Through the Screen - What's Up Goes Virtual

Unprecedented times continue, but together we are stronger! What’s Up Wellness has been hard at work this year revisioning ways to reach isolated youth at home with virtual Wellness Checkups.  
Currently, What’s Up staff are Zooming into classes at high schools in Nevada County to provide Checkups to participating 9th graders.
Wellness Checkups will continue virtually at most NJUSHD and TTUSD high schools through the 20/21 school year.

So far, the Checkups are revealing the far-too common psychological strain of these times on our youth - academic stress, social stress, family stress are just some of the challenges teens face.

The good news is that we are finding teens that want and need help. Virtual school supports, community supports, mental health resources are being offered to otherwise isolated youth who can’t rely on their established support systems. We’ve created Mind Your Mind - a YouTube Channel with local mindfulness teachers creating videos on how to manage stress. Also this year we have contracted with Family Resource Specialists who have been actively developing virtual resource guides for teens and families.

It’s a time of adaptation and our services will continue to evolve as necessary - this is a time when we need each other the most! Small acts of kindness bring us strength, and we need strength to navigate challenging times. Wishing you all health and strength as we walk this unusual terrain together.

-Shellee A. Sepko, MA, LMFT, Program Director