Perspectives
SCG Staff Articles
How Are the Children
Recently I met with some parents and grandparents of school age children to talk about some of their concerns. We began by naming many of the stressors families are dealing with now. We listed finances, safety (school, home and online) social climate, health, parent separation/divorce, death of close family member gun violence, major illness, parent's incarceration, socialization skills of children, loneliness, body image and social media, changing family size/family growth, intergenerational divides, world perspective, moral/spiritual values being handed down or not, technology, grandparents raising grandchildren, childcare, death by suicide. This list could go on and on. Today’s children and youth are encountering unprecedented challenges/stressors
Teenage Bullying
It’s not wanting to get out of bed in the morning. It’s skipping lunch to hide in the bathroom. It’s never speaking up in class. Bullying looks different for everyone who experiences it. While bullying isn’t exclusive to any age it can be incredibly difficult for one age group, in particular, teenagers. One out of every five students reports experiencing bullying (CDC). This level of prevalence is upsetting, but also incredibly useful to understand. Our teens need our help.
Finding Peace, Episode 9: Finding Peace for Children & Youth, Part 2
This pandemic and quarantine have changed our lives in ways none of us could have imagined. In this special edition-part two episode, Rev. Jim Humphries talks with Katherine Sherrill M.A., LCMHCA, MT-BC, from the Sanctuary Counseling Group about youth and their mental well being during the pandemic.
Finding Peace, Episode 8: Finding Peace for Children & Youth, Part 1
Rev. Jim Humphries talks with Shannon White, M.A., LCMHC, RPT, from the Sanctuary Counseling Group about the mental well being of children and youth during pandemic.
How to Understand and Manage Your Child’s Thoughts and Feelings about the Pandemic
SCG Staff Therapist, Shannon White, Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Registered Play Therapist, shares advice on understanding and dealing with the big feelings and thoughts about the pandemic with parents of children and adolescents.
Managing Fear During a Pandemic
SCG Staff Therapist Shannon White (NC Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Registered Play Therapist) shares helpful information about how the brain is wired to handle fear and what we can do to manage that fear without letting it control us in the midst of this global pandemic. This is especially helpful for parents of children or teenagers.
Managing Screen Time for Children and Teens: A Family Approach
John 10:10 says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” The truth is, media and digital devices are not the enemy or the thief. They may be an integral part in living the abundant life that God has for us.
Let’s Play!
Play is a child's language for expressing joy, anxiety, frustration, fear, and above all, the true experiences of their lives. Play therapy, a tool used by therapists to encourage healing through the symbolic meaning and patterns of the child's play, has been proven to help children overcome a wide variety of behavioral symptoms and emotional difficulties.
Discipline and Finding Your Balance as a Parent
The most effective form of discipline and behavior shaping comes from positive reinforcement. Children should be given rewards, verbal praise and consistent privileges that match their compliance to reinforce the behavior that is desired.
A Closer Look at Bullies and Their Victims
Despite popular belief, the recent research finds that bullies are no longer traditionally the insecure, self-loathing group of people. Bullies tend to be confident, have high self esteem and have an elevated social status among their peers. Bullies often use their position of power to single out their peers for a variety of reasons.