Couples therapy and couples counseling books, exercises, & worksheets.

Couples that are fighting tend to spend a lot of time thinking about heavy topics that pull them apart. Oftentimes, they forget about the strengths that...

Printable resilience training activities, worksheets (PDF), games & exercises.

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

If a child struggles with eye contact due to RAD, autism, SPD, or FASD, these are some simple activities that promote eye contact in a non-threatening way.

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

The Z axis As therapists, we recognize the importance of mid-line crossing to help with primitive reflexes. Reaching lateral outside…

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

Thanks to Jackie at Room 213 for organizing this blog hop! It's so true, right? When I think about my own experiences as a learner, the times that I made the most profound instructional gains were when I felt that my teacher truly knew me and believed in me as a student. That's why I believe that the best learning always occurs when students feel a connection with their teacher...when they know that their teacher cares about them as a person. If you're reading this, then you already know that students don't care a bit about what they are being taught until they know that their teacher cares a bit about them. Any teacher checking out a blog about learning and instruction is one who is invested in their profession. So, the ideas that I'm about to share are probably not new...in fact, I bet you have a few ways that you build caring and compassion into your own instruction that I'd love to read about! However, I hope that these ideas remind us all about why we became teachers in the first place. We love learning. We love students. And showing them both each day is what matters. How often do you hand back a piece of student work to see them quickly scan for the grade and then toss it into a folder...or worse the garbage? That's why I love writing students fun notes on their papers. Instead of "good job," I like to write comments that show I know and care about them, like "Wow, use figurative language in your writing as well as you shoot 3-pointers!" I'm a huge fan of making positive phone calls home. They're such a wonderful way to build positive relationships with students and their families. You can read all about it HERE. I love watching my students excel in the classroom, but for many of them their true talents are on display at the band concert, or on the soccer field, or during the school play. That's why I try to reserve at least one night a month to attend students' extracurricular activities. There's nothing better than the connection between that student and I the next day in class! I've always heard that the best way to get your own children to listen is to whisper your message within their earshot to someone else. I like applying the same technique with students. When talking with colleagues I love to brag about individual students within earshot of them. Spreading the word about the great things kids are doing is super important! When the bell rings at the start of each class, I'm at the door to greet my students. I love giving them the impression that I can't wait to see them. It sets the tone for a caring classroom before the class even begins! On the first day of school I let my students know that I will be holding them to the highest behavior and academic standards. I want them to achieve beyond anything they have ever done before. That means that there are classroom management procedures in place. It also means that they might be redoing their work to meet my standards. This is the "tough love" part of showing them that I care. OK, this may be obvious, but I'll never forget when I was student teaching and my supervising teacher kept telling her students day-after-day how much she loved them. I was in awe of this. I've followed her lead and tell my students how much I care about them and my profession all the time...even when I'm stressed and tired and overwhelmed. I love creating homework and classwork with students' actual names in the assignments. I'm careful to make sure that their names are associated with positive things and connected to activities and hobbies they care about. It's not hard to do and kids love seeing their names in print. Celebrating students' learning and achievements is super important. I love to do it in little ways like hanging their work around the classroom and in big ways like planning events to celebrate their learning. As you know, teachers are human, too. One of the ways that I show students that I care about them is by trusting them with stories from my own life. I share information about my family, my life successes, and times when I have struggled. Sharing builds important connections. At the end of the (school) day, teaching is not about standardized tests, curriculum requirements, paperwork, data, and reports. I think it's about creating an environment where students want to learn because they know that their teachers care about their profession...and most importantly each of them. I love learning about my students through their own work as well. Units like this MEMOIR Writing Unit and this NARRATIVE Writing Unit are an awesome way to engage students in their learning and gain insight into their lives at the same time! Oh, and click HERE for a printable of the 'Teachers Care' poster (prints on legal-sized paper) and HERE for a printable of the 'Learning' poster (prints on standard-sized paper). Thanks for stopping by!

Here's what people in healthy relationships do differently. These five key things can make or break a romantic relationship.

The three primary characteristics of neurodivergent burnout include: Chronic exhaustion, reduced tolerance to stimulus, and loss of skills (e.g., reduced executive functioning such as thinking, remembering, creating and executing plans, performing basic self-care skills, and activities in daily livi

This resource includes a chart which reviews characteristics of passive, aggressive and assertive communication styles. This download also includes a Communication Styles Survey, which students can complete electronically. When used in conjunction with the Assertive vs. Passive vs. Aggressive Worksh...

It’s funny how sometimes just the right teaching by just the right teacher at just the right moment comes rolling through my extroverse. When it does, it seems to remain embedded in my neural…

CLIENT: pre-teen with a history of family turmoil and attachment issues. I have been working with a middle school student for 2 years. The client is a 13 year old girl with a wonderful sense of s…

Newton's iconic laws of motion are at work all around you, whether you're watching an Olympic swimmer push off a pool wall or a batter hit a baseball. So what are they?

There are six levels of validation in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), which promote an environment where people feel accepted and understood. As much as possible, we should use the highest level of validation in any given situation. The first level is about showing interest and being present while the sixth level is radical genuineness. The DBT 6 Levels Of Validation worksheet asks clients to engage in reflection and describe a scenario where validation would be helpful. For each level of validation, they can brainstorm ways to show support to a friend or loved one going through a difficult experience. Kids and teens answering the worksheet can practice articulating their responses, which helps them develop their communication skills and have healthier relationships. Feel free to pair this worksheet with our DBT 6 Levels of Validation handout which serves as a practical resource on the topic. *This item is an instant digital download. A link to download your files will be emailed to you once payment is confirmed. Want more resources like this? Check out our full catalog of DBT worksheets and handouts. References: Kuo, J. R., Fitzpatrick, S., Ip, J., & Uliaszek, A. A. (2022e). The who and what of validation: an experimental examination of validation and invalidation of specific emotions and the moderating effect of emotion dysregulation. Borderline Personality Disorder and Emotion Dysregulation, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40479-022-00185-x Wu, S., Liu, S., Wu, Y., Huang, L., Liu, T., Kao, K., & Lee, Y. (2023). The efficacy of applying the Interpersonal Effectiveness skills of dialectical behavior therapy into communication skills workshop for clinical nurses. Heliyon, 9(3), e14066. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e14066

A free infographic to help practitioners retarget their interventions with clients who are struggling in their relationships after trauma.

An educational blog

Even as someone who has studied trauma therapy for years, I often find it difficult to describe just how trauma therapy works and what someone can expect from

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

Groovy Cat Week: Fun ideas for teaching prepositions to your preschool or kindergarten students using Pete the Cat story book character.

Ideas for teaching proportional relationships (7.RP.2) - including activities and common misconceptions to avoid in your math classroom.

5 Activities to Teach Angles

Communicating assertively is an essential skill for maintaining healthy self-esteem. This information handout describes the key properties and advantages of Assertive Communication.

Like vs. Love

In this post we are going to explore some of the most common symbols and signs someone has a swinger lifestyle.

Setting healthy boundaries is an important aspect of self-care.