Audience
Elementary School Students
About this Workshop
Starting a new school year can bring excitement, challenges, and a lot of questions. This interactive youth session will focus on preparing mentally, socially, and academically for the year ahead. Together, participants will discuss organization, self-advocacy, managing stress, building routines, and identifying ways to make the upcoming school year a positive experience.
Key Takeaways
- Build confidence through self-advocacy and communicating your needs.
- Learn strategies for managing stress, staying organized, and creating routines.
- Discover ways to make meaningful connections and have a positive school year.
About the Education & Mental Health in Focus Series
Education & Mental Health in Focus is a multi-part learning showcase designed to support families, caregivers, students, and community members navigating the educational and emotional experiences connected to Tourette Syndrome and other Tic Disorders. This series brings together clinicians, advocates, educators, college students, and professionals to explore topics related to school accommodations, mental health support, transition planning, postsecondary education, and family wellbeing.
Through practical discussions and lived experiences, participants will gain tools, resources, and strategies to better support children, teens, and young adults across different stages of their educational journey. Sessions will focus on advocacy, emotional wellbeing, navigating systems of support, and building confidence for both caregivers and students.
Lauren Snelling, AM, LCSW
Lauren Snelling, AM, LCSW is an early childhood counselor at the University of Chicago Laboratory Schools in Chicago. She received her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in African American studies at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbania. Lauren went on to obtain her master’s in social work from the School of Social Services Administration at the University of Chicago. She also holds a certificate in the multi-contextual and relational treatment of trauma from Simmons University.
Lauren is a trained trauma psychotherapist turned educator, counselor, and speaker who is committed to disrupting systems to support Black children and help all children create a strong foundation of identity. She has worked in an outpatient psychology setting both in Boston and Chicago and has numerous experiences in evidence-based practices, including a post-masters fellowship at Children’s Hospital Boston.
Dedicated to rest, self-care, community building, and creating positive visibility within the early childhood field, she is a member of the Early Childhood Leaders of Color Collaborative and an EdSurge Voices of Change Writing Fellow. Lauren found validation and acceptance in her experiences with the TAA and is committed to building validating spaces and community for children and families within the TAA. In her free time, she forages and gardens with her son and is an advocate for food sovereignty
