MORE Strategies!
During February 26-27, 2020 at the Frayme Learning Institute’s Toronto Conference, participants who work with youth provided extra examples of how students can enhance their resilience. They used our Circle of 5 model of 5: nurturing, being happier more often, gratitude, mindfulness and practical skills development. We are grateful to everyone who gave us their ideas!
During February 26-27, 2020 at the Frayme Learning Institute’s Toronto Conference, participants who work with youth provided extra examples of how students can enhance their resilience. They used our Circle of 5 model of 5: nurturing, being happier more often, gratitude, mindfulness and practical skills development. We are grateful to everyone who gave us their ideas!
Nurture: Connect with loved ones as often as possible.
Happiness: Play guitar. Seek out validating people.
Gratitude: Reflecting on dreams and goals That I have achieved.
Mindfulness: Singing. Focus on my breath.
Practical Skills: Create lists to tackle one item at a time.
Anonymous
Practical Skills: Looking negative event as a challenge and not as stressful event/situation so the brain will not release cortisol but rather the brain will start thinking about strategies. Your body will thrive.
MariaFe Aguinaldo is a Registered Psychologist at Addiction Services for York Region (Ontario).
Nurture: Help other students connect with their family and mentors.
Happiness: Spending time with those I care for. Doing hobbies/sports that I enjoy.
Gratitude: Showing I am thankful for those who have helped me/impacted my life. Writing down 5 things I am thankful/grateful for.
Mindfulness: Listening to music and podcasts. Journaling.
Practical Skills: Spending time with children and other youth. Playing guitar.
Shauna Brown is a YAC Facilitator at the Maltby Centre (Kingston, Ontario)
Nurture: Compliment 3 people per day (helping others, helps you too!).
Happiness: Each day (at the end of the day) write down 3 good things (big or small) that happened in your day. Exercise (outside is better) – run one lap of a track, 10 jumping jacks, etc.
Gratitude: Photography – take pictures of things you love/are thankful for.
Mindfulness: Power Pose – (stand feet shoulder width apart, head up and fists on hips for 2-5 minutes per day). This is proven to give you confidence and help you to be successful in tasks performed after the power pose! Do a puzzle. Meditation – either guided or on your own.
Emily Crowson is a Youth Facilitator at the Maltby Centre (Kingston, Ontario)
Nurture: Practice something routinely (e.g., make your bed, do a face mask or bubble bath, or exercise)
Happiness: Share positive affirmations or make positive affirmations boards.
Mindfulness: Download free apps to practice mindful eating and walking.
Brittney Doherty is a HUB Staff member at the John Howard Society of Niagara (Ontario)
Nurture: Take care of a plant (Chinese Evergreen). Give hugs and smiles.
Happiness: Do something you love. Hobby like sewing or beading.
Gratitude: Being grateful for having the opportunity to be where you are. Being grateful for family.
Mindfulness: Meditating and art therapy.
Practical Skills: Calling a friend via telephone. Taking a walk.
Miranda Echum is a Program Coordinator at Nishnawbe Aski Nation (Northern Ontario)
Nurture: Talk and get to know new people. Find common interests between you and others.
Happiness: Go on a nice walk. Call friends and family or meet up with them.
Gratitude: Reflect on at least 1 good thing that happened in your day, even if it was small.
Nadia Henry is a Youth Ally at East Metro Youth Services (Toronto)
Nurture: Do an activity self-inventory: before saying yes to social activities, ask yourself key questions to decide before saying yes/no. Give yourself positive stories to disrupt limiting beliefs. Allow yourself rest, guilt free, when needed. Schedule self-time in my calendar.
Happiness: “3 good things” jotted down at the end of every day. Pausing my day for a song, meditation or a few breaths (on public transit especially). Turning off email notifications at night.
Gratitude: During difficult moments – pause and remember “I have x, y, and z things in my life that I am grateful for.
Mindfulness: Phone off and plugged in across the room at 10:00 p.m.. Meditation and breath-work once daily. I do meditation and energy cleansing between clients.
Gabriela Kassel Gomez is the Director of Social Counseling at Head & Hands (Montreal)
Nurture: Watering plants.
Happiness: Visualize a special place.
Gratitude: Look at pictures. Apples and Onions: Review 3 good things and 3 bittersweet things.
Mindfulness: Breathing exercises.
Practical Skills: Physical Activity to relax body -- clinch our toes, then bend knees, push out stomach, flex biceps, wiggle fingers, roll neck and blink eyes.
Kyle Kelly is the Program Team Supervisor of Laing House (Halifax)
Nurture: Challenge yourself socially, e.g., greet a stranger. Schedule time to meet loved ones (don’t isolate yourself).
Happiness: Listen to music. I write nice affirmations for myself when I’m happy that I read to cheer myself up if I get sad.
Gratitude: I keep a diary/journal where I recount all my good moments of the day.
Mindfulness: Ground yourself with fidget toys.
Practical: Taking breaks. Make sure you take care of your body (eat, drink water, etc.).
Diya Mohan is a Youth Ally at East Metro Youth Services (Toronto)
Happiness: Get a hobby. Buy something you’ve wanted for a long time. Listen to music.
Gratitude: Think about everyone who has helped you (even little things) to get you where you are today.
Practical: Tell someo if you are overwhelmed. Ditch that club or project!
Erin Park is Youth Ally at East Metro Youth Services (Toronto)
Practical Skills: You need 3 hobbies:
1.health hobby
2.creative hobby
3.fun hobby
Kursten Ronsom is a Program Coordinator at the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre (Ontario)
Happiness: Solidify social connections. Build up self-esteem.
Gratitude: Have a gratitude journal.
Mindfulness: Meditation.
Ezra Skandalakis is a Youth Volunteer at Skylark Children, Youth, and Families (Toronto)
Nurture: Getting lost in learning a new or favourite topic.
Happiness: Self-compassion.
Mindfulness: Guided meditations.
Practical Skills: Learning a new skill.
Peter Snow is a Social Worker at the Youth Wellness Centre (Hamilton, Ontario)
Nurture: Self-compassion – shifting inner dialogue to be less judgemental/less critical towards being more gentle, loving, forgiving and self-compassionate. Learning to soothe and self-regulate.
Happiness: Writing out new narratives or scripts to speak to themselves.
Gratitude: Can tie gratitude into this mindfulness and exercises to practice being non-judgmental.
Mindfulness: Meditation.
Connie Stevenson, MSW, RSW of the Youth Wellness Centre (Hamilton, Ontario)
Nurture: Community mentorship
Happiness: Peer-peer groups.
Gratitude: Connecting with vulnerable populations.
Mindfulness: D.B.T. Therapy (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
Trisha is a member of the Primary Care Network Youth HUB Steering Committee)
Happiness: Play guitar. Seek out validating people.
Gratitude: Reflecting on dreams and goals That I have achieved.
Mindfulness: Singing. Focus on my breath.
Practical Skills: Create lists to tackle one item at a time.
Anonymous
Practical Skills: Looking negative event as a challenge and not as stressful event/situation so the brain will not release cortisol but rather the brain will start thinking about strategies. Your body will thrive.
MariaFe Aguinaldo is a Registered Psychologist at Addiction Services for York Region (Ontario).
Nurture: Help other students connect with their family and mentors.
Happiness: Spending time with those I care for. Doing hobbies/sports that I enjoy.
Gratitude: Showing I am thankful for those who have helped me/impacted my life. Writing down 5 things I am thankful/grateful for.
Mindfulness: Listening to music and podcasts. Journaling.
Practical Skills: Spending time with children and other youth. Playing guitar.
Shauna Brown is a YAC Facilitator at the Maltby Centre (Kingston, Ontario)
Nurture: Compliment 3 people per day (helping others, helps you too!).
Happiness: Each day (at the end of the day) write down 3 good things (big or small) that happened in your day. Exercise (outside is better) – run one lap of a track, 10 jumping jacks, etc.
Gratitude: Photography – take pictures of things you love/are thankful for.
Mindfulness: Power Pose – (stand feet shoulder width apart, head up and fists on hips for 2-5 minutes per day). This is proven to give you confidence and help you to be successful in tasks performed after the power pose! Do a puzzle. Meditation – either guided or on your own.
Emily Crowson is a Youth Facilitator at the Maltby Centre (Kingston, Ontario)
Nurture: Practice something routinely (e.g., make your bed, do a face mask or bubble bath, or exercise)
Happiness: Share positive affirmations or make positive affirmations boards.
Mindfulness: Download free apps to practice mindful eating and walking.
Brittney Doherty is a HUB Staff member at the John Howard Society of Niagara (Ontario)
Nurture: Take care of a plant (Chinese Evergreen). Give hugs and smiles.
Happiness: Do something you love. Hobby like sewing or beading.
Gratitude: Being grateful for having the opportunity to be where you are. Being grateful for family.
Mindfulness: Meditating and art therapy.
Practical Skills: Calling a friend via telephone. Taking a walk.
Miranda Echum is a Program Coordinator at Nishnawbe Aski Nation (Northern Ontario)
Nurture: Talk and get to know new people. Find common interests between you and others.
Happiness: Go on a nice walk. Call friends and family or meet up with them.
Gratitude: Reflect on at least 1 good thing that happened in your day, even if it was small.
Nadia Henry is a Youth Ally at East Metro Youth Services (Toronto)
Nurture: Do an activity self-inventory: before saying yes to social activities, ask yourself key questions to decide before saying yes/no. Give yourself positive stories to disrupt limiting beliefs. Allow yourself rest, guilt free, when needed. Schedule self-time in my calendar.
Happiness: “3 good things” jotted down at the end of every day. Pausing my day for a song, meditation or a few breaths (on public transit especially). Turning off email notifications at night.
Gratitude: During difficult moments – pause and remember “I have x, y, and z things in my life that I am grateful for.
Mindfulness: Phone off and plugged in across the room at 10:00 p.m.. Meditation and breath-work once daily. I do meditation and energy cleansing between clients.
Gabriela Kassel Gomez is the Director of Social Counseling at Head & Hands (Montreal)
Nurture: Watering plants.
Happiness: Visualize a special place.
Gratitude: Look at pictures. Apples and Onions: Review 3 good things and 3 bittersweet things.
Mindfulness: Breathing exercises.
Practical Skills: Physical Activity to relax body -- clinch our toes, then bend knees, push out stomach, flex biceps, wiggle fingers, roll neck and blink eyes.
Kyle Kelly is the Program Team Supervisor of Laing House (Halifax)
Nurture: Challenge yourself socially, e.g., greet a stranger. Schedule time to meet loved ones (don’t isolate yourself).
Happiness: Listen to music. I write nice affirmations for myself when I’m happy that I read to cheer myself up if I get sad.
Gratitude: I keep a diary/journal where I recount all my good moments of the day.
Mindfulness: Ground yourself with fidget toys.
Practical: Taking breaks. Make sure you take care of your body (eat, drink water, etc.).
Diya Mohan is a Youth Ally at East Metro Youth Services (Toronto)
Happiness: Get a hobby. Buy something you’ve wanted for a long time. Listen to music.
Gratitude: Think about everyone who has helped you (even little things) to get you where you are today.
Practical: Tell someo if you are overwhelmed. Ditch that club or project!
Erin Park is Youth Ally at East Metro Youth Services (Toronto)
Practical Skills: You need 3 hobbies:
1.health hobby
2.creative hobby
3.fun hobby
Kursten Ronsom is a Program Coordinator at the Fort Erie Native Friendship Centre (Ontario)
Happiness: Solidify social connections. Build up self-esteem.
Gratitude: Have a gratitude journal.
Mindfulness: Meditation.
Ezra Skandalakis is a Youth Volunteer at Skylark Children, Youth, and Families (Toronto)
Nurture: Getting lost in learning a new or favourite topic.
Happiness: Self-compassion.
Mindfulness: Guided meditations.
Practical Skills: Learning a new skill.
Peter Snow is a Social Worker at the Youth Wellness Centre (Hamilton, Ontario)
Nurture: Self-compassion – shifting inner dialogue to be less judgemental/less critical towards being more gentle, loving, forgiving and self-compassionate. Learning to soothe and self-regulate.
Happiness: Writing out new narratives or scripts to speak to themselves.
Gratitude: Can tie gratitude into this mindfulness and exercises to practice being non-judgmental.
Mindfulness: Meditation.
Connie Stevenson, MSW, RSW of the Youth Wellness Centre (Hamilton, Ontario)
Nurture: Community mentorship
Happiness: Peer-peer groups.
Gratitude: Connecting with vulnerable populations.
Mindfulness: D.B.T. Therapy (Dialectical Behavior Therapy)
Trisha is a member of the Primary Care Network Youth HUB Steering Committee)