Title: How To Train A Wild Elephant: And Other Adventures in Mindfulness
Author: Jan Chozen Bays
Themes: Anxiety, Developing Perspective, Mindfulness
Age Recommendation: Adult Reference
Showing posts with label Mindfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Mindfulness. Show all posts
Friday, June 26, 2015
Friday, April 10, 2015
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Title: Executive Skills in Children and Adolescents: A Practical Guide to Assessment and Intervention
Authors: Peg Dawson & Richard Guare
Themes: ADHD, Anxiety, Autism, Communication, Coping Skills, Friendship, Individuation, Mindfulness, Parenting, Social Skills
Age Recommendation: Adult Reference
executive skills in children and adolescents
Title: The North Star
Authors: Peter H. Reynolds
Themes: Anxiety, Coping Skills, Depression, Developing Empathy, Developing Perspective, Gratitude, Individuation, Mindfulness, Parenting, Self-Esteem, Validation
Age Recommendation: Elementary through High School
Summary: The North Star is a sweet story that follows a boy from infancy through adolescence as he follows his own path to becoming his best self.
Ideas / Interventions: Adolescents secretly love this book; some of them might not want to admit it, but they can relate to the main character in the story and are asking some of the same questions about life that that he is. When working with teens, I use the same tactic as I do with any other picture book, which is to ask them to just listen and watch for the underlying message, even though it might seem "too little kid" for them.
If I have time, I like to use this book in conjunction with art therapy. Encourage clients to identify what the specific points on their stars are; some choose to list coping skills, some list values, others point out internal qualities. If you are using this book for group therapy or in a classroom setting, invite kids to share details about their star with others and utilize it as an opportunity to appreciate individual differences.
Ideas / Interventions: Adolescents secretly love this book; some of them might not want to admit it, but they can relate to the main character in the story and are asking some of the same questions about life that that he is. When working with teens, I use the same tactic as I do with any other picture book, which is to ask them to just listen and watch for the underlying message, even though it might seem "too little kid" for them.
If I have time, I like to use this book in conjunction with art therapy. Encourage clients to identify what the specific points on their stars are; some choose to list coping skills, some list values, others point out internal qualities. If you are using this book for group therapy or in a classroom setting, invite kids to share details about their star with others and utilize it as an opportunity to appreciate individual differences.
Title: So Few Of Me
Authors: Peter H. Reynolds
Themes: Anxiety, Coping Skills, Developing Perspective, Humor, Individuation, Mindfulness, Parenting, Self-Esteem
Age Recommendation: Elementary through Junior High School
Summary: So Few Of Me tells the story of Leo, a busy, overscheduled kid. Leo starts keeping lists of all he needs to do and eventually finds that he needs more than just himself to keep up with his to-do's. Before we know it, there are lots of Leo's, each of whom is inundated with too long to-do lists. The real Leo becomes overwhelmed just trying to manage his clones and learns that the secret to happiness is simplicity.
Ideas / Interventions: This is a cute book to read with kids and/or parents with anxious temperaments and perfectionistic tendencies. Point out that Leo isn't someone who starts lots of things and just doesn't get around to finishing them, like a child with ADHD might be, but instead he likes to take on too much and wants to see everything through to completion. If you are working with older children who have developed performance-related anxiety related to pressure they perceive from their parents, try to engage them in a discussion about how Leo' self-esteem became too wrapped up in his external accomplishments with their parents in the session.
Ideas / Interventions: This is a cute book to read with kids and/or parents with anxious temperaments and perfectionistic tendencies. Point out that Leo isn't someone who starts lots of things and just doesn't get around to finishing them, like a child with ADHD might be, but instead he likes to take on too much and wants to see everything through to completion. If you are working with older children who have developed performance-related anxiety related to pressure they perceive from their parents, try to engage them in a discussion about how Leo' self-esteem became too wrapped up in his external accomplishments with their parents in the session.
Friday, January 23, 2015
Title: Grandad's Prayers of the Earth
Author: Douglas Wood
Themes: Mindfulness, Grief, Individuation, Coping Skills, Developing Perspective, Gratitude
Age Recommendation: Elementary through High School
Summary: Grandad's Prayers of the Earth is the beautifully illustrated story of a boy's relationship with his grandfather, his grandfather's relationship with nature, and nature's relationship with spirituality. The story follows the boy's life from childhood to young adulthood and describes his feelings about life, death, and his place in the universe.
Ideas / Interventions: This is a great book to read with kids who are dealing with either the anticipated death or recent passing of a loved one. It can also be used to introduce a conversation about how thoughts, feelings, and spirituality can change over the life span.
When utilizing this book as a way to discuss grief, I like to bring donuts or bagels to the session. Talk about what a "whole" bagel or donut is, and discuss how it can be "whole" even though there is a "hole" missing from the middle. This is a good introduction to the concept that even though grief feels like we have a "hole" in our heart, we can still be "whole." This book can also be used as a segue into the discussion about stages of grief and how they aren't linear in nature. Incorporating an activity related to gratitude, in combination with processing grief, is another great way to utilize this book for bibliotherapy.
Title: One Bite Won't Kill You
Author: Ann Hodgman
Themes: Anxiety, Mindfulness, Coping Skills, Autism, Developing Perspective, Parenting
Age Recommendation: Elementary School through High School
Summary: One Bite Won't Kill You is a cookbook, subtitled: "More than 200 recipes to tempt even the pickiest kids on earth...And the rest of the family too." I recommend this book not because of the recipes, even though they are great, but because it helps families start a conversation about the power struggles that can surround food and mealtimes. Ideally this conversation, and those that will follow, can be focused on collaborative problem solving and occur in a setting that isn't already emotionally charged - like mealtime. Any parent with a finicky eater will tell you that mealtimes can become a war zone when power struggles ensue; emotions run high, no one feels validated, and everyone leaves the table feeling wounded.
Ideas / Interventions: It is important to remember, though, that kids who struggle with feeding issues in addition to dealing with anxiety, sensory issues, or autism aren't just being picky eaters. Using this book with children who carry those diagnoses provides a space for them to talk about their fears or food aversions, discuss the comforting rituals associated with certain foods or textures, and develop a plan for incorporating their preferences into mealtimes. While the ultimate goal is help children become more flexible eaters, it is important that they be validated in the process.
Ideas / Interventions: It is important to remember, though, that kids who struggle with feeding issues in addition to dealing with anxiety, sensory issues, or autism aren't just being picky eaters. Using this book with children who carry those diagnoses provides a space for them to talk about their fears or food aversions, discuss the comforting rituals associated with certain foods or textures, and develop a plan for incorporating their preferences into mealtimes. While the ultimate goal is help children become more flexible eaters, it is important that they be validated in the process.
Thursday, January 22, 2015
Title: Little By Little
Authors: Amber Stewart & Layn Marlow
Themes: Anxiety, Mindfulness, Coping Skills, Friendship, Self-Esteem
Age Recommendation: Elementary School
Summary: Little By Little tells the story of Otto, an otter who can't swim. Otto is debilitated by his fears and embarrassed that he can't swim, he is frustrated that something which seems to come to others so easily feels impossible to him. Eventually it is Otto's sister who helps him face his worries and develop strategies for managing his distress. Otto takes gradual risks and learns, not only to swim, but also how to handle overwhelming feelings.
Ideas / Interventions: This is a great book to use when introducing the possibility of change to children who struggle with anxiety, OCD, or perfectionistic tendencies. It not only gives an example of how to break down a difficult task, it normalizes fears about taking risks and addresses issues of self-esteem.
Ideas / Interventions: This is a great book to use when introducing the possibility of change to children who struggle with anxiety, OCD, or perfectionistic tendencies. It not only gives an example of how to break down a difficult task, it normalizes fears about taking risks and addresses issues of self-esteem.
Monday, January 12, 2015
Title: Breathe
Authors: Scott Magoon
Themes: Anxiety, Mindfulness, Coping Skills, Social Skills
Age Recommendation: Elementary School
Summary: Breathe is a great way to teach and practice deep breathing skills with young children. This short picture book follows a young beluga whale and his mom though some stressful situations, with prompts to "breathe" throughout their journey.
Ideas / Interventions: Before reading this book with clients, teach them to take deep, cleansing breaths; inhale slowly through the nose to expand their whole abdomen and exhale slowly through the mouth. Then, read the story together and when the "breathe" pages come along, practice a deep, cleansing breath together.
Teaching kids deep breathing skills is a helpful way to introduce mindfulness, plus calming and coping skills that support other behavioral management techniques. For example, practice deep breathing before teaching the Chill Drill, or as a healthy response to behavioral prompts like counting. There are so many fun ways to teach this skill to kids! Try blowing bubbles slowly, or the "hot chocolate" method, where they cup their hands together and inhale deeply as though they are smelling cocoa, and then exhale slowly to cool the hot chocolate down.
Ideas / Interventions: Before reading this book with clients, teach them to take deep, cleansing breaths; inhale slowly through the nose to expand their whole abdomen and exhale slowly through the mouth. Then, read the story together and when the "breathe" pages come along, practice a deep, cleansing breath together.
Teaching kids deep breathing skills is a helpful way to introduce mindfulness, plus calming and coping skills that support other behavioral management techniques. For example, practice deep breathing before teaching the Chill Drill, or as a healthy response to behavioral prompts like counting. There are so many fun ways to teach this skill to kids! Try blowing bubbles slowly, or the "hot chocolate" method, where they cup their hands together and inhale deeply as though they are smelling cocoa, and then exhale slowly to cool the hot chocolate down.
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