GCS School Counseling

Welcome to the GCS School Counseling Page

Contact your School Counselor, Woody Belt, MA, SB-RPT by: Calling (802)652-7411 and leave a message in the confidential voicemail box or email wbelt@sbschools.net.

Updates: 3-26-2024

With a couple weeks to go before break, I am focused on our Kindergarteners and 3rd graders. We are exploring self talk, how to support others, and starting to work on our state mandated sexual violence prevention, or Act 1. The kindergarten classes will focus on identifying "uh-oh" feelings, trusted adults, and understanding rules about private areas. We will also learn about asking permission before touching someone (consent) and how every touch gives us a feeling which can help guide our responses. We will be using baby dolls to help our discussions and practicing.

Third grade will cover much of the same topics with a strong focus on relationships. We will work on what healthy and unhealthy relationships mean and what we could do with the feelings we have in those relationships. We will not be using the baby dolls.

Woody

News and Articles of interest

Addressing problematic internet use with youth and families - Counseling TodayIn an ever-increasing digital world, counselors can help families develop healthy guidelines on internet use that consider each child’s developmental needs.

Young children who are close to their parents are more likely to grow up kind, helpful and ‘prosocial’Study using data from 10,000 people in the UK found that those who had a closer bond with their parents at age 3 tended to display more socially-desirable

Early risk factors associated with behavioral dysregulation trajectoriesRisk detection practices and targeted interventions promoting adaptive developmental trajectories for at-risk children can be successful by identifying the earliest antecedents of persisting emotional and behavioral dysregulation.

How does attention dysregulation impact anxiety, cognition, and low mood among adolescents?Researchers explored the effects of attention dysregulation on anxiety, cognition, and low mood.

The Double-Edged Sword of Social Media: Exploring the Complex Relationships Between Social Media Use and Youth Mental HealthYouth today have a relatively nuanced and mixed experience with social media. How can you best navigate this relationship as a mental health clinician?

Want to increase resiliency in kids? Teach creativityTrain elementary school students how to be creative and you can help increase their resilience in the face of real-life problems, new research suggests.In a small study, researchers trained third, fourth and fifth graders to use literary techniques such as perspective shifting, counter-factual (what if) thinking and causal (why) thinking to impr...

More screen time at age 1 year associated with developmental delays at 2, 4 yearsStudy authors concluded that developmental delay domains should be separately considered when discussing screen time and potential delays in childhood development.

Father-child bonding and its impact on pediatric developmental outcomesThe early physical and mental development of a child sets the stage for lifelong progress and fulfillment. Spending quality time with their parents can bring out significant positive changes among children during their formative years.