Mental Health & Wellness

What concerns do you have?

• Mental health – grief support, emotional well-being, anxiety, suicidal indicators
• Behavior concerns
• Food, homelessness, medical care, legal support
  

How we can help

• Connect families to counseling services – in school or in the community.
• Make connections and referrals to a variety of resources in the community
  

MVRHS Wellness Programs

• Community Partnerships
• Dialogue Circles 
• Gym Class Heroes 
• Individual Counseling / Referrals to Community Supports
• NAMI Peer Outreach Club
• Teen Mental Health First Aid
• SWEAR (Stand With Everyone Against Rape)
• Women of Color Support Group

Get Connected

You can contact any of the following staff members who can help you or anyone you are concerned about.

Community Partnerships

• Martha’s Vineyard Community Services
  • CONNECT to End Violence: individual counseling sessions
  • Island Counseling Center
  • Island Wide Youth Collaborative
• Island Health Care
  • Recovery Coaching
• AlaTeen – a weekly peer support group for students who are concerned/affected by a loved one’s drinking. This group is led by community members.

Dialogue Circles 
Dialogue circles provide a safe, supportive space where all MVRHS community members can talk about different topics, work through differences and build consensus. Circles are used in classrooms, during meetings and during flex time. Student leaders have been trained in the circle practice and lead circles with their peers. Restorative circles are sometimes used to restore relationships between students and/or between staff and students harmed by an incident. Families are sometimes invited to participate in restorative circles.

Teen Mental Health First Aid

Gym Class Heroes 
An original anti-bullying skit is performed by members of the Peer Outreach program for the entire freshman class. Student leaders then co-facilitate small group discussions to debrief about the performance and to discuss the bullying/harassment policy and the importance of being an active bystander.

Individual Counseling / Referrals to Community Supports
Short term counseling is available through school adjustment counselors to all students struggling with social/emotional issues and/or substance use concerns. Students are referred by staff, families, and peers. For families looking for more targeted therapy SACs serve as liaisons to community services agencies; private therapists and off-island resources.

• Community therapist and recovery coaches are available to meet with clients during the school day on an as-needed basis or for scheduled appointments.
• Island Wide Youth Collaborative is in constant contact with MVRHS SACs regarding students who have been referred to the family support center across the street.

Featured Wellness Articles

On My Mind: Weed and the developing brain (by Dr. Charles Silberstein in the MV Times)

Concerns explode over new health risks of vaping (Science News for Students)

Screentime Is Making Kids Moody, Crazy, and Lazy (Victoria L. Dunckley M.D. in Psychology Today)