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Caring Connections for Social Emotional Behavioral Health

Finding yourself wishing for sunny beaches or summer hikes?  When the dirty snow and foggy mornings start wearing on my psyche, I often find myself coming back to resilience. Resilience is the capacity to acknowledge the tough things in our life and the attending emotions and forge ahead. It is a mindset but it is also about social support and coping strategies.

The American Psychological Association identified four components of resilience: connection, purpose, wellness, and healthy thinking.  Paying attention to these four areas and adopting related strategies can’t take away the cold and snow but it can help you live through the winter rather than just survive it. 

Connection: Having a support team in your corner is a vital aspect of resilience. Who is on your support team?  Who helps you laugh, enjoys a similar hobby, or listens when you need an ear? Who do you support in those same ways? Feeling a little lonely or disconnected? Set a date to connect with one of your go-to people. Consider the emotion (s) you are feeling and the healthy activity that helps you break that mood, invite a companion, and go do it. 

Wellness: Balance your activities to meet your various needs.  A healthy meal might do the trick or maybe you need a hike in the snow.  Dress for the weather and the weather can be your friend. Feeling sluggish, get up and move.  A quick walk can clear your head and switch the channel. “ Five minutes every half-hour of strolling through the office — or just getting up and moving around when you work from home — can significantly reduce both blood pressure and blood sugar, according to a study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise. “If the winter blues are about lack of daylight, it’s no surprise that treatment involves getting more light into your life. If you feel low in winter, get outside as often as you can, especially on bright days. Sitting by a window can also help” (Winter Blues). 

Healthy thinking: Learn to live with duality.  Catch yourself when you hear words such as or, always, and everyone. Life is full of nuances.  Life is more often “and” than it is “or”. Some examples of this duality include:

  • I can be so incredibly sad and so incredibly grateful

  • I can love someone so much and be so angry at them

  • I can be in so much grief and feel joy

  • I can be working towards living my values and not be productive right now (16 Things).

Purpose: Finally do something outside yourself. Call up a friend in need and help meet their needs.  Ask yourself what you can do about something that is bothering you. Take the initiative to solve your problem or at least change the channel. Ask yourself what is within your power to change and focus on that.  “Taking initiative will remind you that you can muster motivation and purpose even during stressful periods of your life, increasing the likelihood that you’ll rise up during painful times again” (Building Your Resilience).

Sources Consulted:

Building Your Resilience

16 Things That Actually Help When Getting Through Tough Times

Breaking Up Prolonged Sitting

The Winter Blues

 


Keystone Contacts:

Keystone is here to support you! If you would like help supporting your students' SEBH needs, please reach out to us. 

Patricia Lehmann

plehmann@aea1.k12.ia.us

Scotti Hagensick

shagensick@aea1.k12.ia.us 

Suzanne Maas

Suzie Maas

smaas@aea1.k12.ia.us