Therapist: Testing Stress Reduces In Kids By June
Children who deal with stress around end-of-year testing, find themselves more relaxed again at this point of the summer. Therapist Lori Chaney said her clinic sees an uptick in adolescent anxiety around April during TCAP season. Chaney said summer is a moment of reprieve for these students. “That April month we’re always seeing additional things […]
Cookeville Mental Health Pro Says Teens Suffering Since COVID
The latest report of the mental health of Tennessee Teenagers shows the ongoing impacts of the COVID shutdown, according to a local mental health expert. The Tennessee Coalition of Children and Youth reported increases in all categories of suicidal thoughts in Tennessee high schoolers. The study reported that nearly 30 percent of high schoolers said […]
Tech Expert: PTSD In Firefighters Is High, Hard To Spot
Firefighters experience post-traumatic stress disorder at much higher rates than the general population. Derrick Edwards is Principal Investigator of the Tennessee Tech Responder Health Lab. He said PTSD can be very challenging to diagnose in firefighters because they are already dealing with highly stressful situations on a regular basis. Edwards said it is important to […]
Routines Play Key Roles In Easing Children’s Anxiety
A routine will help children feel less anxiety and more stability when it comes to their day-to-day lives. That’s according to local pediatric occupational therapist Heidi Clopton. Clopton said it’s important for kids to feel like they have a sense of control. “If there’s a routine established at school and home it actually helps them […]
Parents Play Key Roles In Easing Back-To-School Anxiety
A structured day-to-day helps ease back-to-school anxiety for your children. That’s according to Personal Growth Counseling’s clinical social worker Christy Bennett She said that the fears can stem from the fear of the unknown to a change from the summer routine. Bennett said to help assuage fears, parents can establish expectations. “Knowing what consequences will […]
Men’s Mental Health Addressed At Livingston COVID Press Conference
Local mental health experts said depression and anxiety have been more common among men since COVID began. Dale Hollow Mental Health Director Anne Stamps spoke at Livingston’s Monthly COVID update Monday. Stamps said six million men each year are affected by a mental illness. Stamps said depression and anxiety can manifest differently for men. “With […]
Younger Students Experiencing Mental Health Needs During Pandemic
The Putnam County School system is seeing younger and younger students experiencing mental health issues. Director of Schools Corby King said having a $250 million dollar investment from the state into student mental health services will help expand what the system already does. King said this issue predates the pandemic, but has been heightened during […]
Normal To Feel Distress During Spring Storms
Thursday’s possible severe weather may be causing you more apprehension than normal. Tennessee Tech Licensed Professional Counselor Shonta Kyees said it is common for such a reaction in the aftermath of last year’s tornado. Kyees said fears vary on exactly why a storm causes distress, but we should focus on what we can and cannot […]
Children Returning To School Concerns
Returning to school this year is full of uncertainties, and children are just as concerned as adults. Although children are known to be resilient, too many unknowns can cause fear. Crossville Counseling Center Social Worker Dr. Denise Weaver said typically, children with fear are already being treated for anxiety disorders. “One of the things that […]
