We caught up with Lower School Counselor, Laura Anderson, this semester to learn more about her background and why she loves counseling lower school students at CPA: 

What is your counseling background? 
I have a BS in psychology from Davidson College and a Masters in Counseling from Covenant Seminary. After getting my license as a professional counselor and working as a therapist, I pivoted to school counseling because I felt so drawn to CPA's mission and vision. I am so grateful to work in a Christ-centered environment and to get to freely integrate both my theology and psychology. I have loved working on the preventative side in lower school through class lessons, school events, lunch bunches, and short-term individual counseling.

What do you enjoy most about counseling lower school students?
They are so darn cute and give the best hugs! It is an honor to get to hear their little hearts; the good, the bad, and the ugly - and to remind them that their identity is not in their most recent struggle... along with some coping skills. My best hope as the lower school counselor is that students experience "unconditional positive regard" from me. This is a term coined by secular psychologist Carl Rogers, and it means to not only accept but delight in someone no matter what they bring- to see their true self. Research shows that this is the most important factor in counseling, and we know that the reason it heals is because it is modeling the gospel. "Preach the gospel at all times and use words if necessary" St. Francis of Assisi.

How does Leo help lower school students?
They love him! His fluff and puppy playfulness bring an element of home and calm into the school day. He is an easy connection point between the students and me; he is always good for a walk around the quad when someone needs fresh air, and he is a good cuddle buddy for students in my office. 

Have any favorite books you've read this year? 
Try Softer, Aundi Kolber
Emotionally Healthy Spirituality Day by Day, Peter Scazzero
Practicing the Way, John Mark Comer
Where the Crawdads Sing, Delia Owens

What are a few of your favorite resources for parenting and working with kids?
I, of course, love Daystar (my own family has benefited greatly from their amazing ministry) and all that they are doing from their books, to the podcast, and parent consults. I also love the podcast Good Inside with Dr. Becky, it is not a Christian resource, but it is just common grace wisdom based on attachment. Technology has been a very hot topic this year, and I think the book Anxious Generation is an essential resource for parents as they are navigating these tough decisions. I love all the neuroscience-based parenting books and highly recommend anything by Daniel Siegel, particularly Parenting from the Inside Out.

The movie Inside Out 2 is a great resource for kids. I have the figures in my office and most of my students can identify all the emotions because of that movie. I think it is a great visual for discussing the role of emotions. We need all our emotions to work together to be healthy. We can't banish them down to the vault room or let them take over our console, but instead we can just be curious about what they may have to say before we take action. For older elementary girls, I really like the American Girl, A Smart Girl Guide books. Some of them are better than others, but The Care and Keeping of You is a great one to read with your preteen before middle school. With littles, I like the Julia Cook books to read with your child, she has one on every topic under the sun!

I think in lower school, the most important building blocks are giving kids a basic emotional vocabulary, then teaching them to identify emotions in themselves, and then teaching them to identify emotions in others is huge and will take them far. After that, they can start growing in what they need and learning to advocate for that. I would always encourage emotion charts, reading books about emotions (A Little SPOT Series), and then just practicing talking about feelings, like doing a high and low at the dinner table. 

How do you see lower school students growing this year? 
What a great question- in kindness and empathy. Since starting the Kindness Krew in 4th and 5th, I have noticed students taking it upon themselves to do things like notice the outsider at recess, encourage classmates by hanging scripture around the school, thank staff, talk out conflict, and stand up for friends. I think doing class picnics helps with empathy because they all face each other in a circle and listen to each other share, and that bit of connection helps build understanding and empathy. I love the Brene Brown quote, "People are hard to hate close up.”

What is a fun fact about you or something you enjoy doing outside of work?
The fun facts I always tell my students are that I have been chased by a grizzly bear, swam with sharks, and skydived. But in my middle-aged mom era, my favorite things are baking layer cakes and walking with friends.