Bend Health

We’re kicking off (September 15-October 15) by celebrating the rich culture, contributions, and lives of Hispanic and Latin American individuals. 🎉

From leaders in business, civil service, the arts, and vibrant communities, there is so much to celebrate and honor year-round. It’s also essential that we point out the ways in which Hispanic/Latin American/Latinx communities continue to face systematic barriers when it comes to accessing mental health support, including stigma, socio-economic disparities, and language barriers.

Click the link for more ways to support and to find mental health resources:
https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/supporting-the-mental-health-needs-of-hispanic-latin-american-latinx-communities

Hey caregivers, we know this is the absolute scariest topic, but in honor of , we’re here to remind you of the importance of talking to your child or teen about self-harm. By opening up this dialogue now, you’ll be laying a critical foundation for connection as they grow up and assuring them that they can always come to you when they are struggling.

Head to the link in our bio for talking points to help guide you. And remember to reach out to the team at Bend if your family could use some extra support. ❤️

https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/empowering-parents-how-to-approach-the-difficult-conversation-about-su***de

Parenting in the time of social media is a wild ride, right?!? 🫠It can be a wonderful way for our kids to connect with one another, but it also means that bullying doesn’t just happen IRL anymore. Join Bend experts for our next webinar on Sept. 19 to learn how to keep your child or teen safe online.

We’ll cover:
💻 Signs that your child is being bullied online
🦺 Healthy tech boundaries to keep your kids safe
💡 Evidenced-based tools, resources, scripts, and interventions for busy parents and caregivers

Registration link:
https://www.bendhealth.com/webinars/bullying

Bending with Excitement!

We’re thrilled to share that Bend Health has been recognized as the Best Overall Online Therapy for Kids by Fortune Recommends!

Fortune Recommends glowing review highlights everything we pour our hearts into here at Bend. This recognition is a testament to our dedicated clinicians, passionate staff, and our unwavering commitment to providing quick, comprehensive mental health care for kids, teens, young adults, and their families.

Check out the full feature here: https://fortune.com/recommends/health/best-online-therapy-for-kids/

Happy Labor Day! Today and everyday we want to thank our Bend clinicians who are dedicated to transforming and saving lives. Your talents and collective compassion are truly unmatched. And speaking of talent, please allow us to introduce you to one of our wonderful (and super fashionable) nurses!

🌟 Meet Stephanie McCoy 🌟

Steph is a compassionate and creative registered nurse and certified health and wellness coach. She has 15 years of experience ranging from busy community clinics to healthcare startups. Steph is passionate about working towards access to high quality care for all with an emphasis on supporting people to experience happy and healthy lives. She loves being able to support Bends’ kids and families in finding more ease and joy in life!

Steph’s favorite Bend Buddy is Axe. Everyone feels a little bit like Axe from time to time.

Here’s some more fun stuff about Steph:

🛍️ Steph is a lifelong thrifter and runs a small vintage clothing resale business. You can find her popping up at vintage markets in Minneapolis and beyond!

🏕️She and her husband Pete enjoy camping and canoeing in Wisconsin and Minnesota. The Boundary Waters is at the top of their list!

🎵Steph’s first concert was seeing Prince at First Avenue with her parents.

💪Steph has two superpowers: parallel parking (always gets it right on the first try) and 1960s/1970s music trivia. She has her music-loving dad to thank for that knowledge!

We know that it’s essential to talk to your child or teen openly and honestly about drugs, but it’s tough to know where to start… especially if you were raised in the 90’s “just say no” generation. 🚨In recognition of , we’re here to help you navigate this tricky topic so that you can give your child the tools they need to make positive choices and stay safe. ❤️

Check out this article for our top tips to get the conversation started: https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/how-to-have-an-open-and-honest-conversation-about-drugs-with-your-child

Losing a loved one is incredibly tough, and it can be even harder for kids because they process grief differently than adults. As a parent, while you can't take away their pain, you can guide them with understanding and support.

This , we’re sharing practical tips on how to talk about death with your child and help them navigate their feelings.
Learn how to communicate honestly, encourage open dialogue, and offer the reassurance they need.

https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/how-to-explain-death-to-your-child-and-help-them-grieve

📣 Calling all parents and caregivers! Join us this fall for two upcoming webinars designed to equip you with essential tools and tips on:

1. Cyberbullying & Social Media Safety
- Learn how to protect your child in the digital world.

2. Reframing ADD & ADHD
- Discover strategies to support kids with ADHD.

Don’t miss out on these valuable insights! Save your spot today and empower yourself to support your child's unique journey!
https://www.bendhealth.com/blog

Meet Kari Baigrie!

Kari is an integrative health and wellness coach who loves supporting her members at Bend as they take small steps that add up to big changes, while celebrating wins along the way! Outside of her time as a coach, Kari is also a visual artist and certified yoga teacher.

Here’s a little more about Coach Kari:

🐶 Kari lives in California where she loves to hike trails with her dogs.

🇿🇦 She is South African and she spent 6 months homeschooling her children while traveling in Southern Africa, sleeping in tents and being their own safari guides.

🏕️ Kari loves camping off the grid, going on road trips, and cooking delicious meals.

The latest peer-reviewed study from our team highlights the continued need for screening and rapid access to mental health support for youth. With hospitalization rates for suicidal ideation or attempts doubling between 2008 and 2015, we’re proud of

The study in JMIR Formative Research shows that Bend’s screening for self-harm and su***de risk not only identifies risk early, but that the care youth receive significantly improves their anxiety and depression symptoms.

https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/new-bend-health-study-shows-digital-mental-health-programs-improve-outcomes-for-kids-and-teens-with-self-harm-behaviors

From new social apps to online school learning, it feels like the digital landscape is never-ending and always changing. It can be difficult to know how to best protect your child when so much of their world is online. That’s why we’re here to empower you with talking points and practical tips to help you keep your child as safe as possible online.

Check our the top 3 tips from a Bend therapist for protecting your child online: https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/top-3-tips-to-keep-your-child-safe-online

Whether you’re starting a new job, going back to school, or moving back in with your parents, navigating life’s transitions as a young adult can be overwhelming.

That’s why the team at Bend has put together 6 simple tips to help you manage stress and find your balance.

Check out our latest article for advice you can really use: https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/6-ways-to-manage-stress-for-young-adults

What does the young athlete in your life listen to before competing?

With the Olympics coming to an end and fall sports just around the corner, it's the perfect time to think about what’s on your young athletes' pre-game playlist. Whether it’s a fast-paced pump-up hip-hop track, their favorite Taylor Swift classic or a mental health warm-up to set a positive mindset, what they listen to can make a big difference!

An essential part of our athlete-focused Champions of the Mind program is our motivation playlist. Here's a sneak peek at that playlist with our athlete mental warm-up track: https://open.spotify.com/track/6iLTB3farKdI7OWUDKOF0c?si=i92SsHG4RFGIhgAqITGQ4A

🚌📚The back-to-school transition can be challenging, but it doesn’t have to be stressful! Discover our top 7 tips to help your family ease into the new school year with confidence. From managing emotions to setting routines, we’ve got practical advice to make this the best school year yet.

Read our latest article to start the year off right:
https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/7-ways-to-ensure-a-no-stress-back-to-school-transition

We are living in a time of the never-ending news cycle where kids and teens are being increasingly bombarded with headlines surrounding heavy topics like climate change, war, racial injustice, and election season. And while you can’t always protect them from difficult global issues, you can begin a conversation at home to foster a sense of connection and trust.

The team at Bend is here to help you build healthy tech habits at home, validate your child’s experiences, and better understand what age and stage to introduce your kiddo to current events.

https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/a-therapists-guide-for-talking-to-your-child-about-current-events

Navigating the need for intensive mental health support, while still showing up for the responsibilities of life, can be completely overwhelming. That’s why our team of experts created the Bend Acute Stabilization Program, an enhanced, intensive virtual care program designed for kids, teens, and young adults ages 8 to 25 who need more support than traditional weekly therapy.

We want our members to find joy in this recovery process and feel less alone in their day-to-day struggles. That’s why sessions go beyond traditional outpatient therapy by incorporating healing art projects, music, movement, mindfulness, and interactive activities, creating an incredibly supportive, connected community.

Find stability, accelerated recovery, and connection, all from the comfort of home.

Learn how this program can help your family by visiting https://www.bendhealth.com/our-approach/acute-stabilization-program.

Do you know why social media can be so harmful to kids and teens? Monika Roots unpacked the mental health impacts in an interview with Stephanie Coueignoux on Fox News Live. Watch it here: https://www.livenowfox.com/video/1495700

Time for an end-of-week check-in: How are you feeling today?

At Bend, we understand that you may feel a rollercoaster of emotions each day. That’s why the Bend Buddies™ are here to help us recognize and regulate a spectrum of emotions. They are integral to the care families receive from Bend coaches, therapists, and psychiatrists and are used by pediatricians and mental health professionals across the country.
https://www.bendhealth.com/buddies

Experiencing a natural disaster can be frightening and unsettling for the entire family. You may be grieving the loss of your home, loved ones, or the absence of your day-to-day routine, and it can be difficult to know just how to support your child when you’re struggling yourself.

That’s why the team at Bend is here with our top go-to tips for helping your child cope after a natural disaster. https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/helping-your-child-cope-after-a-natural-disaster

When our mental health coaches work with kids, teens, and young adults to help them overcome anxiety they encourage them to focus on what they can control and let go of what they can’t. This is a great journaling prompt to try anytime you’re feeling overwhelmed!

Bend's Acute Stabilization Program is designed to address the challenges of severe depression and anxiety. Designed for youth ages 8-25, this virtual intensive therapeutic program uses evidence-based techniques alongside individual and group therapy sessions, delivered in a nurturing and inclusive environment.

At Bend, we understand it’s critical to continue to work, attend school and engage in social activities with friends and family during recovery. And our program allows you to do this, while receiving the necessary focused care.

Learn how Bend’s Acute Stabilization Program can help your family: https://www.bendhealth.com/our-approach/acute-stabilization-program

Today we are excited to announce our Acute Stabilization Program! This program offers an intensive outpatient therapy program (IOP) tailored for youth transitioning from inpatient or residential settings, or who need more support than traditional once-per-week therapy.

Our ASP program is bridging the gap by offering a solution to address acute mental health crises that is accessible to kids anywhere in the United States. Through our virtual care program, we ensure that kids, teens, and young adults across the country are able to receive quality mental health support while also removing the stress of commuting to and from treatment. The program emphasizes the importance of group therapy, which is often more effective than individual care alone. By fostering a sense of belonging and mutual support, the program helps participants realize they are not alone in their struggles, creating a stronger, more supportive recovery environment.

Learn more about how our Acute Stabilization Program addresses a critical gap in acute youth mental health care: https://www.bendhealth.com/blog/bend-health-introduces-acute-stabilization-program-to-address-critical-gap-in-acute-youth-mental-health-care

Are you feeling breezy today, like our mellow fellow HAL? That’s great!

The ability to feel an entire range of emotions, like happiness, sadness, and anger, is a superpower.

Friendly reminder to tune into today's webinar — and if you can't make it live we'll share a replay!

From election season to climate change, absorbing the latest news cycling can be overwhelming and downright bleak for all of us. So it’s hard to know how and when to talk to your kids and teens about current events while trying to process it all yourself. Join Bend experts for our latest webinar to learn:

• What age and stage to introduce your child or teen to current events
• How to best communicate with (and comfort) your child or teen surrounding tough topics featuring a conversation between Bend Co-Founder & President, Monika Roots, MD, FAPA and a tween where she demonstrates how to answer their questions
• Tips for modeling healthy consumption habits and practicing self-care during tumultuous times

Join us here: https://www.bendhealth.com/webinars/24-7?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social+&utm_campaign=webinar_july24

The serves as a great opportunity to talk with kids and teens about the true meaning and history behind Independence Day, while acknowledging that the ways that we define freedom in our country can vary from person to person.

Here are some talking points to get the conversation started.

Bend Health | Our top ways to connect with your family this Independence Day Holidays can be a perfect time to connect and they can also cause disruptions in routines. Here are our top tips for navigating the 4th of July.

If last night’s presidential debate sparked some difficult conversations with your children and teens, we’ve got your back!

From election season to climate change, absorbing the latest news cycling can be overwhelming and downright bleak for all of us. So it’s hard to know how and when to talk to your kids and teens about current events while trying to process it all yourself.

Join Bend experts for our latest webinar to learn:

• What age and stage to introduce your child or teen to current events
• How to best communicate with (and comfort) your child or teen surrounding tough topics featuring a conversation between Bend Co-Founder & President, Dr. Monika Roots and a tween where she demonstrates how to answer their questions
• Tips for modeling healthy consumption habits and practicing self-care during tumultuous times

Save your spot here: https://www.bendhealth.com/webinars/24-7?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social+&utm_campaign=webinar_july24

The transition from a teenager to young adulthood can be an exciting time of self-discovery but it can also present a new set of challenges as teens begin to pull away from their parents to establish their own identity.

Our team is here to support young adults and their families as they navigate this difficult transition. Bend Health Co-Founder & President, Monika Roots, MD, FAPA shared how young adults can set boundaries and find independence with Teen Vogue.

Check out the article here:

Here's How to Have an Adult Relationship With Your Parents You’re going to bump heads with your parents — it’s basically a rite of passage.

This (and all year) the team at Bend is here to help teens and young adults better understand the importance of living in their authentic identity and how to best seek support from those around them.

Learn more in our latest blog:

Bend Health | Living your true identity as an LGBTQIA+ teen or young adult Our identities are ever-evolving as we grow up. Bend is here with tips on how you can continue to live as your authentic self, while seeking support from those around you.