Category: Mental Health Skill Building

Posts in this aws Studios.art category include mental health skill building, social emotional learning and the phearnik! plush and picture book.

phearnik!® is No Stella Al Fresco

Published on by awsstudiosart2 Comments

Who is Stella Al Fresco

I made a doll and it is not like Stella Al Fresco.

Sunday morning in the NYTimes, I saw an article about how Megan, The Dutchess of Sussex, promoted a doll on her new show “With Love, Megan.” Commonly known Stella Al Fresco, Megan’s daughter’s doll is sold with “a little baguette and a little cheese.” The dolls’ creators claim the dolls and their accessories help kids mimic adult behavior. Says  Acorn Store owner  Heather Hamilton where the dolls are sold, “Kids really like imitating life, and if this is what they’re seeing on their parents’ patio, then they just pretend play.”

A picture of the doll commonly called Stella Al Fresco. It helps to show the difference between it and the aws Studios.art phearnik! plush and how it is different , has a different purpose and is not like Stella Al Fresco.
The doll commonly known as Stella Al Fresco
A picture of the phearnik! plush, a small rag doll with a lavender body, a navy blue jumpsuit and a wild head of yarn for hair. It has big black eyes and a squiggly mouth. Funny, cute and a little bit scary.
The phearnik! plush

Which makes me think that my little phearnik!® has a long, uphill slog to the market. How does my slightly scary looking doll/plush that is not like Stella Al Fresco compete with the sweet, cute and Cabbage Patch-like doll? And how does my aws Studios.art doll stack up against a doll promoted by Megan?

phearnik!® is no Stella Al Fresco

phearnik!® is 180° from Stella. But that’s okay. phearnik!® is not meant to mimic adult/parent behavior. phearnik!® stands for something else.

A Little Scary Looking

Yes, phearnik!® is not a sweet looking doll like Stella. phearnik!® actually looks a little scary. It’s supposed to look scary. I made phearnik!® to look a little scary because the plush represents a “little fear.”

The idea behind the phearnik!® doll was to make an object that represents fear.  I would take the “little fear” with me to remind me to keep my fears small. When I keep my fears small, they don’t get big and take control of things I want or need to do. More about where I got this idea here (hint: it’s from Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, Big Magic: Creative living beyond fear).

A picture of one of the original versions of the phearnik! plush prototype. A small rag doll with a lavender body, a navy-blue jumpsuit, googlie eyes, a crooked mouth and wild hair kids love.
One of the original versions of the phearnik! plush

Sharing the phearnik!® Idea

Initially, I created phearnik!® to help me with my fear of the blank canvas. Then one day my granddaughter spied the doll on my dresser. She wanted one too. (How couldn’t she? With its quirky face and wild hair, I thought!)

A picture of the cover of the original book about phearnik! titled "Adventures with phearnik!." The book has been revised and is now "Phoebe and phearnik! Fight BIG Fears"
The original picture book about phearnik!. Now revised as “Phoebe and phearnik! Fight Big Fears”

While making my granddaughter a phearnik!®, I came up with the idea to tell her its story in a book. Hence, I created the picture book Adventures with phearnik!® and gave her both the book and plush as a birthday present.

A picture of a little girl holding her phearnik! The plush helps her overcome her fears so she can join in and have fun.
Guess who with her phearnik!

The phearnik!® Campaign

Since then, I wanted to share the book and the plush with others. phearnik!® definitely helped me. Every day it’s there to remind me not to be fearful of things that are new to me like a blank canvas. More importantly, it helps me with becoming an entrepreneur to promote the phearnik!® idea to others. I believe phearnik!® can help others who, like me, are held back by irrational and debilitating fears.

phearnik!® has helped me do everything I have needed to do to get to this point of launching the phearnik!® Campaign. The campaign seeks to raise funds to support mental health making the plush available to others, both kids and adults, dealing with irrational fears.

A picture of a bookmark that says "Support Mental Health, Join the phearnik! Campaign" with a QR code to sign up.

Yes, phearnik!® is no Stella Al Fresco but That’s Okay

A picture of the doll Stella Al Fresco holding a phearnik! plush symbolizing how the plush reminds kids to keep their fears small.
Stella and phearnik! as friends

phearnik!® is not like Stella Al Fresco. But I like to think that even Stella would like to have a phearnik!® It would remind her to keep her fears small so she can live a more fearless life. Ah, yes, what a vision. Instead  of competing with each other, Stella and phearnik!® could be  friends!

Do you agree? What do you think? Have you ever had a doll like Stella? Or phearnik!®? Tell us about it in the Comments.

Find out more about phearnik!® and get a free “How to Use phearnik!®” pdf here.

Support mental health and sign up for the phearnik!® Campaign

Coming soon: the many faces of phearnik!®

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A picture of the phearnik! the Courage Buddy plush, a small mental health plush with a lavender body, a navy blue jumpsuit and a wild head of yarn for hair. It has big black eyes and a squiggly mouth. Funny, cute and a little bit scary. The plush helped me overcome blank canvas syndrome or overcoming writer's block.

How the phearnik!® Toy Helps Kids Manage Fear

Published on by awsstudiosart9 Comments

*In my last post I announced my campaign to make phearnik!® available to kids, scared of everything, manage their fear. In this post, I aim to explain how it works. And, how, for children, their loved ones, and caregivers, life is better with the little plush.

The phearnik!® Journey

phearnik!®, a plush toy, used to prompt a mindfulness skill, helps children manage fear

Even before the pandemic, mental health issues were on the rise for children. Unfortunately, the pandemic increased the number of kids dealing with overwhelming fear and anxiety. This often points to a lack of mental health skills.

“So,” you ask, “how does a toy help kids build a skill to make them less scared of everything?” I’ll tell you!

What is this phearnik!® you are talking about?!

The phearnik!® [pronounced: fear-nick] toy or “plush” is a prompt. phearnik!® means “Little Fear” and prompts kids to remember to keep their fears “small.” Importantly, having a “little fear” when faced with non-life-threatening anxieties helps keep kids safe. A little fear helps us to pay attention. Whereas, too much or letting it “get “big” stops kids from doing what they want or need to do. This could be things like joining in and having fun with other kids.

A Prompt to Reduce Fear and Anxiety

Used in many disciplines including education, therapy, and Applied Behavioral Analysis, a prompt is a tool or aid. It works to achieve a desired behavioral response. Prompts can be verbal, gestural, physical, or visual. Also, pictures, videos, or toys such as dolls and plush are types of visual prompts.

A picture of a bulletin board with reminder notes pinned to it.
Yes, A toy as A Prompt!
The image shows a little girl who used to be scared of everything is holding her phearnik! plush. She is smiling and looks like she likes her quirky looking toy.
A little girl holding her phearnik!®

The small phearnik!® or “Little Fear” prompts children dealing with fear and anxiety to keep their fears small. They do this by calming themselves. First they take a breath, let it out, and take the first small “step” of trying a new experience. These can be things like putting a toe into the “scary” water. As well as, stepping just inside the doorway of the dark bedroom holding their stuffie, of course.

5 easy steps to use phearnik! to teach kids to be less scared of everything!

By providing a clear signal or reminder about what is expected, prompts guide the teaching of concepts or skill. This helps to increase the chances of a desired behavior. 

Some examples of Prompts you might recognize…

Teachers might use verbal prompts to guide students through a challenging math problem. Or they may use visual prompts like pictures to help with learning vocabulary. Therapists use prompts to assist clients with many activities. These include visual prompts to guide them through a sequence of steps in a task. And, in the research-based practice, Applied Behavioral Analysis, prompts help to improve problematic behavior.

Manage Fear and Anxiety with Skills

wait! this isn’t life or death!

Many do not experience overwhelming fear in the face of non-life-threatening situations. They are skilled in  transferring these thoughts.

Fearful thoughts begin in the primal limbic area of the brain. Those with the skill transfer these thoughts to the prefrontal cortex. This is where our modern, logical, and practical responses reside.

It’s as though they are saying, “Wait! My brain thinks this is a life-or-death situation but it’s not. I’m safe to give this a try.”  

Mental health made simple! A free skills checklist
Mindfulness with phearnik!®

phearnik!® prompts the practice of switching fearful thoughts from its initial primal reaction to modern and logical calm responses. This skill strengthens mental health. It is an intrapersonal communication skill, a type of mindfulness.

How to Use the phearnik!® Prompt

The phearnik!® prompt is easy to use
Here’s how:
  • Introduce phearnik!® to the child. Tell them its name, how it’s pronounced [fear-nik] and what the name means – “Little Fear.”
  • In addition, tell them to take the plush with them. It’s small to fit in a backpack or pocket. Wherever they are, when faced with a situation they’re afraid of, phearnik!® is there. Reminding them that a “little fear” is okay. It helps to keep them safe and aware.
  • Let the child know too much or letting their fear get “big” makes them freeze. This means they can’t do things they would like or need to do.
  • phearnik!® wants them to first slowly take a breath in and let it out. It’s okay to do this a few times.
  • Next phearnik!®, not only wants them to think about keeping their fear small but…
This is an image of the phearnik! plush. The plush is a prompt used to build a mindfulness skill to help kids scared of everything gain social and emotional health.
phearnik!®
  • …the plush wants them to think about not letting it get big.
  • phearnik!® reminds them they are safe to take the first step on giving a new experience a try.
  • Tell them phearnik!® is helping them learn an important skill to keep them strong and healthy.
5 Easy Steps to use phearnik! to teach kids to be less scared of everything!

From Fearful to Confident

get healthy with social and emotional skills
This image shows a little girl, who used to be scared of everything, enjoying swimming in the water with her dragon floatie. She used the phearnik! plush to remind her to keep her fear small and not let it get big.
phearnik! reminded Phoebe to practice her mindfulness skill to keep her fear of the water “small.” She had fun swimming with the other kids!

The more the toy is used, the more a child, scared of everything, practices the thinking skill. This skill builds their social and emotional health and becomes less fearful. As with all prompts, the more it’s used the less it’s needed.  The more a child takes the plush with them, the more they will remember to practice the skill. This includes taking a breath, letting it out, and calming themselves toward taking positive action with new experiences. Moreover, this can be done with or without the plush at their side.

Said one grandmother of a phearnik!® owner,

“After a while, all we had to do when she was afraid of doing something that didn’t warrant a lot of fear, like getting in the water, was to tell her to “remember” phearnik!®. And she got it! You could see her thinking about it. And, with a smile, she jumped in the pool with the rest of us!”

Support Kids’ Mental Health

The phearnik!® plush is an easy and fun way to help kids who need it. Building a social and emotional skill, the toy can be life changing.

Make skill building fun! Join the phearnik!® Campaign!

By joining the campaign, you will get:

  • Get more information about phearnik!®  like
  • How the quirky plush came to be
  • Receive campaign updates (like how it will be made available),
  • Get more info mental health skill building and
  • Support the larger mission of boosting children’s mental health!
Join the “phearnik!®” Campaign

Do you have a prompt you use to help you build a skill? Is there anything you don’t understand or are confused about with the phearnik!® plush? Let me know in the Comments or email me: alis@awsstudios.art

If you think someone you know should know about phearnik!®, feel free to share this post.

Next post: The best way to introduce kids to phearnik!® what it is and how it works!

Support Kids’ Mental Health with phearnik!®

Published on by awsstudiosart8 Comments

“My kid is scared of everything”

Parenting fearful kids is exhausting. Furthermore, it’s even more exasperating than just “plain old parenting” which is exhausting enough!  The fears I’m talking about are the non-life-threatening kind and are often about things other children have no issues with.  Importantly, you wonder, why your child is so anxious and scared of everything?

A picture of a little girl in bed in the dark looking very frightened.
From the picture book “Phoebe and phearnik! Fight BIG Fears”

Longing for Curiosity and Courage

Indeed, you would love for your child, lest I say, “To be like other kids.” I’m talking about the ones who don’t seem to be scared of everything. Life would be easier and less stressful. Moreover, it would be great if your fearful child could approach new experiences with curiosity and courage.

Developing Skills

A close up of two kids having fun playing in the surf from an illustration from the picture book.
From the picture book “Phoebe and phearnik! Fight BIG Fears”

Clearly, all kids are different and deal with unfamiliar activities in various ways. This often depends on their skills. We develop physical and mental health over time, frequently without noticing we’re developing skills.  We more easily think about what’s needed for our children’s physical health. The ethereal skills of mental health are harder to pinpoint. In addition, you may ask, what exactly are those skills?

Assessing Skills

To help parents, caregivers, teachers and others assess a child’s mental health, I have put together an introductory skill checklist. The list begins with the basic skills of social and emotional health. Also, the list includes life skills and others for specific emotional needs.

Mental health made simple – A free skills checklist

Importantly, basic mental health begins with communication skills, both interpersonal and intrapersonal. Helping kids to be less ‘scared of everything’ begins with building their  intrapersonal communication skills.

Less Scared of Everything with phearnik!®

Meet phearnik!® –  a toy that helps kids build an essential intrapersonal communication skill!

Who  wouldn’t want a toy that relieves their kid’s fears and be less scared of everything? Well…  phearnik!® is that toy! When faced with non-life-threatening fears, the small quirky plush prompts children to practice mindfulness, an intrapersonal communication skill.

phearnik!® (pronounced: fear-nik) means “Little Fear.” It helps kids to mindfully keep their fears “small” and not let them get “big.” Having a little fear helps keep kids safe. But too much or letting it get “big” stops them from doing what they want or need to do.

“Too little fear and you don’t pay enough attention; too much and you freeze.”

Anthony Doerr, Cloud Cuckoo Land

Support Kids’ Mental Health

This post marks the beginning of my phearnik!® campaign. My goal is to make the cute little plush available to any kid who needs it. I want to bring its subtle powers to  help these kids be less scared of everything.

More about phearnik! here

Over the next few months, I will be talking about phearnik!®:

  • what it is;
  • what it does,
  • how it helps boost mental health and
  • how I am trying to bring it to kids who need it.

Then in October, I plan to launch my 30-day fund-raising campaign to help manufacture, package and ship phearnik!® and its accompanying picture book to kids who need it.

A picture of the phearnik! plush prototype. A small rag doll with a lavender body, a navy-blue jumpsuit, googlie eyes, a crooked mouth and wild hair kids love.
phearnik! prototype

Help Boost Children’s Mental Health –

Join the “phearnik!®” Campaign
  • Get more information about how phearnik!®  works,
    • Find out how the quirky little plush came to be,
      • Get campaign updates (like how phearnik!® will be made available),
          • Get more mental health skill building info and
            • Support the larger mission of boosting children’s mental health skill building!
    Sign up here – Boost Kids Mental Health Skills Today!

    Next blog post – details about how phearnik!® works. Sign up to stay tuned!

    How to Achieve Your Resolution

    Published on by awsstudiosart2 Comments

    A New Way to Achieve Your Resolution

    It’s resolution time once again. This year, I was intrigued by the NY Times article, “For a Happier New Year, Focus on Your Loved Ones.” In it, writer Holly Burns, posits a new way to make and  achieve resolutions.   Instead of self-focused goals, Burns suggests making other-serving resolutions – goals with or about others. She then supports this idea with research. The study shows that when we take the focus off the “self,” we can positively impact both ourselves and others.

    Struggling with Next Steps

    If you’re anything like me, you struggle with achieving your goals. Also like me, with many steps and so much to do,  it feels overwhelming.

    I have been struggling with my next steps with my aws Studios. My plan is to put most of my efforts into launching my therapy doll into the toy and novelty market. My deadline is this year. It’s a lot to do in a short amount of time. My goal objectives include:

    • Setting up a crowdfunding campaign
    • Getting quotes and samples of the toy and its companion book
    • Creating an eBook
    • Getting a doll and book package designed and
    • Promoting my “product” with this blog and social media posts.

    From Self-Focused to Other-Serving

    I’m guessing that, like me, you make self-focused resolutions. These goals center on becoming a better person, have a better body, etc. Often, we don’t get too far with these promises. But I am digging this idea. I like the idea of taking the focus off us. And, making resolutions that impact both ourselves and others.

     Perfect Timing

    Because of my feelings of overwhelm, I have been looking for a “sign” to keep me going. The idea of making resolutions for others comes at a perfect time for me. we are more apt to keep working on our goals knowing it will affect others. It is the sign I have been looking for.

    What Is Your Other-Serving Resolution?

    To help you think of a resolution that benefits someone else, here is mine as an example:

    In 2025, I resolve to launch my phearnik!® crowdfunding campaign. phearnik!®, or “little fear,” is a small rag doll. It helps fearful kids and adults manage their fears. Once, managed, they can  join in and have fun (more about this here and here).

    My Other-Serving Resolution Can Help You Make Yours

    If you are looking to resolve feelings of fear and anxiety or help others with theirs, phearnik!® can help. The quirky plush teaches fearful kids and adults to be more mindful of their reactions to fear. It prompts its user to make the important brain switch from primitive reaction to a contemporary, non-life-threatening response.

    Let’s Achieve our Resolutions Together

    Fear of the blank canvas!

    In the Comments below, share  your resolution (self-focused or other-serving, it doesn’t matter). I’ll support you in your quest to achieve your resolution.

    And if you sign up to this blog, you’ll be supporting me. I’ll be updating my resolution – all about helping fearful kids and adults learn an important mental health skill.

    Happy New Year!

    Click to see how I do with my resolution!

    How the Social Styles List Can Transform Your Classroom

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment

    Free Resource for Effective Classroom Management

    Without a doubt, high school classrooms today are more diverse than ever—culturally, emotionally, and socially. As educators, you likely face students with varying communication preferences, personalities and “social styles”, making it challenging to foster meaningful relationships and manage your classroom effectively. Importantly, one-size-fits-all approaches to classroom management don’t work anymore. When you’re striving to build an inclusive and supportive learning environment, you need better tools.

    An illustration of a classroom of students that look different from each other. A group of diverse students are working together on a project, symbolizing collaboration, innovation, creativity, teamwork, and education.

    This is where my free Social Styles List comes in. In particular, it’s designed to help you easily identify and understand your students’ communication type. These are “styles” present in most classroom settings. Understanding the styles helps you create better connections. and guide classroom interactions in a way that feels authentic and supportive for each student.

    Why Knowing Your Students’ Social Styles Matters

    Image shows animal illustrations from Carson and Sands Medicine Cards.
    From Medicine Cards by David Carson and Jamie Sams

    Understanding social styles can be a game-changer in your approach to classroom management. Students often express themselves in ways that reflect their social and emotional tendencies. By recognizing these tendencies, you can:

    • Create more effective lesson plans tailored to different communication styles
    • Mediate conflicts before they escalate by addressing the root of the issue
    • Build stronger relationships with students by connecting in ways that resonate with them
    • Foster a positive, collaborative classroom culture where students feel seen and understood

    Furthermore, how do you know what social style each student leans toward? That’s where my Social Styles List can help!

    What You’ll Get with the Free Social Styles List

    The Social Styles List provides a simple breakdown of the four main social styles: Analytical, Driver, Amiable, and Expressive. Each style comes with a description of common traits, behaviors, and interaction preferences.

    Imaage shows a picture from the aws Studios.art mental health skills building "Circle of Community" resource.

    This List is a sneak peek into my comprehensive Circle of Community which is an activity to help you implement these strategies and build stronger student relationships.

    How This Resource Solves Common High School Classroom Issues

    Current high school teachers are facing challenges like low student engagement, increased social anxiety, and classroom conflict stemming from differing communication styles. In addition, many students are struggling to express themselves. This is further underscored by disruptions caused by the pandemic.

    Image shows the opt-in form to sign up to get a free copy of the Social Styles list.

    The Social Styles List offers a solution by helping you:

    • Identify students’ communication preferences so you can tailor your approach
    • Understand what drives different social behaviors in the classroom
    • Minimize miscommunication that leads to conflicts or disengagement
    • Cultivate a classroom environment where each student feels valued and understood

    Take the First Step Toward Better Classroom Management

    Ready to get started? Download the Social Styles List for free and begin using it in your classroom today! It’s a practical tool you can start using right away to improve your relationships with students and help them connect with each other.

    Also, if you love this List, you’ll find more resources in my Circle of Community activity. In addition, it is also available as part of my Classroom Management / Relationship Building Bundle. These resources provide deeper insights and actionable strategies to strengthen your classroom community.

    Getyour free Social Styles List today!

    This resource can help you build stronger connections with your students. This creates a classroom environment that promotes learning, growth, and mutual respect.

    Have you used Social Styles in your classroom?

    How did it go?

    Let us know in the Comments section below.

    Supporting Stressed Parents: A Resource for Teachers

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment

    The US Surgeon General’s Concern for Stressed Parents

    You’ve heard the US Surgeon General’s recent public health concern regarding stressed parents and their need for support. Subsequently, many school administrations called for schools and communities to respond.

    For teachers, this can feel like adding more to an already overloaded plate of dealing with classrooms, getting through their annual curricula, and assisting individual students. And, if teachers do nothing, guilt could add to their own stress.

    A Desire to Help Stressed Parents

    Teachers know they have good access to students’ parents and would like to help. Plus, supporting students’ parents builds stronger relationships, not only with the parents but also with students and the broader community. To support stressed parents, teachers need something easy to implement, as well as worthwhile.

    A Simple and Supportive Parent Resource

    The Five Basics Pamphlet is a downloadable PDF that helps stressed parents of teenagers. The “…Pamphlet” contains the five actions parents can take to reduce the stress often felt when living with teens. It is based on evidence MIT researchers found that helps with parenting adolescents.

    The Five Basics have compressed parenting strategies into five areas – connecting, observing, modeling, guiding, and advocating – while offering many doable “how-to” examples for each.

    Do Your Duty…Check!

    The Five Basics is a way for teachers and others to step up, heed the Surgeon General’s call, and support stressed parents. By either emailing the user-friendly PDF to parents or downloading it and handing it out, the pamphlet does the work for teachers making it easy to help.  And, even if, parents don’t ‘read and heed’, teachers can practice the Five Basics on their own, using them in their classrooms and giving teen students the adult direction and support they need to succeed.

    Two-sided, foldable, user-friendly PDF

    With the Five Basics Pamphlet, teachers gain:

    • Respect and appreciation from parents
    • Respect from students who find they enjoy coming to class
    • Stronger classroom and school communities and
    • Confidence in knowing they answered the Surgeon General’s call to support stressed parents
    get the Five Basics user-friendly pamphlet here!

    As a teacher or homeschooler, I would love to hear more about what your needs are. Let me know in the Comments section or email me at alis@awsstudios.art

    You Won’t Get Classroom Management Without This

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment

    Dreading a New School Year?

    I don’t know about you but a new school year with new students used to get my tummy turning. Dread hung on my shoulders and motivation was nowhere to be found. How was I to keep control of new students, teens I didn’t know and who were different from me? But my experience as the training coordinator for a youth development organization saved me. I learned to maintain control of kids I didn’t know and that it’s all about classroom management relationship-building.

    Shows a black and white illustration of a young girl looking stressed
    Icon by Soni Sokell

    Don’t Make Classroom Management All Business

    To keep control of new students, classroom management is essential. But setting boundaries and rules upfront at the beginning of the school year, being consistent, having clear expectations and consequences, effective transitions, and intentional classroom layout as well as other strategies are only half — the businessy half — of classroom management.

    You’ve Got to Get to Know Your Students

    An illustration of teens sitting at their desks in with classroom management
    Image from Freepik

    The softer strategies of relationship building, the engaging with and understanding of students, is the other half of classroom management that makes the businessy side to maintain control of new students fall into place without much effort. Getting to know your students is one of the highest forms of respect. Everyone desires respect and once gained, young people will rotate to and honor its source — you!

    Classroom Management Relationship Building Bundle

    For the upcoming school year, I have put together a bundle of, not only my favorite youth development-based classroom management resources to help maintain control but my students’ favorites! With the “What’s Your Style,” “Circle of Community,” and “Strong Suits” resources in the “Classroom Management Relationship-Building Bundle,” students are not the only ones who will engage, understand, and learn about their classmates ( while building communication skills). Teachers will too. While figuring out what makes students tick —why they do what they do — you’ll also empower and engage them, all at the same time.

    A picture of the aws Studios.art cover of their Classroom Management Relationship Building Bundle available at the aws Studios.art Teachers Pay Teachers Store

    A Classroom  Management Professional Development Activity

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment
    Get your free Circle of Community™ Preview video here!

    Classroom Management Professional Development

    Don’t waste your teachers’ precious time this summer! Have them take part in the Circle of Community™, a perfect activity for classroom management professional development.

    Circle of Community™ is a team building / community building activity for groups working together in classrooms, teams, families, or on the job.

    Cover for Circle of Community a classroom management activity

    Works For Both Teens and Adults

    In particular, the activity builds social emotional learning (SEL) not only for teens but also for adults. In prior presentations, staff found this professional development tool useful as well as entertaining. Participants receive both personal gain and the ability to practice with the resource before sharing with their students back in the classroom.

    Get your free Circle of Community™ Preview video here!

    Improve Group Dynamics and Solve Misunderstandings Between Members

    An illustration of a stalk of celery trying to mediate between two angry onions

    At its core, Circle of Community™ works to resolve misunderstandings between group members. This improves group function, group member relationships, and the group’s success. Furthermore, the activity works to develop communication, problem solving, and goal attainment skills in a fun and engaging way.

    How It Works

    • Using The “Identify your Gifts” handout, participants learn about their own and others’ personal strengths and challenges.
    • Then, in their respective “gift” groups, participants work together to solve a fictionalized real-life scenario related to a common critical issue or problem faced by the larger group.
    • Using the provided facilitation questions and learning about personal strengths and challenges, participants begin to see and understand how groups and their members often approach and solve problems differently. Often, staff receive insight into how “diverse” groups with a mix of strengths and challenges are best at solving problems.
    • In the end, all participants receive a “Reaching Our Potential Together” poster, the “Gifts and Challenges” and “Social Styles” handouts, and a special personal gift of a colorful “Totem Card” representing their own “gifts” / strengths.

    In Short…

    You can’t go wrong with the Circle of Community™ classroom management professional development. Don’t take my word for it – see a preview of the resource below.

    Circle of community poster with gifts/strengths and corresponding totem animals
    Get your free Circle of Community™ Preview video here!

    Build Teen Social Emotional Skills

    Published on by awsstudiosartLeave a comment
    Click here for your free Mental Health / Life Skills list

    Teen Social Emotional Skills: A Comprehensive List

    As a mental health educator, I knew the skills to help teens build their mental health or social emotional learning. These include communication, goal setting and planning, decision making, problem solving, and stress and personal management.

    Furthermore, as a Training Specialist for the NYS Adolescent Services and Resource Network, I used a different list of social emotional learning skills. This list included “life skills,” the abilities teens need to gain their independence such as getting an education, budgeting, shopping, cooking, home management, etc.

    A picture of a mental health/social emotional learning skills checklist for kids, teens or adults from aws Studios.art

    Specific Teen Social Emotional Skills

    In addition to the life skills, the resource included a list of “Invisible Skills” for “emotional issues.” These included: establishing identity, dealing with separation and loss; making peace with the past; and resolving survivor guilt. The resource, originally created to guide foster care parents and Youth Workers, can be used with any teen dealing with trauma, isolation, and bullying, etc.

    Build Teen Mental Health

    Indeed, to build teen mental health – social emotional skills , I have recreated the all-inclusive training list for you. You can access this easy-to-read pdf here free! And, here are resources I have created that are geared to help young people learn these skills.

    Let’s All Build Teen Mental Health

    A picture of a mental health/social emotional learning skills checklist for kids, teens or adults from aws Studios.art

    With this free pdf, I hope to make it easier for any adult – parent, grandparent, relative, teacher, homeschooler, etc., – who is living or working with a teenager – to know and assess teen mental health skills. Let’s all help young people build these essential social and emotional skills!

    Do you have a favorite list of mental health skills? Let us know about it in the Comments section.

    Click here for your free pdf of my Mental Health / Life Skills list