Another study. Another confirmation that our youth are struggling with their or their peers’ mental health. In fact, student mental health experiences are now dramatically, and negatively, impacting the academic purpose of schools. According to the latest YouthTrust Student Survey, “‘Depression, stress, and anxiety’ is the most prevalent obstacle to learning for secondary […]
Take a moment to think back to your health education class (if you even had one). What comes to mind? For many people, memories of health education involve “just say no,” lots of “don’t do (insert behavior here)” and scare tactics. We also often hear that their health education wasn’t engaging, relevant, or all that […]
Trigger Warning: Suicidal Ideation My Story I have always been someone who is afraid of reaching out for help. However, that had to change when at the end of freshman year I reached a point where I could not handle everyday life and feelings by myself. My parents were freshly divorced, COVID hit, and my […]
Schools Promoting Mental Health As a mental health professional with experience working in a school environment, I appreciate that schools play an essential role in promoting well-being and student mental health. The structures and systems in schools are uniquely suited to offer students the opportunity to navigate the everyday stressors of life, build healthy relationships, […]
Cultural Differences & Mental Health An aspect of identity that is often overlooked is culture. Schools need to be focused and remain vigilant about unique cultural distinctions relating to students. Our culture, beliefs, sexual identity, values, religion, race, and language all affect how we perceive and experience mental health concerns. In fact, a number of […]