Flourish Event: Let's Talk About Mental Health
Updated: Oct 14, 2020
2020! What a year it has been. I know that everyone has experienced it differently and in their own way. I hope that you have stayed healthy and safe during this time. I know that current events and COVID-19 are taking a toll on people's mental health, myself included. Even before 2020, dealing with anxiety, stress, and depression already existed, and now, this year may have brought these feelings back up, or amplified them. Talking about mental health is so important to me because so many people I know have struggled with it, myself being one of those people. However, it can sometimes be weird and uncomfortable to talk about. I'd like to change that and make it something normal to share with others!
On November 7th, join licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Krys Sarkady, founder of Heart and Mind Wellness LLC, to talk about dealing with COVID-19, stress, depression, and anxiety. We'll discuss tips for dealing with these issues and how to help someone you know that may be struggling too! It will be held virtually via Zoom, and don't worry, the format will be where only the speakers can be seen! Send me your questions ahead of time for Krys!
The panel will also feature Gabriela Garayar of NAMI Pinellas to talk about free services that NAMI offers for the Tampa Bay Area, as well as NAMI's virtual 5k coming up on 11/21/2020.
One more note --> Join my 5k team OR donate to my team benefitting NAMI Pinellas (National Alliance on Mental Illness) by clicking this link: namiwalks.org/team/flourish
XO, Ashley
What draws my attention to using digital tools in vocational learning is the possibility of making an unfamiliar subject feel closer to everyday life. Digital resources are most useful when they help students practise a recognisable workplace task. It also gives the phrase digital vocational education a clearer meaning than a label on its own. I am still thinking through the details, and a small example would help me picture how this works in practice. Which activities benefit from an online tool and which still need hands-on practice?
Considering making online counselling easier to approach, I keep coming back to the difference between knowing about an idea and putting it into practice. Knowing how a first conversation works can reduce uncertainty about asking for support. It gives me a more concrete starting point for thinking about online counselling information. A short discussion of an everyday example would make this easier for me to connect with, especially as someone still learning about the subject. What practical information should be available before someone books an online session?
I can see why making personal safety education age appropriate would invite discussion, since different people will bring different experiences to the same question. Clear language about boundaries makes an awkward subject easier to discuss respectfully. It also gives the phrase personal safety education a clearer meaning than a label on its own. I am more curious about the process than a polished result, because the steps in between are usually where questions appear. How can lessons about personal safety remain understandable at different ages?
The subject of learning through imaginative preschool play feels more interesting when there is room for a reader to stop and ask their own questions. Inventing a story together gives children room to experiment with language and ideas. It gives me a more concrete starting point for thinking about imaginative preschool play. I can imagine different answers depending on the situation, so I would want to understand the context before drawing conclusions. How can adults support imaginative play without deciding every detail?
My first thought about building better everyday study habits is that the everyday experience deserves as much attention as the larger explanation. Small routines can help students begin work even when motivation is low. I would keep that thought nearby when looking for ideas about student study habits. I would be interested in a simple example, because it is often the ordinary details that make an idea memorable. What makes a study routine realistic enough to maintain throughout a school term?