A low level of anxiety is common, as it is a healthy reaction to the unknown for most people. However, unforeseen circumstances such as a pandemic, can heighten anxiety to unhealthy levels thus impacting an individual's ability to function. Germani et al. (2020) states, "Uncertainty and instability are emotions… that generate worries about…

Humor is not only instinctive and a basic human need, but it also is very good medicine. Laughter boosts the immune system, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress hormones, and is linked to healthy functioning organs. [This article was written with Mylo Redwater Smith.]

The authors present a therapeutic resource for school counselors who need a tangible method to integrate self-esteem strategies into their psychoeducational group programs. The focus of the group is a comprehensive wellness model based on five senses of self and how each self must be addressed to promote healthy life decisions. Special attention…

Many studies have reported on the perceptions of medical students toward dissection. It is important to understand the feelings and symptoms experienced during dissection so that they can be adequately handled. Prior to dissection, first year students are given lectures on aspects of dissection, death and dying, and death rituals in various…

As a mother of a daughter with special needs, as well as to a son without, the author can say having had both experiences, all mothers, regardless of her children, struggle in one form or another. That may actually be a part of the job description: Mother: must be able to function well with minimal sleep; is capable of multi-tasking; be clever…

Much speculation exists over what contributes to the high rates of superintendent turnover and mobility. One increasingly overheard reason for what drives superintendent movement falls into a category generally relating to family or "personal reasons." Academics who have studied the issue identify insufficient time with family as an explanation.…

In this article, the author relates her difficult adjustment to regular routine when she retired as a middle school librarian for over three decades. She recalls one incident in which she patrolled a beach after seeing women slathering on suntan oil and turning the pages of library books, leaving fingerprints on each page. She also tells of…

Through his reflections on dealing with treatment for brain cancer and the resulting disabilities, the author helps to create an intriguing insight into how his experience was fashioned by the medical, emotional, and multicultural forces he faced. Prominent among the issues discussed are his coping with fear through humor, being able to accept his…

Students in Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) have a variety of behavior problems. School counselors in DAEPs have the opportunity to address emotional, academic, social, and behavioral concerns of these students. Counselors may use the strengths-based wellness paradigm as an alternative method of addressing students' holistic…

Perspectives on humor of families who have a member with a disability were examined using a qualitative methodology. Findings offer complex and challenging lessons for those who work with and for families of children with disabilities. I compared the traditional view that families of children with disabilities go through a constant process of…

Humor is a critical ingredient for personal and organizational success, as it stimulates creativity, encourages relaxation, enhances attention levels, builds positive attitudes and team spirit, and establishes interpersonal rapport. A Virginia middle school devised a number of fun-filled activities to enliven faculty meetings, awards…

Discusses how managers can handle change and cope with stress, describes a number of books that address these issues, and relates them to library administration. Highlights include organizational change; stress reduction; human behavior and the tools of change; communication skills; leadership strategies; and the use of humor. (LRW)

Resiliency is not a fixed attribute. Rather it is a set of protective mechanisms that modify a person's response to risk situations. This article focuses on the child's resiliency development. The author identifies and describes four factors of resiliency development through heightened sensory awareness; high, positive expectations; a clear…