Your child and depression
No parent or guardian ever wants to see their child suffering whether it’s physical or emotional pain. As parents, it could be easier to tend to a wound you could see, but it could be harder when it’s a wound you can’t see because it’s on the inside. Identifying Depression in Children Timely recognition and
Dealing with burnout, stress, and your mental health
Just like physical health, everybody has mental health. Someone does not need mental illness to focus on their mental health, just like someone doesn’t need to have a health condition to think about their physical health. One way to keep your mental health in check is to work on managing stress. Experts at the Youth
3 ways to keep your anger in check
It’s completely normal to feel angry. It’s a natural emotion that everybody has experienced at least one point in their lives. However, there is no reason to stay mad if you’re feeling that way. Medical experts claim there are long-term physical effects to not managing your anger, such as anxiety, depression, and stroke risks. Therapists at
How to help your child if they’re struggling with anxiety
If you’re a parent, it’s hard to watch your child struggle or suffer from anxiety or stress. If you’re not sure what kind of action or approach to take, the Youth Crisis Center says there are various ways to handle the situation by just talking with your child. It may not be able to make
Your Child and Anxiety
Everybody deals with anxiety differently. According to Healthline, “anxiety is your body’s natural response to stress.” Stress is a part of everyday life. Some people encounter it at one point whether it’s the first day of school, public speaking, or finally landing a job interview; stress happens and how people deal with it varies. However,
Mindfulness: How to get your child involved
Mindfulness is a subject addressed often at the Youth Crisis Center. Experts at YCC believe that mindfulness is having awareness of our physical, mental, and emotional condition without assigning judgement on ourselves. YCC wants to remind everyone that practicing mindfulness doesn’t cost anything. You will be able to practice anywhere as long as you have
Three ways you can start practicing mindfulness today
There is no universally recognized definition of mindfulness; however, there are some consistent key concepts. Mindfulness is focusing one’s attention on our present condition. It is gaining awareness of the thoughts, feelings, and sensations we experience in the here-and-now, rather than on past adversity or future anxieties. According to therapists at the Youth Crisis Center,
Taking care of your mental health at work, avoiding burnout
It can be easy for one to get caught up in work. Someone could find themselves so wrapped up in their work that they probably miss lunch, stay late, or even bring their work home. Sometimes it happens to the best of us, but it could lead to workplace burnout when it happens consistently. What
3 things you can do now to help free yourself from negative thoughts
Nobody wants to think about unhappy or negative things, but for some people, it’s all they seem to think about. It can be frustrating to be boggled down with these types of thoughts and some may even feel betrayed by their mind playing tricks on them. These thoughts do not have to haunt your everyday
4 categories to focus on when practicing self-care
You can’t pour from an empty cup is a phrase often said when giving advice. It can be hard to help someone when you are running on empty yourself. Therapists at the Youth Crisis Center believe you must practice self-care regularly to take care of yourself properly. They suggest there are four categories to focus
Shining a Light on National Youth Violence Prevention Week
During the month of April, the National Youth Violence Prevention Campaign is recognized for one week. This year, National Youth Violence Prevention Week takes place April 12 – April 16th. Around 200,000 homicides occur annually worldwide among youth between the ages of 10-29. According to the World Health Organization, that makes up 43% of the total number
How the Youth Crisis Center is helping young adults in Northeast Florida
Just because the word Youth is in our name does not mean we are only limited to helping children. The Youth Crisis Center offers counseling services to people of all ages. We provide residential services as well. Nearly a dozen young adults in Northeast Florida call YCC home, thanks to our Transitional Living Programs in
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
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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
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