Skip to main content
Go to District

Resources - Mental Health

February is Teen Dating Violence & Prevention Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month 

 

Important Terminology in Mental Health

  • Potentially traumatic events that occur before the age of 18 that can affect a child's sense of safety, stability, and well being. These experiences can impact emotional development, mental health, physical health and behavior later in life. Ex: abuse(physical, emotional, sexual), neglect (physical, emotional), substance abuse in the family, domestic violence, divorce, incarcerated family member, familial mental health crises. 
     

  • A feeling of worry, nervousness, or fear that can become intense or hard to control. May present as racing thoughts, physical symptoms(stomachaches), and/or avoidance. 

  • Healthy strategies used to manage stress, emotions, or challenges. Deep breathing, talking to someone, exercise, journaling.

  • A persistent feeling of sadness, hopelessness, or loss of interest in activities that lasts for more than a couple of weeks and interferes with daily life.

  • The ability to notice, understand, and manage emotional experiences in appropriate/healthy ways. 

  • This is the other part of the autonomic nervous system. This system helps your body relax and recover. It slows things down- your heart rate decreases, breathing returns to normal, digestion increases, and your body conserves energy. 

    Calm, Restore, Recover

  • Frequent difficulty attending school due to emotional distress, anxiety, or feeling overwhelmed. 

  • Intentional actions taken to support physical, emotional, and mental well-being. 

  • How a person views and values themselves as individuals.

  • The body's response to pressure or a challenge.  Some stress is normal, ongoing or chronic stress can impact mood, sleep, focus,  and ultimately health. 

  • One part of the autonomic nervous system that controls your body automatically (without you thinking about it). This system prepares your body to handle stress or danger. It speeds things up- your heart rate increases, breathing gets faster, pupils dilate, and energy is released so you can react quickly. 

    Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn

    • Trauma (capital “T”):

    Significant or overwhelming event or series of events that threatens a person's physical or emotional safety and exceed their ability to cope. 

    Ex: abuse, violence, serious accidents, natural disasters, loss of a loved one, witnessing or experiencing a life threatening situation.

    • trauma (lowercase “t”) 

    Emotional, psychological, and physiological response a person has to a distressing experience. Emphasis on the cumulative effect of these events. Ex: ongoing bullying, chronic stress, emotional neglect, difficult family conflict, ACEs

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs )

Why ACEs Matter in Schools?

ACEs are common. Three out of four students reported experiencing one or more ACEs. One in Five experienced four or more ACEs. 

ACEs can impact both mental and physical health into adulthood. ACEs are connected to chronic disease development in adulthood such as diabetes, cancer, heart disease and suicide due to toxic stress. Toxic stress, extended or prolonged stress, can negatively affect children's brain development, immune system, and stress response system. These changes are correlated with negatively impacting attention, decision making and learning in children. 

ACEs can be prevented. Creating safe, stable, and nurturing relationships for all children helps them reach their full potential. These kinds of relationships and environments promote positive childhood experiences (CDC, 2026). 

To learn more about ACEs you can read The Deepest Well- Healing the Long Term Effect of Childhood Adversity by Dr. Nadine Burke Harris, M.D.

ACE Resource Links

Grief

What is Grief?

It is the intense emotional, physical, and psychological response to loss. Grief is not just about death, but how you experience loss related to many different things like family changes, friendships, moving. Everyone experiences grief differently; Grief is a natural response to loss and there is no "right way.

Common Reactions to Grief:

  • Emotional: sadness, anger, confusion, guilt, and numbness, irritability, overwhelmed .
  • Physical: difficulties sleeping, headaches, changes in appetite, stomachaches.
  • Behavioral: withdrawing from friends and activities, changes in school performance, mood swings, risk-taking 
  • Cognitive: difficulties focusing, fogginess, forgetful, asking questions about life or meaning 

When to Seek Additional Support:

Sometimes Grief can Feel to big to mange alone. It may be helpful to seek additional support if you, a friend, or loved one is expeperiencing:

  • Ongoing sadness that does not improve over time 
  • Feelings of hopelessness
  • Major changes in behavior or personality
  • Difficulty functioning at school or in relationships

How to Help a Friend Who is Grieving: 

  • Active listening/ being present
  • Avoid judgement or trying to fix their feelings 
  • Inviting them to spend time together 
  • Letting a trusted adult know if you are concerned about them

To learn more about grief you can read What's Your Grief? Lists to Help You Through Any Loss by Eleanor Haley, MS, and Litsa Williams, MA, LCSW-C

Grief Resource Links

Coping Skills

What are Coping Skills? 

Coping skills are the strategies we use to deal with stress, emotions, and difficult situations. Everyone uses coping skills every day—sometimes without even realizing it.

Not all coping skills are the same, though. Some help us feel better in a healthy, lasting way, while others might only help for a moment—or even make things harder over time.


Why are Coping Skills Important? 

Coping skills are not just “nice to have”—they are essential tools that help students manage stress, emotions, and everyday challenges in healthy ways. Research shows that how students cope with stress can directly impact their mental health, academic success, and overall well-being.

  • Reduce stress and anxiety 
  • Improve focus and school performance
  • Help manage strong emotions
  • Build resilience 
  • Without effective coping strategies, stress can negatively affect:
  • Mood and emotions
  • Sleep 
  • Academic Performance 
  • Overall Mental Health 


What is the Purpose of Coping Skills?

  • Coping skills act as "buffers" against stress. Students who utilize helpful coping strategies experience lower levels of stress and depression. Students also display a higher sense of self efficacy (Choi, 2026).
  • Coping skills don’t make stress disappear—but they help you handle it in a way that keeps you healthy, focused, and in control.


What if Coping Skills Don't Work for Me? 

If you’ve ever tried a coping skill and thought, “This isn’t helping,” you’re not alone. That’s actually a very common experience. The truth is: coping skills aren’t one-size-fits-all, and they don’t always work instantly.

  • Coping skills take practice: Coping skills are like any other skill—you have to practice them before they start to feel natural or effective.
    • Trying something once might not be enough
    • The more you use a skill, the more your brain and body learn how to respond
  • You might be trying it too late: Some coping skills are harder to use when emotions are already very intense.
    • It’s easier to use strategies when stress is building—not at its peak
    • Think of it like catching a wave early instead of after it crashes
  • Not every strategy works for everyone: What works for one person might not work for someone else—and that’s okay.
    • Some people like talking 
    • Others prefer quiet activities 
    • Some need movement to feel better
  • The skills might not match the situation: Different problems need different tools.
    • If you’re overwhelmed → calming strategies help
    • If there’s a problem to solve → action steps help
    • If you’re feeling stuck in your thoughts → distraction or movement may help
  • Some skills help slowly, not instantly: Not all coping skills provide quick relief.
    • Healthy coping skills take time and lead to long term improvements 
    • Instant gratification (quick fix) feels great! However, this strategy is not as effective as using coping skills. 
       

Healthy Coping Strategies

Healthy coping skills help you manage your emotions in a safe and positive way. They don’t just make you feel better in the moment—they also help you handle challenges more effectively over time.

What they do:

  • Help you calm down without causing harm
  • Support your mental and physical health
  • Build confidence and resilience
  • Help solve problems or process emotions

Examples students can relate to:

  • Talking to a friend, counselor, or trusted adult
  • Taking deep breaths or using a grounding strategy
  • Going for a walk or playing a sport
  • Listening to music or creating art
  • Writing in a journal
  • Taking a break and coming back to a problem later
  • Practicing positive self-talk (“I can handle this”)


Unhealthy Coping Strategies

Unhealthy coping skills might help you escape or avoid uncomfortable feelings for a short time, but they don’t actually solve the problem—and can sometimes make things worse.

What they do:

  • Provide quick relief, but only temporarily
  • Avoid or ignore the real issue
  • Can negatively impact your well-being or relationships
  • May turn into habits that are hard to break

Examples students can relate to:

  • Ignoring problems or pretending they don’t exist
  • Taking anger out on others (yelling, fighting)
  • Isolating yourself from friends or family
  • Spending excessive time on screens to avoid feelings
  • Procrastinating important responsibilities
  • Negative self-talk (“I’m terrible at everything”)

Coping Resource Links

School Avoidance

What is School Avoidance?

School avoidance occurs when a student had difficulty attending or staying in school due to emotional distress. Students who avoid school often want to attend but feel unable to due to anxiety, stress, or other challenges. 

Common Signs of School Avoidance Behaviors: 

  • Frequent complaint of headaches or stomach aches, especially in the morning 
  • Difficulty getting out of bed or preparing for school
  • Repeated requests to stay home 
  • Increased anxiety on school days/ nights 
  • Frequent absences or tardiness
  • Emotional distress when discussing school 

Potential Risk Factors for School Avoidance:

  • Anxiety about academic performance or tests 
  • Social concerns (friendships, bullying, fitting in)
  • Feeling overwhelmed or burnt out 
  • Changes at home (family stress, divorce, transitions)
  • Mental health concerns such as anxiety or depression 

How School Avoidance Impacts Students:

  • Academic progress 
  • Social connections and friendships 
  • Confidence and independence 
  • Overall emotional wellbeing 

Strategies to Challenge School Avoidance:

  • Establish manageable goals (ex: attending part of the day)
  • Practice coping skills to regulate emotions
  • Seek Support from a counselor or trusted adult
  • Focus on one step at a time