Race to
Nowhere
Film Screening and CEU Program
Joan Grayson Cohen, Esq., LCSW-C
and Rachael Abrams, LCSW-C
Program Schedule
9:05am – 9:15am:
Introduction
9:15am – 10:45am:
Film Screening
10:45am – 11:00am:
Reactions
11:00am – 11:10am:
Break
11:10am – 11:55am:
Clinical Presentation and
Case Study
11:55am – 12:00pm:
Evaluations and Wrap Up
Film Overview
Race to
Nowhere is a
documentary
film
examining:
The effects:
• Pressure faced by young people,
teachers and parents in our high
stakes, high stress education
system
• Our driven culture and the
pressure placed on our students to
succeed
• Students pushed to the brink and
immobilized to learn proper skills
• Educator burnout
• Overwhelmed parents without
practical solutions
RED FLAGS FOR
OVERSCHEDULED CHILDREN
Are they
dragging,
not
wanting to
go out the
door?
Are their
grades
slipping?
Do they
show signs
of
depression,
stress
and/or
anxiety?
Are they
tired all
the time?
Do they say
“they’d
like more
free time?”
or “time
for other
interests?”
OVER SCHEDULED
CHILDREN MAY HAVE:
A decrease in
creativity
Less of an
ability to take
initiative
An inability to
know what to
do with any
free time they
have
A lack of
enthusiasm for
their school
work and/or
activities (only
going through
the motions)
Presentation of
increased
somatic issues
(stomach
aches, head
aches etc.)
CHILDREN WITH
UNSTRUCTURED TIME:
Have more time
to process
activities and
learning
Report more
overall
happiness
Are less
stressed and
less depressed
Are more
creative, self
driven,
independent
Possess more
developed
social skills
FREE- PLAY
DREAM-WORK
Research has shown that there are emotional, social and
cognitive benefits to free play
The pace of our society has resulted in considerably less time for
play in the lives of children
Creative assignments for school children of all ages have
decreased in order to “teach for the tests”
At a very young age, creative projects and art have been
dramatically reduced as part of school curriculums
Free/Dream thinking has been replaced by electronics
Down time for our brains to rest and dream has been eliminated
TODAY’S CONTRIBUTING
STRESSORS FOR OUR CHILDREN
High divorce
rate
Need to attend
to younger
siblings in order
to help parents
Transitioning
between
parents’ homes
Households with
2 working
parents
Less down time
for children
Distance from
extended
family/less
support
Lack of
necessities due
to economic
pressure
THE EFFECTS OF THE
OVERSCHEDULED CHILD
Threshold
effect:
benefits of
activities level
as a result of
too many
scheduled
activities
THE EFFECTS OF THE
OVERSCHDULED CHILD
Chronic stress puts children at risk for:
Behavior
problems
Academic
problems
Social
problems
Clinical issues
(depression,
anxiety,
eating
disorders
etc.)
Psychosomatic
problems
Damaging
levels of
stress carried
into
adulthood
Poor decision
making
THE EFFECTS OF THE
OVERSCHEDULED CHILD
School and Work concerns:
Cheating in
schools is
commonplace
Students are
burned out
Students have
become
disengaged
Students arrive
at college
unprepared
Young adults
arrive at the
work-place
unprepared and
uninspired
Case Study and Group
Discussion
Questions For Discussion
In your work with
individuals and families
what have you seen as
the primary stressors for
this generation?
What strategies have you
utilized to address these
issues with children,
teens and their families?
What strategies have you
found to be successful?
What are the challenges
you face in working with
your clients?
What Can You Do To Help?
Kathy (age 16) says: "Academic stress has been
a part of my life ever since I can remember. I
spend about 10 hours a day on schoolwork. I'm
home right now because I was feeling so sick
from stress I couldn't be at school.
This problem is brushed off by most people.
There's this mentality of, 'You're doing well, so
why are you complaining?' "
Kathy reports that she started experiencing
symptoms of stress in middle school, and has
experienced what she thinks are panic attacks
but she isn’t sure. Her heart races, she can’t
catch her breath and she feels like she is frozen.
I know my parents mean well but it is tough. All
I hear is, 'Work harder, you're a smart kid, I know
you have it in you, and if you want to go to
college you need to work harder.' It's a lot of
pressure.
What Can You Do To Help?
As her clinician, how can you help Kathy?
What strategies would you recommend?
What resources would you provide?
What skills would you work with her to develop?
What changes could Karen make to help address
her concerns?
Resources

Overscheduled Kids, Anxious Parents by Josh Levs;
http://www.cnn.ceom/2013/03/08/living/overscheduled-busy-children/

Dangers of overscheduling your child by health enews Staff;
http://www.ahchealthenews.com/2013/03/25/overscheduling-yourchild-leads-to-burnout-and-less-creativity/

Busy Kids: Overscheduling Worries Overstated by Stephanie Pappas;
http://www.livescience.com/13642-kids-overscheduled-extracurricularactivities.html

Growing Resilient Children by Dr. Mark Frankel

Children with More Free Time are More Likely to be Descried by Parents
as Happy and Imaginative;
http://www.harrisinteractive.com/NewsRoom/HarrisPolls/tabid/447/mi
d/1508/articleId/1471/ctl/ReadCustom%20Default/Default.aspx