Blog
Stay connected with Erika’s Lighthouse. Read personal stories, hear about program updates, explore ways to improve mental health and stay relevant with commentary on the latest topics.
Program Realignment to Create Cultural Change
Erika's Lighthouse is proud to announce a change to our programs for the 2021-22 School Year. Our Program Realignment initiative will create more integration between our programs to maximize interventions to generate real cultural change in schools. Watch our recent...
Remote Learning Causing A Mental Health Crisis Among Teens And Children?
At the beginning of the school year, Paige Gagerman was highly motivated. The Deerfield High School junior got dressed each day and set herself up for a day of school at her desk, or the kitchen. But now in second semester, Paige sits in bed with her sweatshirt hood...
Join Team Resilience – Get Depression Out of the Dark
It’s that time of year again … the time to create your resolutions and set goals for the new year. Here’s a great one - Sign up for the Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Imagine yourself running around the beautiful city and crossing the finish line among runners from...
White Paper: Integrating Mental Health into the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) Model for School Health
Download the PDF > Abstract The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC, pronounced “wisk”) Model is an ideal framework for school communities to assess, plan and implement healthy school policies in a coordinated fashion. Erika’s Lighthouse supports this...
Turning Passion Into Action
After being pulled in so many directions at school, the sudden shift to having so much free time can trigger boredom, frustration, and can even challenge a student’s emotional health. A group of friends home from college chose to use this time to not only take care of...
Starting A Teen Club to Protect Mental Health
I recently started an Erika’s Lighthouse Teen Club at my school. Since the club’s first meeting, my friends and I have discussed and explored many mental health topics, such as stress management and art therapy! The club and I are very excited about all of our...
Resolve To Take Care Of Your Mental Health
It’s that time of year, the time for New Year’s Resolutions. So many people decide that January is the time to start taking care of their physical health. They join a gym, commit to classes and clean the kitchen of all the holiday foods that are delicious and...
Team Resilience Runner Highlight – Ingrid Wefing
Team Resilience is comprised of all of the amazing athletes that have come together to support Erika's Lighthouse in the mission to Get Depression Out of the Dark. Our team ranges from twenty to seventy-year-olds, first-time runners, to marathon experts. What do they...
Revisiting 2020
2020 continues to spark some serious divisiveness. From politics to the pandemic, many are ecstatic to celebrate a new year and hope for brighter times ahead. There is no longer a sense that normal is boring. But, despite the challenges from this year - there are also...
Winning the John Fish ’55 Award For Distinguished Service to the Community
I was walking in a small town on the island of Kauai last February when I received a call from Peter. After some small talk, Peter told me that the Princeton Club of Chicago wanted to award the John Fish ’55 Distinguished Service to the Community Award to Ginny and me...
Erika’s Lighthouse Shines A Light On Depression
The pages of Daniel Pearl Magnet High School junior Sylvana Prieto’s leather journal are covered with messy doodles, notes and illustrations. Journaling is one of the many coping skills that students, including Prieto, learn through the program Erika’s Lighthouse,...
Coming Together So No Teen Feels Alone
Erika’s Lighthouse has grown and people are becoming more open to talking about mental health. It does have an impact on people. Even if you don’t see it directly, talking about this has helped me be more open to talking about it with friends and family or whoever may...
Navigating New Terrain and Mapping A Future
“The Erika’s Lighthouse community was very welcoming and very open. That was a big experience for me, the first moment for me to express something that I’ve wanted to talk about for a while. Now I had that community and those people that understood - to help me share...
Fake It Till You Make It
Being a teenager with depression feels lonely, dark, and wrong in every way. Why should I be sad when I have an amazing loving family and a group of friends to always laugh with? The constant ring in your ear of, “What’s wrong with me?” There's not always an answer to...
Connecting With Professionals Anytime, Anywhere
Feedback on discussion forums has been clear: participants appreciate the opportunity to learn from and reflect on their practice with colleagues across the country. Participating in an online forum in which everyone can connect with peers and engage in meaningful...
Top 10 Reasons to Join Team Resilience
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is one of the most prestigious races as one of six Abbott World Marathons. Running among athletes from around the world throughout the landscape of the City of Chicago, being cheered on every step of the way, is a feeling...
When The Outside Does Not Match The Inside
I am the parent of a suicide survivor. Even typing these words brings on a whirlwind of emotions. I remember the day my son attempted to take his life and the shock and sadness I felt that somehow I had completely failed him. How did I not see that he was hurting so...
Meeting Educators to Meet Students
The world of education today is laser-focused on meeting students where they are at - promoting equity, using sensitive and trauma-informed approaches and recognizing the unique needs and challenges of each student. We applaud these efforts and support educators in...