EMPOWER Hosts Conversation about Mental Health with Therapist Dara Alewine '84
Indian Creek's EMPOWER club - a club formed by Upper School students who identify as female to provide opportunities to gain leadership experience, explore issues facing women in today's society , and discover ways to combat barriers in daily life and the wider world - hosted an important conversation about mental health on November 30, 2022.
Dara Alewine '84, Evergreen Campus alum and mother of Elia ’24, visited to share information with the students about how the brain functions under stress. Ms. Alewine has many years of experience as a therapist, and she enjoyed sharing some of her knowledge about stress management techniques.
Dara Alewine '84, Evergreen Campus alum and mother of Elia ’24, visited to share information with the students about how the brain functions under stress. Ms. Alewine has many years of experience as a therapist, and she enjoyed sharing some of her knowledge about stress management techniques.
Ms. Alewine provided several helpful coping strategies for stress management to the EMPOWER group:
• Breathe deeply – This signals to your brain that you are not in danger, which then allows you to think rationally.
• Get enough sleep – Being rested is important for mental and physical health.
• Expressing gratitude for good things each day is calming and puts you in a positive state of mind.
• Spend time in nature – Taking a walk or noticing the flora and fauna around you grounds you in the moment and reminds you are connected with a bigger world.
• Body movement of any kind helps you manage stress.
• Reading spiritual messages can be comforting.
• Get enough sleep – Being rested is important for mental and physical health.
• Expressing gratitude for good things each day is calming and puts you in a positive state of mind.
• Spend time in nature – Taking a walk or noticing the flora and fauna around you grounds you in the moment and reminds you are connected with a bigger world.
• Body movement of any kind helps you manage stress.
• Reading spiritual messages can be comforting.
Finally, Ms. Alewine emphasized to the students that self-compassion is very important. She advised the students against becoming upset with themselves for struggling sometimes. Being kind to oneself and others helps manage stress.
EMPOWER thanks Ms. Alewine for sharing her time and wisdom with them this afternoon.
Indian Creek School
Indian Creek school is a co-educational, college preparatory independent school, located in Crownsville, Maryland. Students in Pre-K3 through grade 12 receive a vibrant educational experience based on excellent academics steeped in strong student-teacher connections.
