Guiding Yourself Through the Start of School
Every year a new school season starts, but you don’t have to freak out!
When school is starting in a couple weeks, there can be feelings of excitement, nerves, anxiety, dread, hope, and so much more. Especially when in high school, kids can face insurmountable pressures from teachers, parents, peers, and friends. There are so many decisions for students to make while in school, all the while figuring out who they are, and what they want to do with their life. Kids are trying to balance getting good grades, playing sports, working, maintaining friendships, finishing homework, meeting new people, and more. The pressure from balancing so many things may feel like it is continuing to build for your kids, and at times, could feel like it is all going to topple over. It can be a lot to manage, but we hope you and your kids know that they have a wide range of support and tools that could be a help during this time. Whether it’s programs through schools, individual therapy, or even family therapy, there are options!
Some tips that may be beneficial to try or encourage your child to try during a stressful time could include:
Journaling to help express your thoughts and feelings. When we are better able to express our thoughts and feeling, we feel more capable of handling harder situations that may come up.
Deep breathing to help calm your body and mind. This helps calm our body and mind by giving our brain the oxygen that it needs to calm our heart and reduce feelings of stress or panic.
Exercising to stay active and boost your mood. Exercising releases endorphins that help to improve a persons mood. Getting outside is also beneficial for Vitamin D and energy levels.
Listening to your favorite artist as a distraction tool. This can be a distraction tool by taking your mind off of any negative thoughts and feelings and focusing on something different.
Finding external support could look like having an open conversation with a parent, a teacher, a school counselor, talking with friends, or maybe finding a mentor who could relate to what you or your child is going through. Being able to share with someone could help lighten your load and take off some of the pressure that has been building up.
And doing a puzzle to help ground you. This can be a grounding tool by helping you be able to lean into the details of the puzzle such as what it looks like, what if feels like, which parts align, and more.
This season of new transitions includes a lot for one person to handle but the good news is, that the stress is temporary! You have the power to make positive changes for you and your family during this season. So make sure that you are taking care of yourself and reminding yourself of the good work you and your child are doing during this season. If you are feeling overwhelmed and are looking for support during this time we would love to be that resource for you. Get in contact with a Shasta County mental health therapist with Discover Hope today and see how we can help!
