Students and Families,

In November, and always, we are thankful for you and our many community partners. We have been fortunate to partner with Wind Rose in Hope to increase access to appropriate mental health services for our FRHC families. Our collaboration with Mental Health Matters, Columbus Regional Hospital, Bartholomew County Health Department, BCSC, and others has brought the resources of Credible Mind, Parent Guidance Monthly Mental Health Series, Ask a Therapist Live, and Parent Coaching to our community. These valuable parenting and mental health resources are making a difference and we are grateful.

This month's newsletter will largely focus on these valuable resources. Feel free to ask us any questions!

Sincerely,

Kelli Hoeflinger and Kasey Waltz

Hauser School Counseling

Each month we will share a calendar of FREE mental health series sessions that anyone can attend virtually and anonymously. Register for the events at https://parentguidance.org/mhsindex. Past sessions can be accessed on Parent Guidance as well.

AND attend the free Ask a Therapist LIVE session on 11/20 at 6 pm.

We are excited to share a new mental health and family resource that has the potential to make a meaningful impact on our lives and the community. Through generous grant funding, all Bartholomew County families can now access Parent Coaching. This powerful resource is free and could benefit anyone!

Parenting is hard; we can all use an ally, reassurance, and additional expertise. We believe in the potential for these services so much that we encouraged our FRHC counselors and administrators to try it first. We have received positive feedback and praise for Parent Coaching in the initial weeks.

Parent Coaching

Parent Coaching is a resource for caregivers to receive one-on-one, confidential coaching from a licensed provider to best support their child’s needs.

Signing up is as simple:

1. Go to https://parentguidance.org/school-coaching/.

2. Click on “Get Started.”

3. Select Indiana and then Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corporation.

You will be contacted quickly by Parent Guidance to set up an initial virtual appointment with your Parent Coach. You will receive weekly or bi-weekly individual coaching sessions at a time that works for your schedule, access to messaging via the Parent App with your coach, and guided step-by-step follow-up customized resources for your needs.

All information is confidential. The school district will not know who participates in this service.

In addition to Parent Coaching, on the Parent Guidance, https://parentguidance.org/, website includes:

• Mental Health Series

• On-Demand Courses

• Ask a Therapist Questions and Answers

There are over 50 e-courses, free to families, which are led by licensed therapists as well as an ask-a-therapist section on the website.

Let's talk mental health...what does that mean? Mental health is a person's condition in regards to their psychological & emotional well being. EVERYONE has mental health.

Mental Health Matters is a Bartholomew County-wide initiative "created to address challenges and improve the mental health system for the wellbeing of youth and adults in Bartholomew County." MHM recognizes national and local mental health crises and aims to support adults and youth in Bartholomew County. Their resource directory provides access to crucial, local resources.

Some highlights from MHM Credible Minds website:

• Check out the Learning Lab tab for practical guides and tools to improve your wellbeing.

• Assessment "What's Your Mental Health Profile?"
• Understanding Self-Care
• Exploring outlets to overcome anxiety
• Depression: Resources, help for parents, signs and symptoms, support, treatment
• Suicide: How to Help and Support a Friend
• The importance of friendship and social connections
• Stress: Explore ways to relieve stress and calm worries

Credible Mind community resources section offers a diverse listing of local mental health and service providers. (This is not an exhaustive or endorsed list.)

https://mhmbc.crediblemind.com/user-resources

Whether you failed a test, have an abundance or homework or been turned down by your crush, having healthy coping skills can be key to getting through tough times. Coping skills help you tolerate, minimize, and deal with stressful situations in life.

Coping skills are the tactics that people use to deal with stressful situations. Managing your stress well can help you feel better physically and psychologically and impact your ability to perform your best.

But not all coping skills are created equal. Sometimes, it’s tempting to engage in strategies that will give quick relief but might create bigger problems for you down the road. It’s important to establish healthy coping skills that will help you reduce your emotional distress or rid yourself of the stressful situations you face. Examples of healthy coping skills include:

• Establishing and maintaining boundaries
• Practicing relaxation strategies such as deep breathing, meditation, and mindfulness
• Getting regular physical activity
• Making to-do lists and setting goals

Stress is the physical or mental response to an external cause, such as having a lot of homework or having an illness. A stressor is a one time or short-term occurrence, or it can happen repeatedly over a long time.

Anxiety is your body's reaction to stress and can occur even if there is no current threat. If that anxiety doesn't go away and begins to interfere with your life, it can impact your health.

Click the picture "I'm so stressed out" to learn more.

Did you know that there is a crisis hotline? If you aren’t at school and need help, you can call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for yourself or if you are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support.

You can reach a trained crisis counselor who can help.

988 offers 24/7 access to trained crisis counselors who can help people experiencing mental health-related distress. That could be:

• Thoughts of suicide

• Mental health or substance use crises

• Emotional distress

• And other reasons to connect

Seniors,

Check out the Hauser Counseling Senior News- November Edition for information and resources for YOU!

Junior Families,

You may find it helpful to read the Senior News as well to gain an understanding in advance of senior year information, opportunities, and processes.

This month, Hauser’s 8th graders had the unique opportunity to visit the Reality Store, an engaging, hands-on experience designed to teach valuable life skills. Before their trip, students participated in a lesson with Ms. Kasey, where they explored the importance of GPA, calculated their own, and completed a career assessment to select a career based on their GPA and interests. Each student also chose a family size, adding to the real-life feel of their upcoming simulation.

Upon arriving at the Reality Store, students stepped into the roles of 28-year-olds, complete with careers, families, and real-world responsibilities. They learned to budget for essentials such as housing, childcare, transportation, and even pet care! Students balanced the costs of daily life while also saving money, allowing them to connect their career aspirations to practical financial goals.

This eye-opening experience gave students a clearer view of how their academic and career choices impact their futures, helping them set informed goals for the years ahead.

Did you know that 1 in 10 children will experience sexual abuse before their 18th birthday? In November, we were pleased to welcome Family Services, Inc., who provided our 9th-12th grade students with important educational sessions on body safety. Presented by Family Services’ Prevention Education Team, the lessons focused on the topic of power imbalances and their connection to sexual abuse of minors.

Using the evidence-based curriculum "Play it Safe," the presentation highlighted strategies that perpetrators may use to groom individuals, their families, and communities. This program aligns with Indiana’s state-mandated body safety education, equipping students with the knowledge to recognize unsafe situations and protect themselves.

We are grateful to Family Services for their impactful lessons and their dedication to keeping our students safe and informed.

Kasey Waltz, LMHCA

School Counselor

7-9th Grade

kwaltz@flatrock.k12.in.us

Kelli Hoeflinger, NCC, LMHC

School Counseling Director

10th-12th Grade

khoeflinger@flatrock.k12.in.us

Joanna Tucker

School Counseling Administrative Assistant and Registrar

jtucker@flatrock.k12.in.us