Stress Management

Practical Skills to Build Resilience in Children and Teenagers

by Deborah Jepsen

Excessive stress and anxiety causes a lot of pain for kids and parents alike and can lead to a wide range of issues…

From worrying thoughts to sleep problems…

Avoiding school, sports or other activities…

Difficulty concentrating and learning…

..and sometimes even physical symptoms like fatigue, lightheadedness, upset stomachs or vomiting…

And what’s more, if the underlying issues are not addressed, things can worsen over time…

In fact, roughly half of all mental health disorders start by the age of 14.

That’s why early intervention is vital.

But the good news is resilience helps children to cope with stress and overcome everyday challenges.

And the best part?

Resilience can be boosted by teaching children practical skills.

New Year Resolutions for Parents — Part 1: Supporting Childhood Mental Wellness

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

New Year’s Resolutions tend not to last very long…

But maybe that’s because you’re not doing them right.

This year, why not resolve to put practical, productive and achievable plans into action…

To promote mental wellbeing for your children (and yourself).

The combination of each of these small acts will help you to help your children have a prosperous year.

And happy and healthy children make for happy and healthy parents!

5 Ways to Set ‘High Expectations’ Without ‘High Pressure’

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Australian students are excelling when their teachers hold them to high expectations.

But in equal numbers, kids around the country are suffering from poorer mental health…

And it’s being largely attributed to mounting pressures at school.

But what’s the difference between high expectations and high pressure?

How and Why Kids Need to Learn Resilience

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Put simply, resilience is the ability to respond positively to adversity.

But how is this ability developed?

Are some people simply born with it or can we teach it to children? (And if so, how?)

We’ll address all of these questions in a moment.

But first let’s quickly recap what’s been discovered about resilience so far…

The first person to extensively research resilience was the developmental psychologist, Norman Garmezy.

In his research Garmezy noticed particular children who succeeded in the face of adversity.

These children experienced severe disadvantage or even neglect yet somehow still managed to flourish at school and in later life.

You see, prior to this research, psychologists tended to only look at the negative impact of stressful or traumatic experiences.

And while it is clearly important to help children deal with stressful events after they occur…

If resilience is able to “insulate” children against the negative effects of stress before they experience such challenges?

Helping children become more resilient at an early age may very well be the best long term strategy.

So why do kids need to learn resilience?

Last-minute Study Dos and Don’ts

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

VCE exams are in full swing!

And while most of the hard work has been done…

It’s not too late for students to work on improving their performance on the big days.

Encourage your kids to adopt some healthy and productive approaches to study in these last few weeks…

And avoid those things that may get in the way.

7 Behaviour Management Tips for Every Parent

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Kids will be kids!

And the notion of a perfectly behaved child — for most parents — is unrealistic.

But if your child’s behaviour is making things difficult for you or your family…

You may want to consider implementing some changes.

And the best place to start is at home.

There are many reasons a child may misbehave (which we’ll get to further on in this post), but for a start — start small.

Below are some easy ways you can try to regain some ‘law and order’ in your household, and improve the behaviour of your kids.

9 Ways Our Psychologists Help Children Reach Their Full Potential

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

Did you know that, according to research conducted in 2015, around half of all mental health issues start by age 14?

That’s why early intervention is so important.

And it’s why our main focus is on helping kids develop the practical skills they need to tackle their daily challenges…

And most importantly, these skills are not “quick-fixes”.

Rather, they are “life skills” that remain relevant and beneficial through adolescence and adulthood.

Here are 9 ways our psychologists can help:

5 Ways Anxiety Harms Learning and 8 Things Parents Can Do to Help

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

There is an ‘epidemic of anxiety’ among Australian children.

And many experts are attributing this to increasing pressure at school.

But when it comes to school and anxiety – it can be a case of:

What came first, the chicken or the egg?

How and why childhood anxiety develops is not the most important issue at hand, though.

What’s important is that it’s identified and addressed as soon as possible.

‘Happiness Lessons’ to be Introduced into UK Schools

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

In great news for British students and their families, the UK Department of Education will be investing over 2 million dollars in mental health support over the next few years.

This comes as a response to what has been called a ‘youth mental health epidemic’…

With around 10 per cent of UK students suffering from a diagnosable mental health condition.

Many students suffer from symptoms of anxiety and depression directly as a result of the extreme academic pressures they face in schooling.

So it’s a proactive and thoroughly appropriate response to tackle these issues within the school framework.

Mindfulness for Kids — at Home and at School

by Melbourne Child Psychology & School Psychology Services

There is no denying — or avoiding — the fact that children, and even very young children, are suffering from more anxiety than any generation before them.

This increase has been heavily documented in university research papers, psychology studies, and even noted by education professionals…

Up to 55 per cent of teachers in the UK have reported a dramatic rise in anxiety levels in their students in the last few years, and in Australia, the figures are similar.

But what’s the difference between high expectations and high pressure?

So why do kids need to learn resilience?

How can we help?

Book your initial parent consultation to get the right advice for your child's needs

Why have 2,866* parents chosen us?