The Toll Stress Takes
We are all under extreme amounts of stress these days, even if we don’t realize it. That stress can take a physiological and psychological toll.
I was reminded of this recently. My teenaged son was desperately seeking more social connection after the rigors of staying home from school and sports. As any parent would do, I tried to explain why seeking those connections online by sharing his first name, last name, school, city, age, photos, and favorite hangouts with 700 complete strangers maybe wasn’t the safest idea.
As he angrily stormed up to his room, I could hear my heart rate accelerating and all the tension zooming to my neck. I longed for the days where I could sit with my friends at a favorite restaurant and complain about our day! Instead, I “SCOPED” it out before I sat down and tried to reconnect and talk it out with him.
S.C.O.P.E.
Although Arms Wide Adoption Services is not affiliated with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, we feel the SCOPE tool may be helpful for our families. I like the way they break this down simple, so parents (like me) can digest it themselves at home. I believe it’s a quick and easy tool for reducing the impact of stress by allowing us to take action on stressful days.
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About The Author
As a Trainer and Recruiter, Carrie Shephard engages the community, informs parents about the adoption and foster care process, and trains foster and adoptive parents. She is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in Social Work and Government, with a concentration in Secondary Education. Meet Carrie more here.