In this episode, I speak with Janine Halloran about her books, Coping Skills for Kids Workbook and Coping Skills for Teenagers Workbook, and what she learned from working with kids as a licensed mental health counselor. Janine talks about the major categories of coping skills and provides parents with tips for helping their children implement effective coping mechanisms. Janine also shares the importance of play and movement to help self-regulate. Join us for valuable insights into helping kids connect with their feelings and how to cope with big emotions.

[01:40] Defining “coping skills” from a clinical standpoint and why having them is so important.
[05:33] The relationship between “play” and self-regulation.
[08:55] The importance of asking children “how would you like to solve this problem?”
[10:25] Teens being conflict avoidant.
[12:50] The major categories of coping skills from Janine’s book.
[16:03] Is there a difference between relief and release of stress?
[19:40] Discussing the idea of movement.
[23:05] Connecting physical feelings in our body with feeling emotions.
[26:30] Helping parents understand their children’s individual differences.
[28:28] Advice for parents on how to implement coping skills if their child is resistant?

After listening to our conversation, I hope you are able to help your child better understand their emotions and implement coping skills that work for them.

Resources:

Coping Skills for Kids Workbook by Janine Halloran- https://www.amazon.com/Coping-Skills-Kids-Workbook-Strategies/dp/1683731220
Coping Skills for Teens Workbook by Janine Halloran- https://www.amazon.com/Coping-Skills-Teens-Workbook-Helpful/dp/173338717X
Washington Post article: The crisis in American girlhood- https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2023/02/17/teen-girls-mental-health-crisis/
Janine’s website- https://copingskillsforkids.com/
PrepMatters Website: https://prepmatters.com/

If you have a high school aged student and would like to talk about putting a tutoring or college plan together, reach out to Ned's company, PrepMatters at www.prepmatters.com