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Raising Big Feelers: Navigating School Anxiety

Is the start of the school day filled with tears, tummy aches, or "refusal" behaviours? Join Destinee Kreil for a timely workshop focused on the September transition.

Learn why school triggers the "alarm" system in Big Feelers and gain practical, attachment-based strategies to help your child move from morning meltdowns to classroom confidence.  

The transition back to school can be a mountain of a task for children with big emotions. Whether it’s the "Sunday Scaries," the tearful goodbyes at the classroom door, or the intense emotional outbursts the moment they get home, school-related stress can overwhelm a child’s nervous system.

Designed specifically for parents and caregivers of children aged 3–12, this session dives into the roots of school-based anxiety. Destinee Kreil, Clinical Director of Strong River Counselling, will help you decode your child’s school-related behaviours through the lens of neurobiology and attachment. You will learn how to help your child feel safe and secure, even when they are away from you.

In this workshop, you will learn:

• Decoding the "Alarm" Response: Understand why school triggers the fight-flight-freeze response and how to identify anxiety when it looks like irritability, defiance, or "stalling."
• The Power of Connection: Simple, play-based techniques to help children manage separation anxiety and feel "linked" to you throughout the school day.
• Navigating the Transitions: Practical routines to lower the stress of the morning rush and strategies to handle the "after-school meltdown" that happens when a child finally feels safe to let their guard down at home.
• Collaborating with Schools: Tips on how to advocate for your child’s needs and share regulation strategies with teachers and school staff.
• Clinical Q&A: A dedicated space to ask questions about your child’s specific school struggles and receive professional guidance.

Stop the cycle of morning stress and leave with a concrete plan to support your child’s emotional well-being this school year.

Destinee Kreil is a Registered Clinical Counsellor, an Expressive Play Therapist, and the Clinical Director of Strong River Counselling in Coquitlam. She specializes in childhood mental health and emotional dysregulation, bringing extensive experience to helping families navigate the complexities of "Big Feelings."

Destinee is deeply passionate about supporting parents and caregivers, blending her clinical expertise in neurobiology with specialized training in Expressive Play Therapy, Emotion-Focused Family Therapy (EFFT), and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Her approach focuses on nervous system regulation and attachment, providing families with practical tools to move toward a "connection-first" model that honours the unique needs of children aged 3–12. As a local resident, she is dedicated to building a more resilient, regulated community—one family at a time.  

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