Mindful Kids and Schools

The transition back to school after the pandemic has been tough, and we were already experiencing a mental health crisis:

• Mental health and behavioral disorders are diagnosed in 1 out of 7 children ages 2-8

• The average age of depression is 14.5 years old as compared to 29 in 1978

• 1 in 12 high school students have cut themselves

• 16% of high school students have thought seriously about suicide

​

ACT is an empirically validated approach to behavior change, rooted in behavior analysis (ABA) and may be the missing link to traditional behavior analytic interventions.  ACT gives us additional tools to deal with private events that traditional ABA does not.  Perfect for our own stress and rigidity, as well as for students with emotional or behavioral challenges.

ACT helps us develop mindfulness skills, which has been shown in countless studies to decrease stress, increase focus, immunity, etc., AND can be understood as the foundation and basic pre-condition for education. 

Children need to learn to stop their mind wandering and regulate attention and emotions, to deal with feelings of frustration, and to self-motivate. Mindfulness practice enhances the very qualities and goals of education in the 21st century. These qualities include not only attentional and emotional self-regulation, but also prosocial dispositions such as empathy and compassion, self-representations, ethical sensitivity, creativity, and problem solving skills. They enable children to deal with future challenges of the rapidly changing world, ideally becoming smart, caring, and committed citizens (Shapiro et al., 2008; Mind and Life Education Research Network (MLERN), 2012).”

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) refers to the process through which children and adults acquire and apply skills to manage emotions, relationships, and decision making (CASEL, 2015).  CASEL, or The Collaborate for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning has developed 5 core competencies related to social-emotional development. These competencies include self-management, self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.  These competencies have clear correlations with ACT.  Contact us to learn more about how we can help implement ACT-based SEL in your school today!