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Welcome Back!
I hope you had a great summer!
For those of you who don't yet know us, Minding Your Mind provides evidence-based mental health education programs to middle and high school students, parents, school staff, and other stakeholders. For students, our
Young Adult Speakers
deliver powerful, professionally-crafted messages of inspiration and hope based on their personal journeys in coping with mental health issues. Their real-life accounts help to reduce the stigma and the destructive behaviors often associated with mental health conditions. For the adults in their lives, we offer two clinician-led trainings,
Just Talk About It
and
QPR Suicide Prevention
.
The word is out about Minding Your Mind - we have just surpassed 100 presentations already booked in Massachusetts for the 2017-2018 school year! We are urging schools to put in their requests for our programs as soon as possible since we continue to experience a tremendous increase in demand for speakers. Please let us know if you are interested in hosting a presentation(s) even if you are unsure of the time and date at this juncture. To book a presentation, please go to the
Book a Speaker
form on our website.
We continue to provide one free-of-ch
arge program, per year, to middle and high school students in our service area. However, with the increased need and growing demand for our programs, we ask that you consider making a donation, especially for our Just Talk About It and QPR Suicide Prevention trainings. Each of these presentations costs Minding Your Mind approximately $500; however, any donation is greatly appreciated.
I welcome you to contact me to learn more.
We are looking forward to working with you this year!
Jan
Jan Latorre-Stiller
Massachusetts Regional Director
781-285-6696
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In the Spotlight
Jon Mattleman Joins Minding Your Mind
A familiar name and face to many throughout New England, Jon Mattleman was the director of Needham Youth Services for 24 years. After retiring this spring, Jon's wife asked him to "take the summer and relax." He responded, "Do you know me? You've known me since 1975. Is that a possibility?" Always believing that he would continue to speak and share his renown presentation, "The Secret Life of Teens," Mattleman found he missed the steady interaction from being part of a team and the anticipation that comes with a full and known agenda each day. Becoming a facilitator for Minding Your Mind was the perfect opportunity.
"Talking about a physical health matter is easy for most people, but talking about a mental health challenge is not so easy --- in fact, it is something most people hide as there is usually a stigma associated with discussing issues such as depression, anxiety, self-harm, suicide, and others," says Mattleman. "Minding Your Mind is all about changing this perspective and creating forums for teens, teachers, parents, and professionals in which mental health issues can be discussed without stigma, without judgement, and with an eye toward psychological safety and health."
Mattleman will be a key facilitator for Minding Your Mind's "Just Talk About It" and "QPR Suicide Prevention" programs. "Minding Your Mind has created accessible, empowering, and effective ways to be of real support. Utilizing professionals in the mental health field as well as young people who have experienced challenges and emerged with insight and knowledge, Minding Your Mind has proven to be a powerhouse in Massachusetts in their relatively brief time in this state."
With a calendar filled by scheduled Minding Your Mind sessions, and more being added daily, Mattleman isn't trying to relax anymore. "I am pleased to be a small part of Minding Your Mind's vision to emphasize prevention and education, and look forward to facilitating programs in Massachusetts schools and in community settings."
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Minding Your Mind Young Adult Speakers and facilitators will be presenting at the following conferences and professional development events. Please follow the links for more information on how to register and see one of our programs for yourself.
November 3, 2017
MA Association of School Committees and MA Association or School Superintendents
Hyannis, MA
November 16, 2017
Waltham, MA
The "Taking Action! Keeping Children,Schools,Families and our Communities Healthy" is for parents, educators, health and wellness experts, health and civic organizations, community members, leaders, elected officials and Mass PTA Partners from across the Commonwealth to discuss, learn and take action to keep children, families and communities healthy.
December 1, 2017
Franklin, MA
December 13, 2017
Westborough, MA
January 10, 2017
Franklin, MA
April 27, 2018
Westborough, MA
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What People Are Saying
"
Thank you again for your assistance in bringing Melissa to us for our faculty presentation. Her presentation was exceptional and I continue to have faculty members thanking me for bringing her in. They found her style and content extremely useful and have requested similar presentations in the future. As we discussed, our faculty are dealing increasingly with issues surrounding mental health, and they desperately want to know how they can help our students with them. Thank you for providing this resource to them. Hopefully there will be another opportunity in the future for us to partner."
Timothy Welsh, Headmaster, Matignon High School
Read more...
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In the News
Mental Health Programs in Schools
Growing body of evidence supports effectiveness
School-based mental health programs can reach large numbers of children, with increasing evidence of effectiveness in improving mental health and related outcomes, according to a research review in the September/October issue of the Harvard Review of Psychiatry.
"This review provides evidence that large-scale, school-based programs can be implemented in a variety of diverse cultures and educational models as well as preliminary evidence that such programs have significant, measurable positive effects on students' emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes," write J. Michael Murphy, EdD, of Massachusetts General Hospital and colleagues.
School-Based Programs Focus on Preventing Mental Health Problems
An estimated 13 percent of
children and adolescents worldwide have significant
mental health problems such as anxiety, disruptive behavior disorders, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and depression. Especially if left untreated, these disorders often persist into adulthood, with lasting effects on many aspects of life.
Over the years, many programs have been designed to deliver preventive
mental health services in schools, where children and teens spend so much of their time. Substantial research now shows that school-based mental
health interventions can be widely implemented and can lead to population-wide improvements in mental health, physical health, educational, and social outcomes.
Continue Reading...
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What You Can Do
Share Your Story to Inspire Others
The success that we have had in Massachusetts has brought us together with many young adults who have similar experiences to those shared by our speakers. We are always interested in getting to know individuals who have come through a mental health crisis, are in a positive recovery process, and would like to share their stories. If you are or know a college student or young professional who is interested in meaningful advocacy in the mental health field, please contact Jan Latorre-Stiller at 781.285.6696.
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If you have any other questions, do not hesitate to contact either of us directly. We look forward to working with you to help advance understanding and compassion around mental health issues among all age groups in Massachusetts.
Warm regards,
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Jan Latorre-Stiller
Massachusetts Regional Director
(p)
781.285.6696
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Karen Albert
Massachusetts Community Education &
Outreach Manager
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| About Minding Your Mind |
Minding Your Mind's primary objective is to provide mental health education to adolescents, teens and young adults, their parents, teachers, and school administrators. Our goal is to reduce the stigma and destructive behaviors often associated with mental health issues. The behaviors include, but are not limited to: self-harm, violence, substance abuse, eating disorders, unhealthy relationships, and suicidal ideation. Minding Your Mind's programs move away from crisis-based response to prevention through education. Our evidence-based programs are for students and the adults in their lives to learn ways to identify symptoms, assure them they aren't alone in their feelings, and provide language they can use to ask for help. Learn more at www.mindingyourmind.org.
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