Welcome video
FEBRUARY FOCUS - SELF CARE
The Self Care Wheel is a great tool to use when managing your own stress. Practicing self care will help you find a balance between the six sectors in the wheel: physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, personal, and professional. As youth, it is very important for us to recognize any triggers in our stress, and where we are lacking personal self care.
Allie discusses anxiety
MARCH FOCUS - SELF COPING SKILLS
When coping with stress, there are two main types of coping skills we can use: emotion-based coping skills, and problem-based coping skills.
Emotion-based coping skills can be used when you feel like you're not ready to change a situation, or you feel the situation is out of your control. They can help distract, self-soothe, and tolerate stress in healthy ways.
Some examples include:
exercising, going for a walk, reading a book, coloring/drawing, listening to music, journaling, taking a shower or a bath
On the other hand, problem-based coping skills can be used when a stressful situation can be changed or improved. This might mean changing your behavior or creating some sort of plan to help guide yourself out of a stressful situation.
Some examples include:
- asking for support from a friend, trusted adult, or counselor
- creating a to-do list
- establishing healthy boundaries (with peers, school work, etc.)
- creating a weekly/daily schedule
- setting reminders or notifications for yourself
- work on managing your time better
There are also certain short-term coping strategies that can help! They are all easy, don't require any equipment or other people to help, and can be performed in most situations.
Box Breathing
Square Breathing
It will increase oxygen to the brain and help you relax and think.
How to do it:
First, get yourself into a comfortable position.
Then, visualize the 4 edges of a square since there are 4 steps, held for 4 seconds each.
1. Take a slow deep breath for about 4 seconds.
2. Hold the air in your lungs for another 4 seconds.
3. Exhale through your mouth for 4 seconds.
4. Repeat everything 4 more times.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation
This is an activity where you practice tensing and releasing one body part at a time, moving through your entire body while you focus on the sensations.
How to do it: Choose a body part to start at.
For this example, we'll use a fist.
1. Tense your fist.
2. Hold your fist to a count of 10, and then release it slowly, making sure to pay attention to what you feel in your body.
3. Keep repeating this with a different body part.
Half-Smiling + Willing Hands
It is based on a mind-to-body connection, wherein you physically take control of your facial expression and hand positioning in a positive way. It works by stimulating the release of "feel-good" neurotransmitters in your brain, creating a positive feedback loop.
How to "half-smile":
First, you should relax your face before you start with a half-smile by allowing the corners of your mouth to turn slightly upwards. Keep your half-smile relaxed and natural, not forced or tensed.
How to do "willing hands":
First, relax your arms and turn your palms up, towards the sky or ceiling. Unclench your hands and rotate them with your thumbs out to the side, palms up, and with relaxed fingers.
APRIL FOCUS - SELF CARE
Check out Rachel's video about the effects of stress.
A great way to engage in Self-Care this month-Participate in the “Better YOU Bingo” month long challenge
Clark County STASHA (Strong Teens Against Substance Hazards and Abuse) is putting on a Better YOU Bingo challenge! The challenge was created to encourage youth in the community to practice different coping skills. After a difficult year of online learning and other effects from the pandemic, STASHA thought that having a focus on coping skills would be important. The challenge is accessible and inclusive of all Clark County youth- including Ridgefield!
Q: What is STASHA?
You probably want to know who exactly is putting on the challenge and why the NHS Student Health Committee is promoting it. STASHA is a Clark County Peer education and youth program funded by the Clark County Service Department. STASHA is committed to spreading awareness about drug and alcohol prevention among youth in the community. If you are interested in mental health and spreading awareness in the community, you can apply to STASHA in May clarkcountystasha.org @clarkcountystasha.
MAY + JUNE FOCUS: A BETTER YOU PART 2
For our final month of content, presented by the NHS Student Health Committee, we have a collage of photos of us participating in the Better YOU Bingo Challenge! Taking part in this challenge was important to us because it gave us time in our day to take a step back and practice self care.
As young people in our community, we know and understand the stress that you all have endured this last year. We hope our website was able to provide some solidarity and advice. We want you to know that you are not alone and that we are able to get through this together as a community! Please continue to practice self care over the break.
Thanks everyone and enjoy your summer! :)
