Youth Guidance and Counseling

This article by Executive Director Casey Caster appeared in TYC’s Youth + You email newsletter. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. It offers an opportunity to check in with ourselves, our loved ones, our children, our students and colleagues. How are you really doing?

Often, we ask in passing, not really listening to the response. And too often, we reply with a perfunctory, “Good,” “Fine,” or “Great, how about you?” when we’re feeling anything but.

According to the CDC:

  • More than half of us in the U.S. will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in our lifetime.
  • One in 5 Americans will experience a mental illness in a given year.
  • One in 5 children, either currently or at some point during their life, have had a seriously debilitating mental illness.
  • One in 25 Americans lives with a serious mental illness, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depression.

This month, the National Alliance for Mental Health’s (NAMI) awareness campaign’s message is “Together for Mental Health.” We at The Youth Council join NAMI in bringing our voices together—this month and always—to advocate for access to mental health care, because no one should struggle to receive the support they need to thrive.

I couldn’t be prouder of our counselors and youth professionals here at The Youth Council, who provide critical mental health support to youth and families in Greater Nashua. From counseling in local schools, to individual therapy and support groups for youth, our team empowers local youth to take control of their mental health. But as our nationally-recognized youth mental health crisis demonstrates: There’s so much more to do.

We invite you to join us this month in lifting your voice for mental health awareness. There are many ways to help.

  • Share messages and stories on your social media and in your daily life to normalize the conversation about mental health. Feel comfortable sharing your own story? There’s no better way to show that we’re all in this together.
  • Check out the resources below and, if you know someone they could help, send it their way.
  • If financially you’re able, donate to The Youth Council or any mental health-focused nonprofit organization you support. Your gift will go to improving access to mental health care for local youth.

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