Stress is defined as “a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or very demanding circumstances”, and during a global pandemic, to say we are all under some amount of stress would likely be an understatement. This is no less true for the...
This will be a year that we want to forget, but unfortunately the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic will be with us for many years to come. A large portion of our population has suffered disproportionately from this crisis, and I applaud those who have found ways...
The Wellness & Prevention Coalition is a federally-funded Drug Free Communities (DFC) coalition that leads efforts to support healthy habits among children and their families. The mission of DFC coalitions nationwide is to reduce youth substance use through...
In 2018, 48,344 Americans died by suicide - an average of 132 per day. It is the leading cause of death for teens nationwide. The CDC announced that, in a survey conducted this spring, 1 in 4 young people ages 18-25 reported seriously considering suicide in the past...
I admit it - I am super tired of living in a pandemic. Thankfully, I am fairly well equipped physically, socially, and emotionally to deal with this situation. There are still many days when the seemingly never-ending uncertainty and inability to control what is going...
I recently lost a very close family friend to an accidental drug overdose. He is not the first, but I hope the work I do will ensure that he is the last. I have lost too many friends to mental illness and addiction. I can’t quite put my finger on the cause of this...
Earlier this month I attended the Addressing Youth Suicide conference presented by CHOCChildrens. Sadly, suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death for young people ages 10-34. At the conference, a panel member asked the audience to close their eyes and raise their...
By Lauren Gallegos Tis the season to be jolly and enjoy all of those holiday parties. It truly is a magical time of year with celebrations and time spent with family and friends. But for some it can be a tragic time of year. Holiday parties are often flowing with...
The Wellness & Prevention Center is pleased to announce a new partnership with the Orange County Health Care Agency (OCHCA),( Services for Behavioral Health, Prevention & Intervention, Mental Health Services Act, Prop 63), to provide community wide education...
Earlier this month we asked members of our Facebook group ParentingSouthOCTeens to share their holiday family traditions. It started a wonderful conversation among the group about how holidays bring together families in unique ways. With many of us feeling...