Now that all else has failed and our schools have become more turbulent behaviorally it’s time to address the mental health needs of students using a transdisciplinary approach. We need to finally call a truce in the school wars between Board Certified Behavioral Analysts and Occupational, Speech/Language and Mental Health therapists. Research and clinical experience support a multidisciplinary integration of comprehensive strategies that address the mental health needs of our students (Lipscomb et al., 2023).
An integrated approach can meet the needs of our increasing students with PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) and mental health/behavioral challenges. This can happen through the application of trauma-informed therapy (Teicher et al., 2016) with behavioral strategies including both restorative practices (Weber & Vereenooghe, 2020) and reinforcing students when they are happy, relaxed, and engaged in learning (Gover et al., 2022). Restorative strategies involve proactive practices such as a daily check ins and schedules.
But restorative practices can also include the early implementation of supportive discipline involving verbal and non-verbal warnings, teaching appropriate behaviors that get students what they want but are acceptable to teachers, and specifically teaching students to get what they want appropriately (Weber & Vereenooghe, 2020).
The goal is improved behavior rather than coddling or seeking revenge against students.
For students with complex behavioral challenges this often requires integration of services by Behavioral, Occupational, Speech/Language, and Mental Health therapists working closely with parents and teachers (Lipscomb et al., 2023). Applying proven sensory (Ohlbock et al., 2023), mindfulness (Muller-Englemann et al., 2018), visual support and specific praise interventions (Chow et al., 2021). I developed the FAB Strategies for Learning Readiness form to facilitate this approach CLICK. Through a team approach involving school occupational therapists, speech/language pathologists, teachers, and social workers we can together improve our school climate and students’ mental health (Gover et al., 2022).
References
Chow, J. C., Zimmerman, K. N., & Senter, R. (2021). Tailoring effective behavior management strategies for speech-language pathologists. Language, speech, and hearing services in schools, 52(1), 260-272.
Gover, H. C., Staubitz, J. E., & Juárez, A. P. (2022). Revisiting reinforcement: A focus on happy, relaxed, and engaged students. TEACHING Exceptional Children, 55(1), 72-74.
Lipscomb, S. T., Swander, W., & Mason, E. (2023). Building Cultures of Care in Schools: Centering Relationships at the Intersection of Trauma-Informed Education and Restorative Practices. Contemporary School Psychology, 1-17.
Müller-Engelmann, M., Schreiber, C., Kümmerle, S., Heidenreich, T., Stangier, U., & Steil, R. (2019). A trauma-adapted mindfulness and loving-kindness intervention for patients with PTSD after interpersonal violence: A multiple-baseline study. Mindfulness, 10(6), 1105–1123. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-018-1068-z
Öhlböck, E., Stinson, M., McClintock, K., & Turtle, B. (2024). Evaluating the effectiveness of key components of Zones of Regulation™ curriculum training on teachers’ self‐efficacy at managing self‐regulation needs in autistic pupils. British Journal of Special Education, 51(1), 111-122.
Teicher MH, Samson JA, Anderson CM, Ohashi K. The effects of childhood maltreatment on brain structure, function and connectivity. Nature Reviews Neuroscience. 2016 Oct;17(10):652.
Weber, C., & Vereenooghe, L. (2020). Reducing conflicts in school environments using restorative practices: A systematic review. International Journal of Educational Research Open, 1, 100009.
That’s my story and I’m Sticking to it
The worker immediately placed the crying infant in my arms. The infant became calm and relaxed into my arms. After that I volunteered most days. When I turned 16 they hired me as a recreation worker and at 18 I went to college to become an occupational therapist. Many therapists discouraged me from going into pediatrics because I am a man OT, but I went into pediatric OT anyways.
I’m in my 40th year as a pediatric OT working with youth who have Autism Spectrum, medical and/or behavioral disorders. I have worked in youth prisons, Head Start, a NICU & PICU, youth rehabilitation and mental health hospitals, leading international teacher and therapist workshops, teaching OT students, and currently as an OT in a special school Autism Spectrum, medically fragile, and behavioral challenged students.
I just finished leading a very enjoyable workshop for pediatric allied health therapists in Great Falls, Montana and took pictures of my journey. The therapists were very kind, smart and dedicated. I loved hiking along the river. I got to see a huge train, national guard model plane, and walked by some “mule deer” (which I never see at home in Connecticut). There was even an overhead Chinese spy balloon but I missed it. Being an OT is a fun journey.
