Summer vacation is the prefect time for you to reconnect with your children. The time spent together deepens the relationship and helps your child develop self regulation skills. This does not have to be a big production planning-wise. Think “simple” by grabbing pockets of time here and there for mutually enjoyable activities. Take a walk with the dog. Ride bikes. Play a board game. Bake something. Work it around your daily routine. A little goes a long way.
Summer’s a good time to get a little extra support for your learning disabled high schooler. In addition to therapy services, we can pair your teen with a college grad/ mentor who will steer your child toward college readiness. We’ll tailor our program to fit your child’s needs. Some services we offer include:
Call or email for more information: Julia@MilestoneMentoring.com * Julia Murphy (818) 388-1526
“Genes are rarely about inevitability, especially when it comes to humans, the brain, or behavior. They’re about vulnerability, propensities, tendencies.”
-Robert M. Sapolsky, Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers
Thank you to the International Dyslexia Association for putting on such an informative, well run conference this past Saturday, May 2nd, at UCLA. Language and Learning 2015 enlisted a wonderful set of speakers this year, including author/consultant/dyslexia specialist Louisa Moats, Ed. D.; pediatric neurophsychologist Rita Eichenstein, Ph.D.; and Lev Gottlieb, Ph.D., UCLA pediatric neuropsychologist. I am looking forward to next year’s conference!
The teen years are typically filled with stress due to the rapid physical, cognitive and emotional changes adolescents undergo. What stresses teens is often different than what stresses adults.
Teen Stressors:
As a parent, you can help your teen manage stress. The best way to approach an anxious teen is to be as calm as possible. The first rule of thumb is to remember to contain your own anxiety. Be open and listen non-judgmentally. Listen more than you speak. Empathy and mirroring feelings can be very reassuring and will help your teen feel that his or her feelings are normal.
At a later time when your teen’s anxiety has passed, you might suggest some positive ways to manage stress like deep breathing, muscle relaxation, breaking down tasks into smaller steps, adequate sleep, exercise and a balanced diet, downtime, and enjoyable activities with friends. Help your teen find opportunities to build his or her unique strengths and deep interests, which will also reduce anxiety and lead to greater self confidence.
As a part of Campbell Hall Summer Institute, Lou Cozolino, Ph.D., Daniel Franklin, Ph.D., and Peter Murphy, Ph.D. will be conducting a 2-day workshop for teachers, clinicians and school administrators: Explore Attachment-Based Teaching.
Tuition is $420.00. Students receive a 50% discount. MFTs and LCSWs receive 14 CEUs, BBS Provider Number PCE 5493.
For more information, please contact Kena Dorsey at (818) 505-5302 or dorseyk@campbellhall.org.
Breakout Session with Dr. Peter Murphy and Dr. Daniel Franklin at the Language and Learning Conference, May 2, 2015 – UCLA Carnesale Commons
Drawing on the latest findings from the fields of social neuroscience, psychology, and education, this presentation will explore the biological mechanisms of stress and identify how stress impacts learning and behavior. In addition, the connection between healthy attachment and stress will be discussed. This presentation will offer specific strategies that parents, teachers, and clinicians can use to mitigate stress-related learning and behavioral challenges.
Conference registration online at www.DyslexiaLA.org/events
Academic Skill Deficits
1. Dyslexia, or reading difficulties, effects about 80% of children with learning challenges.
2. Dyscalculia, or difficulty with math, is also common among children with learning challenges.
Fortunately, there are strategies and accommodations that will help your child cope with his or her learning challenges, including implementing the right modifications and accommodations at school to help him learn, supporting the development of his interests and strengths, helping him understand his challenges, and providing him with support and understanding.
(To be continued)
What follows is a moving poem by Mary Oliver called The Journey, which may be an inspiration to those of you facing a period of great change or difficult decision making.
The Journey
One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice —
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do–
determined to save
the only life you could save.
(Mary Oliver)