I have written here before about Critical Core – a therapeutically-applied role-playing game created by the great minds at gametogrow.org. I started using this program during Shelter-in-Place, and haven’t stopped. . .

I heard from many of you after February’s post focused on the importance of imagining. Elliot’s writings touched many of you, and I so appreciate hearing your impressions. So, I thought this time, I would share more of Elliot’s work with you!

I have found that, it’s very hard to talk about anything social without complex language. People have feelings BECAUSE other people do things. We make decisions SO others will react in ways we desire. . .

Wishing sets us up for making and executing plans that actually turn wishes into reality. As I have worked with MSV over the past six or so years, I am constantly amazed at the importance of MSV like wishing, deciding, planning, and choosing. And imagine – what a handy process that is. . .

Wishing can be either forward- or backward-gazing. Wishing directed to the past can teach us important lessons and observations we can carry into our future. Wishing can direct us to plan, work hard… And wishing partners so well with other MSV such as hoping, imagining, and missing. . .

I have several students in my practice who demonstrate situational mutism (SM) – a term I MUCH prefer over “selective mutism.” For these individuals, anxiety can, at times, make it too uncomfortable to verbally engage with those around them. At those times, an option can sometimes be to communicate via writing. Over the last few months, I have been experimenting with materials for these sessions…

As we discussed last time, we often find ourselves in situations when we feel annoyed - sometimes with other people and other times with the experiences in which we find ourselves. Oh, and let's not forget that sometimes our actions annoy others. Such as when I promise my students that I will have refreshed the gum drawer by next week and then forget to do so. Or when I leave too late to pick up my son at the ferry and he has to wait (in the rain.) Or when I turn down the heat on the rest of the family just because I'm having hot flashes. Oye!

My last few newsletters have been about feelings, so I thought this month I would focus on a pretty common uncomfortable feeling: annoyance 😒. Often tied up with inflexibility, anxiety, and the challenges of living in a world full of relationships, annoyance is worth a few minutes of thought – and discussion!

Some questions filled my inbox after my newsletter a few weeks ago, as some of you were wondering about the genesis of my Feeling Fixers, so here’s the story! It all started with work on empathy. Watching animated videos, I often ask students “If you were ___the character's friend, what could you say to help them feel better/stick with it/be more flexible?” Students loved doing this…

November and December bring us an assortment of holidays. Time to gather with family and friends, enjoy and create family traditions, and perhaps engage in some gift-giving and getting. 🛍️🎁 But no matter what lovely memories come out of these celebrations, November and December (ok, January also) bring with them many feelings. Some comfortable, others, not so much. . .

Perseverance and resilience (R&P) are both essential skills that empower students to navigate life's challenges. As we settle down in this school year, let’s open our minds 🧠 and hearts 🧡 to how we can support our students along their individual journeys. . .

A new school year = lots of changes = a great time to talk about flexibility! Over the years, I’ve spent LOTS of time thinking and writing about that important mindset – and its opposite, inflexibility, or stuck. As I’ve gone deeper and deeper, I realize how complicated these ideas are! And challenging to work on with students, in part because, like most things social, there aren’t that many rules. . .

My husband Bruce and I were in Brittany this summer for two weeks celebrating our 30th anniversary. The GR 34 is a 1700 km path in Brittany, created in 1791 to allow customs officers to watch for smugglers and shipwreck pillagers! It was revitalized in 1968, and makes an amazing hiking path. Marked by red and white stripe signposts, it anchored our trip. We would invariably be in a small town on the coast and, pop – there would be the familiar colors telling us that, yes, we were on the right trail. . .

Yes, the school year approaches! Maybe you need a fun video to get you up and moving after all that computer prepping. Or maybe you have a group that wants to boogie into social group (I used this animation with a young adult women’s group, and wow, we had FUN!) Perhaps your family has, or would like to start, dance night. Or maybe your next staff meeting would benefit from a mid-meeting boogie. . Check out Fancy like Dance! And then come back to read the rest of this newsletter…

Wow – it’s already August! While I am on a bit of a vacation for a few weeks this month, I thought it would be a great month to have a SALE! 🛍️ After all, school is starting up again, and if you are like me, you are re-stocking your materials in preparation for a year of growing with our students.

I am finding time to get away and recharge, learn more French (off to Brittany next month), play my cello (aiming for cello camp next summer) and enjoy time outside with loved ones. I will also admit to still working, but with a caseload that is lighter than during the school year. I often find that summer is a creative time for me, so I am happily moving along on 2 projects.

I hope this month is starting off well for you! Last time, we paired an animation and activity focused on that popular feeling, frustration. Let’s keep going with that theme and add the idea of continuums – after all, like the majority of feelings and social learning concepts, frustration fits well on the visual image of a continuum.

A freeze frame says a thousand words….hmmm, might Roni (on the right) be feeling a bit frustrated? What do you think is in his thought bubble? (Maca and Roni: Dominos, by Kyungmin Woo)

Yes, the end of May approaching can only mean one thing – it’s almost summer! And whether you will still be working, or have the good fortune to be taking some time off, these last few weeks of school can seem, well, a bit stressful.