Getting through the holidays while feeling lonely
The holiday season can mean a lot of things to different people. Some may think about joy, time with the family, and just happiness in general. Others may not have such a positive experience with the holidays. Both feelings are valid and are okay for someone to have. If someone has a positive experience with
Local CrossFit Gym Pays Tribute to Suicide Prevention During Pandemic
“Fight to Flourish” competition amongst athletes and teen participants will be held January 16, 2021 December 14, 2020 — Jacksonville, FL — CrossFit Salt de Terre, a female owned and operated CrossFit gym located just outside Riverside, in the up and coming Railyard District, will be hosting its first annual “Fight to Flourish” competition
Youth Crisis Center opens emergency shelter for young adults, House of Hope
Jacksonville, FL., December 8, 2020 – There is now another option for young adults in Northeast Florida in search of a place to live in the middle of a crisis. After three years of planning, the Youth Crisis Center is pleased to announce the opening of the House of Hope. The House of Hope will
Surviving a family crisis
A family crisis can occur when the family has to change. According to research, a threat to the family’s organization, structure, or culture can cause a crisis. There are several types of family crisis: Death of a family member, loss of a job, natural disaster etc. Not all crises are necessarily negative, even a good
Communication in the Family
How can parents help their kids feel comfortable talking to them? One of the greatest ways a can parent help their kid open up communication with them is through learning and nailing the art of validation. The dictionary defines validation as “the recognition or affirmation that a person, their feelings, or opinions are valid or
You don’t have to run away, talk to someone
For some youth, running away may seem like the only option and the best case scenario when things start to go south at home. Therapists at the Youth Crisis Center want all youth or anyone who might be running away from home or their problems to know that it’s not worth it. There are so
3 things you can do now to get more involved in your child’s life
Have you ever wondered how you can get more involved in your child’s life? Perhaps you may have wondered if parental involvement is important for children? No matter what your reason is, Family Link Therapist Sidney Vernon, MSW, has listed a few suggestions below on how you can become more involved in your child’s life.
Touchstone Village Holiday Wishlist
20-year-old male Gift Card Winter Jacket size Large Shaving Set Twin Size comforter set Anything else you can think of 19-year-old female Bath & Body Works Body Spray Basketball Black Winter Jacket size X or XL Black Crocs 19-year-old female Sweater (size S-M) Big Headphones Twin Size Comforter Set Makeup Kit Jewelry Fuzzy boots (size
Addressing Anger
It is rare to find someone who is happy all the time. Getting mad is just as common as feeling sad, joyful, jealous, and scared or any other emotion. As human beings, we cycle through these emotions and that’s okay; it’s normal. How we feel and respond to things plays a part in what makes
How to work with your kids to tackle bullying
It’s hard to run into anybody nowadays who has not been affected by bullying. Bullying can be defined as someone who is being hurt by either words or actions on purpose more than once. It can cause physical pain or even emotional pain. According to StopBullying.gov, some bullying can fall into criminal categories, such as
The importance of therapy
What is therapy and can it really help people? Therapy is designed to assist someone who may be dealing with life stressors that can affect their outlook on life. You can see a mental health profession for a multitude of problems such as anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), trauma, low self-esteem, anger, grief/loss just
Mindfulness for beginners: what is it and how to practice
Let’s start by defining ‘mindfulness,’ according to Headspace, mindfulness is the quality of being present and fully engaged with whatever we are doing at the moment. Amanda Marker, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and the Lead Outpatient Therapist at the Youth Crisis Center says mindfulness has been found to be a key element in stress reduction and
What is Mental Health and does everybody have it?
Mental health is the well-being of an individual’s mental, emotional, and/or physical functioning. Mental health is something that all individuals have whether they are aware of it or not. When something has an impact on our mental health we may refer to it as mental illness. Although there are myths about mental health/illnesses and how
What is stress and how can we manage it?
Stress happens. In fact, according to the Mayo Clinic, “stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the demands a life.” The Mayo Clinic even states that a small amount of stress can be good for you, and can help motivate you to perform well. However, for some people, what could seem like a minor challenge
Maintaining healthy relationships at a time during social distancing
Time has changed. Some restaurants require us to wear a mask before we sit down to eat and even wear a mask before we walk into the door. Some students have to sit in front of a computer at their own house for their first day of school due to distance learning. Greetings such as
Facing your anxiety while preparing for a new school year
It’s that time of the year again…back to school. This year may look a little different than previous years of going to school. Some students, teachers and staff will be wearing masks. Some students may not see their friends anymore because they moved over the summer, they’re being homeschooled, or if they have the option
The Power of Routines
Everybody has some type of routine in their life. Whether it’s waking up and making your favorite pot of coffee or doing some type of skin or self-care before bed. Bertha Barrett is an Outpatient Therapist for the Youth Crisis Center and is also a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional. She challenges people to think of
2nd Annual Hayden Hurst Family Foundation Golf Tournament
Date: Monday, February 22, 2021 Time: 8:30 a.m. shotgun start Location: Deercreek Country Club
The world through our children’s eyes during COVID-19
This will be a six-week online program for children between the ages of 6 and 10. Youth Crisis Center Family Link Therapist Clarissa Benitez, MSW will conduct this free online group through BlueJeans. Space is limited please call 904-575-1324 by May 11th, 2020 to learn more and reserve a spot for your child. Download our
The Great Indoors: Staying inside and entertained with your family
There are more options for things to do as a family are starting to open up with the news of some of our local beaches opening up along with parts of our country. For some, cabin-fever is the only thing they are feeling as many people in our country have been told to stay at
What do I do with a child dealing with depression?
Depression and what does it look like for me and my child? We as adults think we understand what depression looks like, we sleep a lot, maybe we eat too much ice cream, we wear black, and listen to sad music. We write sad poetry and comment on the unfair nature of life? What does
Staying on top of your mental health during COVID-19
The kids are home from school and you’re probably working from home as the world continues to deal with COVID-19. For some families, this could be a dream come true to spend the entire day with their loved ones every single day. Others might not know how to deal with this kind of scenario because
Social Distancing vs Social Isolation: Maintaining relationships and setting boundaries
As our country continues to deal with COVID-19, the term ‘social distancing’ continues to pop up. Social Distance is a big reason why you are probably working from home, your kids are not at their physical school, and why so many businesses are limiting how many people are allowed inside. CDC says limiting face-to-face contact with
Accepting the new normal: Working and learning from home
If we’re not already wondering ourselves, someone is probably joking about it on social media: “what day is it?” The CDC has been keeping on an eye on the coronavirus since the beginning of 2020. The United States has seen over 300,000 cases this year and over 7000 deaths since January. The global pandemic has
Talking to your kids about COVID-19
The U.S continues to talk about COVID-19 and the uncertainties it not only leaves for our country but the rest of the world. The virus has been dominating headlines and has been a part of the news cycle since the beginning of this year. At a time of calls from our nation’s leaders to social
An update from YCC in response to COVID-19
A Letter From The Director of Strategic Partnerships A Letter From Our President & CEO With the recent updates from our government regarding COVID-19, and in order to ensure staff and clients are as safe as possible, Youth Crisis Center is making some changes to our provision of services. As of March 19th, the residential
CDC: Wash hands, stay home if sick to avoid COVID-19
YCC wants everyone to remain safe and healthy! In the wake of COVID-19, please review this information from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention about this virus. Symptoms: Symptoms of the virus become noticeable between 2-14 days after exposure and range from mild to severe. These symptoms are fever, cough, and shortness of breath. Prevention: There
Finding your flock; how to avoid getting mixed in with the wrong crowds
It’s a proverb you have probably heard once or twice in your life, “birds of a feather flock together.” It means those who have the same interests or like the same things will usually be found together. Everybody has their own flock whether they’re extroverted and enjoy going out on Friday nights for karaoke or
Setting aside time to check in with your child
It’s natural for parents and children to want to spend time together. However, with a busy work-life, school, after-school activities and other distractions, it could be hard to be able to set aside time to check in with your loved ones. Things happen and sometimes interactions slip through the cracks, but there are ways to