Dear Robert Down Families,

I hope this newsletter provides helpful information for the 2022/2023 school year. This flyer has extensive knowledge about community resources, in addition to some favorite social and emotional learning books for parents and children.

The Robert Down counseling program offers our students individual and group counseling sessions. In addition, two social and emotional (SEL) lessons are provided in the student's classroom twice monthly, beginning from September to April. These lessons utilize our TOOLBOX curriculum, and Strong Start curriculum. Please check out the websites below to learn more about these SEL programs.

1. https://toolboxproject.com

2. https://strongkidsresources.com/about/general

I work at Robert Down Elementary School Monday through Thursday. Please email if you have questions about the school counseling program or would like support finding outside resources for your family.

Sincerely,

Sonda Frudden, School Counselor

sfrudden@pgusd.org

Robert Down Elementary

831-291-3389

Acknowledgment of the profound effects of grief and loss isn’t enough, of course. More must be done to point grieving people toward resources that can help them cope and heal. According to the National Institute for Mental Health, only 10% of grieving people will ever seek professional help.

While GoodTherapy.org is at its core a directory of therapists committed to treating issues such as grief and loss, it is also a comprehensive resource for people seeking mental health treatment and information. It is with that in mind that we selected the 10 best resources on the Internet in 2012—GoodTherapy.org excluded—for people experiencing grief and loss. Among the criteria we used to select our top 10 websites are quality and depth of content, presentation, and functionality.

• The Compassionate Friends: A nationwide nonprofit organization, The Compassionate Friends is designed to support and give resources to families who are coping with the death of a child. In addition to its wealth of information about healing grief, TCF holds national and regional conferences, facilitates online and in-person support groups for grieving families, and broadcasts a weekly web-radio series.

• Grieving.com: Grieving.com is a forum resource for people to connect with others and share stories of loss and healing. The forum has more than 45,000 active members and features topics ranging from terminal illness and sudden death to the loss of a pet.

• MISS Foundation: The MISS Foundation is a volunteer-run nonprofit organization that supports people of all ages through the process of grieving the death of a child. Among the offerings are discussion forums, educational resources, biannual conferences, and local support groups, and grieving visitors can connect with a HOPE (Helping Other Parents Endure) mentor for individualized support.

• Recover From Grief: Recover From Grief provides valuable information about the grieving process as well as coping strategies. Site visitors can view a comprehensive “grief guidebook” and participate in a seven-part grief work e-course. Recover From Grief also provides a space to create memorials for loved ones or tell personal stories, and offers a “grief relief” audio program.

• The Grief Toolbox: The Grief Toolbox is a comprehensive resource for people experiencing grief. Articles, other resources, and an online art gallery help support individuals in the grieving process. The Grief Toolbox also provides a support group locator.

• National Alliance for Grieving Children: The National Alliance for Grieving Children is a nationwide platform that connects professionals, consumers, and volunteers whose mission is to support children and teens through the grieving process. NAGC offers online education, a searchable support group database, and hosts an annual symposium about child grief.

• Navigating Grief: Navigating Grief is an online community established by Joan Hitchens, author of Storybooks for Healing and A Caregiver’s Blog. Hitchens is a member of the Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC) and National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHCPO). Navigating Grief provides educational tools and insight into the grieving process from Hitchens’ personal experiences as a hospice volunteer, widow, and caregiver. Site visitors can also find teleseminars, webinars, and blog posts by professionals to support grieving individuals.

• Bereaved Parents of the USA: Bereaved Parents of the USA connects grieving parents with other bereaved parents, grandparents, and siblings for one-on-one support. The site offers a newsletter, articles and poems, and many resources and links for grieving families to guide them through the grieving process. It also hosts an annual gathering where bereaved parents can share their stories with others and participate in grief workshops.

• Losing Your Parents: Losing Your Parents is a personal blog by Lisa A. Snyder, who lost both of her parents by the age of 27. Snyder connects grieving children through blog posts, a free e-book titled The Last Words Ever Spoken, and many other online resources. Losing Your Parents also accepts guest posts for others to share stories of grief and healing.

• FriendGrief: FriendGrief is a personal blog, operated by author Victoria Noe, specifically designed to support people who have lost friends. Noe writes extensively about the differences between losing a friend and a family member, and provides space for guest bloggers to share their experiences of mourning the loss of a friend.

Seeking a Therapist Under Your Insurance:

https://mccamft.org/find-therapist

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapists

Sam's Guide to Monterey County Family Resources - provides a comprehensive list of area resources from Mental Health, Wellness, Caregiving, Food and Shelters

http://mcdss.co.monterey.ca.us/docs/SAMs_01_2017.pdf

The Village Project: provides individual and group counseling meeting the needs of the under-served African American community. They support all people and have many groups events as well. Check out the website below for more information.

https://www.villageprojectinc.org/about

Ohana Center for Child & Adolescent Behavioral Health:

https://www.montagehealth.org/locations/profile/ohana/

Community Human Services: individual and group therapy

https://chservices.org

https://www.guardingkids.com

ConnectSafely: Promoting Safety, Privacy & Security
www.connectsafely.org/

Common Sense Education Digital Citizenship Curriculum & EdTech Reviews
www.commonsense.org