Core Skills Analysis
Psychology and Emotional Well-Being
Olivia engaged with Amy, a psychologist, to work on grief struggles and anxiety. Through this activity, Olivia participated in a psychology-focused conversation about emotional experiences and received support tailored to those concerns. The experience connected the idea of mental health with the value of seeking help from a trained professional. Olivia learned that grief and anxiety are experiences people can discuss with a psychologist as part of working toward emotional well-being.
Tips
Tips Keep the learning gentle and led by Olivia’s comfort. With Amy’s guidance, Olivia could try a simple feelings journal or choose colors and images to represent emotions, then reflect on what feels helpful. A psychologist-approved breathing or grounding activity could offer a practical way to explore how calming strategies work. To connect the experience to broader learning, explore how psychologists support people through difficult feelings and discuss trusted sources of support, without pressuring Olivia to share more than feels comfortable.
Book Recommendations
- The Invisible String by Patrice Karst: A reassuring picture book about the enduring connections between people, suitable for gentle conversations about loss and separation.
- The Grieving Teen: A Guide for Teenagers and Their Friends by Helen Fitzgerald: A practical guide addressing grief in adolescence, with information and support for teens and the people around them.
- The Anxiety Workbook for Teens: Activities to Help You Deal with Anxiety and Worry by Lisa M. Schab: An activity-based workbook that introduces approaches for understanding and managing anxiety; it may be most useful with support from a trusted adult or clinician.
Try This Next
- Feelings journal: Invite Olivia to record an emotion, when it appeared, and what support felt helpful.
- Emotion map: Use colors, shapes, or words to represent feelings, with sharing entirely optional.
- Grounding-practice reflection: With the psychologist’s guidance, try a grounding exercise and note what Olivia noticed before and after.
- Support network worksheet: Create a private list of trusted people and professional supports Olivia can turn to.