San Antonio Nonprofit Advocates Mental Wellness Prior to School Commencement

As back-to-school season kicks off in San Antonio, there’s an increasing focus on more than just academics. Recognizing the toll that anxiety and other mental health issues can take on students, a local nonprofit organization is emphasizing on the importance of mental wellness right before students head back into the classrooms. This approach is seen as essential in ensuring a successful and resilient academic year ahead.

Mental Health and Education: An Intertwining Connection

Jessica Knudsen, President and CEO of the Clarity Child Guidance Center, offers sobering insights into the relationship between mental well-being and academic success. Her organization, a non-profit that assists children ages 3-17 with psychiatric aid, has seen a spike in the need for their services, especially during back-to-school season. The stressors of school, societal expectations, and the social media onslaught are all cited as contributing factors to childhood and adolescent anxiety.

Knudsen says, “We have a mission to support children and their families in their pursuit of mental wellness,” explaining that the main objective of the center is to help stabilize the mental health of children and reintegrate them back into the community. The urgency of addressing mental health in students before they reach adulthood is a central focus of the organization. It aims to illuminate the fact that mental health must be taken as seriously as physical health and education, with the ultimate goal of preventing lifelong struggles.

Spotting Signs Early On

An unfortunate truth is that it can often take up to eight years from the appearance of the first symptoms to the commencement of treatment for mental health issues. The key to improving this prognosis, Knudsen states, is early identification and intervention. She emphasizes the pivotal role parents play in this: “Parents know their kids. And if something doesn’t feel right, pay attention to that,” she stresses.

Addressing and accepting mental health issues within the family, instead of avoiding or downplaying them, can make a significant difference, she said, “one in five are going to have some kind of behavioral health challenge in their lifetime.”

Personal Experience Fuels the Drive to Help Others

Knudsen’s commitment to mental wellness support is not purely professional but deeply personal. She lost her brother to depression and witnessed her mother’s long battle with psychiatric issues. These lived experiences have fed her intrinsic drive to change the lives of people grappling with mental health issues.

She urges families with kids facing severe mental health challenges to actively seek help. “I think the strongest thing we can do is to admit when we can’t do it all and to ask for help. It takes a village. You haven’t failed if you are asking for outside assistance. We need our village,” she reiterates.

Crisis Help For Immediate Assistance

The Clarity Child Guidance Center underscores that support is readily available. They operate round-the-clock crisis services where one can walk in for an assessment or schedule an appointment. The Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988 is a 24/7 service for immediate help.

In conclusion, while the academic success of students remains an utmost priority, there’s an increasing recognition that it is integrally tied to their mental well-being. Nonprofits like the Clarity Child Guidance Center are playing a crucial role in underlining the pressing need for mental health intervention, thereby working towards encouraging healthier and happier students, who are resilient in the face of adversities.