Knightly News

“Today’s teens are swimming in a tidal wave of impossible expectations- filters, influencers, ‘perfect’ bodies, and pressure to be everything everywhere all at once.” McCall Dempsey, Speaker, Writer and Founder/Director of Southern Smash

Social media and online trends can create intense pressure for today’s pre-teens and teens to look and act a certain way to fit in. Many parents are also overwhelmed with helping their children navigate this unfamiliar landscape. The Episcopal counseling team is bringing in nationally recognized guest speaker McCall Dempsey to help address this pressure and share insights on body image and healthy self-esteem.

On March 23rd, Dempsey will speak to Middle and Upper School students about body positivity, understanding how media and social platforms manipulate appearances, identifying the role perfectionism plays in mental health and more. She provides evidence-based education, real-life experience and practical tools that both students and parents can use. Middle School Counselor Katie Carpenter says she hopes students learn to define what healthy is, what is attainable, and what is not realistic.

With help from Parents’ Guild, this is the second health and wellness-related presentation the counseling team has provided to students and families this year. Last semester, representatives from Protect Young Eyes helped students understand the risks associated with technology and offered parents ways to keep children safe while allowing them to use technology. Carpenter says offering both this year was intentional, as online safety and body image concerns are often related, with students encountering unrealistic images and ideas online that later impact how they see themselves.  

Year-Round Support

Guest speaker presentations are one component of the comprehensive, year-round support provided by the Episcopal counseling team. The three full-time counselors offer an array of resources to help students and families navigate today’s challenges.  The trio of professionals spends considerable time developing health and wellness discussions and activities. In Lower School, it may be called Toolbox Tuesday and presented at Morning Meeting, while in Middle and Upper School, it takes the form of advisory and occurs during non-academic time.

Advisory and social/emotional lessons are intentional, and counselors work with advisors to ensure consistent language and resources for each group. Carpenter says in Middle School, advisors focus on everything from what procrastination looks like in the brain to friendships and boundary setting. The goal is for Middle School students to enter Upper School empowered to advocate for themselves and equipped to recognize their feelings and take care of themselves.

A Community of Care

The counseling team also includes families in wellness efforts by sharing tips and resources. Carpenter says it’s important for parents to know the same language and have the same information so they are prepared for tough conversations with their children. She points out that it can be challenging for families to parent in a world so different from the one in which they were raised, and that’s where the power of a community comes in. “We’re all parents,” she says. “Can we just lean on each other?” She also appreciates the school’s commitment to health and wellness and the intentional focus on supporting students. “I love that we prioritize our kids,” she says. “This is the whole child.”

March 23rd
Raising Confident Kids in a Comparison Culture with McCall Dempsey
11 am - 12 pm: Parent Discussion
Lunch will be provided.
RSVP here by March 18th.

The Episcopal School of Baton Rouge 2025-2026 application is now available! ​For more information on the application process, to schedule a tour, or learn more about the private school, contact us at [email protected] or 225-755-2685.