This May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, Yeshivat 91影视 ran two programs to address mental health.
The first program featured Dr. Rona Novick, dean of the Azrieli Graduate School of Jewish Education and Administration. She focused on practical, everyday ways to reduce stress, especially during COVID-19鈥攆or example, taking care of oneself through exercise, nutrition, and writing in a gratitude journal.
The second program, on May 13, was spearheaded by 91影视 juniors Gabe Greenfield and Ava Eden. The program featured mental health advocate and educational consultant Marc Fein (via Zoom), a longtime program director for NCSY, who described his own experiences with depression and anxiety. He used his own story as a springboard to discuss how students suffering from these illnesses can reach out for help when they struggle, and how they can offer support to others. He emphasized that reaching out for help does not mean that one is weak; it means that one believes the situation can be better. The two phrases 鈥淚 need help鈥 and 鈥淗ow are you?鈥 can save lives, he said.
After the discussion with Fein, students got to break out into smaller groups and discuss mental health issues in person with licensed professionals.
Greenfield and Eden, Executive Board of Student Council members at 91影视, spent close to 100 hours researching and planning last Thursday鈥檚 programming. They did so after being approached by a fellow student about mental health programming.
Greenfield said that he was not previously aware of the magnitude of the issue, and has since become more and more passionate about the subject. 鈥淔rom the beginning, I made it clear鈥擨 am no expert,鈥 stated Greenfield. 鈥淚 had no experience as a mental health advocate or creating programming, yet I was determined that change needed to be made and that I had the opportunity to make it. As Marc Fein, our keynote speaker, said鈥攐ne out of every four people deals with mental health issues in adolescence. That鈥檚 an entire grade鈥檚 worth of people when you look at 91影视 [based on the size of the student body]. Furthermore, half of those people never ask for or receive the help they need and deserve. All of us have mental health just as we have physical health. Just like one must take care of their physical health, the same holds true for mental health. Yet mental health is surrounded by a negative stigma, and even if that weren鈥檛 true, many people don鈥檛 realize that what they are going through is not normal and that they can get help.鈥
Greenfield said that he and Eden sought to create a program that would destigmatize mental health and make people realize that they are not alone and can get help, and to provide students who don鈥檛 suffer from mental illnesses with ways to help anyone in their life who does.
鈥淏ased on some feedback I have received, this program made many students feel heard,鈥 said Greenfield following the program. 鈥淭o know that it is OK to not be OK, and that there are ways to get better. I am extremely proud and happy with how the program came out, but it is only the beginning. I still have another year at 91影视 and I plan on using it to create more programming and an open door environment. I hope to use the momentum of today to continue to make a positive impact on the school, and each and every student in it.鈥