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Welcome to Rise & Thrive, a dedicated space for school psychologists and educators looking for practical tools, expert insights, and a supportive community. As the educational landscape continues to evolve, I'm here to provide guidance, strategies, and wellness resources to help you navigate the challenges of supporting students while prioritizing your own well-being.

Witnessing Medical Bias Forever Changed Me and Helped Me Build My Practice as a School Psych

Story time! A few years ago, I had worked with this family for a very long time and they finally trusted me enough to see a psychiatrist...

Samara Toussaint

1 day ago4 min read

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Witnessing Medical Bias Forever Changed Me and Helped Me Build My Practice as a School Psych

Story time! A few years ago, I had worked with this family for a very long time and they finally trusted me enough to see a psychiatrist...

1 day ago4 min read

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Saying Yes to Everything: My Struggle with Setting Boundaries at Work and How I Finally Overcame It

Setting boundaries at work can be a challenge, especially when you want to be accepted by your peers. I spent years feeling trapped in a...

6 days ago4 min read

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Unleashing Your Potential: Embracing Change with Excitement and Confidence

Change is a constant in life that can spark both fear and excitement. Whether it's a shift in your career, a move to a new city, or a new...

7 days ago4 min read

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ABOUT me

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I am a school psychologist in private practice. Before that, I was a school psychologist working mainly in special education settings for over 10 years. I left the schools because I was told I "took too many sick days", basically I was denied tenure for being a human being. I promised to never let myself or another educator endure the same fate. I will be your cheerleader!

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Helping students shift their mindset can be as powerful as finding a rainbow after the storm. These 5 student-friendly cognitive reframing tools make counseling sessions more engaging, effective, and empowering.

Want more tools like these?
Follow @schoolpsychdrt for ready-to-use resources that make school-based counseling prep easier, faster, and more impactful.

Let’s make mindset work feel like magic for our kids!

#SchoolPsychologist #CounselingResources #CognitiveReframing #FindARainbowDay #NeurodivergentSupport #SocialEmotionalLearning #ExecutiveFunctioning #schoolresources

“Before I had the data, I had a gut feeling. Something wasn’t right.”

I watched Black children—brilliant, creative, sensitive children—get mislabeled with conduct disorders, overlooked for services, and misunderstood by the very systems meant to support them.

Then I saw the research:
🧩 Black Autistic children are diagnosed years later than their white peers.
🧩 Many are misdiagnosed with ODD, ADHD, or mood disorders.
🧩 Their behaviors are seen as defiance, not neurodivergence.

So I built my practice with a mission:
To change the narrative.
To center cultural competence.
To see the whole child.
To speak up when others stay silent.

💻 I wrote a blog post about how one student’s story transformed my entire practice. It’s raw, honest, and necessary. [Link in bio]

🧠 Happy International Autism Awareness Day. This work is personal—and it’s urgent.

#AutismAwareness #AutismAcceptance #BlackAutisticVoices #NeurodiversityMatters #Path2Growth #SchoolPsychologist #BiasInDiagnosis #RepresentationMatters #MentalHealthEquity #AdvocacyInAction #HolisticCare #CulturallyResponsivePsychology

🎭 What We Show vs. What We Hide 🎭

Need a spring activity to help students express their emotions? Try this Mask Exercise! 🌸✨

💡 What to do:
1️⃣ Have students draw a mask, if you aren't able to buy the actual masks. The actual masks can be used with paint, markers, or crayons. It's so flexible.
2️⃣ On the outside, write or draw what others see—behaviors, personality, strengths.
3️⃣ On the inside, write or draw what they don’t show—worries, struggles, hidden feelings.

Many kids, especially neurodivergent students, feel like they have to mask their emotions or behaviors to fit in. But behaviors are communication, and they don’t tell the full story. This activity creates a safe space for students to express themselves and for us to better understand what they need.

💬 Would you try this with your students or clients? Drop a 💙 if you’re adding this to your toolbox!

#SocialEmotionalLearning #neurodiversity #SpringCounselingActivity #UnmaskingEmotions #StudentMentalHealth

🌸 Spring is in the air… and so is the chaos! 😵‍💫

Spring behaviors are in full swing, and if your students are bouncing off the walls while you’re running on fumes, you’re not alone. 🌿 Between testing stress, restless energy, and everyone (yes, even us!) feeling burnt out, keeping the classroom calm is a challenge.

But don’t worry—I’ve got simple strategies to help you and your students regulate, reset, and recharge so we can all make it to summer in one piece! ☀️

👉 Save & share this post if you’re feeling the springtime struggle! What’s your favorite way to help kids (and yourself) stay cool when the energy is high? Drop it below! ⬇️💬

#MentalHealthMonday #SpringBehaviorSurge #SchoolPsychLife #EducatorBurnout #TeacherWellness #SELstrategies #ExecutiveFunctioning #SpringClassroomTips #MindfulTeaching #TeacherSelfCare #SchoolPsychologist #BurnoutRecovery #ClassroomManagement #MindfulnessForKids #Neurodiversity

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WELCOME

Witnessing Medical Bias Forever Changed Me and Helped Me Build My Practice as a School Psych

LATEST BLOG POST

Stay Updated

INSPIRATION

Witnessing Medical Bias Forever Changed Me and Helped Me Build My Practice as a School Psych

Saying Yes to Everything: My Struggle with Setting Boundaries at Work and How I Finally Overcame It

Unleashing Your Potential: Embracing Change with Excitement and Confidence

ABOUT me

DON'T MISS A POST

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