Aaron* seemed like an ordinary Eastside high-school student. He came from a wealthy family and appeared to be getting everything right: he had a large group of friends, maintained good grades and participated in extracurricular activities. But behind the scenes, he was suffering from depression, and had turned to drugs like heroin as an escape. Fortunately, Aaron turned to the Youth Eastside Services (YES) counselor who worked on-site at his school for support. Sadly, some teens conceal their problem — sometimes with tragic consequences.
June was Pride month, and it was a powerful one. It took us from highs like the designation of our nation’s first LGBT historic site, the Stonewall National Monument, to the tragic low of the Orlando Pulse nightclub shooting.
Marie* first came to Youth Eastside Services (YES) because her friends told trusted adults at her school that she was self-harming—cutting her own arms until they bled. At first, Marie showed little interest in opening up to her counselor, but as they developed a trusting relationship, the counselor was able to identify the cause of Marie’s shame, anxiety, depression and low self-esteem: She had been sexually abused.
The small town of Murphy, Texas, was rocked last week by the discovery of two suicides within hours of each other.
Where did summer go? It’s hard to believe that a new school year begins in just a few weeks.
A middle-schooler coping with the loss of a family member. A teen who was new to town and just wanted to fit in. A high-school athlete. The daughter of a Seattle news anchor.
Teens often turn to self-harming behaviors to cope with difficult and painful emotions. Average statistics indicate that one in 12 teens deliberately cut or harm themselves.
It has been hard to miss all the attention being given to the legalization of marijuana for adults. Many adults are understandably concerned about the increased availability of pot and its effect on our kids.
It has been hard to miss all the attention being given to the legalization of marijuana for adults — even in Super Bowl coverage! Many adults are understandably concerned about the increased availability of pot and its effect on our kids.
Thinking about teenagers and parties is enough to make any parent at least a little nervous. Whether your teen is hosting a party or attending a party, there are steps that you can take to ensure a safe and fun experience for all.
Merriam-Webster defines appreciation as, “To understand the worth or importance of something or someone; to admire and value, or be grateful for.”
On Sept. 12, another young child committed suicide after being bullied. She was a 12-year-old girl who had a falling out with her friends over a boy a year ago. The bullying was so difficult she changed schools, but the cyberbullying continued to torment her until she took her life.
We all want our children to succeed, but sometimes as parents we can be overly involved in our children’s’ lives. We don’t want them to get hurt or experience pain so we “overparent,” also known as helicopter parenting.
Siblings fight, sometimes a lot; there is nothing new about that. In fact most parents would consider this pretty normal.
All of our kids experience pain and trauma at some point in their lives. Try to name a family that hasn’t gone through a difficult stretch — I can’t. Sometimes, though, life’s bumps and curves rise to a level that can cause lasting impacts on a child’s health and well being, well into adulthood.
Every two years in local schools, students complete the state Healthy Youth Survey. Youth report on aspects of their physical and emotional well-being, which helps school and government officials and agencies like Youth Eastside Services (YES) stay in tune with what’s happening in their lives.
In my last column, I shared with you some of the drug trends in our local neighborhoods. As alarming as drug and alcohol use may be, there are other issues plaguing our kids. Chief among them are stress and depression.
We all want to know what our kids are being exposed to at school and within the community. And no doubt, there are some things we should be paying attention to, especially when it comes to substance use.
It turns out resilience is an important mental health characteristic that helps adolescents and adults cope in the face of adversity or stress. In essence, resilience means being able to bounce back from difficult times and cope well with challenges.
Most of us have been bullied at some point, whether we endured teasing, name-calling, or even physical aggression. Although the initial sting may go away, the memories of the experience haunt some people for the rest of their lives. You may forever be self-conscious about a crooked nose, your weight or the way you dress — all because a bully made fun of you in middle school.
