News Detail
Counselor's Corner
At our first gathering in 2017 the girls were introduced to Jaime Crowley, Ph.D. and her dog Moose. Jaime, along with Kristen Ohlenforst, Ph.D., wrote Moose the Worry Mutt Goes to Doggie Daycare. The girls loved meeting Moose, and took great pleasure during our class meetings discussing and writing about their worries, and how to productively manage and conquer them. Read More
It was interesting to learn that as the girls got older their list of worries grew from concerns such as spiders, bees, and monsters under the bed to concerns about friendship, succeeding in school, forgetting homework, war, bullies, and burglars. I think you would find it interesting and enlightening to ask your daughters what they worry about. One of the things I have learned over the years, working with students and clients, is all of us, regardless of our age, want to be listened to. All too often as parents, friends, confidants, and spouses we try to help our loved ones by offering advice and attempting to solve their problems. If however, your daughter does not find sufficient comfort in sharing her worries, then you can help her by examining “facts” to realistically look at her worries (monsters, the dark, etc.), and then replacing these worries with realistic outcomes, as well as ways to intervene before their worries (homework, school success etc.) become a reality.
In the last two months we have also spent time examining and practicing managing worries and stress through mindfulness. These mindfulness practices can be instrumental in helping your daughters manage stress which is exacerbated through worrying. I began teaching the girls breathing techniques a few years ago, after they frequently complained about difficulty falling asleep. That teaching has continued as we frequently practice mindful breathing, body scans, intentional listening, and even the simple practice of walking, as we have taken mindfulness outdoors. And in the last two weeks, every class has experienced practicing mindfulness under the stars when they had the thrill of being in the planetarium and taking an imaginary journey as I led them through a visualization exercise.
Coincidentally, last week I walked into my office in Preston Center, and as I waited for my client to arrive, I picked up a recent copy of Time that was sitting in my waiting room. I turned to the Health section and found an article that discussed the benefits of mindfulness practices and its positive impact on reducing stress, and enhancing both physical and mental health. Being mindful that the most important time is the present, and learning to focus our attention on what is happening now, are tools our children can use to combat worry, master emotional control, reduce stress, fall asleep easily, build resilience, and be present for their friends and family. Simply being aware of our breathing and taking a few minutes to breathe deeply, is a great place to start. Let your daughters show you some of the techniques they have learned and are practicing during many of our class meetings.
The Hockaday School
Within the private school community, The Hockaday School is an independent college-preparatory day school for girls from grades PK–12 located in Dallas, Texas. Students realize their limitless potential through challenging academic curricula, arts, athletics, and extracurricular programs so that they are inspired to lead lives of purpose and impact.