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, […]
Does the school policy at your school account for students who may be experiencing mental health challenges? Do staff know how to be trusted adults? How do your current school policy and staff training create an inclusive school environment around mental health? About Us Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit organization founded in 2004 that is […]
Serving Students with SEL During a recent conversation with a colleague who is in charge of social-emotional learning (SEL) for a large school district, we wondered how schools would respond to this question, “What services should be provided to the students you serve?” Preparing students to thrive academically might be a top answer; however, the […]