Oak Park Unified School District
WELLNESS CENTER
Welcome to the Oak Park Unified School District virtual Wellness Center! In this virtual Wellness Center you will find a space where you can take a break, find resources, gain mental health education and promote overall well-being. Our in-person center is located at Oak Park High School in H-16.
Meet the Wellness Counselors and Wellness Center Clerk!
Ms. Traci Baron
Oak Park HS Wellness Center Clerk
UPDATES AND NEWS
Whether they're happening close to home or across the world, disturbing events in the news can be difficult for students to process. The following resources provide guidance about talking to kids and helping them cope.
Join MHA and ASU for this 1-hour session where we will:
Describe current challenges youth face regarding technology
Hear from parents about how they are helping youth navigate technology and their mental health
Hear from youth about how they want support for their mental health
Funding for this series is provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Child Traumatic Stress Network.
Articles On The Dangers of Fentanyl
Parent Education
Positive Parenting Tips for Healthy Child Development- Infograph, CDC
Suicide Awareness: A Collective Responsibility - OPUSD Webinar RECORDING, 9/18/23
No Parent Left Behind -ROWI and OPUSD Recording, 4/2/24
Clear the Vapor Conversations: Like the conference, Clear the Vapor: Conversations will convene researchers, public health advocates, and leading experts to participate in informative discussions that will be held throughout the year and address a variety of topics including: environmental harms caused by vaping; “creative” vaping cessation ideas; and engaging youth to quit. Each event will feature a moderated discussion with participants’ questions answered live.
Fentanyl Awareness and Current Substabce Abuse Trends- OPUSD WEbinar RECORDING, 10/24/23
Teenagers Decoded - Lisa Damour, Author of The Emotional Lives of Teenagers, explains why they do what they do, when parents should be concerned, and what we can do to support their healthy development.
Sleep
How to Help Teenagers Get More Sleep :It's not easy, but parents still have the power to encourage good sleep habits
Complete Guide to Teenagers and Sleep : scents are notoriously sleep-deprived, because of a combination of biology, technology and the demands of school and extra-curricular activities. This guide outlines how lack of sleep can affect teenagers, and how parents can help them build more sleep into their lives.
Perfectionism
When teens ask their parents to help them select classes, here’s how they can help.
Information, Tips and Resources
At the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), our goal is to help people get accurate, science-based information about drugs and health. To help you start a conversation about drugs and health, we’ve compiled teens' 10 most frequently asked questions..
Research shows that clear rules help keep kids safe.
In this video, teens learn that the stress, anxiety and frustration that often come with these experiences produce uncomfortable physical sensations due to our flight, fight, or freeze response. Effective relaxation skills, like paced belly breathing, help to calm the body and turn down the intensity of these unpleasant feelings.
Sleep is essential, but many of us don’t get enough of it. One of the best ways to get back on track is through better sleep hygiene; establishing habits that promote a good night’s sleep, like setting a routine.
discuss the youth mental health crisis and shares tips on how parents can have an open conversation with their teens about mental health and social media.
Here's how to take the pressure off and make the week less stressful
Understanding what type of test-taker your child is can help him or her learn to study more effectively and complete tests with as little anxiety as possible.
In this video you'll learn; How can negative thinking patterns affect kids’ lives? What are some of the most common negative thinking patterns? How can parents help kids change negative thinking patterns?
It’s normal for children to feel down when bad things happen, but a child with depression doesn’t feel better if things change. Learn about different types of depression.
Meeting the emotional challenges of caring for children with mental health issues
If worrying about embarrassing yourself is getting in your way, some strategies for beating the fear
Helping kids learn strategies for handling big emotions
Youth, Parents, Family and Friends, Schools & Teachers
There are many mindfulness activities available for children, teens, and adults that can relieve stress and help you be more present in the moment.
Family Support Group provides support, education, advocacy and information to family members and friends of those suffering with severe mental illness. Currently hosted via Zoom on the 1st, 2nd,3rd & 4th Tuesday of each month. Registration is REQUIRED. Our registration cut off time is 4:30pm on day of group.
Questions?
Contact Ms. Hernandez at fhernandez@opusd.org or
Mrs. Jordan at ajordan@opusd.org to get more information.