1. You don’t feel comfortable sharing most things with your therapist. 
2. You often feel judged by your therapist. 
3. You have to constantly remind your therapist why you are there.
4. The therapist is not specialized in what you may need.
5. You have feelings for your therapist.
6. You do not see any improvement from when you started.
7. Your therapist often forgets the things you share with her, and you have to repeat yourself.
8. The therapist often talks about herself during session.
9. You dread going to therapy. 
10. Your therapist is often distracted during your scheduled time.
11. Your therapist is always showing up late and canceling.
12. Your therapist tells you what to do and acts like a parent.  

​Practicing mindfulness while in the office can be done in many ways. Commuting could be used as a period of time to relax and unwind at the beginning and end of each workday. Instead of using technology during the commute, you can look around at your surroundings and take in reality. While in the office, it is helpful to focus on your breathing. Taking a moment to focus on a deep inhale and exhale can help relieve some tension. These breathing exercises can also be done during regular breaks. Hard work should come with a reward, whether it is a shorter or longer break, this period is effective and will allow your body to refresh and re-energize. You can schedule these breaks as mindful reminders on your phone, so you do not forget! Another tip is to make sure you are actively listening to your coworkers. Being mindful at work and being fully present in conversation can help you learn and build relationships while blocking out the little noises inside in your head. Finally, while at work, it may seem hard to juggle all the tasks that need to be done. However, focusing on one task at a time is more beneficial.
 
Mindfulness can also be practiced before and after work. You can sit in a quiet and open space for about 5 to 10-minutes. During this time, you can experience your senses and acknowledge what is around you. It is important to feel the slow inhalation and exhalation your body is creating during this time. You can also focus on where your mind travels to and bring it back to the present moment.

A variety of factors can cause back-to-school stress and anxiety. These include but are not limited to:
-A change in routine
-Being separated from family
-The fear of the unknown (What will my teacher be like? Who will be in my classes? Will I be able to learn the material?)
-Transitioning from one school to another (whether that is due to moving towns or just moving up from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school)
-A change in support system- new teachers and new friends
-An increase in homework in classes
-Making sure one gets good grades this year

The fear of the unknown can cause anxiety, and the start of something new typically can exacerbate those feelings. 

Anxiety can appear through a multitude of symptoms such as:
-Avoidance- not wanting to get up in the morning, not wanting to say bye at drop-off, avoiding doing schoolwork/homework
-Stomach aches 
-Headaches 
-Difficulty concentrating
-Changes in behavior
-Withdrawing from friends and family
-Loss of appetite 
-Irritability 
-Difficulty sleeping
-Fidgeting
-Hot flashes
-Rapid breathing
-Frequent bathroom trips

To help a child who is worried about school, you can always ask how they are feeling. This open-ended question encourages a child to be more open and allows you to be able to connect with them. You will want to find out what they are nervous about and why they feel they cannot handle going to school. Listening to your child is always important so that you can understand what they are worried about. This leads to validating the child's feelings so you can best help them. Together you can come up with ways to reduce their back-to-school anxieties. 
A few techniques to ease this anxiety would be:
-Trying test runs at the new school/classroom/drop off
-Meeting the teacher before the first day
-Arranging for a hand-off with a teacher or friend
-Coping techniques:
             -Deep breathing
           -Grounding techniques by naming things around the room, such as 5 things I see, 4 things I can touch, 3 things I can hear, 2 things I can smell, 1 thing I can taste 
-teach them mantras such as:
           -"I have been in school before, the first few days might be nerve-wracking, and I've always been able to get through them." 
           -"Mom/dad/guardian will be there to pick me up at dismissal.”