Angela Sewell Counseling at The Barn

18/09/2026

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This is what makes our counseling sessions so unique. We are the only ones in this area who offer this amazing experience during your mental health counseling appointment.

Miniature horses and donkeys can serve as therapy animals — and petting or scratching them for just three minutes made teenagers feel less anxious, sad and lonely, according to a new study. https://wapo.st/4yHQ3ee

16/09/2026

13/09/2026

13/09/2026

National Scholarships with September Deadlines. 📝

The Gates Scholarship - Deadline Sept. 15
https://www.thegatesscholarship.org/scholarship/

Breakthrough Junior Challenge - Deadline Sept. 15
https://breakthroughjuniorchallenge.org/

Coca Cola Scholars Scholarship Deadline Sept 30
https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/

Don’t Text and Drive Scholarship
http://www.digitalresponsibility.org/dont-text-and-drive-scholarship

Pay It Fwd - Grades 10-12, Deadline Sept 30
https://www.jumpstart-scholarship.net/application-pay-it-forward-scholarship

Dr. Pepper Scholarship. 18-24 years old. Deadline Sept 30
https://www.drpepper.com/tuition/

Voice of Democracy - Deadline Oct. 31
https://www.vfw.org/community/youth-and-education/youth-scholarships

Courage to Grow Scholarship Deadline Sept. 30
https://couragetogrowscholarship.com/

Regions Riding Forward
https://www.regions.com/about-regions/inclusion-belonging-impact/supporting-communities/essay-contest-scholarship

11/09/2026

What if your child really IS trying their best?

The first 9 weeks of school are a wrap—and for some kids, it’s already been a struggle.

📚 Missing or incomplete assignments

🧠 Difficulty staying focused

🗣️ Talking or interrupting in class

😣 Frustration and emotional outbursts

🎒 Forgetting homework, supplies, or instructions

📉 Grades that don’t reflect their ability
Sometimes we assume a child needs to “try harder.”

But for a child with ADHD, they may already be trying incredibly hard.

ADHD can affect attention, impulse control, organization, working memory, and emotional regulation—and kids often don’t understand why these things seem harder for them than for everyone else.

💛 There is help💛

We offer ADHD assessments and treatment for children and teens. If you have not sought ADHD treatment for fear that the only answer is medication, contact us. Often times, medication goes hand-in-hand with therapy to treat ADHD—BUT it’s not the first suggestion we make. There are treatments that do not include medication.
However, if medication is the best treatment for you or your child, we can help you manage, track the progress, and track the effects of medication prescribed by your doctor.

If the first 9 weeks have you wondering whether ADHD could be contributing to your child’s academic or behavioral struggles, contact us to learn more: [email protected]

🔍Sometimes understanding why a child is struggling is the first step toward helping them succeed.

11/09/2026

🍎 When Your Child Is Trying Their Best…But School Is Still a Struggle…

The first 9 weeks of school can tell us a lot.

Maybe your child started the year excited and determined, but you’re already seeing:

• Difficulty completing or turning in assignments
• Grades that don’t seem to reflect their ability
• Frequent talking, interrupting, or leaving their seat
• Trouble following multi-step directions
• Forgetting homework, supplies, or what they were supposed to do
• Emotional outbursts or frustration at school or after coming home
• Comments like, “I’m trying!” or “I don’t know why I keep getting in trouble.”

Sometimes, they really ARE trying their best.

For children with ADHD, difficulties with attention, impulse control, working memory, organization, emotional regulation, and executive functioning can make the classroom incredibly challenging.

A child can be intelligent, capable, motivated—and still struggle because of ADHD symptoms they may not understand or know how to manage.

❤️ Struggling doesn’t always mean a child isn’t trying. Sometimes it means they need the right kind of support.

🌟 We offer ADHD assessments and treatment to help families better understand what may be contributing to academic, behavioral, and emotional challenges.

Identifying ADHD can be the beginning of helping a child understand their brain, develop practical skills, build confidence, and receive support that actually fits their needs.

📚If the first 9 weeks of school have left you wondering whether there may be more behind your child’s struggles, there is help.

Contact Angela Sewell Counseling at The Barn to learn more about ADHD assessment and treatment options.

📌Email us at [email protected]

🔍Because sometimes the question isn’t “Why won’t my child try harder?”

🔍It’s “What is making it so hard for my child to show us how hard they’re already trying?” 💛

Angela Sewell Counseling
at The Barn
Clinical Mental Health Counseling in a
Non-clinical setting

11/09/2026

🩵 Faces of Prevention 🩵

Meet David Cochran, Executive Director of MAXimizing Mental Health (MMH) and one of the many dedicated individuals working to support children and families across Alabama.

David’s work with MAXimizing Mental Health is deeply personal. After losing his son, Max, to su***de in 2018, David helped establish MMH in Max’s memory in 2019. He turned an unimaginable loss into a mission to help other children, individuals, and families access the mental health support they need.

For the past seven years, David has worked to connect people with counseling and other behavioral health services, help families navigate systems that can feel overwhelming, and remove financial barriers that may prevent someone from getting care. He understands that when someone is struggling, they need more than a phone number or referral. They need someone willing to help them find the next step.

Under David’s leadership, MAXimizing Mental Health has helped provide and coordinate more than 4,600 free counseling sessions for children, adolescents, adults, and families. Each session represents an opportunity for someone to receive support, find hope, and know they don’t have to face their struggles alone.

David’s impact goes beyond the numbers. Through education, advocacy, resource navigation, and continued support, he works to make sure children and families experiencing mental health challenges are seen, supported, and connected to care.

When asked to describe David in one word, his team chose “selfless.”

Thank you, David, for being a Face of Prevention!

10/09/2026

🇺🇸 Talking to Your Kids About September 11, 2001

For many adults, September 11th is more than a history lesson. We remember where we were, what we were doing, and how we felt as we watched the events unfold.

For our children, however, 9/11 is history—something that happened long before many of them were born. As they learn about September 11th at school, online, or through conversations with others, they may come home with questions, confusion, or even anxiety.

So, how do we talk to our kids about 9/11?

❤️ Start by asking what they already know.
Try asking, “What have you heard about September 11th?” This gives you an opportunity to correct misinformation and understand what may be worrying them.

❤️ Keep your explanation age-appropriate.
Young children usually need a simple explanation: something very sad happened, people were hurt, and many brave people worked together to help.

Older children and teens may be ready for more historical information and conversations about terrorism, the lives that were lost, the first responders, and how September 11th changed our country.

❤️ Let their questions guide the conversation.
You don't have to explain everything at once. Answer what your child is actually asking and allow them to come back with additional questions later.

❤️ Be mindful of graphic footage.
Images and videos from September 11th can be overwhelming—even for adults. Children do not necessarily need to see traumatic footage in order to understand the significance of what happened.

❤️ Talk about the helpers.
Tell them about the firefighters, police officers, paramedics, military personnel, passengers, volunteers, and ordinary people who helped complete strangers. Even in moments of tremendous tragedy, there were extraordinary examples of courage, compassion, and humanity.

❤️ Offer reassurance without making promises we cannot make.

Rather than saying, “Something like that could never happen again,” remind children that many people work every day to keep them safe.

If your child becomes anxious, bring them gently back to the present:
“September 11th happened 25 years ago. You are here with me. You are safe right now.”

It is also okay for our children to see us become emotional when remembering September 11th.

We can show them that sadness and grief are normal responses to remembering people whose lives were lost.

❤️‍🩹Over the next 24-hours, we will honor and remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost; the first responders who ran toward danger; the families forever changed; and the countless acts of courage and kindness that followed. It will be on many TV channels, radio stations, and topic of conversation around us.

❤️We remember. We honor. And we help the next generation understand—with honesty, compassion, and care. 🇺🇸

❤️— Angela Sewell Counseling at The Barn

10/09/2026

Seniors!

https://www.drpepper.com/tuition/

Dr. Pepper Scholarship for students 18-24 years old.
Deadline is Sept. 30, 2026

10/09/2026

Quick!

Name 3 of the best things that happened today!

What was the best tasting thing you ate today?

What was something funny you heard today?

Focusing on positive experiences and positive thoughts can train your brain to naturally pick up on the positive experiences throughout your daily life versus focusing more on the negative experiences.