With our country continuing to be at war, we are seeing an increase in the number of our students who are directly affected by deployment of a parent, and the feelings that are associated with this.
In the past few months, I have attended a few workshops and compiled some information on some wonderful programs that are available to our military families.
Operation Ready provides children's programs in the schools for students in grades K-3 and grades 4-6. Members of Operation Ready will come in to our school for one session to present numerous topics, including:
Tricks for Kids:
Purpose: to help military children identify and express the variety of emotions relating to their parent's deployment, and to build coping skills needed to deal with deployment.
Rockin' Reunion:
Purpose: to help military children identify and express the variety of emotions relating to their parent's return from deployment
Just a Little Longer:
Purpose: to help military children identify and express the variety of emotions relating to their parent's deployment extension
*Please feel free to contact Erica Pettit, School Psychologist, if you feel your child or children may benefit from any of the above mentioned services and a schedule can be set up.
Military and Family Life Consultants:
* Consultant service run by Clinical Psychologists, Counselors and Social Workers
* These professionals have been trained to deal with military issues and have knowledge of local referral sources
* Provide brief therapy to assess the problem and it's symptoms, and then direct you to another service
* Can be done anytime ( after hours and weekend appointments available), and anywhere (doesn't have to be on post)
* Services are Private and Confidential
* For appointments call a Consultant at 212-6919, 405-6128, or call Operation Ready at 772-0470
Department of the Army/ Social Work Services
Kool Kids: For children in grades 1-6 who are having difficulty to adjusting to a parent's deployment. Topics include identifying, expressing, and managing feelings. Participants talk about what it means to be a military family and explore emotions such as sadness, anger, loneliness and anger.
* A 6 week course offered on Monday's 4:30-5:30 or Thursday's 4:30-5:30
Solutions I and II: Anger management group for children ages 7-11(Solutions 1) and 12-16 (Solutions 11). Facilitated by a Certified Child Play Therapist, activities help increase children's ability to cope with stressful family situations and learn appropriate strategies to cope with anger. This spans 8 weeks and is offered on Wednesday's 4:30-5:30 (Solutions I) and Tuesday's 4:30-5:30.
For additional information, call 772-6890
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