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Logic Counseling

Counseling

Logic Counseling

The Providence Christian Academy counseling team is committed to helping students develop their God given potential academically, behaviorally, emotionally, mentally, physically, socially, and spiritually.

The Logic School years are a time for students to gain autonomy and start to figure out who they are and how they fit into the world around them. Friendships become more important than ever during this phase and because middle schoolers are often honing in on social norms, they can sometimes unintentionally step on each other’s toes. They also have many biological changes that can confound these experiences. Logic School counseling strives to offer a safe, confidential place to work through these feelings, develop good communication skills, and offer solutions for restored relationships with peers and others. The goal of helping them be confident in who God made them to be and seeking His wisdom in all situations is at the foundation of all counseling sessions. In the School of Logic we want to ensure all students feel safe, loved, and important while here at school. We want to help them build their social and emotional wings so they can use their God-given talents and abilities to follow the path the Lord has for them in the years to come as they spread those wings and fly.

The Logic School Counselor is available to help our students in many ways:
Individual counseling
Group counseling for various issues
Classroom and advisory discussions
Grade wide or logic school wide assemblies
Referrals to counselors and resources in the community
Collaboration with parents, teachers, and community counselor/resources to help best support students while at school

Referrals:
Students can be referred by a teacher, parent, or be self referred. Feel free to contact Trina Shelton at 615-904-0902 or tshelton@providencechristian.com with any questions or concerns.

*All information shared with the counselor is confidential unless a student shares harm to themself or others, in which case we connect them to extra support.

Resources for Logic Students and Families

Axis: Navigating conversations around today’s issues (membership included for PCA families)
https://axis.org/

Common Sense Media: Independent ratings and reviews for entertainment
https://www.commonsensemedia.org/

Parents Who Fight: In home consultations to safeguard media devices
http://parentswhofight.com/about/

Protect Young Eyes: Explains social media, gaming, photo and video apps and offers THE PROTECT App for monitoring devices.
https://protectyoungeyes.com/resources/

Report Bullying

Meet our Logic School Counselor:

Trina Shelton serves as the logic school counselor for PCA. Mrs. Shelton has previously served as an Assistant Principal and School Psychologist for Williamson County School. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology and Social Welfare, her Master of Arts in Psychology, Pre-specialist in School Psychology, and Education Specialist in Curriculum and Instruction in School Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University. She has completed the Tennessee Academy for School Leaders and is trained in the administration and interpretation of standardized assessments. A Tennessee native, Trina and her husband have two children, who attend PCA, and a dog. They love to travel to Hilton Head Island annually. Trina enjoys playing board games, crafting, cooking, reading a good book, and playing sports with her family. She is most thankful to pray with students and remind them of God’s truth through scripture.

Trina Shelton
615-904-0902
tshelton@providencechristian.com
410 DeJarnette Lane Murfreesboro, TN 37130

Logic Counseling Newsletters

  • Logic Lunch Groups

    I recently had the privilege of going into all the study halls to talk with the logic students.While I was there I shared with them about lunch groups and gave them the ability to sign up for any they might be interested in. There was a great response and the 5 groups with the largest sign-ups started last week.  The topics being covered are:

    HOPS (Homework, Organization, Planning, and Studying) which discusses and supports academic success.

    Managing My Emotions which addresses how to handle all of our emotions in a healthy, constructive manner, as well as how to communicate them effectively with others when needed.

    Overcoming Anxiety which discusses strategies that students who struggle with anxious feelings can utilize so they have multiple tools in their toolbox to draw from when those thoughts and feelings come.

    Girls Only which discusses healthy friendships, self-esteem, leadership, body image, family relationships, feelings/emotions, stress, communication skills, growth-mindset, and more.

    Leveling Up which helps students form goals for where they want to be in multiple avenues in their lives so they can take steps to reach them and “level up”.

    Groups will meet once a week during lunch and are great opportunities for students to connect with others.  Students who have participated in a group in the past have said they found it beneficial to discuss topics with others that have similar experiences. Groups focused on other topics will be added as the year progresses.  I’m excited to help support the logic students in this way and believe it will be a fun, engaging, growth opportunity for all involved.

  • How to Help Your Logic Student Build Friendships

    The middle school years are some of the toughest.  They are awkward years of trying to find your place and often feeling uncomfortable in your own skin since there are so many changes.  This also begins a time in your child’s life where the way their peers view them matters more than their family.  In elementary years, and then again after high school or college, what family thinks matters the most, but in middle/high school years, peer feedback is paramount.  For some, friendships come easily.  For others, it is challenging.  Here are some tips for helping your logic student build solid friendships during this time in their lives where they are so vital.

    1. 1. Build confidence.  Help your child be confident in who God made them to be.  Point out their strengths.  Encourage them when they work hard.  Building confidence will help them enter social situations with confidence, which in turn earns respect from others. 
    1. 2. Teach social skills and cues.  Engage in conversations about what is socially acceptable and what is not.  Share stories of social norms you learned while growing up.  Discuss what you should do in key social situations.  For example, what should you do if some other kids are talking together and you want to join the conversation?  What should you do if a friend ignores you?  What should you do if you are texting or calling a friend and get no response?  How should you respond if someone starts a rumor about you?  How should you respond if a friend comes to let you know something you did upset them?  If you see a missed social cue, use it as a teachable moment.  “Did you see how Sally backed away from Chris?  Do you think it was possible she felt he was standing too close?”  These are all things we have to learn as we grow, but the more they can be prepared for these situations and the less they have to learn the hard way, the better! 
    1. 3. Teach them to be good conversationalists.  Help them to be active listeners by making it clear that they are paying attention.  Some ways to do this are by making appropriate eye contact, orienting the body in the direction of the speaker, and making relevant verbal responses.  Help them know how to ask a follow up question to what someone has shared to show they are engaged and interested.  When starting a conversation with someone new, tell them to trade information about their “likes” and “dislikes.”  Help them to not merely ask questions but to offer information about themselves as well.  It’s also important they aren’t dominating the conversation. When engaged in conversation, they should only answer the question at hand and when done, give the other person the chance to talk.  Again, these are cues we learn as we mature, but practicing and learning them at an early age will give them a social upper-hand.  
    1. 4. Talk about friendship.  Ask them what they feel makes a good friend.  Talk about what can damage a friendship.  Remind them that not everyone has to be your best friend.  Some friends are good to laugh and have fun with.  Others are good when you need someone to talk to.  It’s also ok to prefer to have just a few close friends instead of a large social circle.  Friendship looks different for everyone and that’s ok.  The key is knowing how to be a good friend, how to make good friends, and being happy and secure with the friendships you have.
    1. 5. Teach them empathy for others as well as how to express remorse and make amends when they misstep.  The ability to take responsibility when they hurt a friend, empathize, apologize, and also share their own feelings in a non-attacking, relationship building manner will set the foundations for healthy friendships and relationships for years to come. You modeling this in your own friendships also helps.
    1. 6. Encourage extracurricular activities.  Being involved in sports or a team or club allows them opportunities to connect with peers that share their interest outside of class.  There are many other benefits from being involved in sports (confidence, team work, respect for authority, commitment), but building friendships is a great benefit.
    1. 7. Create opportunities for them to spend time with friends.  Invite their friends to come over to your house.  Offer to drive them to the movies or Sky Zone.  Providing them opportunities to spend time with friends outside of school helps deepen friendships which then carries back into the school.  Having friends from outside of school (neighborhood, church, clubs/community sports) is also a great way to engage and make friends with others.  An added bonus is if there is stress or a feeling of rejection in one social arena, they have another to engage in and feel accepted.  
    1. 8. Be a safe place for them to land.  Learning social norms, gaining confidence, and becoming who they were created to be is hard.  There will be hard days where their friends will say something unkind and it will weigh heavy on them.  Let them know you are there to listen without judgment.  Remind them that people say things they don’t mean when they are upset and try to build them back up.  It’s also important to not talk negatively about their friends if at all possible.  These are people they have chosen as friends and they feel are somewhat an extension of them.  If you disapprove and talk negatively about them, it may cause them to side with their friends and in turn create distance in your relationship.  Voicing any concerns in a loving, conversational manner and coaching them on how to respond or react in difficult situations will keep them engaged in their relationship with you and they will continue to come to you with problems and ask for advice.  Even though their peers’ opinions are paramount, they will still appreciate your unconditional love and acceptance and need it more than you know!

  • “All logic students are required to have a laptop”

    “All logic students are required to have a laptop”

    It’s a phrase that makes new 6th grade students rejoice and many 6th grade parents fearful, which are both very valid emotions.  This newfound freedom for many of our 6th graders is exciting.  They have seen mom and dad on their devices for years and this milestone of getting their own laptop feels like a step in that direction.  It’s also a time many parents allow their children to have a cell phone for the first time.  Parents are fearful as they know this freedom can also cause trouble.  Here are some tips when it comes to laptops and other devices and keeping our children safe.

    1. 1. Monitor their usage.  As parents, we have to teach our children how to use these devices in a healthy manner before they are allowed to make those decisions on their own.  We would not allow our child to get a driver’s license without practicing for many hours in the car with them.  The same applies for technology.  Monitoring usage for several years is vital.  You can search “parental controls” on your child’s laptop and set them up.  Once you set up parental controls you can: block websites with unhealthy/adult content, keep track of searches and save login details, limit the time spent on the computer, ensure private information stays private, allow different users and set up different restrictions for each, and monitor your child’s activity anytime by using your mobile phone. Downloading apps like Bark, Circle, Boomerang, Qustodio, Norton and others help alert you to any possible issues.  It’s also very important to also limit the amount of time spent on screens each day.  
    2. 2. Be wise in your choices.  Many parents feel their logic student could benefit from a cell phone for safety or convenience reasons and feel a smartphone is the only option.  Know that a standard phone that allows calls/texts or phones like Gabb Wireless are also available so they can be connected without the struggles of social media and other internet capabilities.  These are great first steps and then once they learn healthy ways of using their device they could possibly move up to a smart phone in Rhetoric School. 
    3. 3. Teach them how to best use their devices.  Talk to them about internet safety and things to avoid. Teach them social norms when it comes to technology. For example, talk to them about what to do if they are texting a friend multiple times who is not responding back or what to do if someone is being unkind through text or on social media. Talk to them if you notice unhealthy boundaries, usage, or improper etiquette.  Last but not least, lead in displaying healthy boundaries yourself. Have a no technology rule at dinner time that everyone sticks to (mom and dad too!) so you can be engaged in conversation.
    4. 4. If you allow them to have social media (and it’s perfectly ok and recommended to say no to this!) monitor their account.  Note that there are ways to message on pretty much any app (Pinterest, Instagram, Tik Tok, etc)  Make it a rule that you are allowed to follow them on social media.  Research has shown the negative effects of social media for all, adults included, but it is even more pronounced in teens.  Again, feel free to say no or set some very healthy boundaries when it comes to social media.  
    5. 5. Be very careful on the apps they are allowed to download.  Many parents love apps that are free, but they come at a cost.  This cost is that the developers of the app allow advertisements to provide their funding.  These advertisements are often things you would prefer your student not see.  Research shows the younger people get hooked on explicit images, the better it is for this industry.  You don’t want your child to stumble onto something innocently and then it becomes a problem.  It is recommended to only have apps you have paid for so you can avoid this.  
    6. 6. No devices in bedrooms or at night.  It is easier to monitor usage when they keep and use their devices in main living spaces.  Make it a family norm for all devices (phones, laptops, watches) be left in the kitchen to charge overnight.  Sleep is so important and this will help them get quality rest that is needed to learn and excel in school.  It also allows you a daily time to monitor the device.  Let them know you will do this and that it’s part of the agreement in order to keep them safe. If you see something concerning, discuss it with them calmly and let them know you are there to help.  

    In summary, devices can make life easier but can also cause a lot of stress and heartache.  It is next to impossible to live in the world today without utilizing devices.  The key is in having healthy boundaries and in using them wisely.  Encourage your children to spend time with their friends face to face and not just on a device. Learning social cues is a vital step in development and this is often missed when communicating through devices.  Allow them to invite friends over to hang out in person.  Spend time together as a family outside.  Consider having screen free Sundays to worship, rest and reboot before the week begins.  Help them to experience the joys in life that we can often miss when tethered to our devices.  

    We have an amazing opportunity coming up in November.  The organization Parents Who Fight is coming back again this year to help continue to educate us on how to keep our children safe online and how to best “fight” for our kids. Please put November 14th at 6:45 PM on your calendar and make plans to attend.  You don’t want to miss it!  Parents Who Fight will then meet with students the following day.