From the Counselling Team
- Cultivating Resilience in a Changing World
- Online Parenting Program - Tuning into Teens
- Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing Activities at St Pius X College
- Counselling Team Information
Cultivating Resilience in a Changing World
If COVID-19 has taught us anything, it is how to get back up after being knocked down.
We have all faced many challenges over the last two years.
As parents can you identify the many challenges that your sons have faced in 2020 and 2021 and what have been the factors that have actually contributed to their survival and getting through these hard times?
Resilience is the ability to successfully adapt to life’s stressors. It is being able to ‘bounce back’ from experiences that challenge us. How do we build resilience in our children and therefore help them develop the skills required to deal with difficult times in their lives?
Below are some ideas that promote and encourage the development of resilience in our children.
Building a strong and positive connection
Building a strong and positive connection with our sons means spending quality one-on-one time with them. Children will develop coping skills in the context of caring and trusting relationships. Building positive connections also allows parents to have the opportunity to model to their children coping and problem-solving skills. Having an adult who believes and loves them unconditionally is empowering for children and is a protective factor in the face of stress and adversity.
Building Character
Parents have a huge impact on how their children develop positive characteristics of their emerging personality. Help your child to identify and continue to develop a set of morals and values. Encourage your child to develop a sense of empathy and to see himself as a caring person.
Building Confidence
Having confidence in one’s skills and abilities leads to positive self-esteem. Identify and focus on the best qualities in your child so that he can see that for himself. Help them develop a narrative of positive talk about themselves and praise not only when they succeed but also for attempts, effort and perseverance with tasks or challenges. Give positive feedback that is specific and provide lots of praise.
Teach Problem-Solving Skills
A parent’s role is one of guidance and support to assist their child to make positive decisions for themselves. Rather than explaining or lecturing, a positive strategy is to ask questions.
Assist your child to identify problems early and brainstorm with him possible solutions and consequences. This can engage them in developing the skills they need to begin to problem solve for themselves. It also helps them to learn to deal with conflict.
As parents, we need to refrain from solving our children’s problems for them. This can convey a message to them that they are not able to do things for themselves and can undermine their sense of competency and self-esteem. Allow them to learn from their own experiences as every situation handled well will result in the growing ability to deal with future problems.
Develop an Emotional Vocabulary
Teach your child that there are many different feelings and sometimes we can experience strong and powerful emotions. It is important to let them know that all feelings are okay, but what’s important is what we do with those feelings. Reassure them that bad feelings usually pass and invite them to think of ways they can feel better.
Managing feelings in a positive way can assist them to see a situation more clearly.
Encourage Gratitude
Building a positive and hopeful outlook on life helps to build and strengthen resilience. Gratitude is a strong antidote we have against feelings of unworthiness. Life lived with gratitude habits help counteract negative feelings as we begin to appreciate where we are on our journey and also allow us to move from pessimism to optimism, from stressed to calm.
Having a gratitude journal or a gratitude conversation at the dinner table can be ways to focus on gratitude in your lives.
Thoughts to Ponder
As parents, are there ways in which you can become closer and more connected with your sons?
Are you helping him build character and confidence and assisting him with his problem-solving skills? How can you help him identify and manage his feelings and encourage him to be grateful for what he has in his life?
I leave you with an inspirational quote by Nelson Mandela:
“Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got up again.”
Mrs Judy Gill - Psychologist / College Counsellor
Online Parenting Program - Tuning into Teens
CatholicCare are holding an online parenting program during October and November on how to tune into your teenagers. It will help you talk more effectively with your teen, prevent behaviour problems and better understand your teen.
When: 20 October - 24 November, Wednesdays 10.00 am - 12.00 pm
Where: Online via Zoom
Enquiries: Email dayss@catholiccaredbb.org.au
Bookings: https://form.jotform.com/212510637554856
Please see the attached for further information.
Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing Activities at St Pius X College
Just a reminder that all are welcome to our Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing Activities mornings.
We have three Positive Mental Health and Wellbeing before school activities to consider attending during lock-down:
- Mindfulness Monday Mornings at 8.00 am
- Boxercise Thursday mornings at 8.00 am
- Boxercise Friday mornings at 8.00 am
Mums, Dads and all family members are welcome to join in the Boxercise fun and fitness on Thursday and Friday mornings at 8.00 am
Please email Mr Russo at rrusso@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au to be included in the teams.
SPX Well-being Team
College Counselling Team
The College Counselling Team are available to provide confidential emotional and social support and guidance for your son and family. For reference our College Counselling Team contact details are shown below.
Mr Rick Russo
Counsellor (Full time Monday to Friday) working with students across all year groups.
Email: rrusso@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Direct Phone: 9414 4359
School Mobile (in case of emergency): 0418 438 325
Ms Joe McCarthy
Psychologist (2 days per week: Tuesday and Thursday) working with students across all year groups.
Email: jmccarthy@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Direct Phone: 9414 4322
Mrs Judy Gill
Psychologist (2 days per week: Wednesday and Friday) working with students across all year groups.
Email: jgill@stpiusx.nsw.edu.au
Direct Phone: 9414 4315
The Counselling Team, together with the Diverse Learning Team, look forward to providing CONFIDENTIAL support to assist your son to build his SELF CONFIDENCE / SELF ESTEEM AND RESILIENCE within a caring, supportive Catholic school community. Please do not hesitate to make contact with any of the above team should the need arise.
Mr Rick Russo - College Counsellor/Chaplaincy Services