Resources For Immediate Response
Resources For Immediate Response
Embedded Files
If you are a student in need support or have a concern about a VMMS student, please contact your school counselor during office hours. If you need support after hours, please use the resources on this page and contact your school counselor so they can follow up and provide you with continuing support at school.
If you are a student in need support or have a concern about a VMMS student, please contact your school counselor during office hours. If you need support after hours, please use the resources on this page and contact your school counselor so they can follow up and provide you with continuing support at school.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
Call 1-800-273-8255. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Call 1-888-724-7240 . The ACL is an outstretched hand to individuals or people they know who are overwhelmed, depressed, or searching for answers. A phone call will connect you with a compassionate counselor who is always standing by to provide hope and encouragement 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free.
Text MHA to 741741 and you’ll be connected to a trained Crisis Counselor. Crisis Text Line provides free, text-based support 24/7.
Call 1-866-488-7386 or text START to 678678. A national 24-hour, toll free confidential suicide hotline for LGBTQ youth.
If you need assistance finding food, paying for housing bills, accessing free childcare, or other essential services, visit 211.org or dial 211 to speak to someone who can help. Run by the United Way.
Coping Skills
Coping Skills
Coping skills are things that you can do to make yourself feel better whenever you are experiencing strong emotions. Everyone is different, we all have different coping skills. What may work for someone else, may not work for you. Try many coping skills and remember which ones you liked or which ones helped you feel better during a challenging time. Use your coping skills when you are having a rough day.
Managing Stress
Managing Stress
Stress management for kids and teens
Stress management for kids and teens
Facing stressors is a fact of life, for children and adults. These strategies can help keep stress in check:
Sleep well. Sleep is essential for physical and emotional well-being. Experts recommend nine to 12 hours of sleep a night for 6- to 12-year olds. Teens need eight to 10 hours a night. Sleep needs to be a priority to keep stress in check. To protect shut-eye, limit screen use at night and avoid keeping digital devices in the bedroom.
Exercise. Physical activity is an essential stress reliever for people of all ages. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends at least 60 minutes a day of activity for children ages 6 to 17.
Talk it out. Talking about stressful situations with a trusted adult can help kids and teens put things in perspective and find solutions.
Make time for fun — and quiet. Just like adults, kids and teens need time to do what brings them joy, whether that’s unstructured time to play with building bricks or uninterrupted hours to practice music or art. Also, while some children thrive bouncing from one activity to the next, others need more down time. Find a healthy balance between favorite activities and free time.
Get outside. Spending time in nature is an effective way to relieve stress and improve overall well-being. Researchers have found that people who live in areas with more green space have less depression, anxiety and stress.
Write about it. Research has found that expressing oneself in writing can help reduce mental distress and improve well-being. Some research has found, for example, that writing about positive feelings—such as the things you’re grateful for or proud of — can ease symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Learn mindfulness. In a study of a five-week mindfulness training program for 13- to 18-year-olds, researchers found that teens who learned mindfulness experienced significantly less mental distress than teens who did not.
Breathing Exercises
Breathing Exercises
Relaxation Tools
Relaxation Tools
Check out the following relaxation apps.
Check out the following relaxation apps.
They are all free to download to your devices and you will have access to some features without paying for membership.
Click on each logo below to experience the apps online.
Meditate, Sleep, Relax.
A personal guide to health and happiness. It can help you focus, breathe, stay calm, and create the conditions for a better.
Fall asleep quickly and wake up refreshed.
Smiling Mind is a unique tool developed by psychologists and educators to help bring balance to your life.
Whether you're stressed, anxious, great, or having trouble sleeping, simply tell Aura and find strength & rest.
MindShift CBT Anxiety Relief - Manage anxiety & be mindful
Worry Dolls - If you give your worry to the worry doll, the worry doll will worry it for you.
Mindfulness Coach. Mindfulness has been shown to be effective for reducing stress, improving emotional balance, increasing self-awareness, helping with anxiety and depression.
Train Your Brain To Be Kind
Train Your Brain To Be Kind
Additional Refueling Resources:
Additional Refueling Resources:
4 Tips for Handling Social Anxiety
4 Tips for Handling Social Anxiety
This video provides practical tips for managing social anxiety, a common problem for kids. It suggests encouraging kids to get out of their comfort zones and use relaxation techniques like yoga and exercise.
Understanding Feelings
Understanding Feelings
Better understanding and recognizing their emotions can help kids make progress toward healthy coping and deeper relationships.
Anxious Stomachaches and Headaches (Quick Watch)
Anxious Stomachaches and Headaches (Quick Watch)
Frequent headaches or stomachaches can indicate an underlying anxiety disorder. After ruling out medical causes, parents can help kids cope by explaining how the body’s fear response works and seeking help from a therapist if needed.
MINDFULNESS
MINDFULNESS
What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is paying attention in a particular way: on purpose, in the present moment and non-judgmentally. It is a meditation practice that begins with paying attention to breathing in order to focus on the here and now-not what might have been or what you’re worried could be. The ultimate goal is to give you enough distance from disturbing thoughts and emotions to be able to observe them without immediately reacting to them.
MINDFUL EXERCISES
MINDFUL EXERCISES
BREATHING AND RELAXATION
BREATHING AND RELAXATION
We often hold a lot of tension and stress in our body. Releasing that tension can help us feel less stressed and mentally more healthy. Join SOS Program Manager Lea Karnath teach us a few -easy to follow- relaxation exercises.
We often hold a lot of tension and stress in our body. Releasing that tension can help us feel less stressed and mentally more healthy. Join SOS Program Manager Lea Karnath teach us a few -easy to follow- relaxation exercises.
Friendships & Relationships
Friendships & Relationships
Managing GRIEF
Managing GRIEF
Helpful Apps
Helpful Apps
Confidential support for 13- to 25-year-olds in California. No cost. No pressure. Chat 1:1 with a professional coach, use interactive tools to destress, or explore quizzes, videos, forums, and more. You choose!
Behavioral health coaching for parents, caregivers, and kids 0–12. No costs attached. No insurance required. No referrals needed.
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