Updates and Information
Bereavement Group for Children Ages 7 - 12
Dee Beveridge, Registered Clinical Counsellor
and
Kenda Reimer, Clinical Counsellor
In partnership with the Squamish Hospice Society
Monday evenings from 6:30 - 7:30 PM
January 24 to February 28, 2011
Location: Squamish Hospice, the white building beside Hilltop House
38140 Berhner Drive, Squamish
Register by calling 604-848-5883 or email: info@deebeveridge.com
No cost to participate
Children may bring a blanket, pillow and stuffy
Posted January 4, 2011
Annual General Meeting for Squamish Counselling Services
When: Thursday, January 20, 2011
Where: Squamish Firehall No. 1 (beside Stawamus Elementary School in Valleycliffe)
Coffee and goodies on hand
You are invited to attend this AGM to learn more about the services offered; meet new people in the community who share the same concerns; and become a member of this society if you so choose.
Posted January 1, 2011
Full and Partial Subsidies Available for Professional Counselling
Squamish Counselling Services (SCS) is looking to subsidize individuals and/or families who are in need of professional counselling but cannot afford to pay the full fees involved. If you are wanting to seek professional counselling but your lack of financial means is stopping you from doing so, this service may be able to assist you.
You can pick up a referral form to access the service from the Elaho Medical Clinic, 1337 Pemberton Ave, Squamish (beside Shopper's Drug Mart). Once you have filled out the form and attached the necessary information, please return the documents in a sealed envelope ATTN: SQUAMISH COUNSELLING SERVICES. You will be contacted by someone from the society after your application has been reviewed.
For more information: info@squamishcounsellingservices.com
Posted November 19, 2010
The Squamish Chief newspaper article about Squamish Counselling Services. I am Co-Executive Director of this non-profit society, which offers full and partial funding to individuals and families wanting to access professional counselling but who cannot otherwise afford the cost.
Posted October 6, 2010
Art as Expression for Children
Art and play are important components for healthy development of a child. It is through both of these means that children learn how to make sense of the world and work through their problems. A great tip for when your child is feeling angry or going through a difficult time - sit down with them and have them draw out their feelings (scribbling is a powerful expression) or journal their thoughts if they can read and write proficiently.
A great new resource in Squamish that offers art and creative expression for children is called FUN ART. They are located at 38157 Second Avenue.
Posted September 14, 2010
The Anxious Child
By Dee Beveridge, Registered Clinical Counsellor
In my work with families, it seems that anxiety has become somewhat of a buzzword. More families than ever seem to be dealing with a child who is scared of an inanimate object or animal, going to bed, seeing a medical professional, being away from their parent, getting a needle, socializing with peers, being in an accident and the list goes on. What is anxiety and how does it become such a big problem for some children?
All children experience anxiety at some time in their lives and being anxious isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Anxiety is caused by stress and is normal in certain situations such as before a big test, during a sporting event or while speaking in front of a class. Problems develop when the anxiety becomes unmanageable; continues after the precipitating event is over; and starts to creep into other aspects of the child’s life. For example, when a child’s fear of embarrassing them self in class leads to anxiety around making new friends, attending extra-curricular activities, going to school and perhaps eventually even leaving the home.
What happens in these instances is that the child’s natural stress response mechanism starts to work overtime, and as a result, the child perceives normal everyday situations as threatening. The physical and cognitive symptoms of anxiety, which include one or more of stomachache, headache, dizziness, chest pain, increased heart rate, negative thoughts and imagining the worst, are activated during these moments and the child develops an avoidance of the situation in an attempt to keep them self out of harm’s way. Research shows that problems with anxiety run in families and anxious children tend to have at least one parent with their own anxiety issues.
There are strategies that a family can implement to help manage a child’s anxiety: 1) Role-model appropriate behaviour to teach your child how to manage stressful situations. For instance, if your child is afraid to meet new friends, make an effort to introduce yourself and initiate conversations with new people in front of your child. 2) Keep a structured routine and give your child plenty of warning and time to adapt to out-of-the-ordinary activities. Anxious children tend to have a harder time with change and unexpected events. 3) Empathize with how your child is feeling but don’t play into the fear. It is important to acknowledge that you understand how scared your child is, but equally important to reassure them that the situation or object is safe. 4) Encourage your child to put them self in situations that cause some anxiety and reward (and reward and reward) them for their bravery!