Preparing your child for back-to-school: A mental health checklist

As parents, we often focus on the practical aspects of back-to-school: getting supplies ready, learning new schedules, and so forth. But for both parents and kids, the hardest part of returning to school is often coping with the change and its effects on mental health.

Change is hard for kids. That’s why predictability and routines are so highly emphasized by childhood development experts; when a child’s life is predictable, they feel safe. This doesn’t mean that transitions and changes can’t be navigated successfully – but you might have to make sure you’re supporting your child’s mental health throughout this process.

Here’s a checklist of some things you can do to help your child navigate the big change of “back-to-school” with courage and resilience.

• Establish a routine: Start establishing a consistent routine a few weeks before school starts to make the change more gradual. This includes regular bedtimes, wake-up times, and meal times. A predictable routine can help your child feel more secure and reduce anxiety.
• Discuss expectations: Talk to your child about what to expect when school starts. Discuss their new schedule, any changes in transportation, and what their daily routine will look like. Knowing what to expect can help reduce anxiety.
• Encourage open communication: Create a safe space for your child to express their feelings about going back to school. Let them know it’s okay to feel nervous, excited, or even scared. Validate their feelings instead of minimizing them. For example, try to avoid saying things like, “It’ll be fine,” or “There’s nothing to worry about.”
• Visit the school campus: If it’s possible, consider going with your child to visit the school before the first day. Show your child where their classroom is, the cafeteria, the bathrooms, etc. When your child is familiar with their environment, they may be less anxious.
• Role-play scenarios: Role-play different school scenarios with your child, such as meeting new classmates, asking the teacher for help, or dealing with a difficult situation. This can help them feel more prepared and confident.
• Create a worry jar: Encourage your child to write down their worries about school and put them in a ‘worry jar.’ Set aside a specific time each day to go through the worries together and come up with strategies to deal with them. This can help open
• Practice relaxation techniques: Teach your child simple relaxation techniques like deep breathing, mindfulness, or muscle relaxation strategies. These techniques can be used anywhere, even at their desk, and can be a good coping skill if they start to feel overwhelmed at school.
• Focus on the positives: Without undermining your child’s anxiety or stress, try to help them focus on the positives of back-to-school. What are some things, however minor, that they’re excited about?
• Create a visual schedule: Especially for younger children, create a visual schedule for the first few weeks of school can be helpful. Include activities, school hours, and any special events. This can help your child visualize their day and feel more in control.
• Establish a calming bedtime routine: Getting enough restful sleep is essential to mental health. A calming bedtime routine can help your child unwind and get a good night’s sleep. Consider activities like reading a book, listening to soothing music, or practicing relaxation exercises.
• Prepare a comfort item: If it’s okay with their teacher, allow your child to bring a small comfort item to school, such as a keychain, a small toy, or a family photo. This is sometimes called a transitional object, and can provide a sense of security and familiarity in a new environment. Transitional objects can also help with separation anxiety.
• Monitor and adjust: Even if their first day back at school goes well, continue to regularly check in with your child to see how they’re coping with the transition. Be flexible and ready to adjust your approach based on their needs and feedback.

Tips for parents during back-to-school season

As hard as back-to-school season can be for kids, it can be just as challenging – if not more so – for parents. Back-to-school brings up a wide range of emotions, from relief (you’ll get some of your free time back!) to sadness and anxiety (you’ll miss having your child at home with you, and you’re nervous about how they’ll fare at school).

As a parent, it’s important to take care of yourself, too. While you go through the above mental health checklist to support your child at this time, make sure you’re also paying attention to how you feel and any support that you might need to cope well with this transition.

These tips for parents may help:

• Allow all emotions to be present, even if they’re uncomfortable. It’s normal to feel a mix of relief, sadness, anxiety, and excitement as your child heads back to school. Accepting and acknowledging these emotions without judgment can help you process them more effectively and provide a healthy model for your child.
• Let go of perfectionism – the first day of school will probably be chaotic; to keep your sanity, it may help to remember that this day doesn’t need to be “Pinterest-perfect.” Embrace the messiness and focus on what truly matters: your child’s well-being and happiness. A few forgotten items or a rushed breakfast won’t overshadow the love and support you provide.
• Maintain a consistent routine for yourself to help manage stress and keep things predictable. Establishing regular self-care practices, such as exercise, meditation, or reading, can provide stability and help you stay grounded during this transitional period.
• Communicate openly with your partner or other family members about how you’re feeling. Sharing your experiences and emotions can provide mutual support and help you feel less isolated. Working together as a team can make the back-to-school transition smoother for everyone involved.
• Allow yourself to seek professional help if needed. Talking to a counselor can help you identify and manage painful feelings that may arise as your little one goes off to school. A therapist or counselor can also provide tools and strategies to cope with anxiety, sadness, or other challenging emotions, and ensure that you’re well-supported during this time.

Reaching out to your EAP can be a great way to get mental health support during this transition as well as other challenging times you might face. At MINES & Associates, we offer 24/7 free and confidential counseling for our members, as well as parenting coaching services to help you navigate the back-to-school season and all the other challenges of being a parent.

MINES is wishing you and your family a happy 24-25 school year!

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The post Back-to-School: How to Prepare Your Child (and Yourself!) appeared first on MINES and Associates.

We have become more aware of depression, but awareness is only the first step. It’s also critical that we’re regularly screening individuals for depression, just like we do for other health conditions like heart disease or high cholesterol. When we catch depression symptoms early on, we can help people realize there is a health problem and get the treatment they need – often through employee assistance programs.

National Depression Screening Day is celebrated each year in the first week of October. In today’s blog, we’ll help you prepare for this important day by giving you tips and resources on how to conduct depression screenings in your workplace.

Understanding what depression looks like

Most people have a general idea of what a “depressed person” looks like; perhaps you imagine someone who is often sad and cries frequently. But in reality, this is only one presentation of depression. There are many types of depressive disorders, and it’s important to understand how each of them can present.

Common symptoms of depression

Sad or low mood and frequent crying often do come along with depression. Some other common symptoms that you may notice include:

• No longer seem to enjoy things they used to enjoy
• Suddenly being apathetic or indifferent to work
• Appearing lethargic or extremely fatigued, which can even lead them to physically move slower than normal
• Decreased productivity at work
• Eating more or less than usual, which can lead to weight gain or loss
• Mood swings or being irritable; snapping at colleagues over small things
• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions; seeming to have a hard time remembering things
• Withdrawing and isolating themselves from others, especially if you’ve known them to be social people
• Increased absenteeism and tardiness
• Frequently complaining of unexplained physical symptoms like headaches or stomachaches
• Being very self-critical or having low self-esteem
• Talking about death and suicide, even if it’s in a “joking” manner

Although not everyone who displays these signs is experiencing depression, it’s important to be aware of the signs so you know what to watch out for. If you notice these signs, consider employee assistance programs to help improve your mental health.

On top of that, there are several different depressive disorders.

Major depressive disorder

This is what we most often refer to when we talk about “clinical depression.” People with major depressive disorder show many of the above symptoms for a period of 2 weeks or more.

Persistent depressive disorder

Persistent depressive disorder is also called chronic depression, and is diagnosed when someone has symptoms of depression for 2 years or more. They may not seem as acutely depressed, but likely show at least some of the symptoms.

Bipolar disorder

People with bipolar disorder swing between mania/hypomania (an intensely euphoric or “high” mood that can cause impulsive and dangerous behaviors) and depression. People with bipolar disorder may not be immediately identified as having depression because they could be in a manic episode the majority of the time. Other people with bipolar disorder are depressed most of the time and only experience one manic episode in their lives.

Postpartum depression

Colleagues who have recently given birth may show signs of postpartum depression, which is when someone experiences depression symptoms after childbirth. Research shows that people who adopt, as well as non-birthing partners, can also experience postpartum depression.

Because of these variations, depression can present itself in many different ways. Regular depression screening can make sure no one falls through the cracks.

Why is it important to screen for depression?

National Depression Screening Day can be an opportunity to remind employees to self-reflect and check themselves for symptoms of depression. Just like they go to their doctor every year for an annual physical exam, they can complete depression screening tools to ensure that their mood and mental health are sound.

Often when we’re experiencing depression, especially if we’ve experienced it for a long time, we don’t realize that we need help. We may assume that certain feelings or experiences are “just a part of life.” This can prevent us from getting support when we need it.

Here are some other reasons why it’s important to regularly screen for depression:

• Regular screening allows for the early identification of depression symptoms, which enables timely intervention and support (employee assistance programs) for employees who may be struggling.
• Employees benefit from increased awareness of their mental health through routine screenings. This knowledge can empower them to take proactive steps in managing their mental well-being and seeking support when it’s needed.
• Routine screening can minimize the personal and professional consequences of untreated depression, like workplace conflicts, strained relationships, financial stress, or compromised work-life balance.
• When people regularly screen themselves for depression, they’re connected to appropriate resources and assistance.
• Screening initiatives play a crucial role in tailoring and targeting mental health support through employee assistance programs in terms of organizational support.
• A workplace that prioritizes regular depression screening experiences improved employee engagement and retention because they’re creating environments that are characterized by care and support.

Screening tools for depression

Here is a helpful list of screening tools and resources that your employees can use to screen themselves for depression. Make sure that employees know that their results will be confidential. The idea is to help them get access to treatment when they otherwise wouldn’t have.

It’s also important to note that depression screening tests are not a replacement for a professional evaluation and diagnosis. No screening tool can diagnose you with depression, but they can give you a better idea of the signs of depression you or your employees might be experiencing and whether or not they could benefit from professional support.

• Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
• Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
• EQ-5D
• Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)
• Quick Inventory of Depressive Symptomatology – Self-Report (QIDS-SR)
• Beck Hopelessness Scale
• Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

You can get access to most of these tools through the American Psychiatric Association. Mental Health America also offers a quick online depression test that you can take.

Your Employee Assistance Program may also be able to help. If you’re a MINES & Associates client, you and your family have access to free and confidential counseling services at any time, day or night. Our mental health therapists can help you figure out if you might be experiencing depression, and offer guidance and support.

Contact us today and let us know how we can support your organization.

To Your Wellbeing,

The MINES Team

The post The Face of Depression at Work: Identifying Signs, Encouraging Conversations, and Seeking Help appeared first on MINES and Associates.

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As a member of the Generation Y group, it is interesting to open up my HR magazines and e-mails and read articles about generational differences in education and employment. Generation Y is often criticized because they expect instant gratification and feel entitled to have a job upon graduating from college. Consider these facts about Generation Y (NAS, 2006):

• It’s not just the wealthy Gen Y’s that go to college anymore, it’s the norm!
• 64 percent of women and 60 percent of men are attending college after high school
• Asian women account for the highest educated group of the Generation Y’s
• Greater college attendance rates have created more competition for Generation Y’s – in fact, the bachelor’s degree has become the minimum requirement for most positions
• 16 percent of Generation Y’s attend graduate school and feel that they need to in order to attain their desired position.
• Nearly 54 percent of Generation Y’s move home upon graduating from college
• The average salary for Generation Y upon graduating from college is $39,500

As you might see from the above statistics, Generation Y has a lot of pressure to attain a higher education and maintain that competitive edge. Just recently, I was discussing education with my aunt who is of the Baby Boomer Generation; she recalled the bachelor’s degree being the key to a successful future. Upon graduating from college she was able to quickly secure a position with a competitive salary and benefits, and saw no point whatsoever in attending graduate school. She reflected on her industry as it stands now. Apparently, there are two ways to be a competitive candidate in her industry:

• You either have a lot of experience 15+ years
• You have a master’s degree

Based on these points, Generation Y would be of the group who would likely need a master’s degree to enter the industry.

No doubt, education has shifted the desired characteristics of the workforce.  Whether we need a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, this certification or that license, Generation Y is tackling it head-on and maintaining a positive attitude along the way.  We love to learn, are career-minded, and want to make a contribution in what we do!

Daniél C. Kimlinger, MHA, PHR
Human Resources

NAS (2006). Generation Y: The Millennials – Ready or Not, Here They Come. Retrieved from http://www.scribd.com/doc/2607132/GENERATION-Y-THE-MILLENNIALS

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You might have noticed that from time to time some stars have found the courage to speak out and have used their celebrity in a positive way to bring attention to often times debilitating diseases.  Whether a celebrity has been treated themselves or have seen the effects of a mental illness in a friend of family member, the attention they can bring to a negatively stigmatized social concern is powerful.   Most recently we’ve seen Catherine Zeta-Jones come foward about her battle with bipolar disorder after it was leaked to the media.  The attention this fostered was breathtaking.  It’s easy for us to put stars on a pedestal and view them as perfect beings, when in fact, they are human just the same.  Even David Beckham, the english soccer phenom, has been diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder.  The list goes on and on.

So next time we demonize those suffering with mental illness let’s remember that being mentally well is as equal a struggle as being physically well no matter if we are celebrities of not.

Here is a link to a recent article on the topic:

http://specials.msn.com/A-List/Entertainment/Stars-with-mental-illnesses.aspx?cp-documentid=28644744&imageindex=1&gt1=36010

Ian Holtz
Manager, Business Development

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This is the time of year when many people resolve to turn over a “new leaf” and make important changes in their lives.  For a lot of us, that includes changing the way we manage our money.  With the over-spending that tends to occur around the holidays, it’s easy to decide to make a budget – but the hard part is sticking to it.  Below are some online tools to help you do just that.

www.mint.com

www.kiplinger.com/tools/budget

www.mvelopes.com

www.budgettracker.com

If you feel like you would benefit from more personalized help getting started, you may consider checking with the Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org ) for accredited financial consultants in your area.

Happy New Year!

~The HealthPsych Team

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Siegel &  Hartzell, M.Ed., (2003, p.102-112) in their book, Parenting from the Inside Out, describe four patterns of attachment derived from the work of researchers such as Mary Ainsworth, Mary Main, and Erik Hesse, among others. As infants we most likely have one of the following patterns (which can vary by caregiver): Secure, Insecure-Avoidant, Insecure-Anxious/Ambivalent, or Insecure-Disorganized.

Secure attachments are described as having a parental interactive pattern characterized by the parent being emotionally available, perceptive, and responsive. The child sees the parent as being a source of comfort during times of distress, a safe haven, being available, and a secure base. This creates a sense of well being from which the child can go into the world to “explore and make new connections with others” (p.104).

Insecure-Avoidant patterns are associated with parents who are emotionally unavailable, imperceptive, unresponsive, and rejecting. These children avoid closeness and emotional connections to the parent (p.104).

Insecure-Ambivalent patterns are described as having parents who are inconsistently available, perceptive, and responsive and intrusive. The child cannot depend on the parent for attunement and connection. The child develops a sense of anxiety and uncertainty about whether they can depend on their parents (p.105).

Insecure-Disorganization patterns are created by parents who are frightening, frightened, chaotic, disorienting, and alarming to the child. This pattern is often associated with abuse. This creates a situation in which abuse is incompatible with a sense of security. The child develops coping responses that lead to difficulties in regulating emotions, trouble in social communication, difficulties with academic reasoning tasks, a tendency toward interpersonal violence, and a predisposition to dissociation – a process in which normally integrated cognition becomes fragmented (p. 106).

The good news is that for those with insecure attachments there are mindfulness techniques described in Siegel’s book, Mindsight, that can help the individual integrate the insecure attachment memories, patterns, and information in a manner that frees them up from “automatically or habitually” engaging in the pattern in their adult relationships.

The implications of early attachment for the psychology of performance are significant. Secure attachments allow for a base of security which in adulthood can manifest in collaborative interactions in the business environment, for example. The social psychology of group performance is enhanced when members can communicate directly and problem solve from a position of trust. Contrast this with an avoidant attachment pattern in which a team member has a fundamental approach to relationships that is one of distrust and self-reliance. This team member is there in name only and will be perceived as not cooperating, being a maverick, and “not playing well in the sand box.” The anxious attachment style may show up as an accommodating or pleasing style. This person sacrifices their own opinions so as to fit in, may frequently be checking in with the “boss” for approval and reassurance. The group loses this person’s gifts as the person may give in rather than be proactive on a decision point. The disorganized attachment style may contribute to significant disruption in a work group or team’s performance because the person will become overwhelmed during a conflict with either a chaotic or rigid response, either of which can disrupt the flow of energy and information needed for higher performance.

The culture of an organization often is set by the leader of the organization. Part of the definition of culture is the shared set of assumptions as to how we do business. From this, it is possible to see how the impact of the leader’s attachment could influence the culture of the organization. For example, if the leader has an anxious attachment, the organization may have a strong press to accommodate customers, resulting in a high emphasis on customer service which could range from being useful to problematic if taken to a dysfunctional level.

Have a day filled with mindful integration,

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.
CEO & Psychologist

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It’s holiday time. This means family, friends, food, and fun. It also means unpredictability and a break in our routines which can lead to stress. It is easy to get so caught up in the details of the holidays. Will my sister like the gift I got her? Will the company get along? Is the ham overdone? It is also a time when ongoing stressors in our lives can feel magnified. We might worry if we can afford to give our children the gifts we want, family conflict can feel unavoidable, or it may feel like everyone else is celebrating while we feel more and more isolated or alone. Whatever the reasons might be, the holidays are not always the perfect celebration we sometimes expect. So how can we cope?

Last year my mother-in-law introduced a concept to our family that shone a new light on the season: The Gratitude Jar. Every family member was given a piece of paper to write down one thing they were grateful for in the previous year. We all had to share out loud what we were grateful for before putting it in the jar. Throughout the holiday, the jar was a reminder of all of the things we had to appreciate.

Practicing gratitude can be a simple and easy way to shift your thinking and reduce stress during the holiday season. Research has consistently shown that practicing gratitude can have many stress reducing effects (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/11/16/AR2007111601699.html).

Although the Gratitude Jar can be a great activity to share with family and friends, there are many ways you can practice gratitude to make the holidays more enjoyable:

• Make a short list of 3 things you are happy about in your life. Keep the list in your pocket and read it over whenever you are feeling overwhelmed.
• Write a letter to someone who is important in your life expressing your appreciation
• Volunteer. Spending time with others in need can remind you to appreciate the aspects of our lives we take for granted.

I want to wish you all a happy and healthy holiday and best wishes for the new year!

“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.” — William Arthur Ward

~The HealthPsych Team

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Dr. David Javitch wrote a wonderful article published at Entrepreneur.com that I would like to share.  As resolutions/goals are a popular topic at years end, his highlights can give a a great foundation for setting goals relative to your employees.

For example, he mentions that cross training employees can help motivate them and allow them to assist collegues in completing new tasks.  Their value and and responsibility will naturally increase while motivating them.

You can find the entire article and the other tips here.

Posted by Ian Holtz, Manager at MINES and Associates.

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http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/19/health/nutrition/19best.html?_r=2&th=&emc

Have a day filled with equanimity

Robert A. Mines, Ph.D.

CEO and Psychologist

The post Psychology of Performance – 18 appeared first on MINES and Associates.