Written by: Chelsea Schrunk Crivello, MSW, LICSW

It’s that time of the school year where the “honeymoon” phase is over and the academic workload is getting more challenging. As therapists, we start to see more anxiety related to grades, perfectionism, and pressure to do well for college applications. 

On the outside, this may be seen as constant fatigue, low energy, work avoidance, school refusal, and/or procrastination. Whereas, on the inside, students are often feeling more stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, and depressed. Some of the behaviors that come out can be seen as defiance, when in reality they can be a sign that they are struggling academically & emotionally.

Therapists at Ballard Clinic can help clients get the right support school. This might look like… 

• Collaborating with teachers, school social workers, or counselors 
• Writing recommendations for 504 plans or IEPs 
• Teaching and practicing coping strategies appropriate for use in the classroom
• Attending meetings at school and advocating for appropriate support 
• Writing letters recommending accommodations for standardized testing (e.g., ACT, PSAT, AP tests)

Here are my go-to recommendations for school accommodations: 

• Movement breaks – allowing a “break pass” to leave class when needed
• Wobbly chairs, standing desks, approval to stand in the back of the room
• Preferential seating (ie a place next to the door, close to a teacher, back of the room, around quiet peers)
• Use of fidgets
• Check-ins initiated with a teacher or counselor (it’s common for anxiously wired people to avoid asking for help!)
• Large assignments broken up into smaller portions
• Ability to wear noise canceling headphones/earbuds
• Approval to listen to music during work time
• Test taking in a quiet, less distracting environment

Check-in with your child’s therapist to see if there are any strategies that can help with school stress and anxiety.

Not a Ballard client yet? Please contact us by emailing frontdesk@ballardclinic.com, calling 612-787-2344, or filling out our inquiry form at ballardclinic.com