Abuse Education
In the wake of the extremely difficult situation our school has been through recently, we have been blessed with many counselors and pastors coming through our doors and sharing their wisdom and guidance with faculty, staff, students and parents.
We have collected a list of resources they shared with us, in the hopes that it may help you talk to your children about abuse and teach them, in age-appropriate ways, how to protect themselves against abuse.
As a school, we want to encourage anyone who has a concern there might be abuse of any sort (whether in home, sports, school, church), to report your concern to a mandatory reporter (teacher, school personnel, therapist, doctor), or if you feel comfortable, call the police or the DHS Child Abuse Reporting Hotline at 1-800-362-2178.
Note: Mandatory reporters only need to report a concern and do not investigate. A DHS or Level 1 Investigator will investigate whether or not the concerns are founded.
Books recommended for K-4 Parents:
Sexual Abuse and Good/Bad Touch
-It's My Body
-Something Must be Wrong with Me (boys)
-I Can't Talk about It (girls)
-Good Touch, Bad Touch
-Please Tell
Feelings in General
-The Way I Feel
-Feelings
-How Are You Peeling?
Specific Feelings
-Wemberly Worried
-The Worrywarts
-Why Do I Feel Scared
-When I Feel Angry
Books recommended for Parents of 5-8 (and above)
A few handouts that were shared with us:
Teaching Good Touch, Bad Touch
Information put together by Maggie Greving, LISW and Crista Smidt, School Counselor
Guidelines for the K-4th age group.
Coping and Grief
Information put together by Erin Schroeder at CAASA
If your child does reveal something to you?
Information by Dr. Shawn Scholten at Creative Living Center, PC
Hope & Healing: Reconnecting Our Sexuality & Spirituality
Questions for parents and Jr High to high school students to discuss
by Pastor Aaron & Nicole Baart
All Things New Therapy Services
Counseling for individuals, children, and families. Locations: Sioux Center and Orange City, 712-737-9444. allthingsnewtherapy.org Jeremy Koerselman, LISW, Rachel Valentine, LMHC.
ATLAS
Sioux Center. 712-722-4900. Hope Soars Counseling, Tara Boer, LISW.
Bethesda Christian Counseling
Individual, marital, and family counseling; psychiatric services – adults and children. Locations: Sioux Center and Orange City, 712-737-2635.www.bethesdachristiancounseling.org
CAASA, Centers Against Abuse & Sexual Assault
Provides free and confidential services to those impacted by sexual abuse. Services are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. 24/7 HOPE LINE at 1-877-362-4612. www.caasaonline.org
Creative Living Center, P.C.
Licensed mental health and psychiatric services. Locations: Sioux Center, Orange City, Rock Valley, Sheldon, and Hawarden, 1-888-587-2537 or 712-476-5245. www.creativelivingcenterpc.com
Family Solutions Services, INC.
Counseling for individual, marital, family, grief/loss, and EAP. Locations: Orange City, LeMars, and Sioux City, 712-707-9222 (Orange City office) www.family-solutions-services.com
Lighting a New Way Counseling Service
Lisa Stellinga. Sioux Falls, SD, 605-361-0114.
Lynne Frease McMahan, MS, LMHC
Therapy for children, teens, and adults. Location: Orange City, 712-707-9988.
Martha Hibma, LISW
Specializes in counseling for grief and loss, trauma, attachment, depression, anxiety, and coping with daily stressors. Location: Orange City, 712-737-9150. www.marthahibmacounseling.com
Seasons Center for Behavioral Health Offers a broad range of psychiatric and behavioral health. Free in-home services for families of crime survivors. Christina Postma. Locations: Sioux Center, Rock Rapids, Sheldon, and others. 1-800-242-5101. https://seasonscenter.org