Benson Mental Health Support

Every few weeks our BHS Student Support Specialists (counselors, social workers, school psychologists, & therapists) include mental health awareness in this newsletter format. It will be included in the principal newsletter and also emailed to your home.

• BHS archived mental health topics (newsletters) are here.
• BHS Counseling Website here.
• BHS Wellness Center here.
• Ways to be a trusted and safe adult + resources for youth: Supporting young minds | Mental Health America (mhanational.org)

Our Benson Mental Health Team is here to support all students and their people. We will reach out through this newsletter throughout the year with ideas and reminders to promote mental health. We hope this is a helpful resource.

• Benson A/B Day Calendar
• PPS 2026-27 Calendar
• Trivory (where you can see all the things!)

• Principal Weekly Newsletter - week of OCT 26: https://app.smore.com/n/85w6n
• Benson Mental Health - Benson Mental Health Archive of Newsletters

Go for walks, sit under a tree, read a book, play in the leaves. Get outside! Are you looking for additional ways to do things locally that are free or almost free?

Check these out!

• Free, Nearly Free Options in PDX: https://www.travelportland.com/attractions/free-nearly-free/
• Top Hikes In and Near PDX: https://www.travelportland.com/culture/favorite-hiking-spots-portland/
• OMSI has a $5 day on NOV 1: https://omsi.edu/events/5-day/
• Free/Discounted Museums for All: https://pdxparent.com/free-and-discounted-portland-area-museum-days/
• Halloween Events in PDX: https://www.travelportland.com/events/halloween-haunted/
• Options in PDX for littles, too: https://pdxparent.com/halloween/

Our School Social Worker, Caroline Bleckmann, is able to help with MANY things, including finding an outside therapist.

• Here is an overview of her work, including: basic needs, applying to OHP, advocacy, connecting individuals/families to outside supports, crisis support, and more.
• Here is the list of resources she provides, along with a link for finding mental health services for teens in Portland.

Sankofa is culturally-specific therapy available for students. Clinicians come to Benson during the school day. Talk with your school counselor or our social worker, Caroline Bleckmann.

Or, if you are a BIPOC or QTBIPOC student or parent seeking support, follow the steps linked below to connect with school-based counseling services.

Here: https://www.sankofacounseling.org/school-based-counseling.

• As is always the case, it is OK to not be OK: here are resources that can help.
  

  • 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, 24/7, free and confidential support - call or text

  • Local Resources: Multnomah County Crisis Line - 503-988-4888 including mobile outreach (interpretation available; open 24/7); Lines for Life General Line: Call 800-273-8255; Oregon Youth Line: Text Teen to Teen 839863 - Texting trained teen mental health responders
  • Sankofa-provided List: community resource list, including those with a BIPOC lens

  
  

  Benson Wellness Resources - Benson Wellness Center with mental health supports, BHS Counseling Center with school counselors (by alphabetical order); Benson Community Resources

  
  

  FREE Naloxone for overdose prevention - Opioid Certification | END OVERDOSE
  

  PPS Prevention Strategies; The New Drug Talk Oregon | The New Drug Talk

  
  

  PPS Healthy Choices Bulletin - curated list of substance use resources and also highlights student and family accessible services and activities.

  • Substance Abuse Prevention Resources; link to archived Healthy Choices Bulletins. Substance Use/Community Resources

This resource is FULL of the good stuff from the Healing Story Alliance. Their work might offer insight for those dealing with the pain and tragedy of turbulent current events in the personal, social, and global realms. Examples:

• Healing Treasures: Stories intended to precipitate conversation, and guide teaching and healing with participants.
• Stories We Live: Personal stories and methods for gathering and applying life experiences as healing references.
• Stories for Children in Crisis: Compiled by Laura Simms, includes stories, articles, and links, drawn from years of research and professional work with children.
• Stories for Peace: storytelling in pursuit of peace and understanding.
• Healing the Earth: featuring stories contributed by storytellers working in environmental settings or on educational projects with an environmental theme.

November: International Stress Awareness Day (NOV 1), Veterans Day (NOV 11), Native American Heritage Month, Transgender Awareness Week (NOV 13-19), International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day (NOV 18), and Transgender Day of Remembrance (NOV 20); Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month

• Sources, Diversity Resources - PPS Resource on heritage/history months; Monthly Posters (NAMI); Monthly Celebrations with a Mental Health Focus

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/09/learning/what-teenagers-are-saying-about-how-they-deal-with-stress.html?unlocked_article_code=1.KlE.8lJ-.NAMEot8APcRq&smid=url-share

Stress is a natural part of life. The expressions are familiar to us, “I’m stressed out,” “I’m under too much stress,” or “Work/School is one big stress."

Stress is hard to define because it means different things to different people; however, it’s clear that most stress is a negative feeling rather than a positive feeling.

Teenagers, like adults, may experience stress every day and can benefit from learning stress management skills. Most teens experience more stress when they perceive a situation as dangerous, difficult, or painful and they do not have the resources to cope.

Some sources of stress for teens include:

• School demands and frustrations
• Negative thoughts or feelings about themselves
• Changes in their bodies
• Problems with friends and/or peers at school
• Unsafe living environment/neighborhood
• Separation or divorce of parents
• Chronic illness or severe problems in the family
• Death of a loved one
• Moving or changing schools
• Taking on too many activities or having too high expectations
• Family financial problems

Some teens become overloaded with stress. When this happens, it can lead to anxiety, withdrawal, aggression, physical illness, or poor coping skills such as drug and/or alcohol use.

When we perceive a situation as difficult or painful, changes occur in our minds and bodies to prepare us to respond to danger. This “fight, flight, or freeze” response includes faster heart and breathing rate, increased blood to muscles of arms and legs, cold or clammy hands and feet, upset stomach and/or a sense of dread.

The same mechanism that turns on the stress response can turn it off. As soon as we decide that a situation is no longer dangerous, changes can occur in our minds and bodies to help us relax and calm down. This “relaxation response” includes decreased heart and breathing rate and a sense of well-being. Teens that develop a “relaxation response” and other stress management skills feel less helpless and have more choices when responding to stress.

Parents can help their teen in following ways:

• Monitor if stress is affecting their teen's health, behavior, thoughts, or feelings
• Listen carefully to teens and watch for overloading
• Learn and model stress management skills
• Support involvement in sports and other pro-social activities

Teens can decrease stress with the following behaviors and techniques:

• Exercise and eat regularly.
• Get enough sleep and have a good sleep routine.
• Avoid excess caffeine which can increase feelings of anxiety and agitation.
• Avoid illegal drugs, alcohol, and tobacco.
• Learn relaxation exercises (abdominal breathing and muscle relaxation techniques).
• Develop assertiveness training skills. For example, state feelings in polite, firm, and not overly aggressive or passive ways: ("I feel angry when you yell at me.” "Please stop yelling.”)
• Rehearse and practice situations which cause stress. One example is taking a speech class if talking in front of a class makes you anxious.
• Learn practical coping skills. For example, break a large task into smaller, more attainable tasks.
• Decrease negative self-talk: challenge negative thoughts - with alternative, neutral, or positive thoughts. "My life will never get better” can be transformed into "I may feel hopeless now, but my life will probably get better if I work at it and get some help.”
• Learn to feel good about doing a competent or "good enough” job rather than demanding perfection from yourself and others.
• Take a break from stressful situations. Activities like listening to music, talking to a friend, drawing, writing, or spending time with a pet can reduce stress.
• Build a network of friends who help you cope in a positive way.

By using these and other techniques, teenagers can begin to manage stress. If a teen talks about or shows signs of being overly stressed, a consultation with a child and adolescent psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional may be helpful.

Sources:

• https://mhanational.org/conditions/stress/
• https://aacap.org/AACAP/AACAP/Families_and_Youth/Facts_for_Families/FFF-Guide/Helping-Teenagers-With-Stress-066.aspx

Here is an interactive calming slide in case that would be helpful (school appropriate and can be utilized by a chromebook) - check it out!

Link: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/e/2PACX-1vRI3wZNsfQY5KCFAU45fXazb8iNV1c5aDVHWEcK20eGr9rVn_XgZ78gQOIxOwEljuLNcItbwReNo12W/pub?start=false&loop=false&delayms=3000

Neurodivergent Umbrella!

• Explanations here.

Understanding Differences Outside Diagnosis Labels

• The Neurodiversity Smorgasbord: An Alternative Framework for Understanding Differences Outside of Diagnostic Labels — Lived Experience Educator

Terminology

• NEURODIVERSITY: SOME BASIC TERMS & DEFINITIONS • NEUROQUEER

Parent/Caregiver support

• How to support a neurodivergent teen | Neurodiversity in teens
• Neurodivergent Teens Need Words of Encouragement for Self-Esteem with ADHD
• Stress levels sky high for families of neurodiverse kids - Research | Curtin University, Perth, Australia
• Addressing Mental Health Challenges for Neurodivergent Youth - Autism Spectrum News
• How to Understand Your Neurodivergent and LGBTQ+Teen's Point Of View - Tanya Valentin
• Navigating Conflict With Your Neurodivergent Teen - Tanya Valentin
• Welcome to the Family Acceptance Project® | Family Acceptance Project ®

Great Instagram lived experience individuals to follow: @livedexperienceeducator @neurowild_ @worry__lines @thrivingmindseducation

Want to learn more about: Vocational Rehabilitation, Portland Community College, Disability Rights Oregon, Autism Society, Albertina Kerr, PPS Community Transition Program, and so much more!

• Here is a document for all organizations with links - GREAT resource!
• Local organizations: Local Disability Organizations and Resources

Source: https://www.nami.org/nami-helpline/teen-young-adult-helpline/