Latest news with #MeganButler
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
How to talk about grief, loss with children following deadly Central Texas floods
AUSTIN (KXAN) — In the aftermath of catastrophic floods in Central Texas over Independence Day weekend, some mental health professionals said they are inundated with requests from families seeking services and guidance. Megan Butler, a licensed professional counselor with Lucero, said she has received calls from her clients, but also from school districts and other organizations. With at least 30 children among the more than 100 people who have died, they are helping their kids navigate grief, loss and confusion that comes from losing a friend or classmate, or from hearing about this kind of disaster. Butler urged parents to begin any conversation with their kids by validating their feelings and then following up with care. 'We just always want to start by saying, 'Whatever you're feeling, it's okay.' Right? 'There's no bad feelings. It's okay if you're sad, if you're angry, if you're confused, if you're scared — whatever you feel is okay,'' she said. 'So you know your kid best, and you know what might help your kid feel more comfortable.' For example, 'connecting activities,' such as walking together, playing basketball, and swinging on a swing are 'just as important' as conversations, she said. When asked whether a parent should be proactive about bringing up the topic with their child, Butler said it depends on the child themselves — and whether or not they were directly impacted or lost someone they knew personally. 'If we don't know that they had a direct loss, wait for the child to bring it up. We don't need to remind them of traumatic issues. But if they're — if they're showing signs of maybe reenacting it or thinking about it? Absolutely, you can see what's on their mind.' With so much of the devastation in Kerr County affecting Camp Mystic kids and counselors, Butler said she and other professionals are working with several families who are struggling with the decision to send their kids to summer camp in the remaining weeks of summer. 'There's a lot of fear and anxiety — that's completely expected. So, what we do is create a cope-ahead plan. We say, 'If you're feeling this way at camp, what can you do at camp to try to feel better?' We might make a care-kit. We might connect with some of the camp counselors and let them know they've been impacted,' she said. Butler said she has spent a long time immersed in how to process grief — teaching a grief class at the University of Texas Austin School of Social Work. She emphasized the fact that grief and mourning is not linear. 'So, you can go through different stages. Just be prepared for the long term,' she said. 'Three months out, six months out, a year out — they may be processing things for the first time. So, just go at their own pace.' She urged parents to prepare for regression, as well as outbursts, tears, anger and panic attacks — and encouraged them to lean into whatever comforting routine works best to soothe their child. 'Sometimes that's physical touch, sometimes that's sharing a crunchy snack, sometimes that's just taking a walk outside,' she said, also noting how routines and small check-in's can be helpful. 'You know your child, and so we're really asking the parents and caregivers to pump up that TLC right now and be really consistent.' Butler explained the community is trying to get connected and organized in order to support Central Texas in the long-term, too. 'We're all just figuring out how we can help support each other and not duplicate services,' she said. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Herald Sun
14-05-2025
- Herald Sun
15-year-old boy granted bail over alleged Aintree aggravated carjackings
Don't miss out on the headlines from North West. Followed categories will be added to My News. A 15-year-old boy charged over a string of terrifying weekend carjackings, linked to yet another five, and who allegedly texted his co-accused to 'delete messages' while he was being interviewed by police has been bailed. The boy, who can't be named for legal reasons, applied for bail in a Children's Court on Wednesday after he was arrested on the weekend alongside three other boys, who will face court over the next two days. The teenager is accused of two separatate carjackings with a machete in Aintree and later in Sunshine on Friday, before he allegedly stole a Toyota Kluger and a Mitsubishi Mirage from Kings Park. On Saturday, the boy was charged with aggravated carjacking with a machete, destroying a mobile phone, handling stolen goods, driving without a licence and possessing cannabis. In opposing bail, the prosecution said the boy had been linked to a further five carjackings since his arrest, although at least three of the investigations were at a 'very early' stage of the investigation. They also alleged the youngster used his mother's phone during his police interview on the weekend and was in contact with his co-accused, where messages such as 'no comment' and 'delete messages' were allegedly exchanged. First Constable Megan Butler from the Brimbank Divisional Response Unit told the court she was concerned if he was granted bail he would be able to delete key evidence from his social media. Magistrate Julie O'Donnell questioned why this would be the case as police had seized the boy's mobile and could 'take screenshots' of the alleged social media evidence. The boy had been refused bail on the weekend, but after a 'much more thorough assessment' by a youth justice worker, he was found suitable for bail. The court heard the boy went from 'zero to one hundred' in regards to his offending and had never even been cautioned by police until his arrest on the weekend. He regularly attended school, has a supportive family and also worked part-time. The youth justice worker who met with the boy in prison said he was 'open, honest and genuine in his answers' and presented 'really positively, polite and engaged well' with his assessment. The boy's mother and father appeared in court in support of him, and his mother gave evidence she would help enforce her son's bail conditions if the magistrate granted bail. His mother told the court she had 'hardly eaten and hardly slept since he's been remanded'. Ms O'Donnell granted the boy bail with strict conditions, including not being able to access his mobile phone or social media. He will also have a curfew from 9pm to 6am unless he is supervised with a parent and cannot contact his co-accused outside of school time. 'If you breach your bail conditions … You will end up back in custody, and it will be very difficult to grant bail,' Ms O'Donnell told the boy. He will return to court on May 28 for a further mention.
