Multiple sessions to come

Parents and staff gathered in the Jackie Johnson room to attend session one of a series of workshops titled Parenting Healthy Teens, Feb. 6. Stephanie Zimmerman led the first of three presentations being held this semester, by talking about mental health issues that affect teenagers.

FC academic advisor Michelle Warkentin believes these workshops allow parents to discuss teen issues in a controlled environment.

“The reason we wanted to have an on-campus workshop is to give parents a place where they can connect with other parents and staff members,” Warkentin said. “The issues of anxiety, depression, and self-harm are not ones that are often discussed openly and our hope is to provide a safe venue to do this in.”

Warkentin introduced Zimmerman as a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) who specializes in working with adolescents. A slide-show presentation that consisted of pictures, graphs and statistics accompanied her message.

Discussed topics included how the teenage brain operates, anxiety, suicide, self-harm, trauma, attachment, and mindfulness. The session ended with mental health tips and an open question and answer discussion.

Zimmerman utilized several interactive demonstrations to reinforce her talking points. Parents recorded how aware they were with their bodies, before and after exercise. Another activity dealt with the proper way to take a breath, which calms the brain if done effectively.

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The school setting appeals to a wide array of adults who can assist teens, according to Zimmerman.

“Most kids are involved in a school,” Zimmerman said, “ whether it’s online, public, private or charter, and so there is a better sense of community, a better reach that the school can offer. It also gets a more diverse crowd, as far as teachers, school administration, and parents.”

Principal Amy Deffenbacher hopes that Parenting Healthy Teens will further the relationship between the institutions that students are part of.

“Our school’s mission statement speaks of a partnership between the school, home, and the local church to help prepare students for life,” Deffenbacher said. “There are many issues related to parenting that are not just addressed in the home- they affect children on campus as well. My hope is that these seminars will strengthen that partnership and also give us all a common language and tools to use as we seek to provide support for all students.”

Several on-campus resources already exist for students who need them. Counselors are available for students to visit on an ongoing basis. To do so, a parent or teacher must fill out a referral form and submit it to Michelle Warkentin.

The next Parenting Healthy Teens session will be on April 24, focusing on safe driving. The final session this school year will take place in May. Both parents and teens are encouraged to attend these events.

For more on teenage mental health, read Local suicides prompt campus response.

This writer can be reached via Twitter: @Will_VanderKooi and email: Will Vander Kooi.