I never win awards.
Hey guys, it’s Christie Zizo and I swear this isn’t your invitation to my pity party.
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I used to win a lot when I was a kid, so these days when I put in for awards and I lose, I just feel dejected.
I feel untalented. Not good enough. Resentful at the “politics” of award judging.
What do I do? I don’t bother submitting my work for awards.
Is this you?
See, what I just did was illustrate The Triangle. It’s a cognitive behavioral therapy tool to help people recognize the negative thoughts, feelings and behaviors that contribute to their mental health and turn them into positives.
It works like this:
Now, how often can you apply this to your life?
This is not The Secret. This is not about “the power of positive thinking.” But this is about cultivating a mindset that helps you recognize that setbacks are not the last word on your life, that you can find ways to recognize that a negative outlook leads to losing opportunities in life and can send you down a spiral of ill mental well-being.
So how would I turn this around?
Thoughts: I never win awards.
Feeling: I feel like I need to know why.
Behavior: I get with someone to critique my work and suggest places where I can improve (because stupid awards groups never let you see their critiques!).
Now I’ve created a more positive Triangle. It doesn’t mean I’m going to win the next contest I enter, but it does mean I will feel better about entering.
It may sound hokey, but it works in helping you develop better coping skills and mechanisms to protect your mental health.
How can you apply this to your life?
What parents need to know about kids and mental health
You don’t need to be a parent to see that parenting is hard, and today more than ever. Compound that with a mental health crisis among our youth.
That means parents need to know when their child needs extra help.
“It’s incredibly normal for children to go through phases as they grow and develop. And the process of moving through phases means pushing limits,” said Dr. Marni Stahlman, president of the Mental Health Association of Central Florida.
However, even from a young age, Stahlman said there is a difference between pushing limits and engaging in behavior that is persistently disruptive.
What does that mean?
“It has to have at least impaired the child’s functioning at home and at school or in their social settings for at least six months,” Stahlman said.
There are six behaviors parents need to watch for, Stahlman said. Learn what they are, and also what steps you can take to get your children to open up about their mental well-being HERE.
‘It’s a safety net:’ How Ali’s Hope honors a young woman and helps teens’ mental health
The transition from middle school to high school is a pivotal point in time for teens. It can also be difficult to navigate.
Any parent knows teens can be rebellious and moody at times, but some teens may be facing issues that aren’t easily identifiable.
Joe Gallagher said he noticed a change in his daughter, Alyson, during her teenage years. Something he learned was beyond typical teenage behavior.
“Going from middle school to high school, it was almost like a switch went off,” Gallagher said.
Gallagher said Alyson was first diagnosed as Bipolar, and treatment started. Her second diagnosis was Schizophrenia. Eventually, she was diagnosed with Schizoaffective disorder, a combination of bipolar and schizophrenia.
She had good and bad days, and then in 2007, Alyson died by suicide just one month shy of her 22nd birthday.
“A couple days before Alyson took her life, she comes outside and she’s like, ‘Dad, I need to talk to you.’ So, I say, ‘What’s up Allison?’ She goes, ‘I’ve been thinking about this, and you really work hard for mom and me. Thank you.’ And, then she goes, ‘Can I give you a hug?’ And we hugged.”
Gallagher said he realized the need for more mental health resources for adolescents as he tried to help his daughter. After her death, he said the support from the community gave his family the drive to start Ali’s Hope Foundation.
“The feelings that we had that we were by ourselves, and we were like in a little tugboat out in the ocean, maybe as a community we can come together and do something a little better and provide better outcomes and better opportunities for our children,” Gallagher said.
Ali’s Hope Foundation now provides funding for mental health resources to promote access to treatment, sustainability of programs and stabilization for those in need. They are a driving force behind creating wellness clubs in different high schools in Seminole County.
News 6′s Catherine Silver got a glimpse inside the lounge set up at Lake Mary High School. You can watch our story HERE.
Ali’s Hope aims to expand into all of the high schools in Seminole County, and then eventually expand into middle schools and other areas as well.
Kenneth Bevan, the assistant principal at Winter Springs High School, said they are starting the process on their campus. Ali’s Hope gives them the structure and platform to work with students in a critical way.
“Word gets around when good things are happening, and Joe got in touch with me and talked to me about Ali’s Hope and what it does for students,” Bevan said.
Bevan said there is no denying the need to focus on students’ mental health, especially coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ali’s Hope gives them a safe space.
“It’s a place where students come to feel comfortable, to feel supported, to feel accepted, to feel relaxed, and it’s a safety net,” Bevan said. “We don’t want to intrude with anyone, but we certainly want to be there in case we’re needed.”
Mental health resources
We have a large list of mental health services in Central Florida, many of which offer discounts, a sliding scale or are free. You can find that full list HERE.
Charlie Health has a range of programs to help young people with different neurotypes and offers virtual care. The program is an intensive outpatient program. Charlie Health takes most major forms of insurance and some Medicaid options. Submit a request for treatment HERE.
Zebra Coalition: 407-228-1446
A network of groups that provide services to LGBTQ youth ages 13 to 24, including counseling, mental health and substance abuse programs.
Seminole Community Mental Health Center: 407-831-2411
Inpatient and outpatient mental health services for Seminole County’s low-income residents.
How are we doing? Stories from our News 6 team
- Brevard County attorney writes children’s book about overcoming depression, sadness — Brevard County attorney Alton Edmond said he wrote “Don’t Be Sad” for “anyone who is dealing with sadness like I did, for anyone who is battling depression like I did, for anyone that needs a little bit of hope and inspiration that their circumstances can somehow change for the better.”
- Neurologist examines mental health in children — Neurologist and mental health expert Dr. Romie Mushtaq joined Matt Austin and Ginger Gadsden on Florida’s Fourth Estate to talk more about kids and their mental health.
- This school district is allowing students, staff to take mental health days — Taking care of our mental health is just as important as our physical health, and letting students and staff take mental health days is paying off in one school system.