High School Resources

Mental Health Resources for High School Students and Parents

Welcome! On this page you will find information on mental health resources for students at the secondary level, as well as information and resources for parents. At WHS we are committed to raising awareness on youth mental health, and connecting students and their families to the resources they need. On this page you will find links and information on the following topics:

Mrs. Caitlin Wilcox LMSW

Welcome to the 2022-2023 School Year!  Please see my schedule below, and do not hesitate to contact me via email or phone at any time to discuss concerns or questions that you may have.

Mrs. Wilcox Schedule 

Monday - Friday 8:30-3:20



For more information about the resources contained on this page, or to connect with the school social worker at WHS, please email or call Caitlin Wilcox, LMSW.

Email: wilcoxc@gowcs.net. 

Phone: 517- 655-2142 X 7013

Check In With Mrs. Wilcox

In need of a quick check in? Complete the form in the link to let me know how you are doing, and if you need a virtual session this week. Stay well!

Mrs. Wilcox

Resource Links

Teen Mental Health

This website includes information for both teens and parents regarding teen mental health.

Coping Strategies and Interventions

Click the button above for a wide range of relaxation strategies and interventions to use to manage stress, anxiety, and depression.

be nice.

WHS is a be nice. school. Click the button above to learn more about the be nice. program, the action plan, and how to increase protective factors in yourself and others to support positive emotional health.

Local Resources

Click the button above for a comprehensive list of local resources and community services.

Suicide Prevention/Emergency Services

This website has specific information for teens, including emergency contact information and suicide warning signs.

Parent Resources

This website provides helpful information for parents who are seeking to better understand teen depression, warning signs, and how to seek help.

 Wellness with Mrs. Wilcox

Consider this your one stop shop for all things related to your social/emotional wellness! I will be updating this resource page regularly with new resources and strategies to help you keep your stress and anxiety at bay, and help promote overall positive emotional health and well-being. Stay well, All!

Sincerely, Mrs. Wilcox

Balanced Self Care

Finding balance and maintaining positive self care habits can help us to reduce overall feelings of stress and lead to wellness.  According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), there are six elements of self care.  When we take time to practice self care in each of these areas, we are best able to handle new stressors as they come our way, and boost our mental health. Take time to review the six elements described.

6 Elements of Self Care

Physical: Stay healthy by eating well and caring for your body

Social: Cultivate relationships by staying connected with friends and loved ones. Create a positive support system.

Emotional: Attend to your feelings and your emotional needs/Recognize and regulate emotions so that they do not interfere with functioning

Professional: Create a healthy work and school environment for yourself. Create routines that foster professional success.

Mental/Psychological: Stimulate your brain with problem solving. Think about the supports that help you to keep a clear mind. Know when it is time for a mental break.

Spiritual: Think about the systems and beliefs that guide you. What fills you with hope?


Take time to reflect on your own self care in each of these areas. If you are interested in finding ways to create more balance, check out the link below for ideas and a template to help you get started!


Additional Wellness Strategies and Ideas

Back to Basics

To combat symptoms related to high stress, a good starting point is to get into good eating, sleeping, and exercise habits. Focusing on these three areas alone will help you build a stronger ability to problem solve, maintain a positive sense of well-being, and boost your overall mood and energy levels!

Eat Well

While under stress you may turn to your favorite  comfort foods to provide you a sense of emotional relief. It is important to keep in mind that the food that we eat is fuel for our bodies, and when we eat healthy, clean, raw foods, we feel better mentally and emotionally! Food not only fuels our body, but our mind as well! Be sure to include plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein into your daily diet. Skip the soda and high sugar treats, and try to add more water for a happier you! It is also important to eat regularly.  

Sleep Well

According to the Nationwide's Children Organization, the average teenager gets 7 hours of sleep every day.  Research has indicated for optimal wellness, teens should get 9 hours of sleep. The amount of sleep we get has a direct correlation to our ability to function properly, and this include our ability to function cognitively and emotionally. Keep a log of how many hours of sleep you are getting each night. If you find you are running on low sleep, and you feel depressed, anxious, and irritable, lack of sleep could be the culprit! Consider changing your sleep habits for increased well-being. 

Exercise

Not only does exercise release endorphins, the feel good chemicals in our brain to help boost our mood, but putting physical stress on our body while exercising also takes stress off our mind. If you are starting from a place of little exercise included in your daily routine, consider starting small and adding a little more each week. Walking  or bike riding outside are great ways to get in some exercise to help boost our mood and release stress! 

Create a Schedule

To help implement some of these new healthy habits, and to help create a sense of normalcy and structure during these unpredictable times, consider using a schedule to help you get back on track! Use the following document as a tool to help structure your day, and help you come up with some additional ways to add self care and positive coping strategies into your routine.

Mindfulness

During this fast paced world we live in,  it is difficult for many of us to find peace and to find ways to relax and stay calm. Many of us add positivity and joy to our lives by planning trips, social gatherings, and events that we can look forward to. While planning ahead and looking forward to big events are great, it is important to find joy and peace every day. One great strategy to use is MINDFULNESS. Instead of placing so much of our attention and happiness on the future, tune in more to this moment, right now, today! 

So what is Mindfulness anyway? 

In a nutshell, Mindfulness is the practice of being in the present, and focusing on the here and the now. It is all about letting go of your worries of the past or future, and paying attention in a non-judgemental way to the present moment. There are many wonderful benefits to practicing Mindfulness, which include: decreased symptoms of anxiety and depression, and increased feelings of joy and happiness!

There are a wide variety of ways to incorporate mindfulness into your day and ways to practice this great skill. Mindfulness activities can include: guided meditation recordings, breathing exercises, visualization and guided imagery, progressive muscle relaxation, and yoga (to name a few).

There are many free Mindfulness resources out there. Check out the links  below to see which one might be right for you!

Self Care During COVID-19 for Teens

Self care simply refers to the way we take care of ourselves. How and in what ways we care for our own social, emotional, and physical well being are all included in our self care. During the past few weeks, the world has changed vastly. Our new normal is uncomfortable for many of us, and has brought about a wide range of emotions in us, many of which are difficult and hard to handle.  It is more important than ever to make sure you are practicing good self care habits to keep stress levels low and to help you stay well.

Coping strategies or self care strategies can be either positive or negative, meaning some coping strategies can have helpful outcomes, while others are more harmful. For example, when feeling depressed, sad, or lonely, many people will spend more time sleeping or staying in their room. While it might feel good to rest in a safe space, too much sleep and isolation can have harmful impacts on our mental health.

If you are looking for some new ways to practice positive self care or implement new coping strategies during this time, or want to spend time reflecting on whether or not the coping strategies you are currently using are helpful or harmful, then this resource is perfect for you! Click the TRAILS "button" below to access this great resource on self care and coping strategies for teens during COVID-19.

Screen Time and Mental Health

Thoughts and Considerations This Week: What are harmful side effects of excessive screen time/technology use?

What can I do to stay mindful? What would be a beneficial alternative?

While technology has many benefits and helps us to stay connected, it is important to be mindful of how much time we are spending in front of a screen. 

According to a research study conducted at San Diego State University, the negative side effects and impacts of screen time on youth development and adolescent mental health are clear.  Research indicates that too much screen time (particularly on our cell phones and tablets), has been correlated to increased feelings of depression and anxiety, and overall poor mental health in adolescents and children.  Adolescents in the study who reported excessive screen time use also had increased irritability and poor concentration.  Additional harmful side effects of too much screen time include obesity, sleep disturbances, and difficulty with friendships.

It is suggested that if you are spending more than 1-2 hours a day connected to your phone, you may be prone to experiencing these symptoms. While it is good to use technology now to stay connected to those you care about, be mindful of how much time you are spending in front of a screen. Make sure you are balancing out your day and your time with other activities away from your phone. If you are unsure of how much time your currently spend using technology, consider logging or tracking your time spent on your phone, tablet, computer, and watching TV. 

Tech Free Activity Ideas:

Stay mindful of how much time you are spending each day using technology. Incorporating some of these self care practices, that do not include technology, can help boost your mood and improve your sense of happiness and well-being! 

For more information on this topic, click  the icon below.

Be nice. Information and Resources: COVID-19 

WHS is a be nice. school, which means we are a school that is dedicated to raising awareness on mental health and reaching out to those in need by following the be nice. Action Plan. The Action Plan includes four main steps to help make an impact on those in need: Notice, Invite, Challenge, and Empower. NOTICE what is good, and also notice changes in how someone is thinking, acting, or feeling. INVITE that person to start a conversation about the changes that you have seen in them. CHALLENGE yourself or an individual in need to get help by sharing resources and connecting them to a trusted adult or counseling services.  EMPOWER yourself and others to engage in protective factors to help fight against symptoms of anxiety and depression. Empower yourself to practice positive self care strategies and spread kindness to those around you.

With the rise of the mental health crisis, it is now more important than ever to be in tune with our own mental health and the mental health of those around us. Know the Action Plan and commit to following it.  The Mental Health Foundation of West Michigan has expanded the resources found on the benice.org website to now include resources on navigating your mental health during the COVID-19 crisis.  

On this page, you will find access to a wide variety of resources including:

Check out and share the new resources and information to help you and others stay well during this time. Visit the website by clicking the icon below:

Expressing Gratitude

So often we pass through our day thinking of our many demands and to-dos, focusing on the negatives, worrying about future outcomes, or anxious about the unknown and what is to come. We have all experienced those uncomfortable feelings at one point or another, and could use more strategies on how to stay positive and stay well.  Too often, we do not stop to think of all that is good in our lives, and all that we have to be thankful for.  It may be hard to find at times, but there is always something to be grateful for. It could be a supportive family member, teacher, or friend, or perhaps simply that the sun is shining today!  Practicing gratitude can bring us peace and keep our minds and bodies in a more positive state. 

So why gratitude? Practicing gratitude is a simple way to reduce stress, increase feelings of happiness, and also improve our self esteem.  Additional benefits to practicing gratitude include increased social connections, improved mental and physical health, and increased empathy. There are many ways to express and practice gratitude. Consider the ideas below to help you get started!

Take time at the end of the day or each week to reflect and write about all you are thankful for.  Consider trying to focus on 3-5 things that went especially well, or that you felt positively impacted by during the given time period.  Journal entries can be short, or detailed depending on your preference. The most important aspect is to take the time to reflect and get your thoughts down. This form of practicing gratitude can also lead to better sleep and wellness!

Reflect on the people in your life who make a positive impact on you.  Take time to thank those around you for doing kind things and helping you by writing them a letter, sending an email, via verbal conversation, or phone call. Sending a thank you will SPREAD JOY to those around you, while also boosting your own feel good vibes! For a free color page thank you note, click the link at the bottom of this section.

Talk a walk outside today, and intentionally practice gratitude by reflecting on all of the experiences that bring you joy on your walk. It might be feeling the sun warn your face, experiencing the smell of fresh air or hearing wild life around you. So often we take for granted the many abilities and experiences that we have.  Intentionally set out on your walk to find all that is good around you.

When you are feeling your stress levels rise, simply pause to find the good in the situation you are currently in. Tune in to your surroundings, ground yourself in the moment, and find at least one thing in the moment that you are thankful for.

For even more ideas on how to practice gratitude, writing prompts and gratitude exercises, podcasts on the benefits or gratitude, and apps to help you stay on track, check out the link below! 

Thanks for visiting the High School Mental and Emotional Health Resource Page! Please let me know if there are additional resources you are in need of, or if there is a topic that you would like more information on. Thank you!

Sincerely, Mrs. Wilcox