With nationwide school closures, school psychologists across the country are being tasked with the critical role of providing virtual SEL (social-emotional learning) to support to their students, families, and schools they serve.

Um, first, can I get a Hallelujah for us getting to use our full skill set beyond just assessment?

And yet…

If you’re anything like me, it’s overwhelming.

When COVID-19 closures started, I began receiving a FIREHOSE OF INFORMATION all at the same time with miles-long Google docs of possible resources, new tele-health policies, and a flood of ideas for virtual SEL delivery.*

It was A LOT to digest, and truth is, the flood of information is still full blast.

**Okay everyone, deeeeeeep breath with me*****

Let’s remember our new school psych mantra, shall we?

Simplify.
Serve.
Connect.

In the spirit of connection, the Thriving School Psychologist Collective online course and community members have been meeting on Zoom to share our collective wisdom and figure out ways to simplify and serve together.

On our last Zoom call, we talked about how to distill our role down to the very essence of how we can serve our students and deliver high quality virtual SEL during this time.

And in this conversation about what really matters in a crisis, it hit me.

Serving our students and school communities doesn’t start with finding that perfect “off the shelf” SEL package to deliver virtually.

Serving our students and school communities starts with US walking the self-care walk so we can talk the self-care talk.

We can’t serve others if we are overwhelmed or depleted. We are not in a great position to advise others to engage in positive psychology practices when we aren’t doing them ourselves.

Positive psychology is not a spectator sport, y’all.

I invite you to watch this quick 4-ish minute video on ways how we can distill the FIREHOSE of choices for virtual SEL during COVID-19 to science-backed ONE SIP AT A TIME strategies that actually help us cope with stress as well!

To support school psychs during this time, the Science of Happiness for School Psychologists mini-course is over 50% off in the month of April. For just $27 you can model and teach the habits science shows boosts our mood and openness to learning, reduces stress, and even builds immunity.

Just think…taking an hour or so could help you set you, your students, and staff on the path to infusing virtual SEL in the daily lives of your students.

Above all, remember that in times of crisis, connection is protection. You don’t have to have the perfect SEL videos or Google Classroom to be an effective school psych right now.

Above all, remember that in times of crisis, connection is protection.

All you have to do right now is hold space…Hold space for yourself, your students, and your school communities to feel what they are feeling. Now is the time to lean in with empathy and understanding and just do our best to connect. But none of that is possible if we are in fight/flight/freeze ourselves. Taking care of yourself first is not a “nice to do” it’s a “need to do.”

So why not double dip? Learn the science of happiness and teach positive coping skills to our students at the same time.

Click here to enroll today at the special rate, and watch any time.

With deep appreciation for all you are holding for yourself, your family, and your school communities,
🧡Rebecca

*And all the while, I was also trying to figure out how to homeschool my two elementary aged daughters and not have them crawl all over me during Zoom calls or during my recording of my interview with ROSS FREAKIN’ GREENE. So…needless to say lots going on all at once (and special shout out to the school psych mamas and papas out there holding it down for their own kids too!).

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