Improving the community for me means helping people with their mental health. When kids are in therapy their parents or guardians are also part of the process. Some parents think they are going to drop their child off and I will “fix” them. My belief is that the child is not broken, the environment is broken (relationships at home or school). The way we address whatever brought the family into therapy is to look at the family system as a whole.

How Does Therapy Improve the Community?

When parents understand how important communication is, it improves their relationships. They communicate better with partners, bosses, and family members. When you are able to communicate better it improves your mood. Parents also learn that children communicate through their behavior. Crying, yelling, pushing, etc. are not just “being naughty” they are communication. Parents can learn to coregulate with their child rather than yelling at their behavior.

Is Anyone Else Impacted if My Child Goes to Therapy?

Family members are positively impacted when you and your child are more connected. If your child behaves better at school the classroom and the teacher benefit.

Martha would like to work with schools and teachers to discuss classroom management and emotional regulation. This could benefit the school community and all of the families involved with the school.

What does Martha Know About Classroom Management?

Martha was a teacher for 11 years in a district that gave little support to their teachers. She learned some creative and humorous ways to connect with kids to help them feel calmer.

Learning the difference between a tantrum and a melt down can also help parents and teachers know when to redirect their children and when to just be with them and be a source of calm.

Setting up the classroom to be inviting but not overstimulating is an overlooked skill in teaching. The best book on classroom management is The First Days of School. It goes over procedures to start each day efficiently. It outlines how to teach students the procedures on how to line up, pass in papers, work in groups etc. If the students know what is expected and have pracrticed it there is less confusion.

Happy Hedgehog Counseling LLC working for a more connected community one family at a time.