©Thinkstock

Rebecca Mowers is a member:
Galesburg teachers prepare to address fidget spinner distractions
The Register-Mail (Galesburg, IL)
While fidgets may be helpful for some students, most agree that the fidget spinners are more disruptive than helpful, given the culture that has grown around them. “Some people with attention deficit benefit from low-level stimulation, which can increase their ability to focus. Some kids can doodle in class to increase their retention of spoken lessons,” said Rebecca Mowers, a licensed clinical social worker and co-owner of Crossroads Counseling and Life Coaching in Galesburg. “However, what we are seeing is that the fidget spinners often require too much attention and are becoming more of a distraction to not only these students, but the class as a whole.”

Maria Siebel is a member:
Celebrate Children’s Health Day with a ‘Back to School Carnival’ in East New York
BKReader
“We are thrilled to celebrate Children’s Health Day at our East New York site,” said HCC’s Chief Executive Officer Maria Siebel, LCSW-R. “We recently celebrated our first year of operation in East New York, and we look forward to many more years of providing quality and affordable health care services to the residents of Brooklyn.”

Jennifer Wiessner is a member:
[Audio] Raising sexually healthy children: Advice from an expert
Bangor Daily News
Teaching your children about sex and sexuality is a daunting task for many parents. Jennifer Wiessner is a licensed clinical social worker and certified sex therapist in Cumberland, Maine. In this podcast, she gives some practical and helpful advice to parents who are struggling to find the right time and the right words.

Kelsey Torgerson is a member:
The Best Morning Routine For Preschoolers, According To Experts
romper.com
Licensed clinical social worker Kelsey Torgerson of Compassionate Counseling Saint Louis says that in her experience, the best way to prepare preschoolers for a big change is to give them lots of time to process by starting routines several weeks before school begins. Talking with Romper, Torgerson explains, “If you have a 4-year-old who usually gets up at 8:00 but will have to rise earlier during the school year, start waking them up at 7:00 every day and explaining why.” And remember, Torgerson advises, the morning routine actually begins the night before. “Sleep is so crucial for helping management of emotions, so parents also need to ensure their kids are going to bed at a regular hour every evening.”

Helena Gutierrez-Richards is a member:
RIC Alumna Receives Prestigious Social Work Award
Rhode Island College
The Association of Pediatric Oncology Social Workers (APOSW) tapped Helena Gutierrez-Richards, M.S.W. ’88, as 2017 Social Worker of the Year. This award honors social workers who demonstrate practice excellence, teamwork, innovation and advocacy both in the field of pediatric oncology social work and in the childhood cancer centers where they practice. Founded in 1976, APOSW has over 300 national and international members and is dedicated to the advancement of psychosocial oncology care for children, adolescents and young adults with cancer, and the families who care for them.

Kimberly Berlin is a member:
Legal Drug Use And Your Security Clearance
Government Executive
Will this policy change lead to new security clearance denials? Unlikely. The amount and frequency of use is also a consideration. Kimberley Berlin is a licensed clinical social worker and certified substance abuse counselor. She regularly evaluates individuals who have been denied a security clearance due to drug use, and she finds millennials to be a unique cohort. “They’ve grown up with states making marijuana legal,” said Berlin.“A lot of their predecessors, their parents perhaps, used [marijuana]. They don’t see this, in their world . . . as the gateway drug.”