How Does Anxiety Present Itself?
We hear the word "anxiety" so often, that we as a society have become de-sensitized. Do we really know what anxiety is? Do we know how it can present itself? Are we quick to label?
As an Elementary school teacher with 20+ years, I see anxiety in the classroom almost daily. It can be subtle, it can be blatantly obvious, but in both cases- what are we doing about it?
Since the pandemic, mental health has become a major focus, especially in youth. They have been cut off from social interactions, and the every day school routines for a very long time. As teachers, we see gaps in learning, but mostly in how to interact with others. How do we combat this? What do we do in order to assist these young people in feeling more confident, and self assured?
Classrooms are busy places, lots of challenges, lots of students, and one teacher. It becomes very tough to deal with every student on a one to one basis. We see the need, however the curriculum expectations, and number of student needs becomes our priority.
I decided to open up my own counselling business in order to reach youth in a more direct way, and give them the time they all deserve. I work with them using a series of Neural Network Therapy exercises designed to allow structural lasting change in patterns of behaviour. We explore the main issues that could be causing them to "feel stuck". Sessions are 30 or 50 minutes, depending on age , and are done virtually.
Teens are often misunderstood. They aren't great at communicating their needs, and usually say they are "fine". As adults, we need to recognize the stressors that a teen faces on a daily basis. We also need to remember that teens/youth think "in the moment" and it is very difficult for them to see the future, that everything will be ok.
Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have about my counselling business, "Confident 2 Be".
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