3 Ways to Practise being in the Present Moment

We often hear the phrase “living in the present” or “being in the here and now” but what does this really mean and how do we go about doing it? When we are overwhelmed and stressed in life it can be more challenging for adults and young people to be in the present moment. But this is where life happens, where we make decisions, where we solve problems, where we connect with loved ones. Being more present can support us to thrive more, helping bring us back to baseline when we are getting lost in the story that we tend to narrate our lives with or allow respite from the crowded headspace that can become all too familiar in young people’s lives. In order to support the wellbeing of young people, it is first important that we understand the barriers to being present as well as learning to navigate the tools ourselves, so that we can effectively communicate them on. 

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Essential Requirements for Being a Social Worker

Social work is one of the most rewarding careers a person can have. It allows you to make a meaningful impact on your community and take care of the most vulnerable people around you. Whether you’re helping children with problem solving skills, or working with disabled individuals, LGBTQ people, or others, there’s a lot to look forward to. Before you become a social worker, you need to meet certain requirements. There are also aspects of your personality that might make you more suited to social work than some others.

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Why Are Certificates Important in the Modern Work Environment?

Organizing certificate training programs for your employees is a time-consuming endeavour. You can avoid this by outsourcing your training programs to a professional organization that specializes in providing compliance and other types of training because the important thing is that the right certificates are acquired. Here’s why…

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close up photography of two dogs

The Positive Effects of Dogs on People with Autism

Many adults and children live with the autism spectrum condition (ASC), and it is proven that these people can bond, especially with dogs. Years of training dogs to bond with autistic children have yielded several amazing moments that are better experienced than explained. The number of positive effects that these dogs have cannot be quantified. 

A research carried out by the University of Lincoln discovered that children living with autism tend to experience far fewer meltdowns when they’re with or around a pet dog. The consequent effect of this is that the stress levels of their parents also reduce significantly. It was also found that dogs can substantially improve their confidence levels, improve their communication, help to reduce anxiety, and ensure that families can do more together. 

This goes to show how vital pet dogs are for autistic people (both adults and children). So, if you have a child with autism or know someone with autism, you should get them a pet dog to bond with. This is the best way to help increase their confidence and ensure that they achieve specific goals. 

For the benefit of people who are unsure how helpful dogs are and continue to doubt, this article discusses ten different ways dogs positively affect people with autism.

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How to Develop a Problem-Solving Mindset in Children?

A problem-solving mindset is vital for children especially if they are to excel at school. Earning good grades alone may not be sufficient to equip them with all the life skills necessary to face challenges head on and come out victorious. Steam Education is also a good option to learn creatively outside the classroom.

This article aims to help parents expand their child’s problem-solving skill repertoire so that they can take on and overcome day-to-day challenges and bigger life obstacles.

Adults can benefit from having a problem-solving mindset too. By allowing our children to think for themselves, we are also preparing them to become independent and responsible individuals who know how to set achievable goals and work towards achieving them. Even in the absence of adults, they will be able to problem solve on their own.

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The Dangers of Parasocial Relationships with Streamers

With the rise of the world of video games and online e-communities, people now watch internet personalities playing video games, which are live-streamed on websites like Twitch and Youtube. These performers are referred to as ‘streamers’, and large creators like Ninja have built an enormous following, with 17 million followers on the Twitch website alone.

These streamers combine live gameplay with online communities where people can socialise and discuss shared hobbies or interests. This is not inherently a bad thing and can initially be an inclusive community, creating new avenue for building social support and connectedness for young people. 

The danger with this perceived connection between young audience members and the Streamer is the parasocial relationship that forms over-time. This is a relationship where

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How to Become an Excellent Online Spanish Tutor

If you’re interested in becoming an online Spanish tutor to teach conversational Spanish, there are a few things to keep in mind. One is that you can quickly establish your schedule and work from home. There are also plenty of benefits like the ability to make money while traveling or studying abroad. There’s no need for teaching experience because many schools will train new tutors on their curriculum. There are some tips if you want to become an excellent online Spanish tutor.

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Anti-Racism Micro-interventions Resource

We developed the resource in response to situations where we as EPs and colleagues were encountering racial discrimination but feeling frozen/unsure how to respond and safely challenge. We wanted to create a resource to provide EPs and other professionals with guidance on how to respond, and scripts they can practice and use in the moment or later when addressing an incident. We’ve tended to share this resource as part of wider anti-racism training within our EP team and other services.

Dr Amy Gibb and Parminder Chana, Child and Educational Psychologists, Barnet Educational Psychology Team

See the resource below.

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Colin Newton

0115 955 6045

Doug Newton

dnewton123@ntlworld.com

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