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When I was a child, I wanted to be a teacher so I could help people. I would play “school” with my siblings and use it as an escape from all the not-so-great life experiences I was going through. Even...

Often, people suffer in silence rather than admit they are struggling and need help. And too often, people turn their backs on those with mental health issues either because they lack insight into what mental health is or they are...

Eventually we have to ask ourselves, “Why are we afraid of mental health?” As my high school experience came to an end, I found myself in the middle of a revolutionary path toward understanding and normalizing mental health. It is...

I wanted to help them. I wanted to say something. But, what could I do? What could I say? When I lost one of my classmates to suicide, I had no clue what to do. Suddenly, so many lives were...

Joel Davis became a First Aider to better serve the people experiencing homelessness in Long Beach Calif., where he works as a firefighter. But when he took the course, he knew he wanted to bring Mental Health First Aid to...

Forgetting to do your homework, misplacing a project that is due or leaving your lunch at home are all minor inconveniences that high schoolers face. They may be frustrating at the moment and become a low for the day, but...

I’ve never been embarrassed or felt shame about catching a cold or getting the flu. I remember having countless sports injuries that required a trainer and sometimes even a doctor’s attention – x-rays, stitches and staples. I even had my...

I have been a counselor for 15 years and have watched teens struggle with anxiety and depression. I have lost students. When you become a school counselor nowhere in your training do they tell you that you will lose students,...

Valley High School has been a part of the wellness movement for a couple years here in Las Vegas but the stigma surrounding mental health has never gone away. Our principal, Ramona Esparza, found an amazing opportunity to partner with...

There is nothing more terrifying than seeing a wall of flames stretching from horizon to horizon, headed toward your home with voracious disregard for generations of toil, sweat, prayers and determination to make a life out of dirt, grass and...

I was eight when my wonderful, tall, partially-bald-with-scant-red-hair dad with a smile that could light up a room died. His illness had been part of our lives. Then, one day he couldn’t endure another heart attack. I remember being told...

Annika was a beautiful soul we were blessed to have in our lives. She was a straight-A student, a musician who played three instruments, an actress who was active in theatrical arts and, although she did not have a competitive...