Educate and Empower Your Students

We provide mental health tools for educators and school professionals they can use to educate young people about adolescent depression. Our resources are the tools teens need to empower themselves and each other.

Educate Students

Educate students through our turn-key, authentic and free classroom programs.

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Empower Teens

Teen-led initiatives create positive school cultures and promote good mental health.

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Build Community

Promote an inclusive, empathetic and knowledgeable school community.

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Benefits of Using Erika’s Lighthouse Resources

Our materials are free and ready to use. We believe everyone should have access to tools to help teens learn about depression.

Fighting adolescent depression requires compassion, empathy, and education. Our depression education programs provide teachers with youth-oriented materials that raise awareness, encourage conversation, promote early identification and prevention, and help show adolescents that they are never alone.

Erika’s Lighthouse Classroom Education is designed to be integrated into health education classrooms. We partner with hundreds of school-based health educators around the country to efficiently and effectively implement our curricula for grades 4-12.

A few of the highlights include:

  • Streamlined and progressive curriculum levels from grades 4 through 12 for district-wide use.
  • Skills-based programs written jointly by curriculum experts and mental health professionals.
  • A Four Pillar Implementation Strategy for schools to collaborate and share responsibility that promote an inclusive school culture around mental health.
  • 1-on-1 support from our multi-disciplinary Education Team.
  • All at no-cost, made available by generous donors.

Erika’s Lighthouse suite of programs are designed to be integrated throughout a school community and impact every partner. We work with hundreds of school counselors around the country to efficiently and effectively implement one or all of our four pillars in their communities.

A few of the highlights include:

  • Streamlined and progressive curriculum levels from grades 4 through 12 for district-wide use.
  • Teen Empowerment Clubs and activities that promote peer-led conversations to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.
  • Family Engagement resources that are available for on-demand use or to host your own learning events.
  • School Policy & Staff Development resources and trainings to ensure every staff person is prepared to be a trusted adult.
  • A Four Pillar Implementation Strategy for schools to collaborate and share responsibility that promote an inclusive school culture around mental health.
  • 1-on-1 support from our multi-disciplinary Education Team.
  • All at no-cost, made available by generous donors.

Erika’s Lighthouse suite of programs are designed to be integrated throughout a school community and impact every partner. We work with hundreds of school social workers around the country to offer prevention-based programs that support both self-management of mental health and early identification.

A few of the highlights include:

  • Streamlined and progressive curriculum levels from grades 4 through 12 for district-wide use.
  • Teen Empowerment Clubs and activities that promote peer-led conversations to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.
  • Family Engagement resources that are available for on-demand use or to host your own learning events.
  • School Policy & Staff Development resources and trainings to ensure every staff person is prepared to be a trusted adult.
  • A Four Pillar Implementation Strategy for schools to collaborate and share responsibility that promote an inclusive school culture around mental health.
  • 1-on-1 support from our multi-disciplinary Education Team.
  • All at no-cost, made available by generous donors.

Erika’s Lighthouse suite of programs are designed to be integrated throughout a school community and impact every partner. We work with school administrators around the country to offer prevention-based programs that support both self-management of mental health and early identification.

A few of the highlights include:

  • Streamlined and progressive curriculum levels from grades 4 through 12 for district-wide use.
  • Teen Empowerment Clubs and activities that promote peer-led conversations to reduce stigma and encourage help-seeking.
  • Family Engagement resources that are available for on-demand use or to host your own learning events.
  • School Policy & Staff Development resources and trainings to ensure every staff person is prepared to be a trusted adult.
  • A Four Pillar Implementation Strategy for schools to collaborate and share responsibility that promote an inclusive school culture around mental health.
  • 1-on-1 support from our multi-disciplinary Education Team.
  • All at no-cost, made available by generous donors.

Erika’s Lighthouse suite of programs are designed to be integrated throughout a school community and impact every partner. Our resources are turn-key and easy to implement. Our Family Engagement resources, in particular, were crafted to connect families with the same evidence-informed lessons students are accessing in the classroom.

A few of the highlights include:

  • Streamlined and progressive curriculum levels from grades 4 through 12 for district-wide use.
  • Family Engagement resources that are available for on-demand use or to host your own learning events.
  • School Policy & Staff Development resources and trainings to ensure every staff person is prepared to be a trusted adult.
  • A Four Pillar Implementation Strategy for schools to collaborate and share responsibility that promote an inclusive school culture around mental health.
  • 1-on-1 support from our multi-disciplinary Education Team.
  • All at no-cost, made available by generous donors.

Recent Blogs for Educators

Taking the stigma out of adolescent depression is our passion and our expertise.

You’re the experts on your students. We’ll meet you where you are, and can empower adolescents to Get Depression Out of the Dark, together.

Access Free Programs

Meet Your School’s Needs with Our Suite of Programs

Erika’s Lighthouse has identified four pillars that are essential aspects of every school community. When each program pillar is active in a school we believe students will experience a more inclusive school culture around mental health.

These program pillars impact every partner throughout a school community – students, families and staff.  Districts, schools and classrooms can leverage these programs as comprehensive, integrated, tier-1 initiatives or standalone efforts that work seamlessly with existing school-based programs.

Depression is real, common, serious and treatable. Help students develop help-seeking skills and know that they are not alone.

The heart of Erika’s Lighthouse and the foundation for change is education. Through our Classroom Programs we are driven to offer valid and reliable resources that educate and empower. 

We offer three video-based classroom programs for grades 4-12 that are designed to educate and raise awareness around mental health and depression.

Learn more about Classroom Education today >

Teens have the power to change the world by shifting their school’s culture to be more positive, inclusive and empathetic on issues surrounding mental health. Erika’s Lighthouse Teen Empowerment Clubs and Awareness into Action Activities are designed as easy, flexible, and turn-key opportunities to:

  • Raise awareness
  • Reduce stigma
  • Allow teens to lead peer-to-peer activities about good mental health, depression and other mental health challenges

Our team is here to help you every step of the way in making positive changes in your school building.

Learn more about Teen Empowerment Clubs today >

Many families don’t know the signs of teen depression or where to turn for help. Erika’s Lighthouse regularly hears from educators and teens of the need to educate and engage families. Erika’s Lighthouse has designed information, resources, workshops and more to equip school communities to better interact with families around depression and mental health.

Learn more about Family Engagement today >

Ensure your school is prepared to cultivate an inclusive school culture around mental health through positive school policies, training, educator support, staff engagement and self-care. These offerings will help build a strong foundation for effective and meaningful conversations that promote good mental health, early identification and intervention.

Learn more about School Policy & Staff Development today >

Bring your community together and support Erika’s Lighthouse and depression education with community awareness activities and events.

You can demonstrate the power and passion behind mental health awareness by hosting a community event. Erika’s Lighthouse provides tools, resources and support to host a walk or another fundraising event. Bringing your community together in support of positive teen mental health, reducing stigma and raising awareness are amazing opportunities to mark special occasions or memorialize someone or something.

Learn more about hosting an event >

Erika's Lighthouse Works in Schools Across the Country

"Our school has partnered with Erika’s Lighthouse for several years, and I am always impressed with the quality of materials that they produce. Talking about depression can make both teachers and students uncomfortable, but the Erika’s Lighthouse programs are designed to decrease the negative attitudes of depression. The programs provide an opportunity for conversations about how students can contribute to a positive mental health culture in their school and community."
Health Educator, Illinois

"The videos are well done. The kids find them authentic and, because of the diversity, can see a face they recognize. The materials are affordable, well thought out and easy to use. They’re flexible and have no rigidity about how they’re to be used. Erika’s Lighthouse supplies resources offering an easy way to talk to kids about how to stay mentally healthy. No one is putting out these kinds of materials right now, and trying to create them on my own would be impossible."
School Counselor, Washington

Working With Educators To Get The Most Out of Our Depression Education Programs

We don’t believe anyone should be alone when dealing with adolescent depression. You won’t be on your own when teaching it.

We don’t think you need to be a mental health professional to encourage awareness about mental health. We can support you to make our free and accessible programs easily usable by anyone at any school. Our goal is to get you the tools and resources you need to Get Depression Out of the Dark. 

We Support You to Make the Program Your Own

Remote Support

Connect with our staff from wherever you are. Ask questions and get ideas on how to adapt your program. We’re only a few clicks away.

Professional Development

We offer on-demand webinar trainings that can be completed as a group or self-guided. Coupled with our other supports for schools we are strong partners in your mental health initiatives. All are available for free on the Resource Portal.

Conference Presentations

Find us at educational conferences around the country to get a look into our programs and so that we can connect with you.

White Paper: Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention: Implementing Effective Prevention Strategies

The Model School District Policy on Suicide Prevention: Model Language, Commentary, and Resources is the recognized policy for effective district-level engagement for suicide prevention in schools around the country. Developed by thought leaders in education and suicide prevention, it is the policy Erika’s Lighthouse has supported and shared since its creation.

Erika’s Lighthouse depression education programming is uniquely qualified to assist in meeting not only suicide prevention recommendations but go beyond suicide prevention to embrace school mental health. Depression education is a more upstream, suitable alternative for many schools implementing programs because it seeks to educate, support and empower all students, including those struggling with mental health conditions and suicidal ideation.

Read the full White Paper.

Working With You

Your students are unique. Your classroom is unique. Your needs are unique. Once you commit to using our programs in your school or community, we provide complimentary support to help you:

  • Personalize the program for your building
  • Personalize the program for your students
  • Adapt the program to your time constraints
  • Adapt the program year by year
  • Find the discussion questions that work best for you
  • Fit our program into non-traditional classroom structures

Create an account to learn more about how our free videos, lessons, and activities are the right match for your school.

Taking the stigma out of adolescent depression is our passion and our expertise.

You’re the experts on your students. We’ll meet you where you are, and can empower adolescents to shine a light on depression, together.

Access Free Programs