Helping Kids Face
Back-to-School Anxiety
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As summer comes to a close, your child’s return to the day-to-day grind of school can cause much stress and performance anxiety. Some students will face greater responsibilities in school and perhaps at work for the first time. Some with stage fright or performance anxiety may find their nerves frazzled or feel sick. A recent Yale psychological study targeted children’s back-to-school anxieties with a rather unique method of treatment: training classes for their parents.
By working with a therapist, parents learned ways to teach their children how to cope with unavoidable stress rather than swooping in to save their children from anxiety. Therapists advise parents to:
- Help children feel heard and loved, while using supportive statements to build their confidence.
- Show their children that they understand how anxiety feels.
- Accept that their children are genuinely anxious, not just attention-seeking.
- Teach children that they can tolerate anxiety, and don't need to be rescued from it. This gives them the strength to face their fears.
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Community Outreach:
Health Fairs
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Counselors from the Care and Counseling Center of Georgia spread our message of healing and hope to the greater Atlanta community by participating in health fairs throughout the city, most recently on July 13. On that day, counselors and staff promoted mental health services in two locations: Clarkston and Atlanta.
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Multicultural Mental Health Fair in Clarkston
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Several counselors and staff from CCCG were on hand July 13 to provide Clarkston’s residents, particularly immigrants and refugees, with free screenings for depression and anxiety.
Janay Whittaker, Joanne Sin,
Ashlei Rabess,
Kelly Autry and
Krupa Desai worked at the event to offer hope and share behavioral health resources and services available through CCCG.
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Janay says that she was interested in the event because she wanted to provide resources to those in need in the refugee and immigrant communities. She says, “As a person of color, other people of color are important to me in regard to outreach about our work because people of color do not use mental health services as much as some other populations do.”
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Community Outreach to Veterans
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Counselors
Jonathan Yellowhair and
Steven Alper participated in an outreach event for veterans at Lindsay Street Baptist Church sponsored by the Georgia Council on Substance Abuse CARES Academy and the Atlanta North Georgia Labor Council.
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As part of the event to provide a variety of community resources to veterans, Jonathan and Steven shared the behavioral health, mental wellness, and substance abuse and recovery services offered by the Care and Counseling Center of Georgia.
Representatives from several labor unions described apprenticeship programs and work opportunities for veterans. Legal experts educated veterans on how to expunge criminal records or restore their rights in case of felony convictions. While most speakers focused on the needs of the veterans themselves, Jonathan and Steven talked about CCCG’s holistic approach offering services for the whole family.
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Describing the experience, Jonathan says, “It was great to see people giving up their Saturday to work towards a better future for veterans. Each agency and person took pride in what they could contribute towards our veterans’ healing. I look forward to personally giving back to our veterans in need. This event was a breath of fresh air.”
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Jasmine Gay began working at Care and Counseling Center of Georgia in April as an administrative assistant, helping primarily with intake.
Jasmine is an Atlanta native and graduate of the Art Institute of Atlanta, specializing in fashion. She is excited to bring her experience in customer service to her first medical office position. “I’ve always had a niche for helping people, so this has come naturally for me,” Jasmine says. “I’m able to communicate and listen to particular patients, make them comfortable, set their appointments and make sure they come back to us.”
Jasmine loves that CCCG is community- and family-oriented. “I love that we help no matter what,” she says. “Even if you can’t afford it, we find a way to assist you.”
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Offered below is a brief listing of upcoming and ongoing CCCG events.
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AnnMarie Lehrer, MS, NPC, APC, will restart her dialectical behavior therapy boot camp Tuesday, Aug. 6, for six weeks. $180 for all 6 weeks. Time: 6-8 pm
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ASAM Level 1 care and support for persons using alcohol or other substances, or for those suffering from process addictions such as gambling, sex, internet and shopping. Our science-based treatment includes motivational enhancement, emotional coping skills and mindfulness.
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Saturdays at 10 am.
FREE! (donations accepted). This is for you if you would like a Buddhist-based approach to recovery—from substances, eating disorders, process addictions, and much more!
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A recovery group based in cognitive skills and thought restructuring. This is a community-based, educational support group that can supplement or replace traditional 12-step meetings.
Wednesdays,
7:00–7:45pm
FREE!
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Women’s Growth Group
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At CCCG in Decatur with Carol Pitts—$45 per session. Contact Carol at cpitts@cccgeorgia.org for more information.
Weekly Grief Support Group at Oak Grove UMC
: For individuals who have experienced loss and are looking for a community of support. Tuesdays 6:30–7:30 pm.
FREE!
Contact Jonathan Yellowhair at jyellowhair@cccgeorgia.org or 404-636-1457 x428 f
or more info.
Monthly Grief Support Group
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FREE! Meets the last Thursday of every month at 6 pm at CCCG at our main office in Decatur and is sponsored by A.S. Turner & Sons Funeral Home. It is open to the community and free of charge. For more information contact JD Dreiling at jdreiling@cccgeorgia.org or 404-636-1457, ext. 425.
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Care and Counseling Center of Georgia (CCCG) has been bringing healing and hope to the communities of Georgia for more than 55 years. Please help keep us providing high quality affordable behavioral health services; caring support for children, adults, and families; and counseling and chaplaincy training.
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Back-to-school graphics from
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