Ms. Shannon’s Counseling Page

01/29/2026

Dig deeper!

via Greg Santucci, Occupational Therapist

01/17/2026

01/16/2026

When kids act out, push back, or fall apart, it’s not defiance. It’s a signal.
A signal that something feels too big, too hard, or too overwhelming.

Instead of jumping straight to consequences, try this:
💬 “That was a big reaction — are you okay?”
💬 “Looks like something’s feeling tricky right now.”

This doesn’t mean we excuse the behaviour.
It means we meet the need behind it — and guide them from there.
Because connection is what builds cooperation. 💛

📘 Find more tools like this in my book Guidance from The Therapist Parent — available at www.thetherapistparent.com or via the link in bio.

BigFeelings ParentingWisdom

01/08/2026

🗓️ Parents and caregivers: The deadline to register for Charting the Course: The Mental Wellness & Safety Journey is Friday, January 16.

Spend the evening with us on February 4 from 6–8 p.m. at Region 9 Education Service Center for a free, interactive experience centered on mental wellness, safety, and community support.

✔️ Free hamburger meal donated by C. Morris Texas Farm Bureau
✔️ Information on valuable community resources
✔️ Sessions on a variety of topics
✔️ Door prizes
✔️ Childcare provided

👉 Reserve your spot: bit.ly/R9parents

01/03/2026

The Screen Dopamine Cycle (Why School Can Feel Harder Right Now)

If screens have played a bigger role lately — whether through holidays, gifts, or long stretches at home — you might notice your child feeling more reluctant about returning to school.

This isn’t laziness or defiance.
It’s chemistry.

Fast-paced, high-reward screen content floods the brain with dopamine. When that stimulation suddenly drops, everyday demands like getting dressed, focusing, or going to school can feel flat, effortful, and overwhelming.

The problem isn’t screens themselves.
It’s the cycle.

Understanding how dopamine works helps us support children back into balance — without shame, panic, or sudden bans.

👉 You’ll find Healthy Screen Habits as a free handout, with step-by-step guidance. Instructions are included in the visual.

A Child's Voice version with free download will be published later today.

01/03/2026

After a long break, keep these 3 R’s in mind and at the forefront of your practice.

Regulation: Long breaks disrupt routines and bring a wide range of emotions back into the room. Children need time and space to regulate, and honestly, you probably do too. Young children rely heavily on co-regulation with you, so start there. Take slow, deep breaths, and keep the classroom dim and the pace gentle (if possible). Be patient and kind to yourself and the children. Remember, movement is a primary way children regulate their bodies, so expect and plan for it rather than working against it. Don’t stress about jumping straight into curriculum.

Rhythm: Returning to a predictable routine matters, but flexibility within that rhythm matters just as much. Children are recalibrating. Build in more opportunities for free play within your blocks of time and allow extra time for transitions. This isn’t lost time, but rather, it’s how everyone settles back in.

Relationships: Connection is what anchors everything back together, and connection leads to cooperation. Prioritize check-ins, shared laughter, and time side-by-side. When children feel safe, seen, and reconnected, learning naturally follows. There is no rush and no race here. You and the children feeling good is the most important piece in all of this.

Wishing everyone a gentle, joyful start to the new year. ❤

12/17/2025

When a child is melting down, our instincts can take over — and not always the helpful ones.
We might lecture, rush to fix, or tell them to calm down… but these actually block co-regulation rather than build it.

Let’s talk about what not to do — and what to try instead — so we can truly help a child borrow our calm instead of our chaos.

IN THE RESOURCE STORE - instant electronic download with secure global checkout.

Managing Big Feelings: A Toolkit for Parents & Educators, a Parent and Educators Toolkit

Helping children turn big emotions into skills for life.

When a child’s emotions feel too big to handle, it can be overwhelming — for them and for you.
Managing Big Feelings: The Toolkit is your go-to resource for guiding children through strong emotions with empathy, clarity, and proven strategies.

What’s Inside:
• Step-by-step calming strategies for moments of overwhelm
• Practical activities to build emotional awareness
• Visual aids to help children recognise and name their feelings
• Scripts and prompts for supportive conversations
• Tools for parents, educators, and support staff

This toolkit is grounded in evidence-based approaches to emotional regulation. It’s designed to work in classrooms, at home, and in one-to-one settings, helping children learn how to manage their emotions in ways that are safe, healthy, and empowering.

Download now and start turning emotional overwhelm into growth, resilience, and connection.

Electronic download available at
link in comments.

12/17/2025

12/12/2025

12/12/2025

I remember many students over the years who would have benefited from some of these strategies.

12/10/2025

✨When we shift the lens from “What’s wrong with this kid?” to “What state is their nervous system in?” everything changes.✨

What looks like “defiance” or “shutting down” is often a nervous system doing exactly what it’s designed to do...protect.

📣📣In The Regulated Classroom, our four core practices meet these states head-on:

🤝 Connectors help bring students out of dorsal shutdown through safe human connection.
⚡ Activators support students stuck in sympathetic energy by giving that activation somewhere to go.
🌊 Settlers help everyone return to calm, grounded regulation.
🙏 Affirmations reinforce safety, belonging, and co-regulation.

12/08/2025