How can families help teens who are dealing with loss? Many of our young people are still affected by the milestones they missed as a result of the pandemic: first relationships, school events like plays and concerts, prom, graduation... Others have lost friends or family members to illnesses, moves, or just moving on. On March 2nd, Positive Directions' grief & loss specialist, Malaika Boyer-Seme, will discuss "Helping Teens Navigate Loss After Covid," the third in our Lunch & Learn series co-sponsored by Positive Directions and the Westport Weston Family YMCA. The third discussion of our Lunch & Learn series: "Helping Teens Navigate Loss After Covid" will be held Thursday, March 2nd from 12-1:30PM at the YMCA. Please bring your own lunch! To RSVP to this event, CLICK HERE Click here to download the upcoming Lunch & Learn flyer:

For most people the holidays are associated with family and friends, gatherings, preparing food, hosting family, and rituals and festivities. All of that comes with expectations that induce pressure and stress. A 2021 survey found 3 in 5 Americans feel their mental health is negatively impacted by the holidays–a trend that’s increasing over time. Year after year holidays feel like they begin sooner and the demands and expectations are higher. While the time of year is joyful for many, it can be a difficult and triggering season for others. Causes Of Stress During the Holidays Where does all of the stress come from? Here are five of the common stressors: Pressure to exceed expectations- Sometimes it feels like good isn’t good enough this time of year. We put pressure on ourselves to host the perfect holiday party and exceed expectations by purchasing extravagant gifts. Stress builds as we try to find time to attend events or shop for our children and family members when there isn’t a moment to spare. All of these expectations are magnified if finances are tight. Between inflation and businesses still adjusting from Covid, money is a concern for many people and the holidays add pressure to buy despite financial constraints. Grief During The Holidays- For those who have lost loved ones, the holidays can be a very difficult time. Constant reminders of memories and old traditions can bring on waves of grief. The first holiday after losing a loved one is one of the hardest. Grief dosen’t have to be recent; loss from many years prior can resurface as can grief associated with a miscarriage or health diagnosis. All these emotional tender spots can be hit hard during the holiday time. Too Much Togetherness- The holidays also come with countless celebrations, like work parties, family parties, traditions, children’s school events. it can all feel overwhelming, especially for those who are more introverted or experience social anxiety. The pressure to constantly appear joyful and present can take the joy right out of the season. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)- During the holidays, it’s colder and darker due to the shorter days. That lack of sunlight and warmth can have a big effect on many people's mood. For those who have a mental health condition, SAD can cause or worsen existing symptoms. Sobriety- For those who battle issues with alcoholism and addiction, the holidays can be extremely difficult, especially since there is often a higher level of temptation during this time of year. Gatherings and celebrations often involve alcohol and it can be hard to watch everyone else partaking if a person is newly sober. Additionally, if a person is experiencing stress or grief, the desire to self-medicate with substances may be greater. 9 Ways To Manage Holiday Stress 1. Accept Imperfection- Remind yourself that things may not go as planned. You may forget to buy something at the store for your recipe. Someone might miss a flight. You could be running late to an event or you may just find you're not feeling your usual holiday spirit. It's ok because there is no such thing as the perfect holiday, so try not to put that pressure on yourself and go with the flow. 2. Plan Ahead- With the holiday season being as busy as it is, it helps to create a plan for the weeks ahead. Know what needs to get done and when. Set aside specific days for shopping, baking, connecting with friends and other activities. Plan a menu and gift buying guide ahead of time. And don’t forget to plan some time to take care of yourself! 3. Say NO - Be realistic about what you are capable of and say no when you need to. Set Boundaries because you can’t do everything and trying to will lead to burnout and possible mishaps. Being intentional about how you spend your time and what you can do will make you much more present and happy about the things you can do. 4. Maintain Healthy Habits- It’s easy to overindulge during the holidays with lots of great food and treats. Try to maintain a healthy diet on the days you aren't celebrating and eat and drink in moderation. Try to get some exercise by taking a walk when you can. A quick walk around the block relieves more stress than you realize. 5. Take A Break- Know when you need a break and actually take one. Again, the goal is to avoid stress and burnout so when you feel it building, it’s time to step away. Watch a movie, play a game with your family, grab coffee with a friend, or close your eyes and take a short nap if you need it. 6. Reach Out- If you find yourself getting overwhelmed, reach out to your support system and ask for help. Learn to delegate. Maybe a family member can do the food shopping or you can give everyone an item to make or a task to do to help prepare. Ask for and accept help from others. 7. Plan Proper Self-Care- Make sure you don’t skip the things that are part of your normal self-care routine. Be sure you get proper sleep. Everything is infinitely harder and more stressful without adequate sleep. Read a book, go for a massage, meditate, exercise. Whatever you like to do, make that time for yourself. 8. Volunteer- If you’re feeling lonely during the holidays, consider volunteering. Helping others actually can make you feel better. It also forces you to get out of your head and it fosters a sense of togetherness. 9. Seek Professional Help If You Need It- If you're grieving, depressed, lonely or just overwhelmed and it’s not improving, consider seeking professional help. A therapist or support group can help you navigate challenging times and process difficult emotions that arise during the holiday season. Don’t go at it alone. Seeking support can make all the difference. Positive Directions is here for you If you are someone you know could use some support this holiday season, please reach out to us by calling 203-227-7644. We accept most major commercial and public insurances and offer sliding scale fees. Our services include: Individual and family counseling for adults and adolescents Medication management for adults and adolescents Free 1:1 peer support with a trained Peer Support Specialist Free support groups include: In-person weekly Alternatives To Suicide Group for 18+ (no registration required) Virtual weekly High School Support Group Virtual bi-weekly Alzheimer’s Caregiver Support Group Virtual weekly SMART Recovery Groups for Adults and Family & Friends (no registration required) Norwalk-specific groups: In-person SMART Teens Group, Boys' Support Group, and Girls’ Support Group for Norwalk teens only You can register directly for these support groups on our website at https://www.positivedirections.org/support-groups Other Resources If you need immediate help, here are some warmlines, hotlines, and text lines you can use for support. Crisis Text Line: text “HOME” to 741741 to access Mental Health America’s 24/7 free text line and connect with trained crisis counselors. HERO Warm Line for First Responders: dial 844-833-4376 from 8 a.m. to midnight ET daily to speak with fellow first responders trained to offer peer support and an empathetic ear. 988 - National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: dial 800-273-8255 anytime to receive free and confidential support or prevention and crisis resources. 211: 2-1-1 is a free, confidential information and referral service that connects people to essential health and human services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, online and over the phone.

This holiday season, consider donating to Positive Directions! Any amount you give will make a difference to someone else. Please take the time to read our Annual Appeal Letter & 2022 Impact Report to learn about how we are supporting our community and how you can help! Dear Supporter, There is a mental health crisis in our community and Positive Directions is providing critical support to those in need. Principally serving mid-Fairfield County, Positive Directions provides Prevention, Treatment and Recovery support to our most vulnerable residents. But as our community’s mental health needs keep deepening and multiplying, we cannot fight this epidemic alone. Our clinical services have grown 357% in the last four years. In FY22, we served 544 treatment clients, reached 28,302 individuals through our substance misuse and suicide prevention efforts, and connected with 41,879 teens and young adults online through our peer-led TurningPointCT project. We have been busy! Thanks to donors like you, our outpatient treatment clinic provides high-quality life-changing services to those most in need. Our clinical staff provides counseling and medication management to adults and adolescents for depression, anxiety, trauma, substance use, and more. A few examples of our work in the community include: free Teacher, Caregiver, and SMART Recovery support groups, community wide suicide prevention and opioid trainings, and peer support for adolescents and young adults. Without donations from the community, these services cannot be offered. While we are proud of our hard work and accomplishments, there is still so much more to do, and we cannot do it without additional community funding. Your donation will ensure that Positive Directions continues to provide the community with clinical programs and services, as well as vital mental health and substance use resources. We need your support, now more than ever. Donations can be made on our website and checks can be sent to Positive Directions, 90 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06880. And please consider us for your company’s corporate matching program. Sincerely, Vanessa Wilson, LMFT Executive Director To make a donation on our website, click HERE to be directed to our PayPal. Read about the impact of our Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery efforts in the community. 2022 Impact Report Thank you to our new and loyal donors. We could not do this work without your support!

To RSVP to this event, CLICK HERE Scroll down to download the flyer The second discussion of our Lunch & Learn series will be held Wednesday, December 14th from 12-1:30PM at the YMCA. Lunch will be provided! The topic of this Lunch & Learn is supporting teens navigating academic pressures. This Lunch & Learn will be facilitated by Positive Directions' licensed clinician, Karlene Barnett, LADC. Karlene holds a plethora of knowledge about the teen population, as she facilitates a virtual weekly High School Stressor Support group at Positive Directions. In this group, she works with teens to identify stressors, learn coping skills, deal with family/peer pressure, and develop strategies to maintain grades. On November 16th, Positive Directions and the Westport Weston YMCA hosted the first Lunch & Learn of the series, facilitated by Positive Directors Clinical Supervisor, Frank Castorina! Frank did a wonderful job of guiding the group through a conversation regarding how stress levels affect children's brain development and provided the group with a myriad of local and regional teen-specific resources and supports. We hope you can join us at the YMCA for our second discussion on December 14th! Click here to download the upcoming Lunch & Learn flyer:

Consider selecting Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention & Counseling as your AmazonSmile Charity! Dear Positive Directions Supporters, Please consider selecting Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention and Counseling, Inc. as your AmazonSmile charity. When you shop on AmazonSmile, 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be donated to Positive Directions at no cost to you. These funds will go directly to our organization and will help support our evidence-based clinical treatment services, community-focused prevention programs, and recovery supports for mental health and substance use. Another way your donations will make a difference is through supporting our Treatment Fund which was created during the COVID 19 Pandemic to provide individuals and families, who otherwise could not afford it, the opportunity to receive high quality counseling services at Positive Directions. At Positive Directions we believe strongly that "prevention works, treatment is effective, and recovery is possible." To support our work by designating Positive Directions as your AmazonSmile charity, click on smile.amazon.com/ch/06-0935732 . If you are not familiar with AmazonSmile, here is some information to help you learn how your shopping can lead to good. https://smile.amazon.com/gp/chpf/about/ref=smi_se_dshb_aas_saas?ie=UTF8&ref_=nav_AccountFlyout_yas Additional contributions to Positive Directions can be made on our website here: https://www.positivedirections.org/donate-copy Happy Shopping!

Wondering how you can make a difference? Consider donating to Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention and Counseling on this year's GivingTuesday, November 29th, 2022. To donate to Positive Directions, CLICK HERE which will bring you to our PayPal. Be sure to choose GivingTuesday in the drop-down menu! History of GivingTuesday GivingTuesday was created in 2012 as a simple idea: a day that encourages people to do good. GivingTuesday is now an independent nonprofit and a global movement that inspires hundreds of millions of people to give, collaborate, and celebrate generosity. GivingTuesday recognizes that we each can drive an enormous amount of positive change by rooting our everyday actions, decisions, and behavior in radical generosity—the concept that the suffering of others should be as intolerable to us as our own suffering. Radical generosity invites people in to give what they can to create systemic change. Positive Directions Positive Directions - The Center for Prevention and Counseling is participating in this year's GivingTuesday on November 29th to raise money for our organization and help inspire our community to get into the giving spirit.Giving isn't always a monetary donation; sometimes, it is a kind act of volunteering your time or helping a neighbor. With all that's happening globally, we can bring together our community through generosity. Here at Positive Directions, we have many different programs you can donate to including a Treatment Fund established to help those struggling to afford their treatment; community prevention and education programming; support groups; and/or a teen & young adult online resource: TurningPointCT.org. We encourage everyone to celebrate GivingTuesday and every Tuesday to participate in kindness and giving. While we hope you choose Positive Directions as your charity on the 29th, here are some other ideas for how you can make a difference on GivingTuesday, https://www.givingtuesday.org/united-states/ideas/ To donate to Positive Directions, CLICK HERE which will bring you to our PayPal. Be sure to choose GivingTuesday in the drop-down menu!

On October 19th, over 60 people gathered at the Westport Library for an informative and thoughtful panel discussion hosted and moderated by Positive Directions about what pressure is doing to our kids. Our panel of healthcare professionals and 2 Staples High School Teen Awareness Group students shared their insights on what is causing the pressure, what sign to look out for that your child may be in distress and offered useful strategies for reducing the pressure. A myriad of local and regional teen-specific resources and supports were provided. Positive Directions in partnership with the Westport Weston Family YMCA, is now facilitating a follow-up Lunch & Learn Series at the YMCA for parents, service providers, and anyone working with youth to discuss related topics in more depth. Join us for our first discussion in the series: How Stress Levels Affect Children's Brain Development. When: November 16th Where: The Westport Weston Family YMCA Lunch will be provided! To RSVP to this event, CLICK HERE Scroll down to the bottom of this page to download our flyer! Positive Direction's Clinical Supervisor and Panelist from "The Cost of Success: What Pressure is doing to Our Kids", Frank Castorina, will be facilitating the first topic of this Lunch & Learn Series. The first discussion will dive into how stress levels affect children's brain development. Frank will be addressing three different levels of stress, how each one of these levels can positively and negatively affect the development of a child, how to recognize stress in your child, and ways to provide support. If you missed the Westport Library panel discussion, don't worry, you can still WATCH IT HERE! Download the Lunch & Learn Flyer Here:

Join us for a panel discussion and learn from the expert panelists about the pressure and anxiety being experienced by our youth. When: October 19th, 7PM Where: The Westport Library This event will be preceded by a reception at 6:30PM It isn’t a secret; our teens are hurting. The CDC reports more than 1 in 3 high school students experienced poor mental health during the pandemic and almost half of students felt “persistently sad or hopeless.” This is a 40% increase since 2009. While the pandemic has made things worse, teens have been struggling for years. One contributing factor is the pressure to succeed, especially in high-achieving school districts. To learn more about what's causing the pressure and how to support the youth in your life, join us at the Westport Library on the 19th and check out our corresponding blog, The Cost of Success: What Pressure is Doing to Our Kids Scroll down to RSVP to this event and download our flyer! To RSVP to this event, CLICK HERE Download the Flyer Here:

Positive Directions is excited to announce that Frank Castorina, MA, LPC has joined the Positive Directions team as our clinical supervisor! Frank is a person-centered therapist, utilizing an eclectic theoretical toolbox to appreciate each person holistically and meet them in their current stage of change. He has a wealth of experience working with children, adolescents, adults, and families in a variety of non-profit and outpatient clinical settings. Frank will be seeing both adults and adolescents both in-person and virtually. To set up an initial appointment with Frank, please call the office at 203-227-7644 or email info@positivedirections.org. Learn more about Frank in his full bio HERE

Explore our office, meet our staff, learn about our Prevention, Treatment and Recovery programs and participate in our wellness stations! When: October 6th 3-6PM Where: Our Office! 90 Post Road West, Westport CT 06880 Check out these wellness stations: Free Behavioral Health Screenings administered by one of our clinicians Blood Pressure Screenings administered by our APRN Sensory Café - Visit our 5 senses table to explore the types of grounding activities that work best for you! Prevention Awareness Activities - Try out our alcohol goggles, marijuana games, and spin for a prize to see what you know about drug use today! Peer Support Options - Learn more about our Peer Support programs here at PD! Let us know if you'll be stopping by! RSVP HERE or email us at info@positivedirections.org We hope to see you there! Directions: Turn into the driveway and follow the signs with balloons for Positive Directions to the back parking lot. Download the Fall Open House & Wellness Fair Flyer here:

In this blog post: Norwalk Moving On support & skills groups for Norwalk teens & High School Stressor group online open to high school students Norwalk "Moving On" program by Positive Directions & the Youth Business Initiative This summer, Positive Directions-The Center for Prevention & Counseling was awarded an ARPA grant through the City of Norwalk for our new program: "Moving On: Support, Skills and Socials for Norwalk Teens after COVID." This program, in partnership with the Youth Business Initiative (YBI), offers 2 types of weekly teen groups as well as monthly social events. The program responds to critical issues identified in our 2021 Norwalk Youth Survey: depression, relationship issues, self-management and self-awareness, particularly among girls and BIPOC youth. Our SMART Teen skills group has been running all summer, giving high schoolers the opportunity to explore issues they're struggling with, such as vaping, partying, back to school, and more. SMART Teens teaches kids to use therapy-based tools to understand their motivations and urges, set goals, and make positive changes in their lives. Any Norwalk 14 to 18 year old can join the group at any time. The group meets Mondays from 4-5:30pm and is facilitated by Diamond Sead (Human Services Council / Robert J. Appleby School-Based Health Centers) and Victoria O'Neill (The Hub). Our clinician-led groups alternate between a 10-week girls' support group (now wrapping up) and a 10-week boys' support group (starting 9/28/22). Teens can discuss mental health, grief and loss, toxic friendships, relationships, and more. Roe v Wade was a big topic in the girls' group! The groups are co-facilitated by Malaika Boyer-Seme, LPCA from Positive Directions and a staff member from YBI. The upcoming boys' group will meet on Wednesdays from 5-6pm. During each 10-week session, the teens have a Check-Up from the Neck Up day where they take a behavioral health screening and are referred to additional services they may need following the end of each group. There will be a second round of girls' and boys' groups later this year. All groups meet at YBI, 11 Day Street (2nd floor), South Norwalk, and food is provided. These groups are open to any high school-aged teen from Norwalk! Participating students also get the opportunity to join fun monthly social events. We had an amazing kayaking day a couple of weeks ago! Students also receive training around substance use prevention and suicide prevention. Use this link: www.tinyurl.com/norwalkteengroups to learn more and register for these FREE and rewarding opportunities. Download the flyer at the bottom of this post. Online Support Group for High School Stress by Positive Directions Positive Directions is holding a FREE weekly High School Stressor Support Group led by Karlene Barnett, LADC! This group started on September 6th and will meet virtually on Tuesdays from 4-5 PM and all high school students are welcome, there is still time to sign up! The group will serve as a safe place where teens can talk with each other and learn how to identify stressors and learn coping skills, deal with family/peer pressure, explore anxiety around school violence, and develop strategies to maintain grades. RSVP here or call 203-227-7644 to learn more. Download the flyer at the bottom of this post. Looking for support for a teen or young adult who doesn't enjoy group settings? Positive Directions also offers free one-on-one peer support for young people--online or live--with Ally, the Peer Support Specialist on the TurningPointCT.org project. For more information, visit https://www.positivedirections.org/one-on-one-peer-support.

In recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness Month--more important than ever in a time when mental illness is so prevalent, Positive Directions is pleased to share: an important NEW regional resource from Positive Directions the 2022 updated Regional Suicide Resources document updated Mental Health & Suicide Crisis flyer listing national and state hotlines upcoming FREE QPR suicide prevention trainings Please take the time this month to post and share these resources, take a training, and make sure to check in on your friends and colleagues! New Free Alternatives to Suicide Support Group Positive Directions-The Center for Prevention & Counseling is pleased to bring the "Alternatives to Suicide" support group model to Fairfield County to fill an important gap: in-person, non-clinical support for people in an emotional crisis that does not involve hospitalization! Thanks to funding from United Way of Coastal Fairfield County, we are able to offer this group for free. It will meet weekly on Tuesdays at 7pm starting October 4th. You can download the "Alt2Su" flyer at the bottom of this post. 2022 updated regional Suicide Crisis Resources flyer: Please post this on websites and bulletin boards and share on social media. You can download the file at the bottom of this post. Updated crisis hotlines flyer in English and Spanish: Please post these on websites and bulletin boards and share on social media! You can download a PDF containing both flyers at the bottom of this post. Free Upcoming "Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) Suicide Prevention Trainings: Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) Training, via zoom Positive Directions, one of The Norwalk Partnership's lead organizations, offers a free Question-Persuade-Refer training online every month in the evening. Our partners at The Hub offer the same training twice a month during the workday. In other words, there are multiple opportunities every month to get trained! Don't miss these opportunities. RSVP to positivedirections.org/events for the next online training, on 9/28 at 6pm. Westport Together: Help Prevent Suicide QPR People you know are struggling with their mental health. Do you know how to reach out to help someone in distress? For suicide awareness month, the Town of Westport encourages town employees and residents to attend a FREE suicide prevention training. Positive Directions will be providing a free Question-Persuade-Refer (QPR) training at The Westport Library , including a light lunch, for up to 30 participants on the 30th. Can't make it? Positive Directions also provides a free QPR training every month in the evening. QPR is considered an evidence-based, certificate training. Please RSVP at www.positivedirections.org/events Download the PDFs of the resource flyers below: