"/>

Resources

Welcome to the Resource Well.
Here is your chance to go deeper into what interests you!

You’ll find video and audio recordings about the four life skills and the four activities. Plus, essays and articles that give you the facts and the science behind our practices. And all our past community meeting and podcasts are available for you.

Modules and Associated Materials

Introduction

Activities

Surgeon General’s Advisory on Youth Mental Health

“The best treatment programs for the kids in crisis…” Richtel, M. (2022, August 27). ‘

The Best Tool We Have’ for Self-Harming and Suicidal Teens. The New York Times. 

Linehan, M.M. (2015). DBT Skills Training Manual (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Mindfulness Practice: Use the Inner Explorer @ Home App for daily guided practices for the whole family.


Connection through Play: Use the "Wisdom: The World of Emotions" game to help children (ages 4-8) practice coping strategies through play.


Family Walks: Simple, intentional time together. Use a Resources Checklist (comfortable shoes, water, journal) to make it a shared adventure.


Visual Schedules: Create a visual family routine together to provide structure and reduce stress during transitions.

Podcasts

Good Inside with Dr. Becky: Focuses on building empathetic connections and understanding the "why" behind behaviors.

Calm Parenting Podcast: Provides practical tools for emotional regulation and reducing home stress.

The 1000 Hours Outside Podcast: Encourages families to enjoy basic pleasures like nature for physical and mental well-being.

Life Kit: Parenting (NPR): Offers expert advice on various life skills, from managing money to emotional health.

Additional Reading

The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel & Tina Payne Bryson: Explains how brain development influences behavior, helping parents respond more effectively.

Raising Good Humans by Hunter Clarke-Fields: A guide to mindfulness for parents to break generational cycles and regulate emotions.

Ready, Set, Fly! A Parent's Guide To Teaching Life Skills: A comprehensive guide for parents to assess and teach essential life skills.

ParentPowered Blog: Provides conversation starters on topics like family values and decision-making.

Attention

Activities

UCLA Mindful Guided Meditations: A library of free recordings, including body scans and breath-focused practices, to build sensory awareness.


Mindful Listening Exercise: A structured activity for groups to notice physical sensations and thoughts while sharing and listening.


The 5-4-3-2-1 Technique: A grounding sensory exercise identifying things you see, touch, hear, smell, and taste to anchor yourself in the present.


Finger Tracing Activity: A simple, physical "game" that uses hand-tracing in time with your breath to stabilize attention

Podcasts

Weekly Community Meeting #3 with Stephanie Armpriester & Julie Steiner 10/05/23

Weekly Community Meeting #8 with Mary Cronin (11/09/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #11 with Neil Sunday (12/07/23)
LLST Monthly Podcast #2 with Tammah Watts (12/22/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #18 with Holly Merker (02/29/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #22 with Liesl Mahoney (04/11/22)
Weekly Community Meeting #27 with Gregory Blue (05/30/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #31 with Jim Neary (06/27/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #35 with Todd Pride (08/01/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #38 with Gina Strauss (08/22/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #42 with Kathryn Metzker (09/18/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #47 with Holly Merker (11/06/24) 
Weekly Community Meeting #56 with Dr. Don McCown (01/30/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #69 with Dr. Don McCown (05/01/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #81 with Julia Steiner (08/14/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #83 with Dr. Don McCown (09/04/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #85 with Dr. Don McCown (09/25/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #89 with Dr. Don McCown (11/06/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #98 with Peter Doehring (03/12/26)


Additional Reading

Resources for Finding Awe in Nature

A special thanks to Brandywine Conservancy & Museum of Art for curating these resources!


Apps


iNaturalist
Online social network of people sharing biodiversity information to help each other learn about nature and a crowdsourced species identification system and an organism occurrence recording tool. Can be used to record your own observations, get help with identifications, collaborate with others to collect this kind of information for a common purpose, or access the observational data collected by iNaturalist users.


Seek by iNaturalist
Uses image recognition technology to identify the plants and animals all around you. Earn badges for seeing different types of birds, amphibians, plants, and fungi and participate in monthly observation challenges.


Merlin – Cornell Lab
Offers quick identification help for all levels of bird watchers and outdoor enthusiasts to help you learn about the birds in any country in the world.


Audubon Bird Guide
A free and complete field guide to over 800 species of North American birds, right in your pocket. Built for all experience levels, it will help you identify the birds around you, keep track of the birds you’ve seen, and get outside to find new birds near you.


Nature Field Guides


Sibley Guides
Birds

Peterson Field Guides
Birds

Plants

Insects

Fish

Reptiles & Amphibians

Rocks & Minerals

Weather

Golden Guides
Introductory field guide series that has, for over half a century, inspired millions of individuals to go out and explore nature. Continuously revised and updated, and lower cost.


Check your local library for availability


Helpful items to bring on a walk:

Comfortable shoes

Water & healthy lightweight snacks

Rain jacket

Hat

Sunglasses

Sunscreen

Binoculars

Journal

Camera

Maps


Tips for an enjoyable walk:

Wear comfortable shoes that can get wet

Dress for the weather

Dress in layers to remove or add as temperature changes

Check the weather before you go and look at the radar for precipitation

Download or print a map if you are visiting a new place


Additional Resources

KEEP LOOKING UP:
A quick guide to birding for carers and children by Tammah Watts


Slide deck to accompany our podcast on "looking" with Mary Cronin, Director of Audience Engagement at the Brandywine Museum of Art

Fully Present: This book by Susan L. Smalley and Diana Winston offers a scientific explanation of how mindfulness affects the brain and body.

The Foundations of Mindfulness: Eric Harrison translates traditional teachings into modern English, focusing on attention and good judgment.

Attention: Beyond Mindfulness: An investigation into attention across various disciplines, from neuroscience to creativity.

Mindful Magazine: A leading publication with current articles on applying attention and mindfulness to daily life.

Balance

Activities

The "Squish Sandwich": Gently apply pressure using cushions or pillows while the child lies down; the physical input helps regulate their nervous system while you talk through feelings.

Blowing Bubbles Together: This mimics deep breathing. Making it a "team" activity (e.g., "Let's blow our big feelings out") helps pace the child's breathing to match your own.

Mindful Glitters Jars: Shake a jar of glitter and watch it settle together. Explain that the glitter is like "busy thoughts" that calm down as we take deep breaths.

Freeze Dance & Simon Says: These games are "co-regulation disguised as fun," teaching kids how to start and stop their bodies on cue while following your lead.

Podcasts

Weekly Community Meeting #2 with Dr. Tami Benton (09/28/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #6 with Missy Yuravage (10/26/23)
Reunión Comunitaria Mensual #2 con Aide Garcia (02/22/24)
LLST Monthly Podcast #3 with Josie Billington (03/04/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #19 with David Cullen (03/07/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #20 Live at Tredyffrin Library (03/24/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #23 with PA State Senator Carolyn Comitta (04/17/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #24 with Our Friends at K. D. Markley Elementary (05/02/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #28 with Francesca Boomsma (06/06/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #32 with Bob Lamb (07/11/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #34 with Michael Blanche (07/25/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #39 with Dr. Christine Moriconi (08/28/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #40 with Sandy Shacklady-White (09/04/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #48 with Dr. Christine Moriconi (11/13/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #57 with Binta Dixon (02/06/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #59 with Dr. Don McCown (02/20/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #62 with Dr. Don McCown (03/13/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #63 with Sandy Moser & Beth Watts (03/20/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #72 with Dr. Don McCown (05/22/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #74 with Corinne Yost and Kiara Rose (06/05/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #78 with Pamela Warfield (07/10/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #80 with Dr. Chris Moriconi (08/07/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #82 with Sandy Shacklady-White (08/21/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #87 with Kevin Finan (10/30/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #88 with Christina Gamez (11/06/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #95 with Sara Wein (02/19/26)

Additional Reading

How to Be a Calm Parent by Sarah Ockwell-Smith: A guide focused on the parent's own emotional state, arguing that your internal calm has a greater impact than any specific parenting technique.


The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson: Explains the neuroscience of emotional regulation and offers strategies to nurture a child's developing mind during stressful moments.


The Emotionally Healthy Child by Maureen Healy: Provides a simple three-step process: Stop, Calm, and Make Smarter Choices to help both parents and kids regain equilibrium.


The Conscious Parent by Dr. Shefali Tsabary: Challenges parents to "turn the mirror inward" to understand how their own baggage affects their children's behavior.

Resilience

Activities

The Coping Toolbox: Create a physical or digital coping skills box filled with tangible items that ground you, like essential oils or a gratitude list.

Confidence-Boost Bingo: An interactive game designed to strengthen self-care habits and spark conversations about mental health.

Values Clarification: A reflective exercise where users write down and prioritize qualities they want to embody in relationships, career, and health.

5-4-3-2-1 Grounding: A sensory activity to anchor the mind in the present by noticing five things you see, four you can touch, three you hear, two you smell, and one you taste.

Thought Reframing: Practice identifying cognitive distortions and replacing them with more balanced, realistic narratives. 


Podcasts

Weekly Community Meeting #1 with PA State Senator Carolyn Comitta (09/21/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #5 with Dr. Donald McCown (10/19/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #10 with Sandy Shacklady-White (11/30/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #14 with Amanda Blue (01/25/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #16: A Chance to Tune in With Don McCown (02/08/24)
Reunión Comunitaria Mensual #3 con Owen Woodfield Smith (03/21/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #21 with Chelsea Melrath (04/04/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #30 with Chelsea Melrath (06/20/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #36 with Angela Guerriero (08/08/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #43 with Jan Michener (10/02/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #45 with Sean Halloran (10/16/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #52 with Angela Guerriero (12/19/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #58 with Sean Halloran (02/13/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #60 with Joyce Chester and Nicole Johns (02/27/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #61 with Lucia Viegas-Barros (03/06/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #65 with Dr. Don McCown (04/03/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #66 with Kure MacDonald (04/10/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #68 with Michelle Lampley (04/24/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #71 with Jarvis Berry (05/15/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #73 with Dr. Don McCown (05/29/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #75 with Sean Halloran (06/12/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #84 with Dr. Don McCown (09/11/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #86 with Kathy Hrenko (10/23/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #91 with Lee Fulton (12/04/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #94 with Sean Halloran (02/12/26)
Weekly Community Meeting #96 with Keith Grierson (02/26/26)
Weekly Community Meeting #97 with Winnie Hardy (03/05/26)

Additional Reading

Deep Resilience: A book by Melli O’Brien that explores living from a state of enoughness and letting go of unworthiness.

Stop Taking Things Personally: This guide by Rowan E. Sages helps readers stay grounded and untriggered during conflict.

Healing After Disaster: Provides coping techniques for managing trauma and embracing post-traumatic growth.

The Day I Stopped Reacting: Focuses on emotional regulation for adults to manage triggers and build emotional intelligence.

CDC’s Coping with a Disaster: Official resource guides for managing emotional well-being during and after traumatic events. 

Connection

Activities

Intergenerational Storytelling Circles: Use structured prompts like "What was your first job?" to exchange life stories between youth and seniors.


Community Wisdom Exchange: A "Data Walk" activity where seniors identify infrastructure needs (like broken sidewalks) and report them, transforming them from passive recipients to active civic stewards.


Analog Bridge Connection Packets: Create physical scrapbooks or memory books that can be printed and shared, bypassing the need for advanced digital literacy.


The "Buddy System" for Newcomers: Pair established residents with new neighbors to reduce initial anxiety and build immediate social capital.


Social Prescribing "Doses": Create a menu of non-medical "prescriptions" for local art classes, botanical garden visits, or community choir sessions.

Podcast

Weekly Community Meeting #4 with Dr. Christine Moriconi and Joseph Palmeri (10/12/23)
LLST Monthly Podcast #1 with Dr. Consuelo Cagande (10/19/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #7 with Alex Penman (11/02/23)
Weekly Community Meeting #12 with Clare Ellis (01/11/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #13 with Lorena Baeza (01/18/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #15 with Danielle Stokes (02/01/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #17 with Francesca Boomsma (02/15/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #25 with Community Partners at NAMI (05/16/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #26 with David Payne and Carey Bresler (05/23/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #29 with ASERT (06/13/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #33 with Robyn Slater and Liz Hulse (07/18/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #44 with Reverend Michael Green (10/09/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #49 with Sandy Shacklady-White (11/20/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #50 with Deborah Willett (12/04/24)
Weekly Community Meeting #53 with Kate Lannan (01/09/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #54 with Dr. Don McCown (01/16/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #55 with Sharon Hardin (01/23/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #64 with Rana Sakr (03/27/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #67 with Danielle Stokes (04/17/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #70 with Maddy Heinberg and Lindsey Howell (05/08/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #76 with Katy Morton and Lexie Taylor (06/19/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #77 with Rebecca Piorki-Shelly (06/26/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #79 with Dr. Don McCown (07/17/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #90 with Stefani Briggs (12/04/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #92 with Jan Michener (12/18/25)
Weekly Community Meeting #93 with Rev. Michael Meadows (01/22/26)



Additional Reading

The Harvard Study of Adult Development: A summary of how quality relationships at age 50 are the best predictors of health at age 80.


Our Epidemic of Loneliness and Isolation: The U.S. Surgeon General’s landmark advisory on how social disconnection increases mortality risk as much as smoking 15 cigarettes a day.


Social Connection linked to Improved Health: A 2025 WHO report outlining how social bonds reduce inflammation and cognitive decline.


The Power of Weak Ties: Research explaining why casual interactions with shopkeepers or neighbors are "magic potions" for mental health.

Created with