Clinicians in the Mosaic Outpatient Program provide a range of services to our school sites, students, and their families by utilizing a three-tier model of intervention that includes trainings, workshops, and other supports for the broader school community. Working together, we can significantly increase the opportunities for each student to make progress, advance academically, and meet their potential. Our clinicians are regularly asked by our school partners to conduct classroom and staff presentations. These topics include social and interpersonal skill building and mental health topics such as depression, anxiety or anger management.
Searles Elementary School in Union City is one of the schools where Mosaic provides services. In addition to providing individual and group therapy, Maritza Moreno, our clinician at Searles Elementary School, provides classroom presentations to address emerging social-emotional issues. For example, after ongoing collaboration with school staff, principal Jessie Welcomer identified the topic of “Rumors and gossip” as an important topic that many of the older students were struggling with at school. To support the school, clinician Maritza Moreno organized and held 50-minute presentations for the 5th grade classes with the topic of Gossip and Rumors. This presentation included a hands-on activity involving transferring glitter from one person to another and noticing how glitter is hard to get rid of, easy to transfer, messy and yet appealing at the same time, much like gossip and rumors can be. Maritza then reminded students of opportunities to reach out to trusted adults for support or relying on a new phrase and gesture “No drama, Llama” to communicate neutrality and peace.
Searles Elementary School in Union City is one of the schools where Mosaic provides services. In addition to providing individual and group therapy, Maritza Moreno, our clinician at Searles Elementary School, provides classroom presentations to address emerging social-emotional issues. For example, after ongoing collaboration with school staff, principal Jessie Welcomer identified the topic of “Rumors and gossip” as an important topic that many of the older students were struggling with at school. To support the school, clinician Maritza Moreno organized and held 50-minute presentations for the 5th grade classes with the topic of Gossip and Rumors. This presentation included a hands-on activity involving transferring glitter from one person to another and noticing how glitter is hard to get rid of, easy to transfer, messy and yet appealing at the same time, much like gossip and rumors can be. Maritza then reminded students of opportunities to reach out to trusted adults for support or relying on a new phrase and gesture “No drama, Llama” to communicate neutrality and peace.
Students have expressed that highlighting and bringing attention to the social struggles they’ve been experiencing as well as having tools to manage these struggles, has been helpful. Many students have been seen by school staff, putting up the peace sign while telling their friends “No Drama, Llama”.
The accompanying presentation of this workshop includes psychoeducation about how students that are impacted by rumors and gossip, can be affected psychologically as well as somatically due to stress. This is an opportunity to emphasize empathy. Students are educated about what gossip can look like to help them identify it when they see it. They learn ways they can stand up to students who are trying to spread rumors or take it upon themselves to end the cycle of a rumor themselves.
This is just one example of the many ways clinicians provide Tier 1 interventions in our school communities while also strengthening their relationships with school staff with whom they work. We are so grateful for the collaboration with our teachers and the invitation to discuss mental health and wellness topics with students throughout the year!
The accompanying presentation of this workshop includes psychoeducation about how students that are impacted by rumors and gossip, can be affected psychologically as well as somatically due to stress. This is an opportunity to emphasize empathy. Students are educated about what gossip can look like to help them identify it when they see it. They learn ways they can stand up to students who are trying to spread rumors or take it upon themselves to end the cycle of a rumor themselves.
This is just one example of the many ways clinicians provide Tier 1 interventions in our school communities while also strengthening their relationships with school staff with whom they work. We are so grateful for the collaboration with our teachers and the invitation to discuss mental health and wellness topics with students throughout the year!
Blog By: Mosaic Outpatient Team
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