Counseling and Family Resources
Dear Keystone students and parents,
I often find myself reading an article or book thinking about how much I’d like to share it with parents or students. I also get requests for good sources of information on specific topics like parenting, mindfulness or dealing with stress and anxiety. To that end I’ve created a resource page to share some of my favorite books, articles and links for topics related to social and emotional development.
I will be adding new entries as I discover them, and would always appreciate hearing from you if you have read something you think would be a good addition to the list. I hope you find this helpful! I’d love to hear from you.
My very best,
Alison Raymer
Keystone Counselor
Mindfulness Resources
For Children:
Sitting Still Like a Frog by Eline Snel (simple mindfulness practices to help your child deal with anxiety, improve concentration, and handle difficult emotions) Love this book! Comes with a CD.
A Handful of Quiet by Thich Nhat Hanh
Peaceful Piggy Meditation by Kerry Lee MacLean
Meditation is an Open Sky by Whitney Stewart
For Parents:
Mindful Parenting by Kristen Race
Mindful Discipline by Shauna Shapiro
Mindfulness for Beginners: Reclaiming the Present Moment – and Your Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Wherever You Go, There You Are by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Peace is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life by Thich Nhat Hanh and Arnold Kotler
Books for Parents: Parenting, Brain Science & Psychology
The Whole-Brain Child – Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind
By Daniel Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D
No-Drama Discipline – The whole brain way to calm the chaos and nurture your child’s developing mind
By Daniel J. Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne-Bryson, PhD
Raising Happiness – 10 simple steps for more joyful kids and happier parents by Christine Carter, PhD
Mindset – The new psychology of success by Carol Dweck, PhD
The Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness by Edward M. Hallowell, M.D.
The Gifts of Imperfection by Brene Brown, PhD, LMSW
Daring Greatly by Brene Brown, PhD, LMSW
Brain Rules – 12 Principles for Surviving and Thriving at Work, Home and School by John Medina
Letting Go of Perfect – Overcoming Perfectionism in Kids by Adelson and Wilson
Parenting Books for Tweens and Teens
That Crumpled Paper Was Due Last Week: Helping Disorganized and Distracted Boys Succeed in School and Life by Ana Homayoun
Helpful advice for parents struggling with disorganized boys—or girls.
Masterminds and Wingmen: Helping Our Boys Cope with Schoolyard Power, Locker-Room Tests, Girlfriends, and the New Rules of Boy World Hard by Rosalind Wiseman
Reveals the way boys think and shows parents, educators and coaches how to reach out and help boys overcome their most common yet difficult challenges.
Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World by Rosalind Wiseman
How girls’ experiences before adolescence impact their teen years, future relationships, and overall success.
Getting to Calm: Cool-Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens + Teens by Laura S Kastner and Jennifer Wyatt (my personal favorite parenting book for tweens!)
Kastner shows parents how to stay calm and cool-headed while dealing with hot-button issues —with clear, easy-to-follow suggestions for setting limits while maintaining a close and loving relationship.
Great Books for Kids
For younger children:
Have you Filled a Bucket Today? A guide to Daily Happiness for Kids by Carol McCloud
Simon’s Hook – A story about tease’s and put-downs by Karen Burnett
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Mark Pett and Gary Rubinstein
Beautiful Oops! By Barney Saltzberg
For Third Grade and Up:
From American Girl Press:
The Feelings Book – The Care and Keeping of Your Emotions
The Care and Keeping of You
A Smart Girl’s Guide to Knowing What to Say
Get Organized Without Losing It by Janet Fox
Cliques, Phonies and Other Baloney by Trevor Romain
The Relaxation and Stress Reduction Workbook for Kids by Shapiro and Sprague
For Divorce:
Mom’s House, Dad’s House for Kids by Iolina Ricci, PhD
The Divorce Helpbook for Kids by Cynthia MacGregor
What in the World Do You Do When Your Parents Divorce? By Winchester and Beyer
Divorce is Not the End of the World – Zoe and Evan’s Coping Guide for Kids by Zoe and Evan Stern
Timely and Helpful Articles:
How to Help Anxious Kids When Bad Things Happen by Natasha Daniels