Anxiety: Unease or threat about an impending event or something with an uncertain outcome.

The Tween and Teen Brain:
Under Construction

Adolescence is a time of great opportunity and learning, and sobering risk and vulnerability. Parents are the most critical teachers in their teen’s life. Understanding more about this unique period in your child’s life will help you guide and support your child’s development toward strong, positive habits that will last a lifetime.

Diane Berry is a school social worker and school counselor. She has worked at the elementary, middle and high school levels over the past 25 years. She currently works to coordinate and support our district’s K-12 CDSs, Behavior Health Specialists and School Counselors. She is passionate about understanding, appreciating and protecting our teens’ amazing brains.

Cool, Calm, and Connected: Raising Regulated, and Resilient Kids
Your child’s abilities to learn, play, plan and problem solve rely upon their brain feeling safe and comfortable. When the “downstairs” survival and feeling parts of the brain are well regulated, the “upstairs” thinking brain is available to activate executive function thinking skills in order to be flexible, adaptive, and successful. As the safe adults in your child’s life, you can use a developing understanding of brain connectivity to support your child’s regulation, improve your own regulation, and empower members of your child’s social networks to cultivate the kinds of relationships that lead to success. Each session will be offered live by zoom on Fridays, 12:00pm-1:30pm. For those who cannot attend during these times, we will offer a second, recorded session the following Tuesdays, 6:30pm-8:00pm. Karsten Peterson, our Elementary Behavioral Health Specialist will facilitate these sessions. The Center for Connection, https://www.thecenterforconnection.org/

Part 1: In this initial session we will explore what it means to have an integrated, and subsequently well-regulated brain and how this regulation leads to the development of resiliency and facilitates learning. You’ll walk away with just enough brain science to make you “dangerous” and plenty of context to understand why and how the strategies we discuss in sessions 2 and 3 are beneficial for all students.

Part 2:

Part 3: