OT Toolbox

Mental health is impacting our schools more than ever before.
Did you know?
• 1 in 5 children experience a mental health disorder each year.
• 40% of high school students report persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.
• Nearly 30% report poor mental health.

As school-based therapists, we may not be mental health providers, but we absolutely play a role in helping students participate, connect, regulate, and succeed at school.

The challenge is knowing:
✔ What signs to look for
✔ How mental health impacts participation and learning
✔ What supports we can provide within our role
✔ When to collaborate and refer

This month inside the School-Based Therapy Community, we're diving into Supporting Student Mental Health.

Members receive:
• Weekly information on specific topics
• Downloadable resources and toolkits
• Practical school-based strategies

Plus, when you join, you'll immediately gain access to ALL previous content, including:
• Role of Related Services
• Sensory and Behavior
• Documentation
• Dismissal and Service Decision Making
• Templates, guides, and resources you can use right away

The reality is that students can't fully access learning if they're struggling to access themselves.

If you're looking for practical support, real-world strategies, and a community of professionals who understand school-based practice, I'd love to have you join us.



https://stan.store/twarwick/p/schoolbased-therapist-network--jp4oq238

Difficult conversations are part of school-based therapy… but most of us were never actually taught HOW to navigate them.

Whether it’s:
• dismissal discussions
• reducing services
• difficult IEP meetings
• behavior conversations
• parent concerns
• disagreements within teams

These conversations can feel emotionally exhausting — especially at the end of the school year.

I created this practical guide for school-based therapists to help navigate these moments with more confidence, empathy, and clarity.
Inside:
✔ The FUSION communication framework
✔ Stop-Drop-Roll de-escalation strategy
✔ Chunk-Check-Chunk communication method
✔ Dismissal considerations
✔ Mindset shifts that improve collaboration
✔ Practical examples and scripts

One of my favorite reminders from this guide:
✨ “Validation is not concession — it is connection.”

When we lead with empathy, communicate clearly, and stay grounded in student needs, difficult conversations become far more collaborative and effective.

What difficult conversation do you feel least prepared for in school-based practice?