Therapist's Message

Hello Fremont Community, my name is Susan Tripp-Mosman (aka Ms. Susan) and I am the therapist here at Fremont Elementary. I am part of a team of therapists located at each school in the Montebello Unified School District who provide services through the Student Family and Wellness Program. Our goal is to respond to the socio-emotional and mental health needs of the students in our district. I am honored to be part of the awesome community at Fremont Elementary School.

A little about me, I have many years of experience supporting children, adolescents and families in community mental health, residential settings, group homes, as behavioral support in school settings and also as parent of 5 wonderful kids who are now adults. I have a license in Marriage and Family Therapy from the state which means I’ve had a lot of schooling and supervision through the years which helps me help your child!

You may be wondering how kids get signed up for the Student and Family Wellness Program and what happens once they are. First, I get notified from the Principal, teachers, school staff and by direct calls from parents who are noticing that a student (or their child) is struggling. This could look like noticeable changes in behavior, for example, my child used to like school but now they refuse to go and this is a daily battle. It could look like, my student is crying every day and nothing I’ve tried is working or this student keeps getting in trouble at school and the consequences don’t seem to be having any impact to change their behavior. Second, I contact the parent and set up a meeting to talk about the problems or concerns going on with the child, go over policies and confidentiality and get signatures on all the paperwork so that everyone starts with the same expectations. Third, I start calling the child/student out of class typically, once a week so that I can support the student.

You may be curious about what happens in a session. Usually, I check in with the student about their week and if they have any worries or problems. Some kids like to talk but others use play to communicate their ideas or feelings. There are a ton of studies that have proven the value of play for kids, for example, a child might be dealing with anger issues and during pretend play they might blow things up or throw characters around which helps them process their feelings and also gives them a way of experimenting with different actions and outcomes without fear of getting in trouble or, more importantly, without anyone getting hurt and gives them an opportunity to express their complicated feelings. Another type of play kids like to do in session is game play. Game play in therapy has nothing to do with winning or losing but is rich in interaction and relationship building. Games allow a child to explore themes of control, negative and positive feelings, anxiety, suspense and the list goes on.

If you are a parent who is having concerns about your child, let the child’s teacher or a staff person know and they can contact me. Teachers and staff, if you are having concerns about a student, you can contact me directly or talk to administrative staff who can help you get in touch.

Bee well, Fremont Hive, together we thrive.

Susan Tripp-Mosman, LMFT