An examination of the mental health impact of COVID-19 and how connectedness to school, family, friends and community groups impact mental health outcomes. Please note: Numbers represent the highlighted annotations on this CDC report. The Erika’s Lighthouse programs firmly center on the student, allowing teens to find their voices and speak up about mental health. By …
Access Programs In April, the CDC published a report on youth mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic. The statistics are grim. But the survey also offers hope. Teens who feel connected at school report much lower rates of poor mental health. And schools can play an important role in supporting students’ mental health. Erika’s Lighthouse is here …
CDC Report on Youth Mental Health: The Erika’s Lighthouse Perspective Read More »
Before Lady Gaga took the stage for her long-awaited concert at Wrigley Field, the star’s foundation showed support for a Chicago-area nonprofit. NBC 5’s Jen DeSalvo reports.
Access Programs We have heard so much about everyone’s declining mental health – particularly our young people. In our effort to bring attention to this challenge, are we unintentionally doing more harm? In a recent opinion piece in Newsweek, Nat Kendall-Taylor and Andrew J. Fuligni, CEO of the Frameworks Institute and Professor in the Department …
Do the family members of your district have the tools and knowledge they need to recognize signs of depression? Are they trusted adults who can address mental health? Do they know where to get help for their students or other teens in the community? Who We Are Erika’s Lighthouse is a non-profit organization founded in …
The Power of Programs with ImpactPart III: Family Engagement Read More »
Access Programs The Basics “You’re not alone,” a phrase so simple yet it’s the hardest to grasp when struggling with mental health. It’s what I like to call, “the golden rule” of mental health. Whether it’s you who’s battling a mental health disorder or someone you know, it’s still a journey. What matters most is …
Patricia Voloschin-Weiner, LCPC has been working as a therapist with children, adults, and couples for the past 30 years and has addressed a variety of issues such as domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, trauma, immigration/acculturation, grief and loss, mental illness, and developmental disabilities. She has served on numerous tasks forces and advisory boards regarding …
Access Programs 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; …
SEL and Mental Health Education Build on One Another Read More »
Nancy Watson (LCSW, CADC) is a psychotherapist at Lake Forest Wellness (Lake Forest, Illinois) specializing in working with children, adolescents, and adults with a variety of presenting concerns. Nancy is passionate about helping clients navigate mental health challenges, manage developmental and life transitions, and achieve their personal goals. Her multifaceted approach incorporates a variety of …
Access Programs 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 …
The Importance of Reaching Out to a Trusted Adult Read More »
