Connectedness and Wellness

Ms. Shanica Dale, Personal Counselor

The pandemic has shifted many aspects of our lives and forced us to adapt to undesirable ways of living. Social distancing and quarantining has become the new normal as we all try to navigate the pandemic. The impact of the pandemic on students' mental health is apparent. Research shows that isolation has caused stress, anxiety, and depression to increase with adolescents. Students have and will experience significant milestones of adolescence during unprecedented times. Research also explains how friendships and peer connections influence a sense of self-worth during adolescence and has a significant influence on managing anxiety and depression (Goldberg, 2020).

For some students, this new online learning environment has brought a measure of relief academically and socially. These students prefer the academic independence and less social pressure. This new online learning environment has allowed some students to thrive personally, and academically. However, others are facing challenges daily. The pandemic has impacted some students' social development, peer relationships, and even family dynamics. To combat this, it is important to promote connectedness and wellness. Wellness includes physical, mental, and emotional health.

Wellness and connectedness can be promoted and fostered by taking current circumstances day by day. Each day should include some type of productivity, connectedness, and leisure time. Emphasizing connectedness and leisure time, it is important for students to have something to look forward to, even if for just that day. This is setting aside time to connect with others and to also do something they personally enjoy. This could be a call with a friend or family member, cooking dinner with the family, watching a favorite show/ movie, reading a book, doing some type of art, spending some quiet time to journal or meditate, getting outdoors safely for some fresh air and sunlight and/or going for a walk or jog. Depending on the comfort level, some may choose to socially distance with a friend or loved one outdoors to stay connected. To foster resiliency through this social isolation, it is important that students receive support from peers, family, school personnel and professional helpers if necessary. Students should be encouraged to embrace the support available to them. This pandemic has increased the awareness of mental health for students and it is our responsibility to respond promptly and effectively. We are indeed living in unprecedented times and the need to support one another is more evident than it has ever been.

RESOURCES AND REFERENCES:

COVID-19 Wellness Resources for Stress and Anxiety

How the Pandemic Affects Teenagers’ Mental Health

YouthLine • A Teen Crisis Helpline with Teen-to-Teen Support

Teen & Youth Help Hotline | Teenage Advice, Crisis & Depression Helpline

Emma Goldberg, “Teens in Covid Isolation: ‘I Felt Like I Was Suffocating’,” The New York Times, November 12, 2020

CALM PLACES AND OPEN SPACES WELLNESS HOUR

PHS began a new initiative called Calm Places and Open Spaces. After a brief check-in with their small group advisory, each student is provided with six different virtual room options to join. Examples include a music room where students collectively created a fun playlist with Mrs. Bradfield, an art room where students found calm by creating a project, a room focused on breathing techniques led by our student wellness committee, and rooms with physical movement like Yoga. There was also a room that invited students and adults to bring their pets and talk about how their pets have helped them during this time. The addition of this wellness hour has proven to be a great opportunity for the students (and faculty and staff!) to de-stress and connect with peers.