Archives For Social Emotional Learning

woman with smeared eyes in studio
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Instead of Cutting… Move and Distract 

105 Ideas (Choose 10 Best for You)

Adapted from Adolescent Self Injury Foundation:

https://www.adolescentselfinjuryfoundation.com/things-to-do-besides-self-harm

Printable Handout

1.  Exercise.  
2.  Put on fake tattoos.  
3.  Draw on yourself with washable red marker - 
then take a shower and wash away your pain. 
4.  Scribble on sheets of paper. 
5.  Text or call trustworthy support immediately and ask for help. 
6.  Touch or suck on ice cubes while enjoying your favorite drink.
7.   Be with other people. 
8.   Watch a favorite TV show. 
10.  Think about how  "I DON'T WANT SCARS FOR SUMMER!!" 
11.  Paint your nails a new color. 
12.  Download a support app: Happify, Virtual Hopebox. Virtue the      app, My3. 
13.  Eat something yummy you can't resist. 
14.  Do your school work. 
15.  Write a letter to someone but never send it. 
16.  Watch aquarium fish.
17.  Call a friend and ask them to come hang out. 
18.  Play a musical instrument or sing. 
19.  Write or find poetry that expresses how you feel.  
20.  Look up at the sky, and  find the moon.  Study it. 
21.  Ask doctor about vitamins:  multi., B Complex, D, GABA
22.  Get a punching  bag and boxing gloves.  Name the bag 
then use it when you need to. 
23.  Snap a rubber band  (hair band) on your wrist. 
24.  Cover yourself with band-aids where you want to cut. 
25.  Go to the zoo and rename the animals. 
26.  Let yourself cry, even if it is hard. 
27.  Sleep,  only if you are tired. 
28.  Do the exact opposite of what you really  want to do. 
29.  Play with a pet. Visit a pet store. 
30.  Smile to at least 5 people. 
31.  Watch something inspirational on Youtube.
32.  Go out and perform one act of kindness. 
33.  Have a pillow fight with a wall. 
34.  Knit a scarf. 
35.  Read a good book. 
36.  Dress up glamorous, with makeup to match.  
37.  Color your hair. 
38.  Listen to music (non-triggering)
39.  Find a new funny meme. 
40.  Find someone else you can help.  Do volunteer work. 
41.  Meditate.  Track your breathing. 
42.  Call up an old friend and catch up. 
43.  Start a mood journal and write in it every day.  
Do patterns surface?  Track your triggers. 
45.  Go somewhere very public. 
46.  Bake cookies or another favorite food you like. 
47.  Take your own dog, or a friend's dog for a walk
48.  Chew gum. 
49.  One at a time: Use each of your 5 senses to locate 2 items. 
50.  Paint or draw.
51.  Rip paper into really small pieces. 
52.  Give someone a hug. 
53.  Record yourself. 
55.  Hug a pillow or stuffed animal. 
56.  Hyper-focus on something like a rock, stream or plant. 
57.  Write yourself an “I love you because…” letter and keep it. 
58.  Scream as loud as you want. 
59.  Dance. 
60.  Make hot chocolate. 
61.  Pop bubble wrap. 
62.  Play with play dough or slime. 
63.  Count to 100. 
64.  Build a pillow fort. 
65.  Blow up a balloon and pop it. 
66.  Hug yourself. 
67.  Write yourself an "I love myself because" letter and keep it. Read it when you feel down. 
68.  Read things in a different language. 
69.  Go for a nice long walk, or jog. 
70.  Complete something you have been putting off. 
71.  Drink a cup of herbal tea. 
72.  Fold paper and invent a new origami shape. 
74.  Build or create something. 
75. Butterfly hug yourself. 
76. Visualize a happy scene and pretend to be there.
77. Practice “square breathing” (4s In, 4s. Hold, 4s. Out, 4s. Rest).
78. Diffuse/roll-on essential oils: lavender, peppermint & favorite
79.  Cook a meal.
80.  Go out for ice cream.
81.  Buy a stuffed animal.
82.  Look at pretty things-like flowers or art work.
83.  Tighten and flex your muscles progressively throughout your body.
84.  Pray to God. Ask for His comfort.
85.  Throw socks against the wall.
86.  Make a list of blessings in your life.
88.  Rock or spin in a chair.
89.   Watch a comedy movie.
90.   Call your therapist or make an appointment with one.
91.   Talk to someone close that you trust.
92.   Feel your feet. Press them gently into the floor. Hold and release.
93.   Read the Bible or listen to the Bible App -message version.
94.   Create a “safety plan”. Carry it with you or hang on the wall.
95.   Hide under a pillow and snuggle in a blanket. Notice cozy.
96.   Color and decorate a calendar planner or notebook. 
97.   Feed the ducks / birds.
98.   Write or draw pain points on a paper then tell 
God how much it hurts. Ask for His help.
99.   View nature images online. Watch a safari or river video
100.  Yell into a pillow.
101.  Play in a sandbox or create your own.
102.  Go through all your old stuff, and donate to Goodwill.
103.  Take a walk in the woods and breathe the fresh air.
104.  Cartwheel three times.
105.  Get some toys or fidgets and play like you are 5 years 
old again!

It has been quite an era for educators to retool. Wow! I believe they are truly heroes to pour into our children despite the current global pandemic. This social media Wakelet collection was curated to provide snippets from a few Culturally Responsive and/or Trauma Informed (CR-TI) influencers. Utilizing both lenses provides more opportunities for students’ brains to engage and their hearts to heal and RECONNECT with school and learning amidst the 2020 Great Shutdown and remote learning. Please feel free to say hi or share CR-TI resources at my twitter @HeloiseRidley:

90% of the World’s Students Need a New Trauma Informed Strategy

During this Covid-19 pandemic, more than 90% of the world’s students were displaced from attending school. Absolutely, mind boggling! I am more than grateful for the influx of free trauma informed care training online to support hurting students and their families. Details are below.

My Two Cents: We Will Need New Lenses

Perhaps even more critical than these last few weeks of school is preparation for start up in the fall. I do not believe in the “get back to normal” notion. We need to embrace a new trauma lens. It will be critical to prepare our educators, service providers and organizations for short and long term changes to our systems.

Retooling for School Students in the Fall… Hopefully Post Covid-19

For many months and years to come, our children will remember and respond in many ways to “The Great Covid-19 Shutdown of 2020”. Some resilient students with lots of support will seem to bounce back and perform well academically. The trick is… our students will not all bounce back. Many vulnerable kids are depressed and despondent during this lockdown. We have heard of the increase in drug use, self-harm and aggression to manage their pain. In addition, many successful students who smile and seem fine may be harboring their pain inside. All students deserve opportunities to process their emotions in order to promote long-term wellness.

Good News

The good news is we have learned it is possible to develop the emotional health of students. It is completely doable if schools and organizations prepare to put on a new lens: trauma informed care.

The free course provided by Starr Commonwealth is a good opportunity for a limited time when using the code TRAUMAINFORMED (all caps).

From their site:

“This course provides detailed information and concrete actions that answer not just the “why” but also the “how” to create the best classroom and school supports for traumatized students and the school professionals who serve them.”

The course covers many topics including:

resilience

core values and beliefs exploration

trauma’s impact on children 

fostering connections

social and emotional skills

safety 

play

Enjoy!!

Heloise J. Ridley, MBA, MA

Hello again everyone!

I am excited to share more free Neurologic resources because they have been immensely helpful for managing my own school age kids at home for the Covid-19 Shutdown. I find myself repeatedly sharing this info with clients so I decided to post this one and possibly collect some useful resources for caregivers struggling with their kids who are struggling. If you have any winners, please share it in the comments.

This time I am sharing a homeschool webinar: HOMEBOUND: Josh MacNeill (Brain Breaks)

I attended after being notified by one of my agencies that Josh MeNeill was joining Susan Wise Bauer, my homeschool hero to help us all settle into a “school at home” routine with kids who may be grieving the loss of school, defiant, anxious, confused, uncooperative and/or bored.

My worlds have finally collided! I believe families NEED this kind of information to understand WHY their kids are “acting up” instead of just feeling frustrated, annoyed or in dispair.

Josh from Lakeside details helpful concepts for caregivers to help their students’ get through behaviors that interfere with learning. To be honest, as a therapist helping other caregivers, I benefit tremendously from internalizing materials like these to support my own family of 6 + 2 kids; seven of whom are back home for the duration. 

Brain breaks which he gives examples for are the best. We like many use different gadgets to break up the “Groundhog Day” monotony of lockdown school during quarantine. This has been vastly different than homeschooling for sure.

My favorite brain break activities include paper behind the back, thumb roll, mindfulness mint (I use starburst), nature sounds (I use safari videos), the alphabet/number trace, and some of the tossing brain benders.

Lakeside Neurologic is known internationally to support the therapeutic education of vulnerable youth. Full disclosure: I am not sure how long this free zoom link for the Homebound video will be active. 

Due to Covid19 their book shipments are delayed. If anyone wants the “101 Brain Breaks” little square book Josh described that I enjoy using here’s an Amazon link: https://smile.amazon.com/s?me=AU4E06N5BT5JX&marketplaceID=ATVPDKIKX0DER

Enjoy guys,
Heloise (Lois) Ridley, MBA,MA 

Trauma Healing Online Groups

This organization, Quest Movement in partnership with American Bible Society’s Trauma Healing Institute is both training individuals as facilitators and running trauma healing groups individuals could join. I enjoyed my training opportunity and even learned a few new zoom tricks needed to run groups. Their 1 day trauma healing groups are scheduled through May and June. Totally free.

From Quest Movement website:

Community Healing Circles

We provide a safe place for traumatized victims to work through their pain and grief in our facilitated Healing the Wounds of the Community Heart Circle.   Theses groups are located in Gloucester, Camden, Burlington, and Atlantic City.  We utilize curriculum written by Trauma Healing Institute under American Bible Society.  We partner with local agencies and churches