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In This Together!

During these challenging times, I hear “everything has changed.” But is that really true? (Activity and free worksheet)

Laura K. Sibbald M.A., CCC-SLP, Lisa Weed Phifer, DEd, NCSP

When ringing in the new year and the new decade just a few short months ago, none of us could have anticipated the tremendous upheaval our lives would experience. Some days, it feels like everything is new and different, and that nothing is similar to our past lives.

When I am working with children and families during these challenging times, this is a concept I run across frequently: everything has changed. But is that really true? While we are socially distanced, we are not socially isolated. This means that human connection and opportunities for self-discovery through our interactions are more important than ever before. In order to celebrate this, I reach for the worksheet "Helping Hands". When we experience hard feelings like confusion, isolation, and fear, we need to feel empowered to connect to our trusted friends for help and support.

Equally important is the recognition that we can be there for others when they need guidance. "Helping Hands" helps us recognize the importance of reaching out to others, and celebrates our feelings of accomplishment when we are able to help someone else.

Not everything has changed; we can still guide our emotional development, and build meaningful connections in order to become more resilient.
CardDeck
Empower children and adolescents to cope with trauma and build resiliency with the Trauma-Informed Social-Emotional Toolbox for Children & Adolescents.

Written by expert clinicians, the activities in this workbook support a foundation of social-emotional language, an increase in consistency and routine, regulation of tough emotions, and the formation of connections with others.

Inside you will find 116 easy-to-use, solution-focused activities and worksheets developed with a trauma-informed lens that promote skills such as:
  • Building a sense of safety in your environment
  • Fostering trust and positive regard
  • Establishing healthy coping skills
  • Promoting problem-solving pathways
  • Developing personal empowerment, confidence and wellness


Meet the Experts:
Dr. Lisa Weed Phifer, DED, NCSP, is a nationally certified school psychologist, mother, wife and educational consultant. She is the lead author of the CBT Toolbox for Children and Adolescents (PESI, 2017) and the Parenting Toolbox (PESI, 2018). Her work has also been published in the School Mental Health Journal and the book Supporting and Educating Traumatized Students (Oxford University Press, 2012). Dr. Phifer has expertise in developing the social emotional capacities of children and empowering service providers to reframe challenging issues with a trauma informed approach. She has created and facilitated virtual professional training programs to increase educator’s awareness of trauma on social, emotional and educational growth. Dr. Phifer uses engaging techniques to meet the interests of her audience, providing practical information that can easily transfer into participant’s professional practice.

Learn more about their educational products, including upcoming live seminars, by clicking here.


Laura K. Sibbald M.A., CCC-SLP, is a nationally certified speech-language pathologist who has extensive experience supporting the social-emotional and pragmatic language needs of students and families. Laura co-authored the Parenting Toolbox.

Learn more about their educational products, including upcoming live seminars, by clicking here.

Topic: Children and Adolescent Behavioral

Tags: Activity | Advice | How To | Kids | Mindfulness | Self-Compassion | Strategies | Success | Therapy Tools | Tools | Trauma | Trauma Treatment

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