Learn from Kathi and Michelle about different tips and tricks for teaching kids from home while staying well. Covid-19 has put a lot of pressure on families to continue their child’s education and Kathi and Michelle have some ideas for making this time effective and healthy for the whole family. Additional resources are below.

Videos on Home schooling and working from home

Teaching At Home during COVID-19 Online-Resources

For teachers and students, remote learning during COVID-19 poses challenges, stokes creativity

https://abcnews.go.com/US/teachers-students-remote-learning-covid-19-poses-challenges/story?id=70770744

Teaching Kids at Home during Coronavirus: Pro Tips from Homeschoolers

http://bit.ly/3oUWwyL

101 free resources for home-schooling during COVID crisis

https://www.today.com/parents/how-homeschool-during-coronavirus-crisis-t176020

Family resource hotline-EPIC

https://www.epicforchildren.org

Amazing Educational Resources Public Website

https://www.amazingeducationalresources.com

Teacher approved apps for children

https://play.google.com/store/apps/category/FAMILY

Khan Academy offers free educational lessons-does asks for donations if applicable

https://www.khanacademy.org

Working From Home with Children during COVID-19

http://bit.ly/2IZp4rA

Coronavirus Triple Duty: Working, Parenting, And Teaching From Home

http://n.pr/2WlIiuv

Resources for Helping Kids and Parents Cope Amidst COVID-19

http://bit.ly/2WkvZPd

Teaching kids at home due to coronavirus? Homeschooling moms share their tips

https://www.today.com/parents/coronavius-schools-closed-here-s-how-teach-kids-home-t175904

How to keep your child safe online while stuck at home during the COVID-19 outbreak

https://www.unicef.org/coronavirus/keep-your-child-safe-online-at-home-covid-19

COVID-19: your voices against stigma and discrimination (extension of the your child is safe online, article)

https://www.voicesofyouth.org/covid-19-your-voices-against-stigma-and-discrimination

Help children aged 2 to 4 to learn at home during coronavirus (COVID-19)

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/help-children-aged-2-to-4-to-learn-at-home-during-coronavirus-covid-19

Keep Children Learning While School’s Out

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/children/learning.html

Splashlearn.com free math games

https://bit.ly/3mnls01

Hungry little Minds

https://hungrylittleminds.campaign.gov.uk

Homeschooling: Tips on teaching your kids

http://binged.it/3apOiKK

Learn from Michelle and Kathi how to keep your kids and family active despite the challenges of Covid-19! Resources are below:

Activities to do with kids during COVID WEB Links:

Balloon Barometer experiment

Learn Chemistry from Your Taste buds

Make Your Own Play Doh

Baking Soda and Vinegar Rainbow

Pepper, Water and Soap for Surface Tension

Seeing Sound

Glowing Bouncy Egg

Elephant Toothpaste

DIY Lava Lamp

Rainbow in a Glass

Water and Magnets

Psychedelic Milk

DIY Rain Gauge

Bean Germination

DIY Terrarium

Snow in the spring

Virtual Disney Rides

Rise of the Resistance

Big Thunder Mountain Railroad

Jungle Cruise

It’s a Small World

. Splash Mountain

Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster Starring Aerosmith

Dumbo the Flying Elephant

The Haunted Mansion

Pirates of the Caribbean

Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway

Space Mountain

Kilimanjaro Safaris

The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror

The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

20 creative activities for kids to do at home during covid 19

https://www.rockethomes.com/blog/homeowner-tips/20-creative-activities-for-kids-to-do-at-home-

The holidays are always a challenge, even more so during Covid-19. Learn some great ideas from Kathi and Michelle for staying well and having fun this holiday season with your family in the video above and at the links below:

Preparing your kids for the holidays during COVID-19

Preparing your kids for the holidays during COVID-19

Anxiety in kids during COVID-19: What parents should know

Kid’s workout Inspired by animals

3 ways to manage stress and anxiety during Covid-19 Holiday Season

https://www.elephantjournal.com/2020/11/managing-stress-and-anxiety-during-covid-holidays/

Preparing for the holidays during COVID-19

https://mhanational.org/preparing-holidays-during-covid-19

Stress depression and Holidays

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/stress/art-20047544

Reindeer Food Recipe

https://www.food.com/recipe/magic-reindeer-food-262005#activity-feed

22 Virtual Christmas Party Ideas in 2020

https://museumhack.com/virtual-christmas-party

Kids dance exercise video for ages 5-12 years of age.

https://binged.it/3a9pqXN

Zumba Kids Jr-Baby Shark 4 yrs and under.

https://binged.it/3gKZLps

Cosmic Kids Yoga-Halloween

https://binged.it/3gYABUJ

Cosmic Kids Yoga- Star Wars

https://binged.it/2KtJs4f

Cosmic Kids Yoga-Spider Man

https://binged.it/3nkSOy3

Total body workout for Teens and kids/COVID 19 2020

https://binged.it/34eSXvc

15 minute Teen full body workout

https://bit.ly/3abQh5i

Yoga for beginners/Teens yoga Ed.

https://binged.it/2LCAYIT

Yoga for stretching/Teens Yoga Ed.

https://binged.it/3qVvc5g

Hear from Michelle and Kathi as they share on how you can incorporate the practice of gratitude into your parenting. They have great resources on different activities that you can check out below:

How to Practice Gratitude

Gratitude Tree….{{made from tree branches}}

Four Ways to Wire Your Brain for Gratitude

How to Be Grateful for Your Morning Cup of Coffee

Four Ways to Foster Gratitude in Children

Can Gratitude Help Couples Through Hard Times?

How a Lack of Gratitude Kills Relationships

Calming a Rush of Reactivity with Compassion

13 Most popular Gratitude and Exercise Activities
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-exercises

The Gratitude tree for Kids
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-tree-kids

How to express Gratitude to others 19 Ideas
https://positivepsychology.com/how-to-express-gratitude

Benefits of Gratitude
https://positivepsychology.com/benefits-gratitude-research-questions

Five + best books on Gratitude
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-books-oliver-sachs

Gratitude Journal A collection of 67 Ideas and templates
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-journal

Ericka and her story exemplify what it means to be a patient at Therapeutic Health Services. She receives both Opioid Use Treatment as well as Mental Health care. Together these two services overlap to create whole-health wellness in our clients. Together with her Opioid Use Treatment counselor, Richard and her Mental Health Counselor, Ambyr, Ericka has built a life for herself that she could only dream of.

Ericka came to THS in 2015, eager to enter treatment with us. She’d made previous attempts at entering treatment but wasn’t able to gain the personal traction needed to reach the goals set out for her. This time was different, this time Ericka stayed on it to reach sobriety and meet her goals in the five years since. Wanting to help others like her reach their best health, Ericka is starting her bachelors’ program in human services with the eventual goal of becoming a counselor herself. Hear her amazing story of changing her life, healing her family, and creating a bright future for herself.

We have flu shots available at our Summit/Seneca and Shoreline primary care clinics. You can sign up ahead of time with our Dispensary Nurses or with Front Desk Staff. On the day of your appointment please check in with the Front Desk.

Summit/Seneca Flu Shot Dates

• Wednesday, October 7
• Monday, October 19

Shoreline Flu Shot Dates

• Friday, October 9
• Tuesday, October 20

You may also get a flu shot during regular Primary Care hours: 7:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Visit HERE to learn more about why you should consider getting a flu shot.

The need for a focus on suicide prevention is not new. The statistics are clear: any one of us can be affected by suicide either personally or through someone we know. Emotional, situational, health and financial stress or pressures certainly enhance the likelihood for a person to experience depression, anxiety, or a sense of hopelessness leading to thoughts of self-harm. This is even more of a concern in 2020. 

We are faced with the concurrent realities of COVID-19, forest fires and social unrest – all of which have had the effect of increasing factors known to contribute to suicidal thoughts and actions. As we consider Suicide Prevention during the month of September, it is critical we recognize that we – our community – our neighbors – our children – our parents, are experiencing a tremendous amount of situational stress.  We must find creative ways to manage our own stress and to support those around us when our usual coping activities may not be available due to smoke, physical distancing, or closure of our gathering places.  

Research has shown that social connection is one of the most powerful protective factors preventing suicide. While we do need to take care not to spread the COVID-19 virus or to be exposed to unhealthy levels of smoke, we have the ability to socialize wearing masks, get together in physically distanced small groups, use social media or the telephone to connect with those we find supportive or who we believe may be vulnerable. If we are feeling optimistic, it is helpful to share that with the people we are close to as well as strangers we may interact with briefly. If we are struggling, it is healthy to tell someone who will listen or to reach out to someone through a crisis line. If we or someone we know has a mental health or substance use treatment need, resources are available if we ask. Together, we will get through these trying times. 

• If you are in crisis, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week, at 800-273-8255. Press 1 for the Veterans Helpline.
• You could also get help by texting “HEAL” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or contacting Lifeline Crisis Chat.
• If you’re under 21, you can call Teen Link at 866-TEENLINK (866-833-6546) and ask to talk to a peer. The phone line is open 6 p.m.– 10 p.m. and chat is available 6 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. daily.

If you are interested in connecting to a THS counselor, please click HERE to fill out our GET HELP FORM.

Individual Impact: 

• 75% of all people who die by suicide are male.    
• Although more women than men attempt suicide, men are nearly 4x  more likely to die by suicide.  
• Suicide is the 2^nd leading cause of death for people ages 10-34 and the 4^th leading cause of death for people 35-54      
• The overall suicide rate in the U.S. has increased by 31% since 2001  
• 46% of people who die by suicide had a diagnosed mental health condition  
• While half of individuals who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition, research shows that 90% experienced symptoms.

Community Impact: 

• In 2017, suicide was:
  • the second leading cause of death for American Indian/Alaska Natives between the ages of 10-34.
  • the second leading cause of death for African Americans, ages 15-24.
  • the leading cause of death for Asian Americans, ages 15-24.
  • the second leading cause of death for Hispanic people in the U.S., ages 15-34. 
• American Indian/Alaska Native adults die by suicide at a rate 20% higher than non-Hispanic white adults.  
• Lesbian, gay and bisexual youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than straight youth.  
• Transgender people are 12 times more likely to attempt suicide than the general population.  
• 10% of young adults say they experienced suicidal thoughts in the past year.   

The Kent branch is experiencing a power outage due to the windy weather. The branch is closed today, 09/08/2020, due to this power outage.

The First Step to Recovery at THS starts with an assessment, a private consultation with one of our counselors talking about the issues the new patient is facing. Here our staff can figure out exactly what issues someone is coping with. Whether it’s heroin or opioid abuse, mental health issues, or trouble with other substances, our team is standing by to help anyone take their First Step to Recovery. Watch the video above or read below to learn more.

Learning How We Can Help

Recognizing you should seek treatment is hard and our team at Therapeutic Health Services understands that. We want to make it easy to get care and start recovery. For each of our patients, whether they are seeking substance use treatment or mental health care, the first step to recovery starts with an assessment.

Prospective patients have a private conversation with one of our counselors, explaining what troubles they’re facing and what they need help with. If substance use is a concern, the counselor will ask questions about the patient’s history of substance use, how much they use and how often. They will also ask about how substance use is impacting the rest of the patient’s life.

If the patient is seeking mental health services, they may be asked about how they’re feeling, what’s troubling them and if they have concerns about anxiety, anger, depression or other mental health issues. They will be asked other questions about their support system, their life experiences and how their mental health issues are impacting their ability to function. Our goal to make sure we know where they’re coming from so we can address their unique needs

If the patient is entering our Opioid Use Treatment program, they’ll have an appointment with one of our healthcare providers who will determine what kind of medication and dose amount will be right for the patient. These medications may include methadone or Buprenorphine, otherwise known as Suboxone®.

These questions and our intake process are important to helping our team get a good idea of who the patient is and how THS can help. We can then assign the patient to a counselor who will take them through to the next step of recovery.

Our goal at Therapeutic Health Services is to help each of our patients take their first step toward recovery, getting started right for a journey of healing and wellness.

Here at Therapeutic Health Services, our doors are still open and we will continue to serve any and all in need of behavioral health services. However, many of our patients won’t be coming in as often. They will continue to get weekly check-in calls from their counselor, more details on these check-ins are HERE. We recognize people might face some mental health challenges, so here are some great self-care tips for helping each of us manage our own feelings throughout this time of physical distance.

Self-Care Tips

1. Take care of our physical body. Prioritize sleep, plan for healthy meals, stay hydrated, and move your body daily.
2. Seek out safe and responsible ways to maintain a connection with others. Phone calls, Zoom, and FaceTime with family and friends can help sustain social needs when you’re isolating.
3. Be intentional about how much time we spend watching the news. Constant exposure can be overwhelming and increase our stress.
4. Stay informed through reputable sources and avoid sources of misinformation or hyperbole that only increase television or web ratings. Our staff are monitoring resources like the CDC and WHO for updates.
5. Remember to acknowledge our personal feelings about the current situation. Our feelings are valid and deserve our attention. It is important that we find ways to manage these so that we are still able to function well, otherwise, we will not be able to help ourselves or others. This is a time to reach out to our personal and professional supports to process our reactions to what is happening around us.
6. Take breaks. This current situation is more like a marathon than a sprint. We will burn out and be unable to sustain ourselves or our work if we push ourselves too hard early in this pandemic. We need to conserve for the weeks and months ahead.
7. Infuse joy into our daily life. Make time every day for something on the lighter side, reading a good book, binge-watching a tv show, playing with our kids, challenging older relatives to a game via an app, or snuggling our pets. Plan fun or silly activities after work to take relieve pressure and give our minds rest. Allow ourselves to be present during the activity and truly enjoy whatever we choose to do.
8. Focus on what we can control and practice mindfulness. When thoughts spiral about the future or anxieties about the situation, mindfulness can bring us back to the here and now. Sometimes having a plan for how we will deal with potential problems can reduce our anxiety about what might happen.
9. Knowing when to ask for help and having the strength to reach out is important for all of us. Examples might be: seeking mental health support, game planning work issues with our supervisor, or getting assistance caring for kids who are home from school.
10. Shifting our focus to the things in our lives that we are grateful for can turn a day completely around. The more we attend to the positives in our lives the less daunting the difficulties of our work or the fear related to this pandemic will feel.
11. Separate the challenges you feel you’re facing and divide them into the things you can control and those you can’t. Take one of the things you can control and think of one little habit you can do to help you manage this challenge.
12. Keep a journal, just take a few minutes a day to jot down how you’re feeling, how your day went, what challenges you’re facing and what goals you have. Trying noting three things you were most grateful for that day.

Self-Care Resources for the “New Normal”

• Despite the crisis, the doors at THS are still open and we will help anyone we can who needs behavioral health support. Visit our Get Help Page here to be connected with care and support.

• Use free meditation apps. to reduce anxiety, improve sleep, and even decrease experiences of physical pain. Popular options include Headspace, Insight Timer, and Calm. Each of these have free versions, and Headspace is offering free access to their full version for all healthcare workers. Just provide some basic information including your NPI number to access the full version for free.
• Exercise for free at home. There are countless apps, websites, and YouTube channels dedicated to exercise from yoga to dance to kickboxing to strength training. Often these can be done without any equipment at all, and even services that typically charge are waiving fees. If we attended a local gym that is closed, they may be posting exercise opportunities online to keep their client base engaged.
• Access cultural resources and events online.
  • Many libraries provide online access through apps such as Overdrive or Libby. You can borrow eBooks, digital comics, audiobooks, and even videos.
  • Here are links to all the local library systems’ online access and eBooks:
    • Seattle Public Library
    • King County Library
    • Sno-Isle Libraries (Snohomish County and Islands)
    • Everett Library
    • Pierce County Library
• If you have a video game system, go get lost in some of the great stories and worlds designers have built, like these especially bundled for staying at home
• Town Hall Seattle plans to live stream some of the previously scheduled programs on it’s website
• Met Opera is offering free nightly streaming
• Many museums across America and around the world are offering virtual tours, including the National Museum of Natural History, the Louvre, the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art, and this collection of Natural History museums around the world.
• Follow your favorite musical artists to see when they offer free online live shows, NPR has a great list here. Our check out this list from Billboard.com
• 211 remains operational and is getting up to date information about the situation and resources to support individuals and families. This is not just a resource for our clients! You can access this resource by calling 211 or going to their website 211.org.​

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