Stepping Stones Behavioral Health Services

Well we ended up closing yesterday (Wednesday) but will be open today (Thursday) and tomorrow (Friday) for your scheduled appts and some who had to be rescheduled from Tuesday and Wednesday. Please send a message through text or email if you have any questions about your scheduled appt. Thank you all for your patience during the storm. We look forward to seeing you soon. ❤️

Due to the incoming storm, at this time the office will be closed on Thursday 8/8 and Friday 8/9 pending how much rain and damage we get. I will be in contact with everyone with appts to get you rescheduled asap! Thank you all for your understanding and support ❤️👍🫶

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Since childhood, Larry Nowak has had a heart to serve others.

“My grandfather - I lived with him through school. Every Saturday and Sunday, he was helping somebody. He would get me out of bed and say 'Let's go'. I could be digging up bushes. I could be painting. I never knew where, never got paid - it was just that's what we did. That was the beginning of it.

Moving from Wisconsin to Myrtle Beach, SC, Nowak’s mission to uplift his community and bless others has grown exponentially.

At Myrtle Beach Bowl Nowak motivates the bowling center and ignites the “power of the people,” by helping to raise funds for veterans’ programs, hosting an annual fundraiser that benefits the Lowcountry Food Bank, and so much more!

The power of the is no more evident than with Faith Outreach Ministries where Nowak currently serves as president.

“Our pastor at the Church of Resurrection, Ron, had a vision in 2014 to start a food ministry," Nowak said.

“First distribution - we had 30 families!" Nowak exclaimed. " We never knew how it would grow. But we officially became Faith Outreach Ministries in 2015.”

Teaming up with and joining our network of partner agencies, Faith Outreach Ministries began helping with disasters like floods and the pandemic along the . Nowak mentioned that as life brings ever-changing circumstances, neighbors can always use a helping hand.

“Currently, we do seven distributions a month, in six different locations - and operate a pantry two to three days a week.”

From 2016 to 2023, Nowak - along with countless volunteers, community leaders, and faithful supporters – has helped the Food Bank provide more than 3 million meals to families in the Lowcountry! Nowak’s outreach has truly gone beyond the food that helps to nourish our community. Nowak nourishes souls.

This year, Nowak won the ABC15 Jefferson Award for his inspiring leadership in charity and community care! Food Lion Feeds also recognized him with a “Feedys Award” for his commitment to addressing food insecurity in !

We are proud to work with leaders like Nowak! Together, we are working towards a nourished and thriving coastal South Carolina.

🎥 WPDE ABC15: https://wpde.com/news/local/jefferson-awards-2024-larry-nowak-bowling-low-country-food-bank-community-outreach-veterans-care-packages-inspire-action-grand-strand

🎥: https://wpde.com/news/local/food-lions-feedys-awards-battling-hunger-surfside-beach-nonprofit-faith-outreach-ministries-larry-nowak-wins-fight-food-insecurity-lowcountry-food-bank-meals-delivered-south-carolina-may-22-2024

BEYOND THE BELL 🔔

Mark your calendars, folks! Here are the dates for our Beyond the Bell program.

As a reminder, Beyond the Bell is offered when the kiddos are out of school but parents need to work.

Offered at the Carolina Forest, South Strand, and North Strand recreation centers, the program is open to ages 5-12.

Follow this link to pre-register: https://secure.rec1.com/SC/horry-county-sc/catalog

Stepping Stones Behavioral Health Services Tia Lynn Havenar Randi M Moss Way to go Lucas!!!!! We are so proud that you continue to pursue learning how to skateboard. Great job sticking with it. Big thank you to Vince and The Heart of Stoke Foundation for all you guys do!!

https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTN9bu6Wn/

TikTok · Jennifer Cathcart 383 likes, 48 comments. “Https://www.classwallet.com/programs/southcarolinaestf/ Palmetto Christian Academy of Greenwood! For ALL the info, copy the link! Only 5000 scholarships available!”

How these 5 exercises are helping kids reach their full potential in the classroom...https://ilslearningcorner.com/2015-08-5-of-the-best-brain-building-activities-to-help-your-child-learn-that-may-surprise-you/

Shadow Drawing ✍️ always so fun!

Via Early Years Play Ideas

Does your child chew? Munchables
15 Reasons to Choose Munchables:
✔ Recommended by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
✔ Diverts chewing from fingers, clothing, hair, and other items.
✔ Recommended by OTs for children who tend to chew on items when seeking increased oral sensory input.
✔ Helps children to filter out excess stimuli in their environments and divert extra energy which can result in improved behavior and attention.
✔ Supports children with ADHD, anxiety, autism and sensory processing disorder.
✔ Created by a mom who believed it was possible to create stylish chewable jewelry.
✔ Made of 100% safe food-grade silicone.
✔ Provides a calming, organizing and focusing response which can improve self-regulation.
✔ Tested, approved and loved by children all over the world.
✔ Features a breakaway clasp for additional safety.
✔ Acts as a fun piece of jewelry that children can feel confident wearing.
✔ Prevents torn nails, shirts and pencils and helps to protect teeth.
✔ Offers styles for every type of chewer. Heavier chewers should try our chewy necklaces designed just for them. Our top two favorites are the Donut or Scribbles Pendant.
✔ Includes a money-back guarantee. Try our styles risk free.
✔ Designed by a mom who is committed to finding ways to help every child with their sensory needs.

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects a person's ability to communicate. Did you know that Prisma Health Roger C. Peace Rehabilitation Hospital offers monthly aphasia support group meetings? The meetings take place on the first Wednesday of each month, and the next one is coming up on Wednesday, June 5th, from 12:30pm-1:30pm at the Prisma Health Life Center. For more information about this support group, please contact Jennifer Leger at 864-640-9304.

A free printable inspired by Smartphone Free Childhood that you can print and put up in your kitchen. 2 cool challenges for your kids!!!

Feel free to download and share and let me know if your child completes the challenges!

Patrick

What can be done to help tactile defensiveness? https://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-05-tactile-defensiveness-why-my-child-hates-hugs-tags-and-is-in-constant-fight-or-flight-mode/

As an occupational therapist, I always encourage play!

Whether children are very young, not even ready for preschool. Or perhaps they are middle school students, spent and ready to unwind at the end of a long school day.

Play serves many functions, such as building skills like thinking, planning, sequencing, initiating. Play also is self-calming and regulating. This is true for people of all ages, as seen in a game of tag or some red light, green light!

Often though, play looks different for autistic children, and can present as what used to be called "non-purposeful" or rote. An example of this might include lining up toys or cars. But let's reframe this using a neurodiversity-affirming perspective.

Lining up toys brings organization to what may be a messy bin of items and perhaps introduces order to an overwhelming world. In fact, this type of play may be extremely calming to an overwhelmed child; more time engaging in this occupation could mean the difference between having a meltdown during a long school day or feeling calm and self-regulated.

In addition to these potential benefits for this type of play, there are many skills that are being addressed as well, only some of which are even mentioned in this visual!

A supportive idea is to gently and respectfully join an autistic child as they engage in this type of play. Line up cars yourself. Determine your own criteria for what cars go where in your own row.

Imitating a child in this way validates their actions and lets them know that their ideas are valuable and respected, which in turn will increase an autistic child's self-confidence and feelings of worth!

😎 Summer is almost here! ☀️
📚 Which means it is almost time for Summer Reading! 📖
Curious about other Summertime events at the library? Stop by your local branch to learn more about what's happening or visit bit.ly/HCMLevents.

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♡ If you would like to be kept in the loop on everything Synergetic Play Therapy or get resources to support you on your journey, join us here: https://linktr.ee/synergeticplaytherapy ♡

Toy Jail! Great idea!!!
via Miss Organized

Heart Ranch

One of our loyal clients from Stepping Stones Behavioral Health Services participating in Equine Therapy at the Heart Ranch right here in Myrtle Beach, SC... check them out and all of the great classes and services they offer!!!!

What do you think???

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Teachers deserve our appreciation year-round for all they do to help our students learn, grow, & succeed. But this week especially, we're celebrating & thanking our teachers for their hard work & dedication to education.

Happy !