While attending the International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA) conference in Nashville this year, there was a fascinating session on blame. The presenting researchers, Dr. Isaac Karikari and Dr. James R. Brown had conducted a study on school climate in which they interviewed bus drivers, administrators, parents, and social workers about the perceived prevalence and responses […]
Sometimes we find that when the seasons change, or the holidays come bounding into our lives we start to feel like our stress level is on the rise or going through the roof. We can’t seem to pinpoint why there may be an increase in why we feel overwhelmed, down, or irritable; our lives and […]
PBIS seems to be the new thing everyone is talking about in schools, and even though it can be a popular topic of discussion, it is sometimes difficult to know what it really is. PBIS stands for Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports and its goal is to replace punishment with support and encouragement. Our Monterey […]
This week I wanted to shed some light on three important topics, Burnout, Compassion Fatigue, and Self-Care. Burnout and Compassion Fatigue can impact our lives tremendously if not taken care of. Self-Care is one way to be preventive and proactive in your mental health well being. Burnout and Compassion Fatigue are not necessarily talked about regularly in any type of environment and not talked about […]
This month is National Bullying Prevention Month and schools across Monterey County are celebrating with an array of creative activities. Here is a list and gallery of activities that our partner schools in Salinas City Elementary School District have done to bring awareness to bullying prevention. We encourage all schools and youth organizations to participate and share […]
So many children and teens are affected by poor self image, low self esteem, and lack of self confidence. It is so important that the development of high self esteem and positive self image is fostered in the school setting, because there is no guarantee that it is being established at home. Children pick up […]
Say Something Does it bother you when one ethnic group gets the blame for an entire range of social ills? Do you cringe when all members of a particular religious group are identified as dangerous or evil? Are you struggling with current trends to minimalize, disenfranchise or dehumanize any person who expresses differently than most? […]
Dr. Dan Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine, the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA, and the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute. Mindsight Institute is an educational organization which offers online learning and in-person seminars that focus on how the development of mindsight in individuals, families and communities can be enhanced by examining […]
Harmony At Home had the opportunity to attend the International Bullying Prevention Association (IBPA) conference last year and the keynote speaker, Michele Borba, spoke about the importance of fostering empathy in children to prevent bullying. Empathy is both a safeguard from anti-social behavior and essential to social success. It’s “the ability to feel with someone,” Dr. Borba […]
Although the loss of a loved one is something that we all go through at some point in our lives, grief is still a subject that most do not talk about. At school, children who are managing grief can begin to display challenging behaviors if the school environment is not supportive of this difficult time […]