By: Stef McAlpin LMHP Parent-Teacher conferences are more than a scheduled meeting; they are an opportunity to strengthen the bridge between home and school. Because, when parents and teachers come together with open communication and shared purpose, students benefit the most. ________________________________________ 🌟 Why Conferences Matter • Provide a focused time to discuss a child’s strengths, challenges, and progress • Encourage collaboration, ensuring home and school strategies align • Create a shared vision for supporting academic, social, and emotional growth ________________________________________ 📝 Practical Guidance for Parents Conferences can feel overwhelming, especially if strong emotions arise. Approaching the meeting with preparation and a neutral perspective can help with both parent and child apprehension. Prepare Ahead • Write down questions or concerns before the meeting • Bring examples if you’ve noticed changes in your child’s behavior, homework, or stress levels; both positive and challenging Listen & Take Notes • Teachers often share insights parents may not see at home • Jot notes to remember next steps and follow-through Collaborate on Solutions • Ask how you can support learning at home • Share what strategies already work for your child Stay Student-Focused • Keep conversations centered on your child’s needs • If disagreements arise, focus on problem-solving rather than blame Clarify Next Steps • Confirm goals, strategies, or follow-up meetings before leaving ________________________________________ ⚖️ When Conflict Arises Not every conference feels productive. If emotions run high or you leave with more frustration than clarity: • Pause & Reflect before reacting; jot down what was helpful and what was unclear • Clarify in Writing with a brief, polite follow-up email to confirm next steps • Stay Child-Focused to keep the conversation on your child’s needs, not personal disagreements • Seek Support from a school counselor or specialist if another meeting would help 💡 Conflict can feel uncomfortable, but handled with care, it can open the door to better understanding and stronger collaboration. ________________________________________ 🌱 Finding Support at Focus Therapy & Performance Coaching If conferences bring up stress, conflict, or concerns about your child’s well-being, you don’t have to carry it alone. At Focus Therapy & Performance Coaching, we support children, teens, and families in navigating school-related challenges with confidence and calm. Therapy can help by: • Strengthening communication skills for parents and children • Building emotional regulation strategies to manage stress and anxiety • Supporting executive functioning skills like focus, organization, and follow-through • Providing a safe space for parents to process frustrations and plan next steps • Helping families work together so home and school feel more connected ✨Parent–teacher conferences are just one part of your child’s journey. With the right tools and support, these meetings can become steppingstones toward growth and resilience for both you and your child. Focus Therapy offers a safe place to process what you’ve learned, explore your child’s needs more deeply, and practice ways to invite problem-solving without conflict. ________________________________________ ✨ At Focus Therapy and Performance Coaching, we walk alongside individuals and families through all seasons of growth. Whether you are navigating school challenges, supporting your child’s emotional needs, or preparing for important conversations, we provide a safe, compassionate space. 📞 Contact: 531-289-8247 📧 Stef McAlpin – stef@focustherapyomaha.com

By: Becky Meline, LIMHP MGCP One of my favorite topics to discuss with my athletes is the connection between their performance, and their relationship with God. I have found that those who lean on their faith and use God’s strength in their journey of athletics tend to be less stressed and happier knowing that they are not alone in pressure moments. Faith is never something I push on my athletes, if it’s already there GREAT! We build on it. If it’s not, I just encourage them to be curious about it. Every athlete knows the feeling—the nerves before a big game, the pressure to perform, the expectations from coaches, teammates, and even themselves. Sports bring incredible highs, but they can also bring crushing stress. In those moments, it can feel like your entire worth is tied to the scoreboard. But the truth is, your identity is found in something far greater than a win or loss: your relationship with God. Faith offers a foundation that no missed shot or bad game can shake. When you invite God into your athletic journey, the pressure doesn’t disappear, but it transforms. Instead of feeling like you carry the weight of performance on your shoulders, you can hand that weight to Him. Play for an Audience of One It’s easy to feel pressure when you think everyone is watching and judging your every move. God has given you spiritual gifts and every time you compete, practice, stand as a leader—God smiles. I encourage my athletes to shift their mindset to play for God—your true “Audience of One”—it changes everything. Your effortbecomes an act of worship, and the outcome becomes less important than the heart you bring. Many of my athletes choose to write on their tape job or wrist “Audience of One” as a reminder. Remember Who You Are in Christ The world measures success by stats and records, but God doesn’t. Your value is not defined by points scored, minutes played, or trophies earned. You are already chosen, loved, and enough because of Him. Knowing that frees you from tying your identity to your performance. Use Prayer as Your Pre-Game Routine Many athletes warm up their bodies before a game. Why not warm up your spirit too? A simple prayer before stepping on the court, field, or track can ground you: “Lord, give me peace. Help me use the gifts You’ve given me for Your glory. Win or lose, may I honor You.” Prayer calms nerves, centers your mind, and reminds you you’re not alone out there. Trust God With the Outcome Pressure often comes from fear—fear of losing, making mistakes, or letting people down. Faith helps you release that fear. You can trust that God already has a plan for your life, and one game will not make or break it. Success isn’t always about the scoreboard; sometimes it’s about perseverance, character, and growth. Some of the biggest lessons I have learned in my own athletic journey have come through pain and heart break. It’s hard to see any benefit in the moment--but I lean on a phrase I heard from on a pastor at our University church service after one of my hardest week in college. He said, “Faith is believing in advance, what will only make sense in reverse.” I had to trust that this really difficult experience was not wasted and that it will help me somehow in the future. I have no doubt God sent that message to me and I have found this to be true in all of my hard times. Find a phrase or scripture to lean on in hard times. Lean on Scripture in Tough Moments When doubt or pressure creeps in, Scripture becomes your fuel. Verses like “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13) or “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7) are reminders that God is with you in every challenge. Sports are a gift, but they were never meant to define you. By anchoring your heart in God, you can step into competition with confidence, freedom, and peace. Pressure will come, but faith transforms it into purpose. Play hard, compete with joy, and remember—you’re already victorious in Him.

By Sam Cleveland, NCC, PLMHP Summer, the one thing that students look forward to, to escape the classroom. For some summer is time to relax, have fun, continue to play sports, and take vacations. For others, summer can be a dreaded time of the year because of the “summer body” expectation that takes over. The […] The post I Hate My Body and I’m Dreading Summer: 3 Things You Can Do To Positively Impact Your Relationship With Your Body appeared first on Focus Therapy.

By: Stef McAlpin, PLMHP My dad always taught me that athletes are made in the summer. I, as well as many others, believed in this. It isn’t lost on me years later that he was right. Those words have continued to linger, not ever far from my thoughts. Summer was a time to practice and […] The post Success Made In The Summer appeared first on Focus Therapy.

By Samantha Cleveland PLMHP, NCC   Our world is constantly evolving, and it seems like each year so much growth is happening in the world of technology. Throughout the pandemic, this came in handy. Students moved to online school, a lot of jobs became remote, and how we received physical and mental health services changed. […] The post Modernized Therapy appeared first on Focus Therapy.

By Tim Bennett, MGCP Over the past several months, I have been slammed with requests for mental performance coaching sessions regarding the NCAA recruiting process and its collateral damage on confidence, expectations, and by extension on-field/court performance. June 15 is right around the corner. For the class of 2024, you all know what this means. […] The post June 15 – Adversity or Opportunity for the Class of 2024 appeared first on Focus Therapy.

By: Tim Bennett, MGCP Mental Toughness vs. Mental Resilience, Part II Now that we know what mental toughness is, what is looks like, and how to develop it, let us now talk about mental resilience.  So then what is mental resilience? It is defined as “the process of adapting well in the face of adversity, […] The post Mental Toughness, Mental Resilience and SISU: Part Two appeared first on Focus Therapy.

By: Tim Bennett, MGCP There is a lot of information about mental toughness and mental resilience.  They often times get confused.  This is a two part blog about each of those respectively and their similarities and differences. Mental Toughness vs. Mental Resilience – Part I What’s better? Every coach wants mentally tough players. Do they […] The post Mental Toughness, Mental Resilience and SISU: Part One appeared first on Focus Therapy.

By: Tim Bennett, MGCP It is a cool buzzword that has come to the forefront of sports psychology in recent years. However, for some strange reason, it gets cast as a hippy-type movement.  That is not the case at all and sports science backs this up! But what exactly is athletic mindfulness? First, we know […] The post Athletic Mindfulness – What is it? How can it help Sports Performance? appeared first on Focus Therapy.