Wellness
Why Emphasize Wellness?
Because children who live in poverty are much more likely to have Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) which can have negative, lasting effects, Water Walkers is committed to providing mental health assessments and treatments for the children served. We now partner with the Center of Hope for Behavioral Health to provide licensed counselors on a regular basis. They work with the kids (and their families) to offer social-emotional support, anger management training, trauma informed care, group counseling, one-on-one counseling, and anxiety and depression relief workshops.
According to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), strong evidence consistently links low income to ACE exposures. Children growing up in impoverished neighborhoods are much more likely to experience ACEs.
- Health (disrupt healthy brain development, compromise immune systems, obesity, diabetes, depression, suicide attempts, STDs, heart disease, cancer, stroke, COPD, broken bones)
- Behaviors (social development, smoking, alcoholism, substance misuse and other unhealthy coping behaviors)
- Life Potential (graduation rates, academic achievement, lost time from work)
- Teaching skills to help parents and youth handle stress, manage emotions, and tackle everyday challenges;
- Connecting youth to caring adults and activities;
- Intervening to lessen immediate and long-term harms.
How Mental Health Mondays Began

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Wellness Outcomes
Here are are a few key outcomes provided by the Center of Hope regarding their first series of sessions (see the full list on the Measurements and Outcomes page):
- In early group sessions students learned how to define stressors and triggers, how to identify symptoms of stress, and learned various breathing exercises to practice during and after the group.
- Students shared ways they cope within each area and openly sought direction from the counselor on how they can support each other. Students received practical information on ways to reframe and challenge their thoughts to manage their reactions.
- Many reported feeling less stressed when using breathing techniques and coping skills learned during the program. Other students reported being able to use their cognitive behavioral skills to manage their thoughts and emotions and their new communication skills to express themselves effectively.

Debbie
10th Grader
Testimonial: Debbie
“Water Walkers’ Mental Health Mondays should be mandatory for all public high school students in my book”, says *Debbie, a 10th grader in Water Walkers’ Leadership Program.
“On Mental Health Mondays we learn a lot from our licensed counselor. She gives us tools, strategies and methods to help us deal with high pressure situations. We have learned about breathing and consideration techniques. This helps me slow down on my reactions to things and forces me to think with a calm mind. That’s how Water Walkers live life.”