YC Magazine, GCPC - Issue #7

Director FROM THE ABOUT THE GENESEE COUNTY PREVENTION COALITION

The Genesee County Prevention Coalition (GCPC) was established in 2007 and serves all of Genesee County, Michigan. The goals of the coalition are to maintain and strengthen community collaboration in support of local efforts to prevent youth substance use and promote positive community norms. The GCPC utilizes the Strategic Prevention Framework to build capacity and collaboration with all sectors of the community. This is accomplished through recruiting, engaging, and training community members, especially youth, in the work of the coalition. These and other community-based and environmental prevention strategies are supported by local, state and federal grants as well as donations and in-kind support from our community partners.

MISSION

To improve behavioral health through innovative strategies and community partnerships to prevent substance use and mental health disorders impacting Genesee County youth and adults.

VISION

Genesee County Prevention Coalition envisions a community free of mental health and substance use disorders.

CORE VALUES

As a trusted steward of the community, Genesee County Prevention Coalition champions:

+ Optimal Health

+ Community Safety

+ Data-Informed Innovation

+ Self Empowerment

+ Inclusive Partnerships

FOLLOW US ONLINE!

WEBSITE thegcpc.org

FACEBOOK facebook.com/theGCPC

INSTAGRAM instagram.com/theGCPC

TWITTER twitter.com/the_GCPC

LINKEDIN

linkedin.com/company/genesee-county-prevention-coalition/

The staff at the Genesee County Prevention Coalition (GCPC) are excited to bring you this special issue of Youth Connections Magazine. What makes this issue extra special is the young person you see on the cover. Let me introduce you to Victoria Griffith who was selected to receive the 2023 Robert & Vickie Weiss

Outstanding Youth Award at the Children’s Champion Awards held in March. The Outstanding Youth Award is for a high school student who has done something special to help make Genesee County a better community for children, e.g. mentoring/tutoring younger children, organizing initiatives to benefit other students, and volunteering for organizations that help children. Each year Voices for Children hosts the Children’s Champion Breakfast to recognize local heroes who are making a difference in the lives of young people in Genesee County. Victoria was selected for her dedication as a volunteer after-school tutor at her local elementary school working with second and third grade students in the areas of science, math, and reading. Her impact on these students went beyond improving their academic skills and created relationships that helped them feel connected, cared for, and successful! Congratulations, Victoria, for your caring heart and service to others.

Inside this issue, important topics are addressed to assist young people to develop their independence, goals, relationships, and boundaries. These life skills provide a strong foundation for them to resist distractions and make positive choices to protect their future. We hope the information included in this magazine will be helpful to you as you continue to build positive connections within your own family.

The Genesee County Prevention Coalition (GCPC) along with a network of community partners across prevention, treatment, and recovery support services work to bring an awareness of trauma-informed approaches to address the social and emotional needs of youth and adults in our community. Building the capacity of service providers, worksites, and schools to utilize these evidence-based practices is essential to the healing process and moving from surviving to thriving!

EATING DISORDER AWARENESS

Can someone have an eating disorder and a substance use or other mental health disorder at the same time?

Those who suffer from an eating disorder may also struggle with substance use disorder and/or other co-occurring mental health disorders.

·One study of people hospitalized for an eating disorder found that 97% had at least one cooccurring mental health disorder, with 94% suffering from a mood disorder.

What is an eating disorder?

Eating disorders are serious, potentially lifethreatening, health conditions. They are characterized by persistent disordered eating behaviors that negatively impact the physical, mental, and emotional health of the sufferer; as well as their ability to function in important areas of life. The most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, binge-eating disorder, and other specified feeding and eating disorder.

Who is at risk for an eating disorder?

An eating disorder can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, race, or socio-economic status, however some common risk factors are:

·Having a close relative with an eating disorder or other mental health condition.

·History of dieting behaviors, including ones which are “clean eating” focused.

·Type-1 or insulin-dependent diabetes.

·Some personality traits such as perfectionism, inflexibility, and being highly rule or order driven can contribute to eating disorder development.

·Having body image dissatisfaction and overemphasis on weight, shape, and size when evaluating self-worth.

·Weight stigma. Weight stigma is discrimination or stereotyping targeted towards individuals because of their weight, shape, and/or size.

·Teasing or bullying. 60% of eating disorder sufferers reported bullying as contributing to the development of their eating disorder.

·Eating disorder sufferers are 8 times more likely to have current OCD and 9 times more likely to develop OCD in their lifetime

·Up to 50% of individuals with eating disorders use alcohol or illicit drugs.

Is there a way we can prevent eating disorders?

A variety of factors give rise to an eating disorder. Therefore, effective prevention requires a systematic effort to change the circumstances that initiate, predispose, promote, perpetuate, or intensify these diseases. Some prevention strategies may be to learn more about eating disorders and the experience of those who suffer from them, and to support programs designed to change cultural attitudes and public policy around weight stigma and eating disorders.

Is there a way to treat eating disorders?

Eating disorders do not heal on their own. They are complex disorders which require psychological, nutritional, and medical treatment. Sanford Behavioral Health has a full continuum of care for eating disorder treatment. Please call 844.776.9651 for more information.

"Eating disorders do not heal on their own. They are complex disorders which require psychological, nutritional, and medical treatment. "

A conversation with Lisa Rector and Dr. Anna Flores

CONFESSIONS FROM THE KITCHEN TABLE

How to Plan a Great Staycation

Imagine your dream vacation: a stunning setting, fantastic food, ample adventures, while surrounded by the people you love. What if you could create this dream at home instead of traveling afar? Skip the stress and cost of driving and flying long distances. Instead, relax and enjoy a staycation of your dreams close to home. Here are nine simple steps to make it happen.

1. PREP FOR YOUR “TRIP”: Put as much effort into planning your staycation as you would a destination vacation. Prepare your home ahead of time so that it is as pleasant as possible and up to the standards of a vacation rental. Take out the garbage, change the sheets, pick up clutter, and clean the kitchen and the bathrooms. This way you are sure to enjoy your stay at home even more. Ensure all your clothes are clean so you can pack and wear your favorites. Everyone likes to look and feel their best on vacation. For meals that will be eaten at home, shop and prepare in advance, so that you can relax during your staycation. Think ahead about activities and plan your itinerary by visiting the local chamber of commerce or by borrowing a travel book from the library about your area.

2. BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT VACATION MODE: Since you are technically still at home, it is easy to get sucked back into your daily chores, projects, and responsibilities. But resist! Stay in the moment, give yourself permission to unwind, and remind yourself that you are on vacation.

3. PLAY THE TOURIST: If you had an out-of-town visitor, where would you take them? What does your town have to offer, and when was the last time you visited those tourist attractions? Maybe those places deserve to be revisited. Chances are that your town or city even has attractions you have not yet visited. Look for a play, concert, exhibit, or show that is happening during your staycation and add that to your itinerary, too.

4. PAMPER YOURSELF: Add an extra layer of relaxation to your vacation by scheduling a massage, getting a mani/pedi, taking a yoga

class, or visiting a hot spring. Curl up with your favorite book and a cup of tea next to a roaring fire. Or catch the latest episode of Yellowstone Whatever floats your boat.

5. BE A FOODIE: Take a break from shopping, prepping, and cooking, just like you would on a dream vacation. Either get these things done ahead of time, or make arrangements to get takeout. Treat yourself to things you might not normally have at home, like tropical fruits or a charcuterie board, and plan lots of meals out to eat. And it is a vacation, so don’t skip dessert!

6. STAY LOCAL: Look into renting a hotel room for a night or two and take advantage of the hotel pool. Another great option is renting an in-town AirBNB to escape your house but not your hometown. Maybe a friend or family member is up for a house swap?

7. SLEEP: Turn off the alarm clock, close the shades, and get some much-needed sleep. Coach the kids on what they can do when parents are sleeping (read books, play a quiet game), and make nap time sacred and mandatory.

8. BE ADVENTUROUS: Destination locations are not the only places to offer activities and outings. Look for adventures that pique your interest such as horseback riding, ziplining, and whitewater rafting in your area. In the winter months, look for ice skating, snowmobiling, skiing, sledding, and snowshoeing.

9. CAMPOUT: If you love the outdoors, a campout in the backyard can be a fun and affordable vacation alternative. Even a tent in the living room can be great fun that will create family memories for years to come. Or check out a local campground where you can build a campfire, roast smores, and gaze at the stars.

Near or far, the most important element of any family vacation is being together and present and creating lasting memories. ■

YOU CAN SUBMIT YOUR STORY AT: akeller@thegcpc.org

For many of us the kitchen table represents the typical family experience. We have laughed while having family game night. We have cried over our children’s choices. We have blown out the candles on many cakes. We have argued our way out of doing the dishes. We have struggled through those “three more bites.” We have learned hard lessons and celebrated many deserved successes. One thing is for sure though—if our kitchen tables could talk, there would be plenty of stories! So often it is in relating to others’ stories that we realize there isn’t always one answer, or even a right answer. Parenting is hard work! If you have a story of lessons learned, we invite you to share it with our readers. Sometimes, knowing we aren’t the only ones struggling to find the answer is all the help we need.

building

How to Ask for Help INDEPENDENCE:

By LEN LANTZ, M.D.

It seems wrong until you think it through: To become independent, you must become good at getting help.

This statement doesn’t seem true to many people until they mull it over long enough, but I promise you that learning to request and receive help is an essential ingredient to the self-sufficiency that I’m referring to as independence.

I’m not talking about extremes, such as living the life of a mountain man in a cabin without electricity or subsisting as a survivalist with a bunker stocked with weapons and canned food. From my perspective, independence involves:

+ Level-headedness and self-control

+ Resilience

+ Problem-solving skills and creativity

+ Personal responsibility

+ Effectiveness and success

+ Practicality

+ A broad knowledge base with an understanding of systems

+ Knowing when and how to ask for help

Just labeling yourself an independent person does not make it so. Independent people have developed many skills and characteristics that helped them to become and remain independent. Asking for and receiving help is a critical strategy that helped them get there. Learning how to effectively get help from others is a critical skill for kids to learn.

GAINING INDEPENDENCE IS A PART OF DEVELOPMENT

What are the basics of raising a child? You know, the bare minimum. If you had to list only five things, what would they be? Here are some things that crossed my mind:

1. Feed and clothe your child.

2. Don’t beat or berate them.

3. Make sure they brush their teeth and go to school.

4. Let them know they are loved.

5. Have some fun together.

It’s interesting though that doing those basic things for kids won’t really get them ready to enter the world as an adult. Also, it’s not clear that our school systems will teach kids basic living skills. Kids can go to school and never learn how to:

+ Budget or balance their checking account

+ Set boundaries with unhealthy people

+ Present themselves well in a job interview

+ Save and invest money for retirement

Even adults struggle to develop these life skills. People can benefit from books, the internet, and online videos to gain these skills, but often they need more specific help

continued from page 7 from another person to move beyond the basics. But before you ask for help, you might want to consider a few factors that can affect the experience.

DEVELOPING A GROWTH MINDSET

In building independence, I believe people need to adopt a growth mindset. It is incredibly hard to change behavior if you don’t believe that you can. A growth mindset is about adopting attitudes and beliefs about yourself and others that foster helpseeking behavior. It involves convincing yourself that you can become smarter and better at things even if you aren’t right now. The growth mindset fosters a don’t-quit approach to failures and setbacks in life. It means learning from mistakes, revising your plan, and trying again. Working on your own growth mindset is something that you can model for your kids.

We can help our kids to feel empowered to try, fail, and try again. We do not stop growing and learning, no matter how old we are. There is nearly always someone out there—somewhere—who can help. And we can get help from others in the areas where we are struggling. The book Mindset does an excellent job of providing examples of adopting a growth mindset.

ATTITUDES THAT HOLD KIDS BACK

Some kids really struggle in adopting a growth mindset and find that challenges, setbacks, and failures stop them in their tracks. There are several reasons why kids are unwilling or afraid to try, but most of them stem from avoidance. Common thoughts and attitudes that drive avoidance and interfere with help-seeking and adopting a growth mindset are:

+ I’ll look like a fool.

Counter-thought: “Smart kids know when to ask for help.”

+ People will make fun of me.

Counter-thought: “Most of the time people are not laughed at for asking for help.”

+ I should know this. I’m supposed to know this.

Counter-thought: “Even if I’m supposed to know this, I sometimes forget. I can decide to remember it forever once I re-learn what I need to know.”

+ I need to be the best.

Counter-thought: “The people who are the best at things have learned from their mistakes and disappointments.”

+ I don’t want to feel stupid.

Counter-thought: “I would rather feel embarrassed by asking for help than feel helpless and frustrated by avoiding help.”

+ I don’t want others to see how stupid and incapable I am.

Counter-thought: “I admire people who know how to ask for help and achieve success because of it.”

+ I feel too anxious to ask for help.

Counter-thought: “I’d rather feel anxious in asking for help than feel anxious about giving up on my dreams and goals for myself.”

Did you see yourself in any of the negative thoughts and attitudes above? What we tell ourselves in our heads matters tremendously. When we can change our inner dialogue and become more balanced and understanding of ourselves, we will be happier, less anxious, and more likely to ask for help when we need it. For more information on dealing with negative, self-critical thoughts, please read my article, “Mindfulness – How to Chill Out and Stop Beating Yourself Up” (https://psychiatryresource.com/articles/ mindfulness).

MODEL HELP-SEEKING AT HOME

Modeling a help-seeking attitude and growth mindset begins at home. Do a quick self-check. How do I model a growth mindset and help-seeking attitude for my kids when I am struggling and need help? How do I communicate to my kids that I’m there to help them without undermining them or fostering dependency? If you are helping your child with their homework and don’t know the answer, how do you go about getting the answer if you can’t figure it out with available resources?

So, how can you help kids without doing things for them or making them feel stupid? One way is to figure out what level of support they might need from you. There are many different roles that you can take when helping kids figure out problems:

+ Planner – “If that doesn’t work, what is your backup plan?”

+ Technical Support – “Call me if you have a question.”

+ Helper – “I’ll run the mixer and put the cake pans in the oven.”

+ Inspector – “Okay, kids. Before you ride your bikes off the jump you’re building, come get me to check things out.”

+ Supervisor – “I’ll be in the shade over there to keep track of your progress.”

+ Fan – “Come get me when you’re done. I want to see what you’ve made.”

+ Transportation – “If you guys get tired out or if something isn’t going right, call me and I’ll come to get you.”

The other way to help kids is to avoid

some basic mistakes. When kids ask for help, don’t blame them, mock them, or do something for them without them watching you and learning how to do it themselves in the future. It’s also helpful to think about helping your children as a process, not a one-time event. Kids remember these experiences and it improves their confidence. The more areas where they feel confident and gain “adult” skills the more they will be encouraged to try more things and not be afraid to ask for help when they need it. They might also try a little harder before asking for help because it’s comforting to know that help is there when you need it.

EXPANDING THE FIELD

Expanding the field means adding more people (or helpers) to a problem that needs to be solved. Even experts need help. I have to connect with other medical and mental health specialists several times each week in my role as a physician, even though I’m already a specialist in psychiatry.

So how can we encourage kids to reach out for help and expand the field in their lives when they need it? It can feel especially hard when kids seem to only be willing to ask for and receive help from their parents. Probably the best place to start is supporting kids to ask for help in their current school classrooms. Once kids master asking for help from their teacher, they can expand to other areas of their lives like coaches, music teachers, etc. Helping your child to reach out to teachers right away and ask for help appropriately is critical. We want our kids to say, “Please show me how to do this math problem so I can do the others,” not “Just tell me the answer.”

You can also practice role-playing with your child in interacting with teachers and other adults, and if your child finds that a particular person is not helpful, then you can start brainstorming together on who to reach out to next to help them get the help they need.

YOU CAN HELP YOUR CHILD DEVELOP SELF-SUFFICIENCY BY ENCOURAGING HELP-SEEKING

Imagine your child as a confident, grounded, and independent young adult. How did they get there? Kids who have learned to ask for and receive help have greater resilience, healthier relationships, and greater success in their education and later careers. They have a sense of competence that builds confidence and they don’t feel awkward about reaching out for help when they have reached the limits of their knowledge, education, and available resources. You can be the person who helps your child get on the path to becoming an independent adult by modeling and encouraging them in appropriate help-seeking behavior. ■

Check out who’s standing out in our community.

IS THERE SOMEONE YOU’D LIKE TO NOMINATE?

Please email akeller@thegcpc.org and tell us why this individual has

Victoria Griffith KEARSLEY HIGH SCHOOL

Victoria Griffith recently received the 2023 Outstanding Youth Award by Voices for Children Advocacy Center due to her passionate dedication to meeting the needs of the youth in our community. As a volunteer tutor, she contributed to meeting the academic needs, and the physical, social, and emotional needs, of young students. Collaborating with their teachers, she developed individualized techniques to meet student needs and adapted instruction to each situation to help keep her students focused and engaged. The impact Victoria made was evidenced through the improvement of student academic skills. When she was with her students, you could see the joy in their faces as they felt connected, cared for, and successful. Victoria is the first Genesee County student to be featured on the cover!

Dante Jennings GENESEE HEALTH SERVICES

Manager of Co-Occurring Service Integration for Genesee Health Systems, Dante received his Bachelor’s of Social Work from Ferris State University and his Master’s in Public Administration from the University of Phoenix. He has over 10 years of experience working with youth and families who have suffered from co-occurring disorders. He has worked in the administrative capacity, in which he has helped develop policies to ensure that youth and families that suffer from mental illness and substance abuse issues receive the help they need. He has helped many youth since 2006 receive the treatment that they need to become healthy and productive citizens in their communities.

Dr. Brittany Tayler MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY & HURLEY CHILDREN’S CLINIC

As a physician, Dr. Tayler has seen addiction and the ripples of it affect nearly all her patients, as well as close friends and family. In Genesee County, she works to improve health literacy and the mindset of families, particularly around adolescent and young adult substance abuse. An area of passion is electronic cigarettes, given their ubiquitous presence in schools. She is working closely with local schools on developing policies to appropriately address student e-cigarette usage with alternative to suspension programming, educating teachers, staff, and administrators on how to approach students suffering from nicotine addiction, and prevent new students from getting addicted. Additionally, she works in the Hurley Children’s Clinic providing addiction medicine services and primary care pediatrics.

Kelly Batsios MERIDIAN HEALTH SERVICES

A new member of the GCPC Board of Directors, Kelly is a therapist at Meridian Outpatient Services, serving clients with co-occurring disorders. She was born and raised in Youngstown, OH, moved to Grand Blanc, MI, with her family when she was 11, and now resides in Flint, MI. Currently, she is working on gaining more knowledge on mental health diagnosis and she would like to get certifications to work with people suffering from a mental illness. Kelly finished her Master’s Degree in Social Work in 2022.

Kristen Trevarrow FLINT PUBLIC LIBRARY

A new member of the GCPC Board of Directors, Kristen is an executive assistant at the Flint Public Library. She loves to learn and use the knowledge she gains to help others. Passionate about prevention, Kristen has trained as a Peer Recovery Coach, served on a Substance Use Prevention Task Force, and worked in Substance Use Disorder Detoxification and Treatment. Currently in her last semester at the University of Michigan-Flint, Kristen will obtain her Master’s Degree in Public Administration with an emphasis on Social and Public Policy. She said, “With my prior personal and professional experience, I hope to shine a light on the policies that can be changed for the betterment of persons navigating substance use disorder through community mobilization and advocacy.”

40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS

40 Developmental Assets are essential qualities of life that help young people thrive, do well in school, and avoid risky behavior.

Youth Connections utilizes the 40 Developmental Assets Framework to guide the work we do in promoting positive youth development. The 40 Assets model was developed by the Minneapolis-based Search Institute based on extensive research. Just as we are coached to diversify our financial assets so that all our eggs are not in one basket, the strength that the 40 Assets model can build in our youth comes through diversity. In a nutshell, the more of the 40 Assets youth possess, the more likely they are to exhibit positive behaviors and attitudes (such as good health and school success) and the less likely they are to exhibit risky behaviors (such as drug use and promiscuity). It’s that simple: if we want to empower and protect our children, building the 40 Assets in our youth is a great way to start.

Look over the list of Assets on the following page and think about what Assets may be lacking in our community and what Assets you can help build in our young people. Do what you can do with the knowledge that even through helping build one asset in one child, you are increasing the chances that child will grow up safe and successful. Through our combined efforts, we will continue to be a place where Great Kids Make Great Communities.

assets in action 40 DEVELOPMENTAL ASSETS

SUPPORT

1. Family support: Family life provides high levels of love and support.

2. Positive family communication: Young person and her or his parent(s) communicate positively, and young person is willing to seek advice and counsel from parent(s).

3. Other adult relationships: Young person receives support from three or more nonparent adults.

4. Caring neighborhood: Young person experiences caring neighbors.

5. Caring school climate: School provides a caring, encouraging environment.

6. Parent involvement in school: Parent(s) are actively involved in helping young person succeed in school.

EMPOWERMENT

7. Community values youth: Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.

8. Youth as resources: Young people are given useful roles in the community.

9. Service to others: Young person serves in the community one hour or more per week.

10. Safety: Young person feels safe at home, at school, and in the neighborhood.

BOUNDARIES & EXPECTATIONS

11. Family boundaries: Family has clear rules and consequences and monitors the young person’s whereabouts.

12. School boundaries: School provides clear rules and consequences.

13. Neighborhood boundaries: Neighbors take responsibility for monitoring young people’s behavior.

14. Adult role models: Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.

15. Positive peer influence: Young person’s best friends model responsible behavior.

16. High expectations: Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.

CONSTRUCTIVE USE OF TIME

17. Creative activities: Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.

18. Youth programs: Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and/or in the community.

19. Religious community: Young person spends one or more hours per week in activities in a religious institution.

20. Time at home: Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.

Communication Access Center Health Fair

Voices for Children 2023 Outstanding Youth Award Winner

Shearese Stapleton, Mothers of Joy Institute for Parenting and Family Wellness

If you or your child would like to submit a picture that represents one of the 40 Developmental Assets, please email akeller@thegcpc.org with a picture and the number of the asset the picture represents.

Not all pictures are guaranteed publication.

COMMITMENT TO LEARNING

21. Achievement motivation: Young person is motivated to do well in school.

22. School engagement: Young person is actively engaged in learning.

23. Homework: Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.

24. Bonding to school: Young person cares about her or his school.

25. Reading for pleasure: Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.

POSITIVE VALUES

26. Caring: Young person places high value on helping other people.

27. Equality and social justice: Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.

28. Integrity: Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.

29. Honesty: Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”

30. Responsibility: Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.

31. Restraint: Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.

SOCIAL COMPETENCIES

32. Planning and decision making: Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.

33. Interpersonal competence: Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.

34. Cultural competence: Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.

35. Resistance skills: Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.

36. Peaceful conflict resolution: Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.

POSITIVE IDENTITY

37. Personal power: Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”

38. Self-esteem: Young person reports having a high self-esteem.

39. Sense of purpose: Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”

40. Positive view of personal future: Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.

NDAFW 2023 GCPC Social Media Contest Winner

Atherton & Holmes 8th grade Health in Our Hands SUD Summit

Youth NDAFW GCPC Prevention Champion

Atherton & Holmes 8th grade Health in Our Hands SUD Summit

HOW A SIMPLE GOAL-SETTING EXERCISE

can change a kid’s life

By NATURAL HIGH STAFF

Whether it’s about learning geometry to get a good grade, finding a job, or making a new group of friends, the pursuit of a meaningful goal can bring light, life, and organization to a kid’s life.

One of the worst things to see is a kid who’s disconnected and disengaged from growing, the ones who show little interest in caring or trying. Kids in that state fall into an at-risk category and deserve our attention and care.

For those kids who do identify goals and ambitions, there’s actually more support and guidance that we can provide them, which will in turn strengthen their foundation for a thriving future.

On one hand, you might have a kid who focuses solely on the benefits of achieving their goal. They imagine what it will feel like, and what they’ll be able to do once they get it. That leads to fantasy and a set-up for disappointment.

On the other hand is a kid who gets overwhelmed by the uphill battle they’ll need to push through and all of the various obstacles that are going to impede their progress. That turns into dejection and avoidance.

Both of those approaches will be a realistic barrier to a kid’s willingness and ability to meaningfully pursue their goal.

The third path is the way of mental contrasting, a relatively straightforward and simple exercise with powerful effects. It’s where an equal amount of attention and reflection is spent on goal attainment and goal obstacles. In the balance of both emerges a realistic path forward combined with the motivation to keep going.

Mental contrasting exercises ask kids to conceptualize all aspects of a dream, goal, or ambition they have, and also think through the inherent obstacles they’ll face as they try to achieve it.

The process of mental contrasting is a mature skill to develop over time. You can

certainly teach kids how to do it by walking them through a goal-setting exercise in a formal context. Here is a document that walks through the steps on how to make plans to reach their goal: naturalhigh.org/ wp-content/uploads/2019/07/LandingYour-Trick.pdf

It can also be taught and reinforced through natural discussions about their goals and ambitions. By asking questions on both sides of the equation, you can lead them to process the full reality of their desires.

As you watch them move forward, pay attention to how they move from one side or the other, either overwhelmed by the obstacles or caught up in the fantasy of a dream unfulfilled. Acknowledge what you notice and invite them to think aloud about the other side.

Here’s how it works:

STEP ONE: Ask them to think of one or two goals or accomplishments in different areas of their life, for instance, academics, sports, friendships, or college prep.

STEP TWO: After they’ve made a list, ask them to select the goal that feels most important to them.

STEP THREE: Direct them to write down what they will feel like, what they will say to others, and the new reality that they’ll experience after they accomplish their goal.

STEP FOUR: Have them share their goal and their future feelings about accomplishing that goal with a partner or small group

STEP FIVE: Now, looking at their goal, have them write down the obstacles, barriers, and roadblocks they might face as they move forward. Ask them to consider what it will cost them in terms of time, energy, and focus, and write those things down.

STEP SIX: Putting it all together, invite them to take turns in pairs or small groups, first sharing their goal, why it’s important to them, then the barriers they’ll face along the way. The final piece would be for them to share how they will feel once they accomplish their goal, despite the challenges and barriers.

When a kid has meaningful, interesting goals to focus on, whether those goals are about academics, sports, or something else, and also has the capacity to pursue them, they are protected against distractions and choices that could be harmful to their health and future. Kids who practice mental contrasting increase their self-regulation skills and are much less likely to engage in

risky behaviors. ■

When a kid has meaningful, interesting goals to focus on, whether those goals are about academics, sports, or something else, and also has the capacity to pursue them, they are protected against distractions and choices that could be harmful to their health and future.

youth drug prevention and life skills program that provides easy, effective, and fun resources for educators, mentors, and parents to deliver protective measures in a relevant way through storytelling. The Storyteller library contains a roster of 40+ Natural High Storytellers — athletes, artists, musicians, designers — people who kids admire and trust. Their flexible curriculum offers videos, discussion questions, and activities. It can be used to meet a variety of needs, from brief 10-15-minute discussions to project-based work that takes place across multiple days or class periods.

DATING ABUSE red flags of

By BARBARA BESSETTE, Domestic Violence Preventionist

Dating abuse can often be thought of as an adult problem, but that is not always the case. According to the CDC one in 12 U.S. high school students experience physical dating abuse. That number also holds true for high school students who have experienced sexual dating abuse. We often want to blame the person in the relationship who is being abused. How many times have you heard someone say, “Why doesn’t she (or he) leave him (or her)?” or “If I were in that situation I would never stay with someone who treats me like that.”? The problem is not the person being abused, but the abuser themselves. If you talk to anyone who has ever been in an abusive relationship, they will tell you that the relationship did not start out this way. The abuser was everything this person had wanted. They were romantic or attentive to their partner’s needs. This is all part of the “Cycle of Abuse,” the Honeymoon period, then the tension builds followed by explosion and then onto the Honeymoon period again. By the time the abused person knows what is going on, they are stuck in this cycle and it is hard to escape.

So, what do parents need to know and what should they look for?

Prevention is a key component in helping to decrease teen dating abuse and you can never start too early. Talk with your preteens about healthy boundaries and how to maintain healthy relationships. The CDC has developed resources to help communities focus on prevention efforts. Check out Dating Matters on the CDC.gov website. It includes multiple prevention components for 11–14 year olds. There are multiple strategies that help prevent intimate partner violence and teen dating abuse which include engaging men and

boys as allies and bystander empowerment and education. We often overlook how communities can help to reduce teen dating abuse. Check out the CDC’s Preventing Intimate Partner Violence Across the Lifespan: A Technical Package of Programs, Policies and Practices

As your teens start dating make sure you are keeping open communication with them, you want them to know that you are always there for them no matter what. Talk to your teen about what a healthy relationship looks like. Here are some green flags (signs that a relationship is healthy):

+ The relationship is not moving too fast

+ The partner respects the girl/ boyfriend’s decisions

+ The partner is not jealous or possessive

+ They both have their own lives

As a parent you need to also talk to your kids about red flags (warning signs) of relationships:

+ Extreme jealousy

+ Moving too quickly into a relationship

+ Isolation from family and friends

+ Telling someone what they can and cannot do

This is not an exhaustive list, but a good starting point for a conversation about the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships.

As a parent, pay attention to signs of dating abuse:

+ Has your teen become withdrawn from their usual activities?

+ Has your teen become depressed?

+ Does your teen have unexplained bruises or marks?

If you see signs of abuse, what should you do next? First and foremost, talk with your teen. Make sure that you are open and honest with your concerns, but do not be critical. This can cause them to withdraw and not want to talk with you. Make sure they understand that you do not blame them for the abuse happening. Tell them that you understand it is the abuser’s fault.

Teens are at a point in their lives where they may not want to talk to you or feel like you will make them break up with their partner. Encourage your child to turn to a teacher, a mentor, a clergy leader, or another trusted adult if they need someone else to talk to.

The most important thing that a parent can have is knowledge when dealing with teen dating abuse. Often, we think of physical abuse when we think about dating abuse. But that is not the only kind of abuse. There is also:

+ Sexual abuse: behavior that coerces someone to do something sexually that they don’t want*

+ Emotional/verbal abuse: nonphysical behaviors such as threats, insults, isolation and humiliation*

+ Financial abuse: limit access to finances, using financial circumstances to control

+ Digital abuse: using technology to harass, stalk, or intimidate*

+ Stalking: someone watches, follows, or harasses repeatedly* ■

NUMBERS

We asked law enforcement for their advice on Snapchat. Officer Gomez shared this information:

WHY SNAPCHAT?

1) Popular and most kids use it.

2) The filters on Snapchat are fun to use.

3) Automatically hides information from parents.

4) Has a secret pass-coded picture vault.

5) Automatically logs devices out when logged into on another device.

WHY NOT SNAPCHAT?

1) Parents can’t check kids’ phones for content incoming or outgoing.

2) Lots of inappropriate behaviors posted on Snapchat desensitize kids to reality. (Nude photos, drugs, parties, crimes, pornography, fights, pranks, challenges)

3) Parents can’t monitor or filter information being seen.

4) Parents can’t check who is talking to their children.

5) Parents have to blindly trust their young teens in a hazardous environment.

6) Snapchat can broadcast your child’s location within 10 feet.

7) Most predators highly recommend Snapchat to kids they are speaking with.

I strongly recommend 18 (previously 16) be a better age for Snapchat to be allowed on phones. I see terrible things at school come across Snapchat and parents have no way to see what that is. It is common for 75% of students in high school to have sent out naked pictures and most of those have been sent on Snapchat. I also see kids get completely addicted (8-15 hours per day) to time that is completely wasted and will not have return on time used.

WHY RISK THIS AS A PARENT?

1) I want to be the “cool parent.”

2) I’m tired of arguing with my kid about it.

3) I have no idea what Snapchat is.

4) All the other kids have it.

5) I trust my kid and nothing you say will change that.

6) My kid is different from other kids.

Did you know Snapchat has a built-in secret picture vault with its own password? Yup, most parents don’t know about this either. (See https://tinyurl.com/mr7n9p25 about how to find the secret vault which is called My Eyes Only). Did you know spambots now send unsolicited pornography indiscriminately to usernames on Snapchat? Parental phone checks are not going to uncover this Snapchat feature. Please put serious thought into letting your children have an application on their cell phones that hides information from you, the parent.

We

The number of thunderstorms per hour on the earth

The weight in ounces a human hair can support 100

The number of different facial expressions a dog can make

The number of hamburgers McDonald’s serves every second

1460

The number of dreams the average person has per year

The percentage of the world’s currency that is physical money (the rest exists only on computers)

THE VALUE OF

a well-balanced NO

By STEFFANI TURNER, LCSW

Well, it happened again last night ... and we both went to bed feeling terrible. I said NO! Again. For the umpteenth time. It seems like I say NO every day, all the time, in fact. One little, teeny word is so powerful.

Saying NO feels like it creates a rift in the relationship between you and your child, a rift that sometimes becomes an insurmountable mountain that you precariously traverse with a rock pick in hand. Along the way, you get harsh words, yelling, tantrum, pouting, “I hate you” and all the other heart-puncturing weapons thrown at you to dissuade. It almost makes you want to quit, back down, take another path, an easier one, one where your child is smiling and hugging you!

Why is that little word so important to all human wellbeing? Well, for a moment, lets imagine a world where we were never told NO. Those stop signs around town? They would be meaningless – just suggestions, really. Being told NO, gently, by our parents and teachers taught us to wait our turn.

Think of all the ways adults tolerate NO on a daily basis:

+ Doing a project for your boss when you don’t agree with the premise.

+ Fixing the lawnmower for your spouse when you would rather go fishing.

+ Stopping after only one cookie when your inner child is telling you to have another.

As parents, I think we struggle with NO for many reasons. We are tired. It’s a crazy-busy world. You may be exhausted, insecure in your parenting role or afraid of how your child will react, especially in a public place. (I swear Walmart is the best place to throw a tantrum.) We are afraid of how our children will feel about us, if they will be mad at us. We are afraid that it will stifle their creativity, they won’t be such free thinkers.

The reality is, learning NO is all a part of the human condition. It is a part of learning boundaries and limits, how far to go and how much to have. We are survivalists by biology. It is how we were engineered (or

we would probably have died out long ago). We take what we can get when we can get it. But we also learn societal rules, because you don’t want to be left out of the clan when the saber-tooth tigers are out hunting. We learned that by being together we can do more, but we have to have rules or we don’t accomplish anything. Weirdly, NO is good. NO makes we feel safe. NO makes our children feel like we love them and care about their wellbeing. NO is extremely important.

I had to say NO to my son again today, but I did it with a kind word and an understanding that he will be upset because he doesn’t like my NO. NO, a

well-balanced NO, is not a punishment. It is meant to teach a child frustration tolerance, disappointment, self-regulation. As adults, not only do we get told NO in some way a 100 times a day, we also have to tell ourselves NO. If not, we would spend all our money, not pay bills, eat to excess, make terrible decisions with our relationships. But mostly we have learned to self-regulate, which is the outcome of being told NO as a child. A good NO must be couched with a firmness (so the kid knows you won’t give in) and a kindness (so they know you are not just punishing them because you want to be mean). This helps them focus on what is important –what lesson we want them to learn with this NO.

One of my favorite examples of a good well-balanced NO is from a few years ago when my child was four. He went through a phase where, every day, about 15 minutes before dinner, he would ask for a cookie. I took it to heart and tried really hard not to do what I had experienced (a lot of yelling and screaming on my mom’s part to get out of the kitchen and leave her alone). It was hard! But I was able to use kindness, saying, “I’m sorry, honey. You cannot have a cookie. We are going to eat soon,” while still using firmness and standing by my NO. I worked hard not to waver, as he cried and pled, even threw a tantrum a time or two. But eventually, he no longer asked for a cookie and if he needed a snack he had a carrot stick instead. In this one instance, I could really connect to why my son was hating NO so much – who doesn’t want a cookie pretty much anytime?

All of this aside, what I want most for my children is that they will grow up kind and caring people. This is real success. Hearing NO is just one step in that direction. Look for opportunities to tell your children NO in a safe and caring manner, where the price tag is low and where you are there to help them learn frustration tolerance and selfregulation. Be ok that they get upset at the NO, help them with that feeling. Practice having kindness and firmness – it’s not an easy combination! It’s hard for us all. Go out there and love your kids with a big wellintentioned NO! ■

NO, a well-balanced NO, is not a punishment. It is meant to teach a child frustration tolerance, disappointment, self-regulation.

As adults, not only do we get told NO in some way a 100 times a day, we also have to tell ourselves NO. If not, we would spend all our money, not pay bills, eat to excess, make terrible decisions with our relationships.

BATH SALTS: not what it sounds like

By GAVIN WISDOM, ACLC, PMH-C

Did you know that “bath salts” is just a street name for synthetic cathinones? Bathing products (like Epsom salts) are often natural in origin and have no mind-altering effects, whereas synthetic cathinones are manufactured by humans in a lab.

Often sold as either “bath salts,” “plant fertilizer,” or “vanilla sky,” synthetic cathinones are packaged as a white or brown crystalline powder. The drug is a stimulant, marketed as a substitute for cocaine and/or amphetamines. Most commonly smoked, synthetic cathinones can also be swallowed, snorted, or injected.

While no doubt dangerous, these products are available legally, and legislative attempts to control synthetic cathinones have been particularly challenging. Synthetic cathinones are available online, at cannabis paraphernalia stores (aka “head” shops), and sometimes at convenience stores and truck stops, and are sold with varying names such as “Red Dove,” “Cloud 9,” “Ocean Snow,” and so-on. They often state that they are “not for human consumption”

on the packaging, which is sold in 200-mg and 500-mg sizes. Chemically similar to other stimulants like amphetamines, cocaine, and MDMA (aka “Molly”), synthetic cathinones share similar dangers, such as potential for addiction, increased heart rate, chest pain, breakdown of skeletal muscle tissue, kidney failure, and in some cases, death. Short-term effects include very severe paranoia that can sometimes cause people to harm themselves or others. Signs of use include suicidal thoughts, agitation, combative or violent behavior, confusion, hallucinations, and psychosis.

The best way to know if your children are using synthetic cathinones is through having a strong relationship based in trust, in which you can talk to them about their substance use. On the foundation of a loving relationship, if your child is struggling with an addiction of any sort, they will know that they can come to you as a safe resource who will help them access the professional help they may need. ■