Connect the Dots

Bedford High School is getting in on the action thanks to senior player, Jack Warble! Way to go Jack for making this your senior project!

The Benny Fund provided the sweet new mental health green jerseys and there will be tables set up at the event with more info on mental health resources.

We hope to see you at ST. Anselm's Sullivan Arena on February 5th at 7:30pm!

The Benny Fund
NAMI
Bedford Hockey
Elizabeth Haehl Warble

September is Su***de Prevention Awareness Month and Bedford has knocked it out of the park by bringing in the amazing storyteller and survivor, Kevin Hines! You DO NOT want to miss this event! Kevin is funny, honest, positive, relatable...and so much more. All the info you need is in the image below. You can learn more about Kevin on his website: https://www.kevinhinesstory.com/
PS - Ages 10+ are appropriate for this speaker/topic. It is OK to talk about SU***DE.
A HUGE thanks to the Bedford PTG for making this event happen.
Bedford School District

Su***de is the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14.

It is the third leading cause of death for those 15-24 years old. (Statistics from the CDC)

⏰ Talking to kids about su***de can be challenging. However, creating a safe space to talk about su***de can save a child’s life.

At On Our Sleeves we have resources to help you have the conversation as well as myths and warning signs to know. https://bit.ly/3zFGeQb

Got plans on July 14th? NOW YOU DO! Come join us for a mental health, baseball, and "Marvel's Defenders of the Diamond" hero night with the NH Fisher Cats! We will have free swag, some awesome auction items, a 50/50 Raffle, plus what is sure to be a great ball game!

Interested in bringing your baseball team?
Connect with CTD today: [email protected]

***deprevention

The Benny Fund
New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Thanks for the special message, Polly!
The world need you here!

Polly is a homeless dog who has a message for anyone, dog or hooman, struggling to find their place.

While I am so glad that this article is even mentioning mental health in the same sentence as substance misuse, the fact that so many folks still think that substance misuse come BEFORE the mental health issues blows my mind. Trauma + Lack of Addressing the Trauma = Substance Misuse. Don't ignore what happened to you - BIG or small. Deal with all.

As Dr. Gabor Maté states, "Addiction is a response to human suffering....an attempt to escape suffering." We need to train our brains to lean into the healing instead of the numbing. To lean into getting the help we need - again whether for the big stuff or small stuff - instead of running in the other direction.

Here's a branding opportunity that your business can feel great about! The Benny Fund would love to have YOUR LOGO join on the mini bats they will be giving away at The Fisher Cats game on Friday, July 14th. They are the non-profit of the night promoting mental health awareness for everyone.
Contact [email protected] if you would like to get in on the fun!
The Benny Fund New Hampshire Fisher Cats

Take in who you are. No matter what that looks like. 🌈

TOMORROW is the last day to order! (Wed, May 31st)
In honor of mental health month, and America’s greatest past time (the original stickball!), The Benny Fund is doing a limited time fundraiser to support our efforts around youth mental health and su***de prevention.

Mental Health 🧠 + Baseball ⚾️ = Love 💙
Click here to purchase: https://bit.ly/43bFvVt

PS - Save the date for the July 14th New Hampshire Fisher Cats game where The Benny Fund will be the non-profit of the night! Show up and wear your new shirt!

The Benny Fund hosts mental health awareness events and provides scholarships to youth entering the mental health field. Learn more about us at www.BennyFund.org.

FINAL WEEK!
In honor of mental health month, and America’s greatest past time (the original stickball!), The Benny Fund is doing a limited time fundraiser (ends May 31). Don't miss out!

Mental Health 🧠 + Baseball ⚾️ = Love 💙

Click here to purchase: https://bit.ly/43bFvVt

PS - Save the date for the July 14th New Hampshire Fisher Cats game where The Benny Fund will be the non-profit of the night!

TODAY! Make mental health a priority! Come straight from the games in those cleats and join us for some important conversations and snacks! 😉🧠💪🏻
http://bit.ly/letstalkmentalhealth23
FREE & ALL ARE WELCOME!

May is Mental Health Month!
I am honored to be a part of the "Let's Talk Mental Health" event on May 21st to help spread information, understanding, and awareness to our community.
Save the Date or just go ahead and sign up now to attend!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e49a9a72ca6fdc61-lets

FB Event Page:
https://fb.me/e/5zUSPAcWp

Huge thanks to the Bedford Presbyterian Church NH and the Bedford School District for presenting this event.

The Benny Fund, a nonprofit dedicated to mental health awareness & su***de prevention, is hosting a mental health night with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Fri, July 14, 2023!

They've given us several luxury suites to offer for a (tax-deductible) donation to support our efforts. This is a great opportunity for a business to both give to an important cause AND treat their employees to a fun night out!

**For those heavy hitters out there... we have a mini bat sponsorship available too!**
Contact me if you'd like more info: [email protected]

"It's easy to feel helpless - like you can't fight the tide. But remember: small actions can have a huge impact, and one person like you can inspire others to action." - Celeste Ng

Thankful for folks like these who are speaking out about the importance of taking care of your mental health - especially for those in these high stress positions!

Exeter firefighter and veteran on mission to put spotlight on PTSD: Here's his story “We do see a lot of stuff that people don’t see and don’t want to see. Being able to talk to somebody and get that help is important,” Holmes said.

Show your kids or friends an enter today! Art is healing.

Magnify Voices Expressive Art Contest | NH CSoC Magnify Voices Expressive Art Contents celebrates the creativity of NH youth & demonstrates the importance of mental health for a child’s development

Breaking down the stigma of seeking help for your mental wellbeing one pro athlete at a time...!

Five years ago today, Kevin Love opened up about experiencing a panic attack during a November 2017 game: “Call it a stigma or call it fear or insecurity — you can call it a number of things — but what I was worried about wasn’t just my own inner struggles but how difficult it was to talk about them. I didn’t want people to perceive me as somehow less reliable as a teammate, and it all went back to the playbook I’d learned growing up.

This was new territory for me, and it was pretty confusing. But I was certain about one thing: I couldn’t bury what had happened and try to move forward. As much as part of me wanted to, I couldn’t allow myself to dismiss the panic attack and everything underneath it. I didn’t want to have to deal with everything sometime in the future, when it might be worse. I knew that much.

So I did one seemingly little thing that turned out to be a big thing. The Cavs helped me find a therapist, and I set up an appointment. I gotta stop right here and just say: I’m the last person who’d have thought I’d be seeing a therapist. I remember when I was two or three years into the league, a friend asked me why NBA players didn’t see therapists. I scoffed at the idea. No way any of us is gonna talk to someone. I was 20 or 21 years old, and I’d grown up around basketball. And on basketball teams? Nobody talked about what they were struggling with on the inside. I remember thinking, What are my problems? I’m healthy. I play basketball for a living. What do I have to worry about? I’d never heard of any pro athlete talking about mental health, and I didn’t want to be the only one. I didn’t want to look weak. Honestly, I just didn’t think I needed it. It’s like the playbook said — figure it out on your own, like everyone else around me always had.”

Revisit his story now: playerstribu.ne/KevinLove

📸: Sam Maller/The Players' Tribune

While we should all be talking about mental health and su***de risks, there are certain populations that are at an elevated risk.

Men make up almost 80% of all su***de deaths and LGBTQ+ youth are 4 times and Transgender people are 9 times more likely to attempt su***de than their straight counterparts.

If you are struggling or in crisis, call or text 988 to reach the Su***de & Crisis Lifeline. You can also CHAT via 988Lifeline.org.

Visit www.ConnectTheDotsNH.com for Resources.

Source: NAMI
Connect the Dots
***depreventioneducation

Kids in Crisis: CBS News and Stations address the youth mental health crisis in America Jamie Howard, senior clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, joins "CBS Mornings" to discuss the youth mental health crisis and shares tips on how parents can have an open conversation with their teens about mental health and social media.

Always

Did you happen to see Scarlett Lewis present about the ChooSELove program? If not, you may still be wondering why we should implement MORE of this type of educational programming into our schools. The answer is that SEL improves both the ACADEMIC & SOCIAL OUTCOMES of our students. "Well developed social emotional skills act as protective factors against stressors, improve academic performance, classroom behavior & attitudes, & increase school engagement."
- The Jed Foundation - JED

Watch Scarlett's incredible speech (stay for the q&a!):
https://bit.ly/BHSChooseLove

More info on ChooSELove in NH:
https://www.education.nh.gov/partners/chooselove
Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement

It is worth saying over and over again - talking about su***de DOES NOT give a person suicidal thoughts or put the idea in their head. The very BEST thing you can do for someone you think is at risk is to ask them directly. This is a .

***deprevention

"If you could only sense how important you are to the lives of those you meet; how important you can be to the people you may never even dream of. There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person."
- Fred Rogers

The Benny Fund

In my opinion, the most important part of this statement is the last part (quoted below). We hear all too often about kids being resilient. They may appear to be resilient but that doesn't mean they aren't hurting and will move on unscarred. Build those connections with your child and allow for vulnerability - a healthy form of resilience will then follow.

"Resilience does not need to be an exercise in confronting a cruel world alone with a brave face - resilience can be resting in the safety of your anchors when you need to in an effort to gather the strength to get up and try again."

There’s so much focus on resilience building right now. I can’t tell you how many times I am asked to share my “top tips” for encouraging resilience in kids….

So here it is…ready? Start with your attachment. When you focus on your connection with with your child (big kid, teen, young adult…) - when you practice attunement, empathy, and compassion within the context of that relationship - you show up for your kid.

Showing up with consistency sends an important message:

YOU ARE NOT ALONE.

In a world characterized by loneliness and anxiety, choose to build the connections that show your kids that they have anchors in this messy world no matter what stormy seas they encounter.

When you do this, you create relational safety. And when kids experience relational safety, they feel both comforted and empowered - and that’s where resilience takes root.

Resilience does not need to be an exercise in confronting a cruel world alone with a brave face - resilience can be resting in the safety of your anchors when you need to in an effort to gather the strength to get up and try again.

Build your connection first - resilience will come later.
❤️
Dr. Katie