“Smart and essential!� —Jeff Kinney, Diary of a Wimpy Kid Middle school can be stressful. On the outside, you can look like everything is going great. On the inside, you may worry a lot — about making decisions, staying on top of your schoolwork, being more independent, making friends, and keeping yourself and everyone else happy. And all that can seriously stress you out.  Want to know the trick to managing all that stress? Learn stress management level-up skills and become the boss of your brain! Inside, you'll discover tons of strategies and methods to coach yourself through anything middle school throws your way, so stress and worry don't get in the way of the things that matter the most to you and being the confident kid you are, including Using Chills Hacks to help you calm down when you need it the most. Customizing your own formula for bravery to help you feel courageous throughout middle school. Developing healthy habits when it comes to eating, sleeping, and screen-time that will last. Doing what it takes to have that  "can-do" attitude and working towards your goals without giving up, and Controlling how you respond to stress and worry.  How to Deal With STRESS in Middle School is part of an awesome book series developed with expert psychologist and series editor, Bonnie Zucker, PsyD that authentically captures the middle school experience. These nonfiction books skillfully guide middle schoolers through those tricky years between elementary and high school with a supporting voice of a trusted older sibling or a favorite aunt, stealthily offering life lessons and evidence-based coping skills. Readers of Telgemeir's Guts will recognize similar mental health and wellness strategies and fans of Patterson's Middle School series will appreciate the honest look at uncertainty and chaos that middle graders can bring. Kid Confident offers what kids need to have fun with it all and navigate middle school with confidence, humor, perspective, and feel our mad respect for being the amazing humans they already are.  Books in the series: Kid Confident (Book #1): How to Manage Your SOCIAL POWER in Middle School by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #2): How to Master Your MOOD in Middle School by Lenka Glassman, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #3): How to Handle STRESS for Middle School Success by Silvi Guerra, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #4): How to NAVIGATE Middle School by Anna Pozzatti, PhD & Bonnie Massimino, MEd  

Do you know what "social power" is? HINT: You experience every day, you share it with your friends and classmates, and when it is balanced and equal, you feel AWESOME. But when it's unequal or out of whack, you feel All. That. Drama... right? This book gives you a real look at the social life of middle graders and offers expert ways to deal when unbalanced social power situations and unfriendly peers happen. Loaded with safe and appropriate strategies and easy-to-apply advice, you'll get just what to need to blossom and grow though an often turbulent time in your life. With this, you will thrive in your friendships, figure out who you are, become the best version of yourself, and have a rock-solid sense of confidence. Kid Confident (Book #1): How to Manage Your SOCIAL POWER in Middle Schoolis part of an awesome nonfiction book series developed with expert psychologist and series editor, Bonnie Zucker, PsyD that authentically captures the middle school experience.These books skillfully guide middle schoolers through those tricky years between elementary and high school with a supporting voice of a trusted big sister or a favorite aunt, stealthily offering life lessons and evidence-based coping skills. Readers of Telgemeir's Guts will recognize similar mental health and wellness strategies and fans of Patterson's Middle School series will appreciate the honest look at the uncertainty and chaos that middle graders can bring.Kid Confident offers what kids need to have fun with it all and navigate middle school with confidence, humor, perspective, and feel our mad respect for being the amazing humans they already are. Books in the series: Kid Confident (Book #1): How to Manage Your SOCIAL POWER in Middle School by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #2): How to Master Your MOOD in Middle Schoolby Lenka Glassman, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #3): How to Handle STRESS for Middle School Successby Silva Guerra, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #4): How to NAVIGATE Middle Schoolby Anna Pozzatti, PhD & Bonnie Massimino, MEd

Some kids sail through their middle school years without any drama, but most kids get stuck on a rollercoaster of up and down moods. How is it possible to feel sad and happy at the same time? Why is everything so embarrassing? How does one eye-roll from a friend make you suddenly doubt everything about yourself? The truth is you are growing into the amazing person you are meant to be and your many moods and emotions are helping you figure it all out. Not everyone nerds out on mood and emotions, but this book is packed with cool brain science and info on mental health and wellness, plus real-life stories from kids your age, you'll learn something about yourself without even trying! Soon you'll be an expert on YOU and will figure out what your emotions and feelings are saying. Soon you'll staying cool and calm during really tough moments knowing that you can handle anything. And all that adds up to feeling so much lighter and more confident about yourself and your future. Kid Confident (Book #2): How to Master Your MOOD in Middle Schoolis part of an awesome nonfiction book series developed with expert psychologist and series editor, Bonnie Zucker, PsyD that authentically captures the middle school experience.These books skillfully guide middle schoolers through those tricky years between elementary and high school with a supporting voice of a trusted big sister or a favorite aunt, stealthily offering life lessons and evidence-based coping skills. Readers of Telgemeir's Guts will recognize similar mental health and wellness strategies and fans of Patterson's Middle School series will appreciate the honest look at the uncertainty and chaos that middle graders can bring.Kid Confident offers what kids need to have fun with it all and navigate middle school with confidence, humor, perspective, and feel our mad respect for being the amazing humans they already are. Books in the series: Kid Confident (Book #1): How to Manage Your SOCIAL POWER in Middle School by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #2): How to Master Your MOOD in Middle Schoolby Lenka Glassman, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #3): How to Handle STRESS for Middle School Successby Silva Guerra, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #4): How to NAVIGATE Middle Schoolby Anna Pozzatti, PhD & Bonnie Massimino, MEd

“Smart and essential!� —Jeff Kinney, author of Diary of a Wimpy Kid series "They used to tell kids to chant "sticks and stones" or "just ignore it." It didn't work. This book helps kids find the opposite approach: don't ignore it; understand it."--Tom Angleberger, Origami Yoda How to Navigate Middle School shows readers how to handle the increasing academic demands of middle school, organizational skills and time management, how to be self-determined, have grit, and a sense of agency. Whether you are just starting middle school or getting ready for the next grade, you probably have ideas about what the school year will be like--or should be like. Maybe you imagine that perfect day in middle school, where you are picked class president, made tons of new friends, or became the captain of the soccer team, or crushed your Spanish vocab test. Or maybe you imagine more a disastrous days...where you can’t get your locker open, don’t have anywhere to sit in the cafeteria, or trip while walking down the hallway. Or maybe you have heard from a friend or older sibling  middle school teachers are strict or you will have 10 hours of homework a night!  Whatever you have heard, it's most likely a combination some truth but a whole lot of drama and exaggeration. This book will help you separate fact from fiction and give you the tools and strategies you will need to find your place and be your best self in middle school. It will  help you handle the increasing academic demands of middle school, teach amazing organizational skills and time management, show you what it takes to have grit and grow in amazing ways! Kid Confident Book 4: How to Navigate Middle School is part of an awesome book series developed with expert psychologist and series editor, Bonnie Zucker, PsyD that authentically captures the middle school experience. These nonfiction books skillfully guide middle schoolers through those tricky years between elementary and high school with a supporting voice of a trusted big sister or a favorite aunt, stealthily offering life lessons and evidence-based coping skills. Readers of Telgemeir's Guts will recognize similar mental health and wellness strategies and fans of Patterson's Middle School series will appreciate the honest look at uncertainty and chaos that middle graders can bring. Kid Confident offers what kids need to have fun with it all and navigate middle school with confidence, humor, perspective, and feel our mad respect for being the amazing humans they already are.  Books in the series: Kid Confident (Book #1): How to Manage Your SOCIAL POWER in Middle School by Bonnie Zucker, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #2): How to Master Your MOOD in Middle School by Lenka Glassman, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #3): How to Handle STRESS for Middle School Success by Silvi Guerra, PsyD Kid Confident (Book #4): How to NAVIGATE Middle School by Anna Pozzatti, PhD & Bonnie Massimino, MEd

It's hard for teens to be happy when they've created a very narrow window of what defines success. The goal of this helpful book is to encourage teens to maintain their desire to achieve without striving to always be perfect and to appreciate and love who they are just as they are, not for what they do or accomplish. Finding a balance between work and play is key. Challenging perfectionism is about the pursuit of happiness. When teens can recognize that perfectionism is a disadvantage, they can become motivated to do something about it. For many, it may just be shifting the perfectionism a bit to land in a more positive place. It might be about deciding when and where to be slightly perfectionistic, when and where they can let go of high standards and all-or-nothing thinking, and when it's okay to simply do a "good enough" job on something. Topics covered include: What is Perfectionism & Why Change it? Treating Perfectionism with Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Mastering Self-Care: Relaxation & Meditation Challenging Perfectionistic Thinking: The Path to Freedom Part 1 Decision-Making, Flexibility, & Comfort Zones Challenging Perfectionistic Behavior: The Path to Freedom, Part 2 Picture Perfect: Social Media & Body Image Making Mistakes, Failing & Life Lessons Stress Management & Balanced Living The book also includes resources, additional reading for teens, additional reading for Parents, apps, references, and a comprehensive index Symptoms of Perfectionism: Refusal to accept anything less than perfect Holding yourself to impossible-to-meet high standards Believing that your worth is measured by your achievements or grades Being hyper-focused on grades Needing to get straight-As or be the best at your sport/chosen activity Spending excessive amounts of time on projects or schoolwork because you have to make it perfect Checking work over and over again Needing extensions to hand in assignments or papers Being preoccupied with rules and lists Being rigid and inflexible (for example, if plans change) Difficulty asking for help Difficulty delegating tasks to others Difficulty making decisions Procrastination Being unable to handle making a mistake Feeling guilty for making a mistake or perceived failures Being self-critical and harsh with yourself if your performance falls short of perfect Constantly comparing yourself to others Only being happy when you win or come in first Being unable to accept feedback or constructive criticism Spending hours on your appearance Refusing to leave the house unless you look your best Hyper-focusing on parts of your body that you are not happy with Having negative body-image because your body is not perfect like a male or female model's body Restricted eating (either due to wanting to stay within a certain calorie range or only eating 100% clean foods) Waking up very early at the same time every day to exercise for 2 hours Expecting others to do things to your standards Regularly feeling disappointed in others Expecting that others won't make mistakes Holdings others to high/unattainable standards (for example, that others should do things in the way you would) Being unwilling to delegate tasks to others Being critical of others Not being happy for others when they do well Trouble sharing your thoughts or feelings Difficulty relaxing and letting go Inability to be spontaneous Impact of Perfectionism: Stress Low self-esteem/ self-worth Low self-confidence/ not believing in yourself Self-doubt Self-criticism Self-deprecation Feeling lots of pressure Feeling like a failure Feeling guilt Feeling a sense of shame Inability to celebrate your achievements Negative impact on relationships with parents, teachers, friends Others perceiving you as judgmental or "hard" on them Trouble being close to others because you are overly judgmental Limited problem-solving skills resulting from inflexible thinking Limited creativity (often resulting from appealing to someone else's ideals) Missing out on enjoyable, fun experiences Missing out on being social Physical problems such as GI issues and headaches Exhaustion or fatigue Anxiety Depression Body image disturbance Eating disorders

Parenting Kids With OCD provides parents with a comprehensive understanding of obsessive-compulsive disorder, its symptoms, types, and presentation in children and teens. The treatment of OCD is explained, and guidelines on how to both find appropriate help and best support one's child are provided. Family accommodation is the rule, not the exception, when it comes to childhood OCD; yet, higher accommodating is associated with a worsening of the child's symptoms and greater levels of familial stress. Parents who have awareness of how they can positively or negatively impact their child's OCD can benefit their child's outcome. Case examples are included to illustrate the child's experience with OCD and what effective treatment looks like. OCD worsens when there is increased stress for the child; therefore, stress management is an essential component for improvement. Parents will learn how to manage stress in themselves and encourage effective stress management for their children.

Anxiety-Free Kids (2nd ed.) offers parents strategies that help children become happy and worry-free, methods that relieve a child's excessive anxieties and phobias, and tools for fostering interaction and family-oriented solutions. Using a unique companion approach that offers two books in one-a practical, reader-friendly book for parents and a fun workbook for kids-this solutions-oriented guide utilizes the cognitive-behavioral approach to therapy and integrates the parent in the child's self-help process. Research has shown that if left untreated, children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, to have less-developed social skills, and to be more vulnerable to substance abuse. Covering the six most commonly occurring anxiety disorders-generalized anxiety, separation anxiety, specific phobias, social phobias, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder-this book gives kids and parents successful strategies for achieving relaxation, conquering worries, challenging faulty thinking patterns, developing positive self-talk, and facing one's fears. Educational Resource

When a loved one dies, it can be hard to know how to explain it to a young child, particularly if you are grieving the loss yourself. Sensitively written and gently illustrated, Something Very Sad Happened explains death in developmentally appropriate terms for two-and three-year-old childern. It reassures the child that it is okay to feel sad, and that love never dies. Includes a Note to Parents and Caregivers with more information about how to talk about death, answer your child's questions, and maintain your connection throughout the grieving process. Ages 2-3

Relaxation exercises can help to lower blood pressure and heart rate, reduce oxidative stress in the body, decrease anxiety and depression, improve sleep, and provide a feeling of wellness. The Relaxation and Wellness Techniques: Mastering the Mind-Body Connection audio CD offers adults a variety of techniques for promoting relaxation and wellness. Based on psychological principles and positive thinking patterns, the authors present 10 different guided sessions to help gain control over stress, disruptive thoughts, and phobias. In between each session, music composed, performed, and produced by Bryce Alvord enhances the peaceful tone. The goal of the exercises is to recognize the power of the mind over physical and mental stressors. Track Listing: Calm Breathing (8:04), Zen Breathing (6:40), Progressive Muscle Relaxation (11:48), Seated Eight Pieces of Brocade (6:43), Self Talk (8:08), Challenging Catastrophic Thoughts (8:44), Overcoming Phobias (5:38), Gaining Control Over Thoughts (6:08), Mindfulness (8:54), Short Visualization (8:05).

This innovative program details 30 group sessions designed to help youth bounce back from the challenges in their lives by increasing confidence, self-esteem, self-control, and the use of coping strategies. Group activities help develop the following specific protective factors associated with resilience: * Proactive orientation toward life * Self-regulation of attention, emotions, and behavior * Social connections and attachments * Achievements and talents * Community ties * Proactive parenting Each session encourages self-awareness, flexible thinking, and social competence. Through discussion, role-play, and other hands- on techniques, group members learn about self-talk, personal space awareness, problem solving, anger/anxiety management, friendship skills, and other topics essential to well-being and social success. Relaxation techniques including calm breathing, visualization, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga enhance self-regulation. And homework assignments, community field trips, and a parent involvement component help group members generalize what they learn to the world outside the group. An accompanying CD with PDF files of all the reproducible materials is included with the book.

Take Control of OCD: A Kid's Guide to Conquering Anxiety and Managing OCD is a must-have guide for kids and teens ages 10-16 with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder to help them take control and use their strengths to find success in school and in life. This fully updated second edition: Uses a cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure/response prevention method to stress gradual exposure to obsessive thinking patterns. Provides a step-by-step ladder-based process to help readers conquer their fears and demolish their worries. Helps kids change their obsessive thoughts, tolerate uncertainty, and develop positive self-talk and stress management. Also helps kids advocate for their needs in school and build successful relaxation procedures. Includes workbook-style pages for readers to complete. By interviewing kids with OCD from across the country, the author offers tons of advice, information, and ideas for students, by students just like them. Readers will find themselves in this book, as it normalizes and validates the often hidden and undisclosed thoughts, urges, and images, and accompanying rituals and compulsions that so many children and teens with OCD struggle with. Ages 10-16