Araya's journey was a labyrinth of tumultuous emotions before she entered the embracing arms of Nexus-Gerard Family Healing. At the pivotal age of 15, she felt adrift in a sea of despair, her life losing its meaning. Having to move from foster home to foster home as well as several hospitalizations due to self-harm and suicide attempts, added to her ordeal.

June is Men’s Mental Health Month, which provides an important opportunity to shine a light on a critical issue that often goes unaddressed in today’s world, the alarming global rate of suicide among men, underscoring the urgent need for increased awareness and support for men's mental health.

At Nexus Family Healing, we know that how we treat those who are different from us is incredibly important. When diversity is valued, our uniqueness is recognized, including differences in our gender identities and sexual orientation. These play an important role in everyone’s lives, and those who identify as LGBTQ face unique challenges regarding mental health.

Research shows that fathers play a critical role in their children's lives. Strong father involvement increases academic performance, social competence, and better peer relationships. Men and fathers are not immune from their own challenges, including high rates of depression, suicide, and chemical abuse as they age. And men are far less likely to seek mental health services than women. As we strive to be good fathers and positive role models to our children, remember that what we do matters as our children look to us to determine their own sense of self.

Men and women experience mental health illnesses differently. Use this chart to help identify and understand symptoms and behaviors you or someone you know may be experiencing.

A recent grant from the Thielen Foundation funded some major improvements at Nexus-Gerard Family Healing, such as refurbishing their baseball field and recreation room, and adding a new playground. This grant also provided Nexus-Gerard the ability to create and support a new Recreational Coordinator position. This position plays an integral role in creating a fun, connected environment for the youth at Nexus–Gerard, planning both on- and off-campus activities.

When trying to work out a summer schedule that also helps maintain your child’s mental health, remember that less is often more. It’s important to find a balance between providing some structure to children’s time, but not making it so structured that they can’t properly rest and find themselves more stressed.

Youth in foster care and their care providers experience many transitions. Foster parents play an important role in helping youth navigate these difficult transitions by providing stability, emotional support, and being an advocate for their needs. Take a look at how you can best support a child during an emotional time.

As a new foster parent who just completed mountains of paperwork and all the necessary training, you may wonder what exactly is next. Cherie Johnson, Foster and Adoptive Parent, shares her experience as a new foster parent with some action steps you and your family can take to prepare.

As a parent, one of the most important things you can do is to help your child learn to deal with the inevitable challenges that life brings. Children who can successfully manage the stressors that come into their life have lower rates of mental health issues, greater levels of happiness, and often have more success later in life.