|
This website is to provide information on free/low-cost public health resources
for youths transitioning out of the foster-care/probation system.
|
|
Adobe Reader
Note: PDF documents on this site were created using Adobe Acrobat 5.0 or later. If you are using an earlier version of Adobe Acrobat Reader (4.x or less), document functionality may be reduced.
Please
Click Here
|
|
|
|
In This Section:
|
|
What is Mental Health
There are three parts of mental health:
-
1. Emotional well-being: Feelings of satisfaction with life, happiness, cheerfulness, peacefulness
-
2. Psychological well-being: Feelings of self-acceptance, personal growth including openness to new
experiences, optimism, hopefulness, purpose in life, control of one’s environment, spirituality, self-direction,
and positive relationships
-
3. Social well-being:A sense of social acceptance, beliefs in the potential of people and society as a whole,
personal self-worth and usefulness to society, sense of community
Don’t worry if you’re still working towards these things – your life will improve if you keep up your efforts!
If you’re depressed, dealing with a high level of stress, struggling with substance abuse, or suffering from
mental illness, don’t give up hope! There’s a lot of people and resources (some are listed below) to help you
if you’re having a hard time right now. Reach out to them if times are tough for you!
Are you thinking about suicide? Don’t do it. Life might be hard for you right now, but as long as you’re alive,
anything is possible – most things are fixable with time, support from caring mental health professionals, and
help from friends. Call one of the help lines or contact one of the organizations on the Mental Health Resource
Sheet. Suicide prevention lines are also included.
Return to Top
|
|
Stress is Normal - You Can Deal with it!
Stress can be good — it’s the body’s way of rising to a challenge and preparing to meet a tough situation.
You might also feel stress when you’re excited about something positive
Too much or long-term stress can be harmful and there are ways you can minimize that kind of
stress. Reach out to people you trust to talk about your problems.
Check out the links below for tips on how to deal with stress in a healthy way.
Return to Top
|
|
Info Sheets: Resources for Reducing Stress and Better Mental Health
|
Mental Health Resource Sheet
There are mental health resources especially for young adults transitioning out of foster care or probation camp.
If you need help, no matter how big or small your problems,
reach out to these services .
Return to Top
|
|
How to Talk to Your Therapist
Seeing a therapist for a mental health reason is like seeing a doctor for a physical injury. If you broke your leg, you’d see an
orthopedist for treatment. Therapists are trained to help you recover from a wide range of issues, from depression to traumatic
experiences.
Here are a few things you can do to cooperate and get the most out of your therapy sessions:
- Make sure it's a good fit - If you don't feel comfortable with a therapist, try another one. It’s important
to be able to open up to
your therapist.
-
Start from the beginning - Give your therapist information about your family history, what is going on
in your life right now, how you feel about it, etc. Therapists can help you understand what may be causing or
adding to your problems, so give them as much useful information as you can.
-
Think about things you want to talk about - Your therapist will discuss various things with you,
but it's useful to ask yourself the following questions:
-
Are there any recent changes in my health? (Some medical conditions can make you think, feel, or act strangely.)
-
Are there any recent changes in my life that make me feel stress?
-
Did something happen to me or did I see something that made me feel this way?
-
How do other people in my life affect the situation I'm in now?
-
How do I normally feel?
-
What changes do I want to make for the future?
-
Open up at your own pace - Don't try to force a quick end to your troubles.
Your therapist will help you through the process and you will be able to work things out.
Return to Top
|
|
Links: More Mental Health Resources - Click on the Titles
|
Teenshealth.org Stress & Coping Center
This resource was designed to help teens to adjust to stressful situations and feelings. There are also
some articles about some emotional and mental health issues, which might be helpful if you’re looking
for a way to start talking to someone you trust about some serious topics.
Asking for Help: Getting Past Obstacles -
If you’re struggling and you know that you need help but you’re having trouble actually asking for help,
this article might make the first step a little less difficult.
|
Create a Personal Stress Management Guide
The American Academy of Pediatrics has a webpage for teens to create a personalized stress relief plan.
After you complete the four sections, you can review your responses and email it to yourself so you can
look at it when you need it later.
|
Stress Relief Guide
This webpage lists some mini-relaxation exercises that can bring down your stress levels when you only have a few minutes to spare.
|
|
Youth Crisis and Help Lines
All of these help lines are available 24 hours if you need someone to talk to immediately.
|
|
GLBT National Youth Talkline
The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender (GLBT) Youth Talkline provides telephone, online private one-to-one
chat and email peer-support, as well as factual information and local resources for cities and towns across the
United States.
|
Return to Top
|
|
Links: More HealthyTransitionLA.org Resources
|
Return to Top
|
|
|
