Self-regulation Training Program Indicates Significant Results in School Classrooms

The Self-regulation Training Program, outlined in the new book Helping Young People Learn Self-regulation, is gaining a great deal of support from mental health professionals, school administrators, teachers and parents.

The program was implemented in two 4th grade classrooms, two 1st grade classrooms and two Kindergarten classrooms. The results were exceptional. There were significant improvements as reported by the student questionnaires and the teacher rating scales. There was also an 83% reduction in Office Discipline Referrals. Additionally, the comments from the teachers regarding the impact of the program on their own teaching style and interactions with students was extremely encouraging. Click here  for the 4th grade results summary.

This program is currently being adopted by schools districts as a common core set of skills that can be easily taught in the classroom and can have an impact on several behavioral and academic issues. Schools and mental health agencies can use this one framework to address many different areas including academic performance, behavior problems, social/emotional and mental health issues.

The book containing the curriculum is available from Youthlight Publishing at www.youthlightbooks.com.

Please contact Brad Chapin for more information about a presentation in your area.

Brad Chapin, LCP, LMLP
brad.chapin@cpschallenge.com

Engaging Children in Cognitive Therapy with the Right Tools

Some critics say that we shouldn't use Cognitive Therapy
techniques with children because it's "too advanced" and
they "won't understand."

I often wonder if those critics had children of their own, because
if they did, they would realize that children are forming "beliefs"
about their world from the time they are able to experience their
environment.

I do agree that we should not use the same types of strategies,
or advanced vocabulary, with children as we do with adults. However,
there are engaging tools that can help children learn to identify and challenge
unhealthy thoughts to improve their mood and behavior.

The Challenge Software Program utilizes short video clips that begin
with an "Activating Event." We then freeze the action to present
Healthy and Unhealthy thoughts that the main character might have about
the event. Next, we have the competing thoughts challenge each
other to resolve the cognitive dissonance. This takes place in
a short video game format where the child tries to "defeat" the
unhealthy thoughts. The ending to the video clip and the fate
of our main character depend on which thought wins.

Engaging cognitive therapy tools, like the Challenge Software Program,
can help children begin to understand that they have control over their
own moods and behaviors. They will begin to identify unhealthy
thought patterns and learn how to effective challenge those beliefs.

by Brad Chapin, LCP, LMLP
Creator of the Challenge Software Program &
Author of "Helping Young People Learn Self-regulation"

Self-regulation Training Book Now Available!

After several requests, we are proud to announce that the Self-regulation Training information is now available in a workbook.

"Helping Young People Learn Self-regulation" is now available through Youthlight Publishing. Self-regulation includes a universal set of skills necessary for academic success, emotional control and healthy social interaction. With this single resource you will be able to address children's anger problems, academic performance challenges, anxieties, school safety issues, self-esteem, social skills and much more.

As the term “self-regulation” suggests, this approach focuses on teaching children how to regulate their own emotions and behaviors. The authors have split the self-regulation training process into three functional area: physical, emotional, and cognitive. Using strategies based soundly upon the evidence base of cognitive-behavioral psychology, this resource will help you move children progressively through skill areas in each of these three domains.

Please contact author/trainer Brad Chapin, LCP, LMLP for more information about conducting a training in your area.
Brad.chapin@cpschallenge.com

Give the Gift of Self-regulation to a Child this Season

Teaching your children to regulate their own emotions is a gift that will stay with them throughout their lives and help them reach their goals. We all run into difficult situations, even during the holidays. These situations are perfect opportunities to model for our children how to handle stress.

Hopefully you will have some extra time to spend with your children this holiday season. Here are a few simple things you can do to improve your child's self-regulation:

• Take a little extra time to spend one-on-one with your children. It's easier to hear what they have to say and to communicate what you would like for them to hear from you when there are just two of you.
• Tell stories of your family traditions and how they came to be. Family traditions provide a child with a strong sense of identity and connectedness that serve as the foundation for healthy self-control.
• Communicate the need to be thankful for what they have, and the importance of helping others. The holiday season provides opportunities to give back to those who may be less fortunate.
• Try and remember to "guide" children to come to a healthy conclusion when they struggle with social/emotional issues. We are often too busy, or have a strong desire to "fix" things quickly. Helping children learn to problem-solve on their own is a skill that will help them to be more successful no matter what challenges they may face.

Taking a few minutes to help your children learn self-regulation is a gift that will continue to produce rewards in all areas of their lives. Those who regulate well are more successful:

• in social relationships
• in school with better grades
• in self-care and physical health
• in sports
• at achieving their goals
• in life in general 

Enjoy your holiday season and give a gift that truly keeps on giving.

Brad Chapin, LCP, LMLP
brad.chapin@cpschallenge.com

Computer-assisted Counseling Resources for Children

Children are spending the majority of their waking hours interacting with technology. Why aren't we aggressively tapping into this time and using their interest to teach them useful skills?

To engage today's youth, we adults must be aware of the youth culture. What do you think a child would do if you gave them the option to learn something in a workbook, or learn it while interacting with a computer?

Resources that involve videos and interactive games engage children on "their turf." They feel less threatened because the technology is familiar to them. Their defenses are often lower when watching, or interacting, with characters in a computer program because it's less direct. They are able to relate to the situations and characters, but it's much less intimidating than a direct line of questioning.   

We have been noting the benefits of computer-assisted counseling techniques for several years while developing the Challenge Software Program for children (a program that uses video scenarios and games to teach children the basics of self-regulation). From our experience, there is really no comparison between the engagement of children when it comes to computer-assisted counseling techniques and traditional interventions. If you don't believe it, ask a child. Or better yet, try it for yourself:)


Brad Chapin, LCP, LMLP
brad.chapin@cpschallenge.com  

Using REBT to Promote Self-reguation in Children

The Challenge Software Program for children was designed to help children establish healthy thinking patterns and learn to identify and effectively challenge thoughts that are unhealthy.

Over the past few years this program has helped hundreds of children do just that. We continue to hear examples where the program is being used to help children struggling to learn how to regulate their mood and behavior. These examples come from children who have experienced trauma, depression, anxiety, and numerous other issues.

Here is an example submitted by one of the children using the Challenge Software Program. Think about how powerful this change in thinking will be for this child.

"I remember a family friend giving me and my friend a bath when we were young.

He put us in the tub and touched me in ways he shouldn't have.

The child reports thinking, "Oh...this is terrible. I am bad and feel worthless."

After using the Challenge Software Program and understanding that she can control her own

thoughts and feelings about herself, she writes a new belief:

"It was not my fault. I was a small child. I can be okay even though a bad

thing happened to me."

I recently presented at an Innovative Counseling conference in San Antonio (click here for slides from the presentation on slideshare). It was great to see the innovation and creativity that is still alive in developing new tools to reach the children of today. It was also great to see that these creative strategies are based soundly on solid approaches like Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT).

We must continue to innovate and create new ways of reaching today's youth. If we do not help them create and maintain healthy beliefs, they will struggle to regulate their mood and behavior their entire lives.

Brad Chapin LCP, LMLP

brad.chapin@cpschallenge.com

3 Reasons Why Every Parent Should Know about Self-regulation Training

As parents, we receive lots of advice about the "Do's and Don'ts"of parenting. It's sometimes difficult to know what to do with our children.

Maybe we should just start by asking what we would wish for our children. Check out this list of wishes:

1. I want my children to live a long life
   



2. I want them to be healthy and happy
   



3. I want them to be successful

I think many parents would include these items in their top 5 wishes for their children. Please feel free to comment if you have other wishes for your children that you would like to share.

The question is, "As parents, what can we do to help make this list of wishes become a reality?" This question is quickly followed by, "How much time and energy do I have as a parent to learn everything about parenting, and how will I be able to apply all of that information to help these wishes come true?"

As a parent of 3 myself, I strongly believe in usefulness and practicality. If it's not realistic or practical to implement, it's just not happening. Thankfully, there is a relatively simple and straightforward set of skills that we can help our children develop. A healthy dose of Self-regulation is related to:

• Longevity - self-regulation is highly correlated with living longer
  



• Academic Success - self-regulation predicts academic success better than IQ
  



• Health and Wealth - those that learn to regulate themselves fair much better

If we focus our efforts on teaching our children how to regulate their own thoughts, behaviors and emotions, we will give our children the best chance of reaching their potential, and realizing the wishes we have for them. The great thing about this concept is that Self-regulation can be taught:)

Brad Chapin, LCP, LMLP brad.chapin@cpschallenge.com

http://www.cpchallenge.com/