By Jessica Wilkerson, LCSW Often, mental health and being mindful go hand in hand. We are programmed from the start that productivity is king, and busyness brings bragging rights. Being productive and busy are important, and they can be very healthy for our mental health. However,...
by Haley Nguyen Sauce, LMSW Suicide can be a scary topic to talk about, but it is something that should not go undiscussed. Although the majority of adolescents and adults can argue the many different contributing factors of suicide, many cannot talk about the different ways...
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month (also referred to as BIPOC Mental Health Month) which aims to bring awareness to the unique struggles that racial and ethnic minority communities face regarding mental health in the United States. We have been sharing experiences from our staff...
By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Jansen McDonald, LMSW, happened upon the counseling field in an unusual way. “I majored in psychology in college just because I love to be with people, but I didn’t know what that would entail for me,” he said. “When I really...
By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Brittney Dougan, LMSW, recalls a 7th-grade student she felt has made some of the most progress since Brittney started with Next Step in September 2020. “She was really angry, ready to fight people at the drop of a hat,” Brittney said. “When...
By Rebecca Smith Next Step counselor Garland Willis recalled what made him go from being a high school principal to a counselor a few years ago. “Being a principal is where all my white hair came from,” he said with a laugh. “As a principal, my most...
By Rebecca Smith Every so often, a Next Step counselor will see an adolescent who is struggling with their LGBTQ identity. For these students, counseling can make the biggest difference, as they can be especially vulnerable to mental health issues. “Suicide is the third leading cause of...
By Rebecca Smith When Sherry Parker started at Next Step only a couple weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the schools in March 2020, she worried how she would see the students who needed her. Next Step set her and the other counselors up with video...
On his Zoom call for his interview, Marcus Wade chose a playful virtual background with hearts, pizza slices, and music notes. It featured phrases like “Not blaming yourself,” “eating the food you want,” “keeping a journal and writing down your ideas.” Fitting tips for the...
By Rebecca Smith When asked if she can share an anonymous story of a student who had made significant progress in counseling, Taylor Parker’s face lights up. “Oh my gosh, yes!” She said, clasping her hands in excitement. “I’ll give you two!” One was a second grade student...