In the Elementary Counselor's Office
A third grader walks in after a meltdown in the cafeteria. He is crying, fists clenched, refusing to talk. The counselor does not push. She hands him a textured sticker and says, "Feel this. Count the dots with your finger." He presses. One row. Two rows. His breathing slows. His fists unclench. Five minutes later, he is talking about what happened. The counselor asks if he wants to keep it. He sticks it on his water bottle. The next week, his teacher tells you he was rubbing the sticker under his desk during math — and made it through the whole period without a meltdown. His mom emails asking where to buy more.