Mental health challenges are on the rise among today's youth. Recent reports have noted an acute and significant need for school-based mental health education and supportive interventions for children and adolescents. Among these approaches, a growing focus has centered on improving students' mental health literacy (MHL) as a foundational…

During the COVID-19 pandemic, most students in the United States experienced full school closure followed by a hybrid of online and in-person learning before ultimately returning to fully in-person instruction in the Fall of 2021. I investigated the experiences of three high school choir teachers during the 2021-2022 academic year to examine their…

Journaling can be a tool for improved mental health during a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has been challenging for educators both professionally and personally. The author discusses the many types of journals that writers might choose to keep, including an exercise journal, bullet journal, free writing journal, gratitude journal, travel…

This article offers a brief account of pedagogical pivots necessitated by the challenges of teaching through the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss two iterations of a class assignment that emphasized listening in natural spaces, and highlight the student-reported benefits of relaxation, calm, and clarity. Recognizing the need for additional resources…

International students (IS) face unique challenges when attending higher education institutions in the United States that derive from acculturative stress and contribute to feelings of loneliness and depressive symptoms. This study examined the sense of meaning as a moderator in the relationship between acculturative stress, loneliness, and…

Socio-emotional learning (SEL) is essential for the holistic development of a child. It is a process through which individuals acquire and effectively apply their knowledge and skills to understand and manage their own emotions, show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. Schools function…

Background: The opioid epidemic has created unprecedented challenges in the United States (US), including hundreds of thousands of lives lost to overdose in the past five years. Expansion of prevention and treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is urgently needed, as evidence-based strategies exist but many remain unable to access life-saving…

When college students are in a mental health crisis, they often turn to a peer or a trusted faculty or staff member first. As the number of students struggling with mental health issues continues to rise, higher education professionals are called upon to do even more. "Basic Counseling Skills for Higher Education Professionals" equips…

The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model is a student-centered approach that addresses the importance of health in schools. This framework acknowledges that schools are not just a place where students learn, but they are also worksites (CDC, 2021). Evidence-based employee wellness initiatives have the potential to improve…

Supervision is considered a critical component in the development of mental health professionals. Thus, to ensure ethical services are provided to clients, supervisors should integrate multicultural perspectives within supervision. Multicultural and social justice principles, although present in the literature, have not been successfully…

National data show that engineers are unlikely to seek help for a mental health concern, which can result in symptom escalation. Therefore, this article highlights research on mental health in engineering and provides research-based strategies for integrating mental health and wellness into the classroom. We aim to motivate chemical engineering…

In this book, you'll find fun, practical activities and strategies to develop an attitude of gratitude: the positive mindset that kids and teens need to successfully weather ups and downs, successes and setbacks. "Growing with Gratitude" outlines simple steps that you can start to action immediately, whether in the classroom, the whole…

"Wild Learning" answers a call in the educational community for practical, easy-to-implement activities that bring core curriculum out of the classroom and into the outdoors. Outdoor learning has risen in popularity in recent years, and it has tremendous benefits. Being outside is healthier, helps children form a strong connection to the…

While youth sports can come with numerous mental health benefits, there can also be some risks. Understanding mental health in the context of youth sports involves recognizing the psychological pressures and challenges unique to this environment. This article describes a coaching model that coaches can use to teach coping strategies and…

The "IDRA Newsletter" serves as a vehicle for communication with educators, school board members, decision-makers, parents, and the general public concerning the educational needs of all children across the United States. The focus of this issue is "Culturally Sustaining Leadership." Contents include: (1) Why Emergent Bilingual…