal of attention disorders, 19(5), 380–389. https://doi.org/10.1177/1087054714527342

London, A. S. & Landes, S. D. (2021). Cohort change in the prevalence of ADHD among U.S.  adults: Evidence of a gender-specific historical period effect. Journal of attention disorders, 25(6), 771-781. https://doi.org/10.117/1087054719855689

Richards, P. S & Bergin, A. E. (Ed.). (2014). Handbook of Psychotherapy and Religious

Diversity (2^nd edition). Washington, DC, US: American Psychological Association.

ISBN 1-4338-1736-5 (PDF) or ISBN 978-1-4338-1736-6 (PDF)

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Procrastination is usually discussed as ‘self-sabotage’, a weakness, and shameful. In his Tedx talk, Voge invites his audience to see a different understanding of the question “Why Do We Procrastinate?”. The answer he provided was rooted in the need to feel worthy and competent. It’s something we can expect and predict given we understand human motivation and self-worth theory. When we fear our efforts will not render perfection, high achievement, or the standard we set for ourselves, we choose avoidance instead to protect ourselves from feeling incompetent and unworthy.

Self-Worth Theory of Achievement Motivation

The self-worth theory assumes a simplistic view that ability signifies self-worth (performance=ability=self-worth). If I am able, I am worthy. Thus, if you are afraid of performing poorly, you must protect your self-worth by employing certain strategies. One of those strategies is procrastination.

It’s not just a grade that’s on the line, its our self concept

Here’s a familiar scenario: You are a college student and a paper is due. After a long day of mild productivity, you start to do the paper. All of a sudden, you think “I’ll check my email”. 45 minutes later you say, “I’m tired, I should sleep and do the paper tomorrow. I will wake up extra early.” When the alarm goes off the next morning, you are not refreshed, so you turn the alarm off and sleep more. When you wake up again, you start doing other things that are easier than the paper, such as taking a long lunch with friends, cleaning, etc. The cycle continues until the fear of not getting it done exceeds the fear of failure .

Procrastination is a feeling of stuckness. You can’t sleep but you can’t work, Voge says. Procrastination is a self-protective strategy to deal with competing motivations-the drive for success and the powerful motivation to avoid failure. With procrastination, you can rationalize that it was poor sleep, being busy with other things that left you no choice but to do less at the last minute, not your ability to perform at a high level.

DTC-a helpful acronym to remember some tips for combatting procrastination

• Developing awareness
  • Gaining knowledge of self worth theory will help you combat procrastination because you understand the root
  • Gaining awareness of what you are feeling and notice when you might be avoiding through other activities, such as cleaning, checking emails, etc.
  • Getting to know your thoughts and feelings surrounding procrastination without judgment will help you to overcome it

• Tip the balance
  • It is not that you aren’t doing the task because you “don’t want to” or “don’t feel like it”; rather, it is fear and feeling overwhelmed that dominates the motivation to approach certain tasks, especially if they are particularly meaningful to you.
  • Balance that fear with thinking about the reasons why you want to do something, how doing so fits into your larger goals and mission. For instance, Voge said that he was anxious while preparing his Tedx talk about procrastination. He balanced that anxiety with his goal and mission to “reduce suffering and help people.”

• Challenge your beliefs
  • Acknowledge and challenge the belief that your self-worth comes from your ability to perform.
  • Voge offers these words:
    “Your ability is not equivalent to your worth.”
    “Worth comes from your human qualities of kindness, thoughtfulness, and vulnerabilities.”

If you need help with combatting procrastination and improving your self-worth, please call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-448-6678 or visit our website at www.specializedtherapy.com

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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.

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Increasing your immunity during the Crononavirus seems like a daunting task. It seems like there are a million things we can’t control, one of the things we can influence is our health, resilience, and well-being.

While these tips will not guarantee you won’t get sick, they will enhance your body’s ability to fight infection and can support recovery if you do get sick. Of course, follow the recommendations of the CDC, World Health Organization, your local officials, and personal physician.

Tips to Strengthen Your Immunity

Stay well hydrated with plenty of fresh filtered water. Aim for half of your body weight in ounces. If needed, add slices of citrus, berries, or even fresh herbs to your water for added flavor without added chemicals or sweetener.

Eliminate alcohol and added sugars. According to MD Mark Hyman,  “Studies have shown that refined sugars can suppress your immune system for hours after ingesting. Limiting starch and sugar will help your immune system function better.” Use fruit such as grapes, pineapple, or berries to satisfy a sweet tooth. If sweetener is called for, try small amounts of organic, raw, local honey.

Get 7-8 hours of quality sleep. If you are having difficulty sleeping, take a warm bath before bed. Reduce light, especially blue light and noise. Use a sound machine or white noise app. Try a meditation app and stay off media or other charged content for 2-3 hours before bed.

Add in gentle to moderate movement. Rigorous workouts are not needed to support immunity. In fact, extreme workouts or fitness regimens may increase inflammation (do not engage in vigorous exercise if you are sick). Good choices include walking, biking, yoga, or low-intensity interval training.

Get plenty of sunshine. While keeping a safe distance from others, try to get outside when the sun is out. The sun is our original source of vitamin D. It helps regulate circadian rhythms, and can enhance sleep, energy, and mood. Get your D levels checked to determine how much you may need to supplement.

Maintain a Sense of  Social Community

Staying  connected to family and friends online or by phone is one way to improve immunity during the coronavirus pandemic. Isolation affects our mental and physical health. Join an online community of like-minded individuals or connect to one of the many global gatherings that are being offered for free during this time.

Laugh. Ever hear the phrase, “laughter is the best medicine”? Laughter increases feel-good chemicals in the brain, boosts mood, and reduces stress. Watch something silly like babies giggling, look up goofy riddles, or play games with your kids.

De-stress. High levels of stress compromise your immune system. Use meditation, mindfulness, and breathing practices. Spend time in nature. Reduce your exposure to sensationalized news stories.

Increase whole nutrient-dense foods, especially vegetables. If you ever wanted to see what the recommended 7-9 servings of vegetables look like, now’s the time. See below for a few immune-boosting superstars:

Foods to Add-In

Whole food sources of protein: pastured eggs, grass-fed meats, wild cold-water fish, lentils, organic tempeh if plant-based. Foods high in zinc including seafood, grass-fed meat, and eggs. Other vegetarian options high in zinc include pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, dark leafy greens, beans.

Foods high vitamin C including in lemons, another citrus, red bell peppers, Camu Camu, spinach, sweet potatoes, broccoli, strawberries, and kiwi.

Foods high in probiotics: onion, garlic, asparagus, artichokes, jicama, chicory root
Anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial herbs, and spices such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, thyme, oregano, rosemary, and cayenne pepper. Filtered water, herbal teas, raw coconut water. Broth and soups, preferably homemade.

• Foods to Eliminate to boost Immunity during the coronavirus
  • Excess caffeine
  • Alcohol
  • Refined sugar
  • Processed foods
  • Dairy
  • Not food, but smoking and vaping are risk factors for an illness of all types.

While this is a time of heightened anxiety, remember that this too shall pass. If you are experiencing anxiety or would like support to implement the above strategies, reach out for support from a qualified professional.

Call 201-488-6678 to access virtual mental health or health and lifestyle coaching services.

By Anna Sandbank, LCSW, INHC, 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.

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Here are some fun tips on how to keep your child’s mind emotionally actively engaged over the next few months:

1. Ask your child what they would like to learn about over the summer (Creativity planning*)
2. Ask your child what they would like to do over the summer (More Creativity planning*) – Help with suggestions: Reading a book, Riding a bike, playing cards, photography
3. Explore museums, parks and the outdoors with your child… see the experience through their eyes
4. Close your eyes and allow your mind to wander – see where it takes you

Creativity Planning

Creativity planning helps your child to be curious and to learn how to do things independently. As with the suggestions above, lists can be helpful when your child is suffering from boredom and needs to find something to do on their own.

Boredom can be very healthy!

Boredom helps children to learn how to calm themselves down. In other words, when we allow our minds to daydream we stop thinking about the outside world and begin to think about the things that matter most to us. “Daydreaming is shifting attention from the external situation or problem to the internal representation of situations, memories, pictures, unresolved things, scenarios or future goals” (Mann, & Cadman, 2014, Ducharme, 2019). Spend some time daydreaming with your child this summer!

By Jill Caruso, Psy.D., Staff Psychologist

Resources:
Ducharme, J (2019), “Being bored can be good for you – if you do it right. Here’s how” retrieved on 5/20/19 from http://time.com/5480002/benefits-of-boredom/
Mann, S. & Cadman, R. Does being bored make us more creative? Creativity Research Journal, 26 (2), 165-173.

If you or anyone you know is having signs or symptoms of summer slide or depression or anxiety over the summer, please contact Specialized Therapy Associates, (201)488-6678.

The post Summer Slide Tips first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Summer Slide Tips 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.

Since the program requires reading in the group itself and of
handouts given as homework, the program is not appropriate for children too young to read. The program teaches children the component
steps of each skill, gives each child the opportunity to practice the
steps of the skill in the group with the other children and fosters
generalization of the skill by encouraging the child to use the skill at
home and at school. Each week, a new skill is focused. We emphasize those skills that the children’s parents have indicated as one which their child’s needs to practice to
become more comfortable and more accomplished when using. Each group
provides a supportive environment for each child to feel safe practicing
the skill and an opportunity to discuss any issues bothering them on a weekly basis. The social skills training group is an excellent setting to put your little one at ease while building their confidence!

Register online today!

Click here to learn more information.

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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.

The initial moment of learning is called encoding- when we begin the process of memory. Some encoding occurs effortlessly. Encoding that we initiate deliberately requires conscious attention at the moment of encoding and a lot of repetition before the information can be recalled with ease. Knowing a few facts about encoding can help us engage in it more successfully. The more elaborately we encode information at the moment of learning, the strong the memory. The more closely we replicate the conditions at the moment of learning, the easier the remembering. So making the place where you study for a test similar to the place where you will take the test, (e.g., studying in a quiet environment) should help your recall during the test. The more a learner focuses on the meaning of information being presented, the more elaborately he or she will process the information. So get an understanding of the big picture before trying to memorize the details of what you are trying to learn.

If you’re trying to teach others, make sure that you use several real-world examples familiar to the learner that demonstrate your points. The more personal an example is, the more richly it becomes encoded and the more readily it is remembered. Medina tells us that public speaking professionals say you win or lose the battle to hold your audience in the first 30 seconds of a presentation. So you should open with something big. Big picture first, remember. From the chapter on attention, Medina suggests dividing your presentation into ten-minute segments, each of which focuses on a single general concept that you can explain in the first minute. He tells us what when he lectures to a class, he has a break in the lecture every ten minutes where he offers the class a hook that triggers an emotion and that is relevant to the interests of the students. He says that you can offer a hook at the end of a segment, summarizing the material, or place it at the beginning of a segment to grab the class’s attention as to what is coming next. These are some useful facts for teaching and learning. The rest of the book has many more useful facts that you might want to check out. Do it for your brain.

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As you start your senior year and begin to embark upon the journey of the college application process, you realize that in just a few, short months everything about your life is going to be different. This includes, for most, where you live, who you live with, and what you do on a daily basis. And this is terrifying since change is a breeding ground for anxiety, but it is also very telling. It can say a lot about how you do under these very specific circumstances because senior year is not the only time this occurs, it’s usually just the first, and, therefore, sets a precedent.

Another time of great transition could be when you graduate college, start your first job, get married, or have kids, just to name a few. Now, with kids, you’re given a nine-month deadline and you have no idea what the changes are going to be, but you know they will be monumental. At least with college, you get to visit the school and get a trial run before you make a decision.

I’m always honored to work with seniors for this very reason because I feel as though I can see the person they’re becoming. It’s as if these circumstances chisel away to help create their future selves, and it gives me a glimpse of how they will handle the pressure of transitions to come. Helping them find ways of managing the anxiety and fear that can arise is essential because I know they will rely on these tools when needed in the future.

Whether it is your precedent year or one of the many transitions that follow, let STA help guide you during this time of change by calling our intake specialists today at (201) 488-6678 to schedule an appointment.

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