Sarah McMurtrie’s Articles, Tips and Ideas to Support Carers, Parents, Caseworkers and Teachers
Sarah McMurtrie is a teacher, writer and imminent psychologist specialising in supporting traumatised children and adolescents. Sarah is also the author of UNTWIST which is a trauma informed care tool designed to facilitate meaningful connection and communication with displaced children, especially adolescents aged 10 to 17 years.
Below are some links and also articles which Sarah has shared:
Professionals
Brene Brown
Explores effects of Shame. Researched based. Great ideas to consider
Dan Siegel
Supports our understanding of children’s behaviour- with a great hand/brain model of what happens when students ‘flip out’- Enhances self awareness/emotional regulation. Author of :‘ No Drama Discipline’ + ‘ Parenting from the Inside Out’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gm9CIJ74Oxw
https://themindfulclassroom.wordpress.com/category/the-brain
Dan Siegel
Connecting to Calm- A must see if you have a teenager!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aV3hp_eaoiE
Bruce Perry
He’s Honey pot of sites and resources for children that have experienced trauma.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIUdALXnPlQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYj7YYHmbQs
Dan Hughes
PACE model. (Therapeutic Care)- holds workshops in Australia- worth seeing!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T5ikRcLabg
Josh Shipp
Great ted talks. (Previously a child in care- focus on supporting teens)
http://joshshipp.com/one-caring-adult/
Amy Cubby
Power of positive body posture
Organisations
Australian Childhood Foundation
Check their resources page- free to down load www.childhood.org.au
The Child Trauma Academy
Posts useful info www.childtrauma.org
The Australian Child & Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network
Posts useful info www.earlytraumagrief.anu.edu.au
Science of the Greater Good
Worth subscribing to great useful emails. http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/
School
Calmer Classrooms
Make sure your child’s school/ teacher have these resources
http://www.ccyp.vic.gov.au/childsafetycommissioner/downloads/calmer_classrooms.pdf.
http://suelarkey.com.au/shop (lots of OT resources: chew stixx, pencil toppers, Fidgipods)- worth subscribing to her mailing list- lots of good ideas.
http://www.mindfulschools.org check out the short films- “Room to Breathe”
Environment
Environments have the ability to change our mood. McDonalds or a candle lit dinner? Our tummy gets full either way but the experience is different. Lighting, furniture, music + sensory tools can have a significant impact in a childs ability to calm/ self sooth.
http://shopau.sensorytools.net
Chat to your local OT. Most have great sites or resources to share- worth asking them!
Mindfulness
Websites
Supports children’s ability to be Calm, present + engaged.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-yJPcdiLEkI( Mindfulness in schools)
http://www.mentalstillness.org/mental-stillness-learning-project ( Sydney Uni mindfulness in school project)
http://smilingmind.com.au/education-program
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=mindfulness%20activities
Apps
FREE. There are 100’s – the following are worth starting with…