I have numerous students who struggle with the stress, fear, and confusion that can come with a parent who has been deployed (or will be deployed). It can be difficult to find quality materials for these individuals and their families; I am so excited to share this new film with my school community!

I highly recommend that you check out these films at Professor Child's website and consider purchasing your own copies. Trust me. They are worth it! Although the topics are intense, the films are hopeful and remind you that you are not alone.

You can purchase a digital version of the film (available for immediate digital download) or a DVD. Additionally, Professor Child offers a FREE workbook that includes over 50 pages of thought-provoking discussion questions and creative exercises. The workbook is divided into 12 chapters that correspond directly with the film, which makes things even easier for busy school counselors. Plus, did I mention it's FREE?! ;)

Cookie was there during major moments in my life. She was by my side, "hugging me" when I was going through a rough break-up, when my grandparents died, when I went away to college and felt like I was losing all of my friends, when my dad was fighting cancer, when I was sick and needed comfort, when my husband (then boyfriend) was studying abroad for a year...she was the one who never judged. She was the one who stood by everyone in my family and loved us for exactly who we were.

Sadly, I had to say goodbye to my little girl yesterday morning. My dad called, telling me she was in pain and that they needed to take her to the vet. I left school to be there and watched Cookie slip into a peaceful sleep. I went back to work, completely unprepared for how this would affect me. I thought about her face and the last goofy smile she gave me before she was gone. It was difficult to focus on anything else. My overly-dramatic "my life is not complete without a dog" mantra was true; I certainly felt emptier without her.

I often work with students who have lost a family pet and are struggling with their grief. It's hard to explain death to students without crossing the line religiously (if you're in a public school) or without scaring them more. How do we comfort a 5-year-old who misses her cat? How do we answer a 10-year-old's honest questions about where his hamster went after she died? 

I have a number of grief resources here, but I thought it would be helpful to add a few that were specific to pet loss.

When our show closed, however, this was not the end of the story.

On a happy note, during the production, I learned that I was pregnant. Yes, I was performing, moving into a new house, kicking off a new school year (with my first intern), and carrying a tiny life. There were moments when I felt like I didn't have the energy to get out of bed and start another LONG day, especially since I temporarily lost my evenings and much of my weekends to rehearsals, performances, and putting together a new home. Somehow, though, I made it and now have a cool story to tell my little actor.

On a sad note, after our production closed, one of my friends died unexpectedly - someone who was close to many in our theatre community. I was lucky to have the support of fellow actors and crew members, but it didn't stop the grief from affecting me professionally. At work, I still taught my classroom lessons, ran my small groups, remained focused during individual sessions...I just found myself, when left to the quiet of my office, jumping from thought to thought, task to task. Minutes felt like hours. I came home with bottled up emotions that would fizz and bubble beneath the surface, just waiting for something small to jar my senses so they could explode.

Luckily, I have only known a few tragedies in my life that have occurred during a school year that have affected me this deeply. However, when it does happen, I forget how to function. Even when we don't have personal stress and grief, our work is emotionally and physically draining. How can we take care of ourselves while still being effective school counselors? Grief does not go away overnight, it's a process. We simply can't stay home and avoid our offices until the most intense feelings subside. So, how do we do it?

I'm still trying to answer this question...a question that, ironically, my character in The Mousetrap found herself struggling with as well. I suppose all we can do is breathe, listen to our hearts, and accept the love and support that is all around us. Then, we may just find the peace we need to make it through the worst moments.

Production photos courtesy of Todd Michaels.

Last night, I watched two fabulous educational films from Professor Child, a company created by three mothers, Rory Kidder, Jenni O’Keefe, and Sharon Richards. The mission of Professor Child is to empower children during difficult life events. As the founders explain, "children have a powerful voice that is relatable, healing and hopeful. Ultimately, we want children to know they are not alone in what they are experiencing and that much can be learned by simply listening to another child’s story" (Professor Child, About Us). 

Their documentary-style films feature a variety of children who have all experienced a specific topic. The children share their stories, what has helped, what they wish for, advice for other kids, and more. 

As an added bonus, each film comes with a free companion workbook to provide opportunities for further discussion and reflection. 

As school counselors, we are responsible for helping children cope with a variety of difficult circumstances. It can be a challenge to start a group about grief or divorce. Maybe the group dynamics, personality wise, are off. Maybe you don't have enough students in a particular grade level to start a group and therefore, cannot offer this service. Maybe students who could join the group feel uncomfortable speaking about their situation in front of others and would prefer individual counseling. So, what can you do to help students dealing with divorce or grief know that they are not alone? Well, I think these films are a wonderful resource to fit this particular need.

You could show the film based on the chapters that best address your students' needs or use the chapters for different group sessions as an introduction to the day's lesson.

Also, you can look forward to future films from Professor Child called "Siblings and Autism" and "Children of Military Families."

To purchase one or both of these films ("Children and Grief" and "Children and Divorce"), visit Professor Child online. You can order a DVD or a digital copy. Plus, you can download both companion workbooks for FREE. I strongly recommend these resources for your elementary school counseling practice. Check them out today!

I was being lazy on the couch this afternoon and stumbled upon an HBO documentary called One Nation Under Dog: Stories of Fear, Loss and Betrayal. This film deeply affected me; in fact, I have spent the last few hours crying and thinking about my own childhood dog, Cookie.

This is the reason I want to incorporate a therapy dog into my school counseling practice. Of course, I need to wait until I get a house with a yard, but I have been planning this in my head for a while. Having a trained dog at my school could motivate students (imagine earning time to walk, feed, or play with the dog) and provide an even more calming office environment. Of course, I need to talk with other school counselors about how they dealt with students or staff with a fear of dogs, especially if a student had been attacked by an animal in the past. Any thoughts? 

This July will mark my 3rd year volunteering with Camp Quality Ohio, a volunteer-run summer camp for children with cancer and their siblings. I work as a companion, which means that I am paired with one child for the entire week. My job is to be my camper's friend and mentor, but most of all, my job is to make sure that he or she has FUN!

When thinking about children with cancer, we often picture little kids with no hair, hospital beds, and IV's. We tend to forget about the other kids who suffer: siblings. I wanted to share two powerful videos to help remind all of us to treat all students, even those who are struggling more indirectly, with kindness and understanding.

Within the next few days, I plan to post my resources for both illness and grief. These will go in my individual and small group counseling sections. Stay tuned!