Empowering our community with Dr Justin Coulson

Sunshine Coast Grammar School proudly welcomed Dr Justin Coulson, renowned parenting expert and author for a series of impactful sessions addressing topics such as resilience, anxiety and emotional intelligence.

Known for his expertise in parenting and relationships, the tailored sessions catered to students, staff and parents offered invaluable insights and practical strategies for personal growth and family well-being. Dr Coulson addressed important topics such as resilience and anxiety and provided engaging and topical resources.

The parent session was based on Dr Coulson’s best-selling book, “9 Ways to a Resilient Child,” which offers parents practical strategies to help their children cope positively with life’s challenges. Dr Coulson explained the factors that contribute to and hinder resilience, dispelling common advice and shedding light on why approaches like “toughen up Princess” may not be effective.

One of the highlights of the sessions was the focus on resilience, happiness, and confidence-building for children. Parents were provided with invaluable insights into the tools necessary to raise resilient, happy, and confident children, ensuring they are well-equipped to navigate life’s complexities.

Research shows that raising our emotional intelligence can have an instant impact on relationships, behaviours, achievement and wellbeing, and transform behaviour management in the classroom. During the staff session, Dr Coulson provided an insightful workshop, delving into emotional intelligence and sharing strategies for getting the best from ourselves and those around us.

Students also benefitted from Dr Coulson’s expertise, with tailored sessions addressing anxiety and adversity for students in Year 5 – 9. During the session, students learnt how to recognise the signs of anxiety and how to respond with courage and resilience, as well as an interactive presentation on adversity based on evidence and storytelling. Students were equipped with practical strategies to immediately tackle anxiety, boost their confidence and restore resilience. The engaging presentations aimed to equip each student with tools for personal growth.

Thank you to Dr Justin Coulson for providing enriching sessions for our community. We look forward to continuing our journey toward fostering resilience, happiness and confidence in our students, staff and community.

Grammar families can view the sessions on GECO.