School staff member helping children address emotions

One school staff member is working to prevent mental health issues by addressing students’ emotions early on. But is it working?

It was an exciting day for Alice Lee and her daughter Madison, as they enjoyed snowfall at school. But earlier that morning, it started a little bit rough.

“So, went to the fridge, got the egg, dropped it on the floor. Okay, plan number two, French toast, and then we burn the toast. So it would just not a great morning,” said Lee.

But Madison, pigtails and all, was able to show her emotional maturity in the face of adversity. “‘You are a good mom. You’re just having a very rough morning. Take a deep breath and let those big feelings out,'” is what her daughter said to her. She acknowledged her feelings and let them go.

Amy Quinn is a mom of three young children. But that doesn’t mean every parenting moment is beautiful. “What I found has really helped me in those moments when I’m struggling is the knowledge that I have as a therapist,” Quinn said.

“We just have so much knowledge about the brain and about our how we function and how our brain works,” said Quinn. Along with that knowledge as a therapist, plus he personal experiences, Amy and her husband, John, wanted to help.

Now, Quinn is the executive director of Fountain. And, she and her husband decided to endow a position dedicated entirely to mental health at CSN. Natalie Donahue is the social emotions learning specialist at the Community School of Naples (CSN).

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