Back to School: Managing Stress

Written By: Samantha Rivas, Clinical Intern at ACS, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment Program The alarm goes off. It’s time to pick out what to wear, get to school on time, see both new and familiar faces, get an excess amount of academic assignments, attend after-school programs, and juggle the obligations between family, friends, school, work, […]

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Diary of an ACS Intern

Written By: Marcus Randolph, MFT Intern at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program A typical day for me  starts at 4 am, when I begin my morning routine. This routine includes prayer, reading my Bible,  reading other spiritual literature, meditation, journaling, then I’m out the door by 5:00 am to work out at the gym with my […]

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Understanding and Managing Student Stress

Written By: Dara Gray Tynefield, AMFT at ACS, On-Campus Counseling Program Eustress vs. Distress For our students, the excitement of a new school year often gives way to a full routine of classwork, homework, extracurriculars, sports, clubs, arts, friends, family, jobs… and while the positive stress of a full and productive schedule is not inherently […]

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Parenting Teens: Some Secrets to Staying (Somewhat) Sane

Written By:  Charlotte Villemoes, LMFT, Site Supervisor, ACS On-Campus Counseling Program The cuteness is gone, and so is the desire to hold your hand on the way to school and cuddle up at bedtime. The kid who used to look to you for answers for anything from “Why does the earth spin?” to “Why do […]

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Isn’t there an ‘App’ for that?! Real perspective on College Application Anxiety

Written By:  JoAnn Kukulus, MFTI, On-Campus Counseling Program Site Coordinator Cooler weather, changing seasons, shorter days, Autumn holidays…..COLLEGE APPLICATIONS!!! High school students in general are reporting greater stress than ever and with deadlines for submitting college applications. Admission to next fall’s academic term is rapidly approaching, and to be perfectly honest, now is possibly one of […]

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Nature and Mental Health

Written By: Marlina Selva, LMFT, ACS Site Supervisor, On-Campus Counseling Program The demands of school and daily routines can be a source of mental fatigue for students as well as for parents.  Fortunately, there are ways of alleviating mental stress.  One such way is through encounters with nature.  Outdoor activities can help relax and restore […]

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Here’s How Schools Can Support Students’ Mental Health

 Written By: Meg Anderson, nprED About one in five children in the United States shows signs of a mental health disorder — anything from ADHD to eating disorders to suicide. And yet, as we’ve been reporting this month, many schools aren’t prepared to work with these students. Often, there’s been too little training in recognizing the […]

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Back to School Stress Management Tips

Written By: Katie Luce, LMFT, ACS Site Supervisor – La Entrada Middle School  School is back in session, which can create considerable stress for students and their families. The transition from summer vacations, relaxed schedules and no homework to packed schedules can be challenging. Here are some ideas to reduce stress for yourselves and for […]

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Rituals in Therapy

Written By: Ann Stillingfleet, ACS Clinical Intern, Adolescent Substance Abuse Treatment and Community Counseling Programs What comes to mind when you think of rituals? Perhaps you visualize a religious ceremony, a celtic gathering in an oak grove,  a medicine man or sage woman conducting a healing or a centuries old tradition passed down through generations. […]

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Wellness Focused for Teens

Written By: Kyle Yamasaki, MFT, ACS Site Supervisor Wellness has been around for millennia, but it feels like a refreshing approach to helping teens with social-emotional problems in our schools.  As the site supervisor for ACS at Redwood Continuation High School (RHS) in the Sequoia Union High School District (SUHSD), I can share some of […]

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