Featured Resources
Hope Notes for Back-to-School
With school in full swing, let your child know that you are thinking of them with our hope notes down below, which can be cut out and placed in their lunch box, backpack, book, or wherever you think seeing it will brighten their day!
Art as a Therapeutic Tool
Youth at our agencies often engage in art projects as part of treatment, education, or recreation while in our care. Here are some inspiring pieces created by our talented youth.
Poetry Slam
From acrostic to free verse, a variety of poetic styles help us explore our feelings with freedom and confidence.Additional Resources
Mindful Breathing with Bubbles
Taking a moment to focus on your breath can help reduce anxiety and improve your mindset. One great way to practice mindful breathing and slowing down your breath is through blowing bubbles. Try this exercise!
Traumatic Stress in Children and PTSD
Trauma is pervasive and has a broad and diverse impact, and deeply affects how the youth we serve approach the services we provide. If done incorrectly, social services can re-traumatize or further harm those they are trying to help, which is why being trauma-informed is so crucial in every part of social services.
Using the 5 Senses to Support Your Child’s Mental Health
There are many ways children tell us how they feel and it is not always through words. As we enter another school year, parents, caregivers, teachers, and others need to be aware of the different ways children communicate. One way to “hear” what a child is nonverbally communicating is by analyzing the five senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell.
Busting Your Child’s Summer Boredom
For parents of school-aged children, the phrase “I’m bored” can crop up in the middle of summer. Trying to fill your child’s time may add stress or anxiety to your already busy schedule. Check out these four tips on how to help bridge your child's boredom.
Creating a Safe Place for LGBTQ Youth
At Nexus Family Healing, we know that how we treat those who are different from us is incredibly important. When diversity is valued, our uniqueness is recognized, including differences in our gender identities and sexual orientation. These play an important role in everyone’s lives, and those who identify as LGBTQ face unique challenges regarding mental health.
The Importance of Fathers and Their Mental Health
Research shows that fathers play a critical role in their children's lives. Strong father involvement increases academic performance, social competence, and better peer relationships. Men and fathers are not immune from their own challenges, including high rates of depression, suicide, and chemical abuse as they age. And men are far less likely to seek mental health services than women. As we strive to be good fathers and positive role models to our children, remember that what we do matters as our children look to us to determine their own sense of self.
Maintaining Children’s Mental Health During Summer
When trying to work out a summer schedule that also helps maintain your child’s mental health, remember that less is often more. It’s important to find a balance between providing some structure to children’s time, but not making it so structured that they can’t properly rest and find themselves more stressed.
Feelings Dice
This dice game helps older children and teens discuss emotions in a healthy way.