Mental Health and Wellness


Happy December! With the holidays upon us, there are many reasons to be joyful. It's a time for sharing, laughter, giving back, and creating memories with family and friends. The holidays, however, can also be stressful. We may be making plans to visit loved ones, managing our budget for gifts, or coordinating events with our community. With an already-packed schedule, these additional tasks can add stress to our lives.

Celebrating and connecting with family is important during the holiday season, but it's also essential to care for your mental health. National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month brings awareness to the harmful effects of stress and reminds everyone to take care of themselves as they approach the holidays. Here are some helpful tips for a more stress-free holiday season:

Make modifications to holiday traditions. Consider ways to modify traditions that may negatively impact your mental health. It can be nice to stick with holiday traditions, but your mental health should take priority.

Don't forget the power of "no." It's okay to say no to plans if you are feeling overwhelmed.

Plan ahead. Keeping a calendar of events can help you stay on track and prepare for events. It can be stressful to shop on the same day as an event, so keep a list of tasks to prevent the rush.

Talk about your feelings. You might be overwhelmed or missing a loved one. Talking about your feelings with a trusted friend or family member is okay. You are not in this alone.

Take time for self-care. It's important to take care of ourselves before caring for others. This holiday season, make time for yourself.

Find a therapist. Acknowledge your feelings and talk to a professional when needed. 

If you would like help finding a mental health care provider, use Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential coordination service provided by Davis Joint Unified School District:

1. Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.

2. Visit www.caresolace.com/djusd and either search on your own or click "Book Appointment" for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

We wish you a joyous and stress-free holiday season!

Parenting Resources

Strong Families Yolo is a website created by Yolo County Children’s Alliance (YCCA) as a project of the Yolo County Child Abuse Prevention Council (CAPC) that encourages everyone to play a part in caring for Yolo children and strengthening Yolo families.
Yolo County Children's Alliance Parent Education Guides
Four Ways to Support Teens' Social Emotional Development
10 Ways Parents Can Bring Social-Emotional Learning Home
Giant List of Regulating Activities for Children.pdf

Mindfulness

Belly Breathing for Kids

Belly Breathing Sesame Street

Just Breathe
Yoga class
6 Mindfulness Activities You Can Do As a Family 

(English) (Spanish) 7 Mindfulness Exercises for Kids and Families

(English) (Spanish) Mindfulness Exercises (English) (Spanish)

Guided Meditations - in English and Spanish Mindfulness for Teens

100 Free Social Emotional Learning Tools

Emotional Regulation

Red Light, Green Light (English version)

Red Light, Green Light (Spanish version)

Freeze Dance Game (English version)

Freeze Dance Game (Spanish version)
Feelings of Control (English)(Spanish)

Coping Skills Worksheet (English) (Spanish)
The Helpful Counselor - 18 coping skills & activities

Positive and Negative Self Talk 

Deep Breathing for Kids

Calming Anxiety - Coping Skills

Mental Health Resources
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Social Emotional Support Form


If you are worried about a student’s social emotional well-being or mental health fill out this form and a referral will be sent to a school counselor or another staff member who will provide support for the student.  


Cara Messmore 
Director of Student Support Services
[email protected]

Annette Preciado
Prevention & Crisis Manager
[email protected]

Camica Edwards
Foster/Homeless Liaison
[email protected]

EAP