Get a Sneak Peek at ARCC’s Virtual Programs!

Alum Rock Counseling Center

Takes their Group Sessions Online in order to

"Light the Way"

For ARCC's Youth & Families During the Pandemic

(Drawing done by a youth participant in the "Color & Vibe" Virtual You Group depicting ARCC staff as characters from the popular "Among Us" online game)

Connection

Counseling

Creativity

Care

Since 1974, the counselors and staff of Alum Rock Counseling Center (ARCC) have been meeting and supporting youth and families in places that feel safe and are accessible for them. This past year is no exception. Our virtual groups and online trainings for youth and caregivers have uniquely supported the mental and emotional health of our community during this difficult time and helped "Light the Way" towards healing and hope.

Here's just a small sampling of ARCC's online groups & classes and what your gift helps to make possible.

We Help Youth Connect with Peers and Find Community

During the pandemic and in partnership with Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Services, ARCC launched a Virtual Wellness Center that has been providing mental healthcare, education & employment support, and fun group activities for youth and young people (ages 12-25) during an otherwise isolating time.

Check out this short video testimonial about ARCC's "Virtual You" groups.

Virtual You Youth Testimonial April 2021

We Support Youth in Unleashing their Inner Artists

Tye-dyes. Poetry. Podcasts. Cooking. Dancing. Creative Writing. Drawing. Painting. You name it, we've done it! During COVID, ARCC staff have virtually guided youth in finding healthy ways to process the struggles they have been facing and express themselves in new (and uniquely individual) ways.

(Pictured Below) Drawings by youth participants from the "Color & Vibe” virtual workshop series, which combines music, art projects and lessons on self-care.

We Teach Caregivers about the Importance of their own Self-Care

As caregivers struggled with job loss, staggering rates of COVID in their neighborhoods, an inability to feed their families, overcrowded living situations, and distance learning for their kids, many felt (and continue to feel) overwhelmed. Always putting their families first, many fail to take proper care of (or even acknowledge) their own needs. Our online parent workshops create the proverbial "soft space" for our caregivers to fall. Counselors share coping skills and grounding exercises such as meditation and deep breathing to help them reconnect with their inner light.

We invite you to take two minutes and join Grace Hernandez, First 5 Bilingual Counselor II, in a guided meditation.

Here's Why Your Gift Matters ...

In order to help youth & caregivers feel more connected during virtual groups, ARCC staff often deliver program supplies to families' homes in advance of the sessions, such as journals, art supplies, or s'more making kits. Donations such as yours help us continue making those types of deliveries possible and allow us to nurture a sense of connectedness even when we are physically apart. Thank you in advance!

Make a donation online

Or mail a check payable to:

Alum Rock Counseling Center

Attn: Stacy Dryer

777 North First Street, Suite 444

San Jose, CA 95112