 Interns Rashon Talton, left, and Kelsey Middleton at the SVHS Wellness Center. (SVEF Photo) Anxiety, friendship issues, panic attacks, the loss of loved ones: Sonoma Valley children carry heavy psychological burdens – part of a nationwide mental health crisis that’s taking a toll on students.
But local students of all ages have access to immediate help, thanks to generous supporters like you. Funds raised through the Red & White Ball are helping underwrite free one-on-one counseling, group sessions, and even family therapy for students in need. With your support, in collaboration with the school district and other community partners, we’re bringing mental health care providers directly onto school campuses – minimizing barriers to access. Students can seek help with or without a referral from a teacher or staff member. The care team includes six interns, Master’s degree students completing their training who will work at all the district’s public schools, with oversight from the district’s two full-time licensed clinicians. The interns have been hired with funding from SVEF and our generous donors. Although the school year just began, the interns are already working hard to support local students. For intern Kelsey Middleton, the assignment is a form of paying it forward, after having found help in high school for their own mental health challenges. Kelsey specifically requested to work with adolescents, and is already helping students harness the potential for self-discovery during a rich period of emotional highs and lows, exploration, and new experiences. “Teens are finding themselves and learning how to be their own person. It’s really cool to see,” says Kelsey. Intern Rashon Talton is working at Adele Harrison, Altimira, and Sonoma Valley High School and will carry a caseload of up to 20 students at any given time. Applying what he’s learned in the classroom to help adolescents solve real-world problems is a rewarding challenge. “How teenagers think is completely different from younger children or adults,” he says. “I love the out-of-the-box nature of their thoughts. They’re blunt and tell you like it is.” This understanding and compassion gives students the encouragement they need to confront their mental health challenges. Thanks to your support, students have the help they need to find their strength and emerge ready to learn and thrive.
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