Thank you to our awesome supporters for donating to the Alliance for Safe Kids on #GivingTuesday!
Your gifts will help us continue to connect every sector of the community to resources that support youth mental health, prevention of substance abuse and opportunities for thoughtful service.
(Forgot to make a gift? It’s not too late – donate now!)
Healthy Ways to Handle Holiday Stress
(from the Prevention Action Alliance)
Ready or not, the holiday season is here, along with all the festivities and fun that go along with it: family gatherings, shared meals, gift-giving, party planning, special school and church events, hosting out-of-town family stays, and on and on. It’s enough to make your head spin just thinking about it.
The question is, how do you plan to handle the extra stress that accompanies this time of year? The Mayo Clinic offers a stress-reducing strategy called the 4 A’s, that we can put into practice for ourselves and role model for our children: avoid, alter, accept, or adapt. The way it works is that with any given situation that increases our stress, we look for ways to apply one or more of these concepts.
Avoid: Believe it or not, a lot of stress can simply be avoided. Plan ahead, learn to say no, and ditch parts of your to-do list (low priority items).
Alter: Take inventory of whatever stressful situation you find yourself in, then consider ways you change or modify it for the better.
Accept: Sometimes we have no other option than to accept things the way they are. When this is the case, it is important to talk to someone, to forgive, to practice positive self-talk, and to learn from our mistakes.
Adapt: There are times when we need to adjust or revise the standards and expectations we set upon ourselves, which many times are unreasonable. What can help to change one’s perspective is to ask yourself, “Will this matter in a year or in five years?”
In addition to a well-balanced diet, exercise, social connectedness, and quality sleep, the Mayo Clinic’s 4 A’s technique can help you balance the stress equation for a more peaceful, enjoyable holiday season for yourself and your children. Read more.
How to Prevent Drug Use in Teens
The teen and young adult years are confusing, complicated and formative. Understanding what’s happening socially and developmentally — and how it can intersect with substance use — is fundamental to setting the stage for healthier outcomes.
It’s important to take any substance use seriously, but before acting on impulse, take a breath and review strategies for communicating effectively and encouraging positive behavior change.
Learn how to create a foundation that discourages risky behavior, helping prevent substance use or addiction. Read more.
Did you know that teens who eat dinner with their families are less likely to use drugs and alcohol? Family Table Time is an innovative, all-in-one, 52-week family activity kit that establishes lifelong healthy habits, rituals, and traditions. The materials will get you up to speed on having weekly family meetings including new character/value topics, creating memories from the week, and staying organized. It also includes a weekly fun activity – ideal for school-aged families – that promotes values, ethics and principles.
Learn more by visiting their website: www.FamilyTableTime.com
Volunteer Opportunities
There are a variety of volunteer opportunities at awesome nonprofits throughout Westchester and Putnam Counties. To view these opportunities, please check out Volunteer New York!
Shop to Support
DeCicco’s: This holiday season (and all year long) when you shop at DeCicco’s in Jefferson Valley, mention ASK at check out and they’ll donate 2% of your bill to us!
Amazon: Make your purchases through smile.amazon.com, choose ASK as your charity of choice, and Amazon will donate .5% of every purchase to ASK!
Upcoming Events and Webinars
Weekly Spotlight Family Support Groups
From our partners at Drug Crisis in Our Backyard, weekly Spotlight Family Support Groups, held virtually every Tuesday and Wednesday via Zoom. Spotlight on Recovery is a Family Educational and Support Group for families struggling with a loved one misusing substances. For more information click here.
The Parent Support Network
The Parent Support Network is a program of The Youth Mental Health Project that seeks to provide support for parents and guardians who are concerned about the mental health of their children through confidential, peer-to-peer meetings. For a list of upcoming virtual meetings, click here.
Westchester Breathes features exercises taught as BREATH-BODY-MIND™ (BBM) – a program of gentle movement, breathing and relaxation exercises that reduce the experience of stress and anxiety and increase a sense of calm and well being. These exercises are simple and evidence-based in their impact on an array of populations – including children, adults, and individuals with depression or PTSD. Held every Friday at 9:30am via Zoom. Register now.
December 1: Understanding Seasonal Affective Disorder
Do the winter months get you down more than you think they should? Explore the signs and symptoms of seasonal affective disorder, when it’s time to see a doctor, and what treatment options are available. Learn practical tips for managing symptoms and supporting loved ones who are struggling with a licensed therapist. Register now.
December 7: Holiday Stress and Self Care
The “most wonderful time of the year” doesn’t always feel that wonderful. This one-hour seminar includes practical tips to manage the stress that accompanies the holidays, prioritizing self-care, and getting the support you need. Register now.
December 7: K.N.O.W. 2 Prevent: Creating Stability in a Changing World: Cultivating Teen Mental Health in 2023
The world is shifting – between emerging from COVID-19 precautions, war in Europe, climate concerns, and political polarization, society feels very different now than it did just a few years ago. Although it’s been stressful on all of us, youth have had the additional challenge of coping with these changes without the same perspective or mental tools as adults, leading to a nationally-recognized emergency in youth mental health. As a parent, it can be difficult to know where to start – how to create a sense of stability for our children in a very unstable time. Join psychologist Dr. Aaron Weiner for an exploration of three foundational principles in creating emotional stability – connection, structure, and confidence – and how parents can work with their kids to build these tools for emotional resilience from home. Register now.
December 15: Virtual Overdose Prevention Training
Naloxone is a prescription medicine that reverses an overdose by blocking heroin or other opioids in the nervous system for 30-90 minutes. Naloxone is administered by injection or intranasal. Following training, participants receive a kit by mail. Presented by our partners at Drug Crisis in Our Backyard. Register by email: ssal@drugcrisisinourbackyard.com
December 22: Family Reactions to Mental Illness
Understanding why people experience things differently can help to ease tension & increase acceptance. Discuss the caregiving experience, the stages of emotional response, and learn how to respond and cope in this one-hour seminar with a licensed therapist. Register now.
December 27: How Does Therapy Work?
For many of us, what happens in psychotherapy is a mystery. Discuss the reasons why people go to therapy, how to choose a therapist, what the therapy process truly looks like, and how it works in this one-hour seminar. Register now.
Please visit the ASK calendar here for more upcoming events and follow ASK on social media!