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Sandy High School

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Counseling Center

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Counseling Center Team

Mental Health Resources

DO YOU NEED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE? PLEASE CALL THESE NUMBERS!

CLACKAMAS COUNTY CRISIS LINE 24/7: 503-655-8585

Sandy Behavioral Health Center: 503-722-6350
38872 Proctor Blvd.
Sandy, OR 97055


OREGON YOUTH LINE: 877-968-8491
OR TEXT “TEEN2TEEN” TO 839863 

 

TREVOR PROJECT: 1-866-488-7386 
SUPPORT OF LGBTQ YOUTH
 

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Orchid Health: 971-220-2701
(School Based Health Clinic) 
Located at Sandy High School, Hours: 8:30 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

 

YOUTH ERA
(VIRTUAL DROP-IN CENTERS, PEER SUPPORT SPECIALISTS, CRISIS RESPONSE SERVICES) 

FREE MINDFULNESS & MEDITATION APPS

-    Headspace
-    Calm

-    Simple Habit
-    Insight Timer

 

FOR PARENTS

REACHOUT OREGON: Support for parents/caregivers with children experiencing emotional, behavior, physical health, intellectual or developmental disabilities, or educational issues. Noon to 7 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday. 833-732-2467 or chat online.

FEELING DOWN, LOST, SAD, ANGRY, CONFUSED?

Here are some things to try! 
1. Mindfulness, Meditation, & Grounding

•    Mindful breathing-get comfortable, focus on the breath, assess your body (if anything feels tense, focus the breath to that area and relax the muscles), go back to focusing on breathing.
•    Meditation- sit comfortably, focus on breath, and allow thoughts to simply pass
•    Stare at the clouds
•    Engage the 5 senses (take a couple deep breaths then list things you can see, touch, taste, smell, and see. Breathe.)

2. Take a shower or bath

3. Exercise

•    Get outside: Go for a walk or a run
•    Yoga
•    Don’t have weights? Lift a milk jug or bag of flour

4. Draw, paint, or color 
5. Remember a happy moment and relive it in your mind 
6. Listen to music 
7. Write down how you are feeling then destroy the page 
8. Call someone 
9. Talk to someone in your household 
10. Zoom, Skype, Facetime, Google Hangouts, Snapchat, or Google Duo a friend (or have a group video session!) 

Progressive Relaxation: Raise your eyebrows and wrinkle your forehead. Try to touch your hairline with your eyebrows.  Hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Make a frown, hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Close your eyes as tightly as you can, draw the corners of your mouth back with your lips closed.  Hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Stretch your arms out in front of you, close your fists tightly, hold your 5 seconds, then relax.  Hold your arms out to the side, pretend you are pushing against an invisible wall with your hands, hold for 5 second then relax. Bend your elbows and make a muscle in your upper arm.  Hold for 5 second then relax.  Lift your shoulders, try to make them touch your ears, hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Arch your back away from the back of your chair or floor, hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Round your back, try to push it against the back of your chair or floor, hold your 5 seconds then relax.  Tighten your stomach muscles, hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Tighten your hip and buttock muscles, hold for 5 seconds then relax. Tighten your thighs by pressing your legs together as close as you can, hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Bend your ankles toward your body as far as you can, hold for 5 seconds then relax.  Tighten all the muscles in your whole body, hold for 10 seconds then relax.  Let your body be heavy and calm.  Sit or lay quietly for a couple of minutes. 

MINDFULNESS, MEDITATION AND GROUNDING TECHNIQUES

Deep Breathing/Belly Breathing: Stand straight up-feet shoulder width apart, arms and hands are down and relaxed.  Relax your body and close your eyes.  Focus on your lower abdomen (belly) and imagine a small balloon in that space.  Breathe in slowly and deeply through nostrils, imagining the balloon inflating slowly, hold a few seconds and slowly exhale through the mouth, imagining the balloon gently deflating.  Blow out of the mouth as if blowing out a candle.  Repeat at least 10 times. 
Simple Meditation: Begin by sitting comfortably and relaxed, breathe easy from the abdomen (belly breathing).  Rotate your head in easy, slow circles; change direction.  Look up; tilt your head way back. Look down; put your chin on your chest.  Drop your arms and hands to the side and shake them gently and easily.  Raise your feet off the floor and gently and easily shake the knees.  Straighten your spine.  Close your eyes and try not to think about anything.  Continue the process of closing your eyes while breathing and thinking about nothing.  If a thought interrupts, acknowledge the thought and send it away, bringing your focus back to your breath. 
Mindful Eating: Find a raisin, piece of chocolate, or a small piece of something to eat in your house.  Pretend like you have never seen this item before. Take time and pay careful attention to; the way the item looks (color, shape), how it feels, how the item responds to being in your hands (does it melt? Does it change shape?), and how it smells.  Finally, how does it taste?  Take time to eat the food slowly. 
5-Senses: Start by taking 3-4 belly breaths.  Then look around your immediate environment.  Name 5 things you can see.  Name 4 things you can touch. Name 3 things you can hear.  Name 2 things you can smell. Name 1 thing you can taste.
Guided Meditation Through Visual Imagery: Close your eyes and “see” in your mind’s eye a beautiful beach.  The sun is shining warmly, the breeze coming from the ocean is soft and warm, palm trees are overhead and a few seagulls circle about.  Imagine walking barefoot in the warm sand, feel your feet sink in the sand with each step.  Walk toward the water’s edge and let the water roll over your feet.  Jump in the water; it is warm, gentle, and very refreshing.  Come out of the water and walk to your big beach towel, lay down and relax.  Rest for a while in all the peace and beauty surrounding you.  Imagine how it looks, how it sounds, how it smells.  When you are ready to leave, go to the edge of the water and throw in anything that has been bothering you and watch it sink. Breathe.