NESCA is currently accepting Therapy and Executive Function Coaching clients from middle school-age through adulthood with Therapist/Executive Function Coach/Parent Coach Carly Loureiro, MSW, LCSW. Carly specializes in the ASD population and also sees individuals who are highly anxious, depressed, or suffer with low self-esteem. She also offers parent coaching and family sessions when needed. For more information or to schedule appointments, please complete our Intake Form.

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ann-noelle mccowan

7

School to Summer Transitions

By | NESCA Notes 2019

By: Ann-Noelle McCowan, M.S, RYT
Guidance Counselor; Yoga Specialist

For many children and adults, the end of the school year and the start of summer is an eagerly awaited transition. In schools the days are counted down, final assignments handed in, lockers cleaned out and yearbooks signed. Kids imagine the freedom of more sleep and play, and a reduction in work and stress. During the school year, kids operate under routines and schedules that dictate many aspects of their life. What time to rest and what time to rise, predictability with where they will be each day, who they might encounter, and what their afternoons and evenings will entail. Kids of all ages feel safe and secure when they have clear routines and expectations. With some simple tips, families can help kids of all ages have an enjoyable summer and a smooth transition between school and summer and back into the school.

  1. Reflection: With my NESCA clients and school students, I work towards building and strengthening children and teens’ ability to self-reflect. Self-awareness and curiosity are crucial skills to manage life’s ups and downs and be our best selves. Encourage your child to look back over their year and think about something they enjoyed, learned, worked hard on, or experienced. Have them think about issues that were difficult but are no longer triggers for them (such as a friendship struggle or challenging assignment). This can be a verbal discussion, journal writing, drawing, family share or even acted out. Helping kids look back over their successes and struggles, and talking about what occurred, and could have been done differently allows reflection during a safer, less charged time. It also subtly practices executive function skills such as working memory, problem solving, cognitive flexibility, perspective taking, emotional regulation, and holding and shifting focus.
  2. Setting Goals: The longer, sunny days of summer allow different opportunities for goal setting. It may be swimming out to the dock, adding to a sea glass collection, making a new level in a game, getting through a favorite book series or teaching the dog a new trick. This discussion could also explore ways to break down that goal into achievable steps over time, or what the back-up plan may be if there are unforeseen road blocks (e.g. collecting white rocks if no sea glass is found or conducting research on where to find sea glass) and when the goal will be reviewed or if there will be some family competition involved. Optional: talk out loud about these being brain-strengthening practices of building executive function skills in the areas of action, focus and effort.
  3. Routine: While summer is a time to relax many routines, routines are stabilizing and comforting for children. If your family has Taco Tuesdays, FaceTiming with grandparents on Sundays or soccer practice on Thursday, creatively incorporate these familiar routines to help smooth the start and end of summer. Maybe it’s Tacos Tuesdays on the family vacation week, or a family soccer scrimmage or watching World Cup highlights on Thursdays. You might just find a summer routine that could be added to the school year as well (Sundae Sundays anyone?).

 

About the Author:

Ann-Noelle provides therapeutic yoga-counseling sessions individually designed for each child. NESCA therapeutic yoga establishes a safe space for a child to face their challenges while nourishing their innate strengths using the threefold combination of yoga movement, yoga breath and yoga thinking.

Ann-Noelle has worked with children and adolescents since 2001 and practiced yoga and meditation since 2005. Since 2003 she has been employed full time as a school counselor in a local high performing school district, and prior to that was employed in the San Francisco Public Schools. Ann-Noelle received her dual Masters Degree (MS) in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy (MFCC), and School Counseling from San Francisco State University in 2002, her BA from Union College in New York, and her 200 hour-Registered Yoga Credential (RYT) from Shri Yoga. Ann-Noelle completed additional Yoga training including the Kid Asana Program in 2014, Trauma in Children in 2016 and Adaptive yoga for Parkinson’s in 2014.

 

If you are interested in therapeutic yoga with Ms. McCowan,  please complete NESCA’s intake form today and indicate interest in “Yoga”

 

For more information on the therapeutic yoga at NESCA, please visit  https://nesca-newton.com/yoga/

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

8

I’m Too ____ or _____ for Yoga: Yoga Myths Dispelled

By | NESCA Notes 2018

 

By: Ann-Noelle McCowan, M.S, RYT
Guidance Counselor; Yoga Specialist

As yoga continues to expand its popularity and presence many people still worry that there is something that prohibits their beginning a yoga practice. Yoga increases strength, balance and flexibility while decreasing stress. Yoga increases athletic performance, improves respiration, and promotes better sleep quality. It has been used successfully as a complementary therapy for mood disorders such as anxiety and depression, addiction and chronic pain.  As an “inflexible” yogi who has worked with a broad range of yogis, both as a student and a teacher I have seen that yoga truly is for anyone. May this review of some if the most common misconceptions to yoga reduce the roadblocks and invite you to step onto a mat in 2019.

  1. I’m too inflexible for yoga.  This may be the most common reason many people give, perhaps due to the images of bendy people in yoga poses on social media or in print. But do beginner Spanish speakers say they can’t take Spanish lessons because they don’t speak Spanish? Yoga classes will include multiple props (blocks, straps,  blankets) to help modify for all different bodies and continued practice will build greater flexibility. I love props and continue to use blocks in certain poses because that works for my body.
  2. I don’t have special yoga clothes or the right mat.  Having practiced in studios, homes, and schools you don’t need particular clothes to do yoga, just clothing that allows you to move is sufficient. Many yoga studios or gyms also offer rental mats, or mats to borrow which is the case at NESCA.
  3. I don’t have the right body/ want to lose weight first…  Similar to point 1 yoga is adaptable and designed for anybody. Blocks, blankets, and props are available. There is  a broad range of classes to try from beginner, or Yin to help increase your comfort in a yoga class.  A yoga practice can also help you be more accepting of your body and build healthy habits.
  4. I’m too old/young/ wrong gender to do yoga.   A quick Google search provides instructors of all ages and genders, from Tabay Atkins, an 11-year-old male yoga teacher, to  Tao Porchon- Lynch, at 100-year-old female instructor. There are resources and books designed for people age 1 to 100 and classes where parents can bring their baby to modified classes in chairs or entirely on the floor. My own teacher training there was a wide range of trainees, from their 20’s to grandmothers and they are the examples you may see leading your class. While yoga was originally taught by men to men, the focus has switched and classes now include both men and women.
  5. Yoga is too spiritual/ I don’t want a clash with my beliefs.  Yoga is taught in a broad range of locations and by different teachers. By reading the teacher bios you will get a sense of how they approach yoga. Classes range from a purely physical experience to ones that may include some chanting.  Many students find their yoga practice enhances their own compassion and in focusing on your own breath and experience you can take your practice in the direction you want, and not where you want.

Wishing you a happy holiday and that 2019 may be the year you add some yoga to your life!

 

About the Author:

Ann-Noelle provides therapeutic yoga-counseling sessions individually designed for each child. NESCA therapeutic yoga establishes a safe space for a child to face their challenges while nourishing their innate strengths using the threefold combination of yoga movement, yoga breath, and yoga thinking.

Ann-Noelle has worked with children and adolescents since 2001 and practiced yoga and meditation since 2005. Since 2003 she has been employed full time as a school counselor in a local high performing school district, and prior to that was employed in the San Francisco Public Schools. Ann-Noelle received her dual Masters Degree (MS) in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy (MFCC), and School Counseling from San Francisco State University in 2002, her BA from Union College in New York, and her 200 hour-Registered Yoga Credential (RYT) from Shri Yoga. Ann-Noelle completed additional Yoga training including the Kid Asana Program in 2014, Trauma in Children in 2016 and Adaptive yoga for Parkinson’s in 2014.

If you are interested in therapeutic yoga with Ms. McCowan,  please complete NESCA’s intake form today and indicate interest in “Yoga”

 

For more information on the therapeutic yoga at NESCA, please visit  https://nesca-newton.com/yoga/

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

 

0

“Vitamin G” Project

By | NESCA Notes 2018

By: Ann-Noelle McCowan, M.S., RYT
Guidance Counselor; Yoga Specialist

Each school year I observe the fluctuations of student and adult stress, and each August the return of relaxed and recharged kids and adults.  For many, summer means a slower pace and longer days filled with activities that bring joy and support our health and happiness. Time with family, friends, and pets bonds us with others. We’re connected with nature through the fullness of trees or the heat of the sun, and our perspectives are turned outward with less time inside on screens and gaming devices.  We’re renewed with less packed schedules, fewer alarms, more sleep, and our bodies are nourished by eating outside, less complicated meals and more fruits and vegetables. So how can summer’s ease and joy build our resilience to handle the natural unavoidable stressors of the school year and seasonal changes? By starting a gratitude practice.

Gratitude practices that amp up “Vitamin G”  have been shown to help people feel better about their lives, experience higher levels of positive emotions and have fewer physical problems or even feel less pain. Vitamin “G” helps us act kinder and more generous towards others, feel less stress and then handle stress better when it shows up, as well as get more exercise, eat healthier and sleep better!  Neuroscientists have said that our brain has a “negativity bias” where our minds respond like velcro for bad thoughts and Teflon (non-stick) for good thoughts. Vitamin “G” to the rescue!  When we are thankful, it helps stop negative thoughts and increases the feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin. Summer naturally provides time and opportunities to teach kids about gratitude, to practice the crucial ability to notice and acknowledge things in their life that bring them pleasure. Now how to begin…

  • Start by thanking your own children and help them learn about appreciation. Don’t worry too much about younger kids who might say they are thankful for a toy, you are building the idea of gratitude. It’s the practice, not perfection. Feel free to connect Vitamin G to other important nutrients or times when you have asked them to thank others.
  • Use age-appropriate language: we are going to learn how to name/ acknowledge/ build an account or recording of things that make us feel happy/ appreciative/ lucky/grateful. Give some examples of the benefits of Vitamin “G”. Explain that deposits to this “bank account” builds a mind that feels happier, less stressed and healthier.
  • Decide how you want to recognize daily gratitude. It could be a journal, a jar, a shared blog, drawings, colleagues, voice or video recordings, or a routine prayer with your child at night. I’ll expand on how to build a gratitude jar but experiment and choose what works for your child and family.
  • Gratitude Jar: Essentials are a writing utensil, slips of paper and a vessel to store your “gratitude slips” in. You could have your child pick one or two shades of colored paper or a special pen for recording, the jar could be decorated with pictures of things they enjoy or a beloved pet or kept blank to view the collection.
  • Cut up a few different sizes of rectangle slips of paper, or print a few prompts if that works for your child. Examples of prompts could be: Today I loved… I’m thankful for….. I appreciate that … I’m grateful for… I liked it when … I felt happy when….I feel good when.
  • Make a commitment to model this on a daily or routine schedule with your child, start recording and watch their account grow.

Your Vitamin G  project will hold beautiful recollections of summer as well as teach your child an important habit of mind and useful stress buster tool. Starting a gratitude practice will build resilience and empower them to find moments of happiness and goodness even when summer ends. Enjoy and have fun!

 

About the Author: 

Ann-Noelle provides therapeutic yoga-counseling sessions individually designed for each child. NESCA therapeutic yoga establishes a safe space for a child to face their challenges while nourishing their innate strengths using the threefold combination of yoga movement, yoga breath, and yoga thinking.

Ann-Noelle has worked with children and adolescents since 2001 and practiced yoga and meditation since 2005. Since 2003 she has been employed full time as a school counselor in a local high performing school district, and prior to that was employed in the San Francisco Public Schools. Ann-Noelle received her dual Masters Degree (MS) in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy (MFCC), and School Counseling from San Francisco State University in 2002, her BA from Union College in New York, and her 200 hour-Registered Yoga Credential (RYT) from Shri Yoga. Ann-Noelle completed additional Yoga training including the Kid Asana Program in 2014, Trauma in Children in 2016 and Adaptive yoga for Parkinson’s in 2014.

For more information on the therapeutic yoga at NESCA, please visit  https://nesca-newton.com/yoga/

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.

4

Mindfulness in Schools

By | NESCA Notes 2017

 

By:  Ann-Noelle McCowan, M.S., RYT
Guidance Counselor; Yoga Specialist

Open Google and type in Mindfulness in Schools and you are presented with a buffet of resources. What was once seen as an alternative idea has become mainstream. But what is Mindfulness and why is it something that deserves a place in schools?

Mindfulness was originally developed as part of the 8 Fold Path of Buddhism. With mindfulness, your attention would be turned inward and also impact your relationship with the world through mindful actions and behaviors.  Now it is scientifically studied and found in locations like professional locker rooms, jails and hospitals to fortune 500 companies like Nike, Google and Apple. Advancements in brain imaging show that a regular mindfulness practice creates increased activity in the areas of the brain associated with working memory, executive function, emotional regulation, perspective taking and empathy, with decreases in the areas of the brain associated with depression, PTSD and stress (correlated with a decrease in amygdala size).

Mindfulness’ increased popularity may be due to the fact that it is an adaptable, take with you anywhere antidote to a society that is increasingly fast-paced and technology focused. In a global world, it helps us feel both connected to ourselves and grounded where we are. More adults and kids are feeling stressed, anxious and depressed, and mindfulness can help soothe our worries without negative side effects.

Schools are responsible for teaching children skills and information across many content areas, yet how often are children taught the best way to pay attention, or how to use attention?  Attention is the lens through which all of our experiences are filtered through, yet it is rarely directly and specifically taught! Mindfulness is at its core simply focusing on a single thing at a time, in a particular way, without evaluation. It is an invaluable life skill for helping children be successful students as well as happy well adjusted and connected children. An informal survey of my colleagues and friends found that yoga and mindfulness are being adapted to various school settings.  From class transitions that begin with listening bells, rounds of belly breathing before assessments, calming scented oils on cotton balls in the nurse’s’ office,  books clubs with teachers, introductions to mindfulness apps in health class and mindfulness or yoga activities and clubs.  mindfulness is staking its place in schools.

When introducing mindfulness in classrooms and schools the following steps help outline ways to weave mindfulness into classrooms and schools.

1. Learn More. 

Starting with this blog post the internet is full of articles and videos to explore.
How Meditation Can Reshape Our Brains: Sara Lazar at TEDxCambridge 2011
https://www.nytimes.com/guides/well/mindfulness-for-children
Kids getting lessons in mindfulness in school – Today’s Parent

2. Model Mindfulness and Practice Yourself. 

You can’t teach what you don’t know. Practicing mindfulness will help you be aware of your own reactions if at first your students are squirmy or resistant. Keep in mind that students may not use the words you expect to describe their experience, listen for what is behind their words.

3. In an age-appropriate way, explain how mindfulness is beneficial for them. 

My teens love learning about how their brain works and that mindfulness is a form of training for their brain.

Some videos for younger  kids:

4. Teach about the monkey or animal mind. 

Children of all ages enjoy the practice of noticing how many places their thoughts go and how quickly thoughts connect to others. There are fantastic books for younger kids such as Moody Cow Meditates and  Mindful Monkey, Happy Panda.  Teens understand how if walk into class and see their friend laugh with a peer after a glance towards them their thoughts immediately race…. “ “what did I do” …“ they are mad”…“I’m not going to have a partner for this project”… “ there goes my secrets, begin the rumors”… “I’ll be left out of the weekend plans” … “I’ll be alone forever”.  Teach them to acknowledge the chatter but not get caught in it.

5. Start small. 

Begin with 1-3 minutes at the start of class directing kids to feel their seat in their seat, their feet on the floor, their hands on their lap and intentionally take 5-10 long inhales and exhales. Other ideas:

  • Practice silent snack one day a week, take a mindful walk as a class and have them focus on their senses and record it in their own journal ( words or visuals) when back in the classroom. Create a mindful space in a corner of your room with coloring books, pencils, cushions as a safe break place.
  • For kids it may be hard to focus on a single item at a time, so use manipulatives. A Hoberman Sphere, Pinwheels or feathers to demonstrate breath.  Build Worry Jars, adapt Chutes and Ladders or other familiar games with mindful exercises. Use one of the many Yoga Card Decks.

6. There’s an App for this!

Ironic perhaps to use technology but most kids love technology and it offers choice and control. Try  “Calm.com”, “Stop, Breathe and Think”, “Smiling Mind” or the “Insight Meditation Timer” (after medications my kids love to check out the world map and see all the locations where people are meditating!).  Try a classroom program such as http://www.innerexplorer.org/.

7. Be consistent.

Greater benefits and habits are created when mindfulness is done repeatedly. Colleagues who practice mindfulness daily, even for a few minutes notice the impact is greater than if  done sporadically.

Mindfulness is good for us and our children and has a natural place in our schools. Benefits abound like enhanced attention, self-regulation, social competence, as well as greater kindness and compassion. After I have practiced mindfulness with my students or clients they look different, calmer and relaxed and ask for it again. I too notice the rest of my day feels more manageable and my smile is broader. Enjoy adding mindfulness to your classroom or express your hope to your child’s teacher or school leaders that mindfulness be a part of your child’s school experience.

About the Author:

McCowan

Ann-Noelle provides therapeutic yoga-counseling sessions individually designed for each child. NESCA therapeutic yoga establishes a safe space for a child to face their challenges while nourishing their innate strengths using the threefold combination of yoga movement, yoga breath, and yoga thinking.

Ann-Noelle has worked with children and adolescents since 2001 and practiced yoga and meditation since 2005. Since 2003 she has been employed full time as a school counselor in a local high performing school district, and prior to that was employed in the San Francisco Public Schools. Ann-Noelle received her dual Masters Degree (MS) in Marriage, Family and Child Therapy (MFCC), and School Counseling from San Francisco State University in 2002, her BA from Union College in New York, and her 200 hour-Registered Yoga Credential (RYT) from Shri Yoga. Ann-Noelle completed additional Yoga training including the Kid Asana Program in 2014, Trauma in Children in 2016 and Adaptive yoga for Parkinson’s in 2014.

For more information on the therapeutic yoga at NESCA, please visit  https://nesca-newton.com/yoga/

 

 

 

Neuropsychology & Education Services for Children & Adolescents (NESCA) is a pediatric neuropsychology practice and integrative treatment center with offices in Newton, Massachusetts, Plainville, Massachusetts, and Londonderry, New Hampshire, serving clients from preschool through young adulthood and their families. For more information, please email info@nesca-newton.com or call 617-658-9800.