Welcome to the 2022-23 school year! We are excited to have you as a part of the Da Vinci Schools community and are looking forward to a great year together.  

We view your mental health and well-being as a priority for your success at this school. In support of this, we have invested in several resources that you can access whenever you need help. Remember, you are not alone and it is a true act of bravery and strength to seek help.  

We encourage you to visit the on-campus resources, and save the community resources so you can easily find them if you or someone you know needs help.

On campus:

• You can access help by visiting the counselors’ office.
• By signing up for support with a counselor.
• You can email your counselor.

In our community:

Da Vinci Schools has partnered with Care Solace to support our community’s mental health.

If you or a family member is looking for help with mental health or substance use, Care Solace can quickly find treatment options matched to your needs, regardless of the circumstance.

Care Solace’s care navigation services are confidential and complimentary to  Da Vinci Schools’s students, staff, and their families. Care Solace’s team is available 24/7/365 and can support you in any language.

If you would like to use Care Solace to help you find a provider:

• Call 888-515-0595 available 24/7/365
• Visit www.caresolace.com/davincischools and either search on your own OR click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

In an emergency:

• Call 911 or and request a Crisis Intervention Trained (C.I.T.) response
• Go to the closest emergency room for support
• Call the National Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org
• Text “Hello” or “Home” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor
• Trevor Lifeline LGBTQQ+ Crisis Support: 1-866-488-7386

It is World Suicide Prevention Day! Each year on September 10th, World Suicide Prevention Day encourages worldwide commitment and action to prevent suicide and to support those who have been impacted by suicide.

Daily Challenge #5: Light a candle for World Suicide Prevention Day!

On this special day, you can join thousands of others in taking action for suicide prevention and remembering loved ones lost to suicide by lighting a candle near a window at 8 pm. Help spread the message by taking a photo and sharing on social media or with friends and family. To learn more about World Suicide Prevention Day, visit iasp.info/wspd/.

Find activities, resources and more in the Suicide Prevention Week Activation Kit.

Connect with thousands throughout the country during Suicide Prevention Week by using the hashtags #SuicidePrevention #takeaction4MH #WorldSuicidePreventionDay

Suicide Prevention Week (September 4-10, 2022) and World Suicide Prevention Day (September 10, 2022) is a time when individuals and organizations around the country and the world join their voices to broadcast the message that everyone can take action for suicide prevention and to remember loved ones lost to suicide.

Daily Challenge #2: Learn something new about suicide prevention.

Finding the words to talk about suicide is easier when you feel more knowledgeable about the subject. Familiarize yourself with a suicide prevention resource that is new to you; visit their website or their social media page and like, share, comment or sign up for email alerts to show your support for the work they do. The list below is a good place to start:

• Visit the website or social media page of your local county behavioral health agency or public health agency and search for suicide prevention.
• California’s Suicide Prevention Campaign “Know the Signs”: suicideispreventable.org
• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org
• National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention: theactionalliance.org
• Suicide Prevention Resource Center: sprc.org
• American Association of Suicidology: Suicidology.org
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: afsp.org
• The Trevor Project:thetrevorproject.org
• The Directing Change Program:DirectingChangeCA.org

Find activities, resources and more in the Suicide Prevention Week Activation Kit.

Connect with thousands throughout the country during Suicide Prevention Week by using the hashtags #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionWeek #takeaction4MH

Good Morning,

The counselors, Monique Aldrete,  Jennifer Barba and Artia Thomas, will begin to host the annual parent presentations to discuss graduation requirements, college admissions, and parent tips on next steps. The following are the dates and times for each grade level:

9th Grade – Monday, February 7 from 5:00pm – 6:00 pm – Ms. Barba & Ms. Aldrete

10th Grade – Tuesday, February 8 from 5:00pm – 6:00pm – Ms. Thomas & Ms. Aldrete

11th Grade – Wednesday, February 9 from 5:00pm – 6:00pm – Ms. Barba & Ms. Aldrete

As we get closer to the event, counselors will provide zoom link information. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to email the grade level counselor. We hope in seeing you soon!

Thank You,

The DVC Counseling Team

Ms. Aldrete, College and Career Counselor for grades 9-12 (maldrete@davincischools.org)

Ms. Barba, Grade Level Counselor for grades 9th & 11th  (jbarba@davincischools.org)

Ms. Thomas, Grade Level Counselor for grades 10th & 12th (athomas@davincischools.org)

Suicide Prevention Week Challenge #4:  Pause and Take A Breath

It’s not too late to join the Suicide Prevention Week challenge. To get started download the challenge flyerand challenge card!  Today’s challenge is focused on a simple, but profound coping skill: Breathing. Schedule a 10-minute ‘Breathe Break’ into your calendar and use this time to remove distractions and partake in a breathing exercise of your choice. This can be done individually, during a zoom meeting, or even as a family.

Most of us experience any number of emotions from day to day. Experiencing negative emotions, especially when under stress, is part of the human experience; however, if left unprocessed or unacknowledged, they can cause harm physically and emotionally. Prolonged crises, such as the ones we have experienced due to COVID, and any form of significant life transition can lead to long-term and toxic stress. This type of stress can be especially amplified among people who were already experiencing significant life challenges, chronic health or mental health conditions, and disabilities.

Research has found that breathing practices are effective at reducing stress, balancing our energy and emotions, and helping us process some of the more challenging feelings that can arise. But incorporating self-care, such as breathing, into our busy lives is easier said than done and may also be particularly challenging for people who have experienced trauma.

Being gentle with ourselves by setting boundaries and limits that support our mental health may be the most important self-care act of all. As author Brianna Wiest says: “Self-care should not be something we resort to because we are so absolutely exhausted that we need some reprieve from our own relentless internal pressure. True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake, it is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.”

But changing the expectations of ourselves and others takes time and practice. Starting with small actions can be a good way to begin. For example, try out one of the breathing exercises below or mindful breathing, which has been known to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety.

Belly Breathing:

It may sound strange, but many people forget how to breathe properly, using their chest and shoulders to breathe, resulting in short and shallow breaths which can increase stress and anxiety! When you breathe, your belly should expand, involving your diaphragm, a large muscle in your abdomen. This type of breathing is known as diaphragmatic, or belly breathing and can lower stress levels, reduce blood pressure, lower our heart rate, and help us relax. Belly Breathing is at the center of the practice of meditation which is known to help manage symptoms of depression, anxiety, and sleeplessness.

Download, share and watch the 30-second Belly Breathing Animation, which can be found here: https://www.suicideispreventable.org/social-media.php

Color Breathing

Visualize a color that represents how you want to feel, imagine inhaling that color in. Visualize a color that represents what you want to let go of, imagine exhaling that color out.

4-7-8 Breathing Technique

Otherwise known as “relaxing breath”, 4-7-8 breathing, is a simple breathing exercise that can be done anywhere, anytime to aid in stress reduction, grounding, and even sleep. Inhale for a count of 7, hold for a county of 4, and then exhale for a county of 8!  Download and share the 4-7-8 Breathing Card and Social Media post.

Square Breathing

One of the most common breathing exercises is referred to as square breathing which is the act of breathing in the form of a square! Inhale 2…3…4… hold 2…3…4!  Download and share the Square Breathing Card and Social Media post.

Find even more activities in the Suicide Prevention Week 2020 Kit here. 

Connect with thousands throughout the country during Suicide Prevention Week by using the hashtags #SuicidePrevention #SuicidePreventionWeek #WorldSuicidePreventionDay

Reto #4 Semana de Prevención del Suicidio: Pause y Respire

No es tarde para unirse al reto de la semana de Prevención del Suicidio. Para comenzar descargue el folleto y tarjeta de retos.  El reto de hoy se centra en una habilidad de afrontamiento simple pero profunda: la respiración. Programe en su calendario una “Pausa para respirar” de 10 minutos y utilice este tiempo para eliminar distracciones y participar en un ejercicio de respiración que usted elija. Esto se puede hacer individualmente, durante una reunión de zoom, o incluso en familia.

La mayoría de nosotros experimentamos una gran cantidad de emociones todos los días. Experimentar emociones negativas, especialmente cuando está bajo estrés, es parte de la experiencia humana; sin embargo, si no se procesan o no se reconocen, pueden causar daño físico y emocional. Las crisis prolongadas, como las que hemos experimentado debido al COVID, y cualquier cambio significativo pueden provocar estrés tóxico de largo plazo. Este tipo de estrés puede amplificarse especialmente entre las personas que ya estaban experimentando grandes desafíos en su vida, enfermedades crónicas o enfermedades mentales y discapacidades.

Los estudios han descubierto que las prácticas de respiración son efectivas para reducir el estrés, equilibrar nuestra energía y emociones y ayudarnos a procesar algunos de los sentimientos más desafiantes que pueden surgir. Pero es más fácil hablar sobre el cuidado personal que de ponerlo en práctica inclusive puede ser particularmente desafiante para las personas que han experimentado trauma.

Cuidar de sí mismo y tener límites protege su salud mental y puede ser lo más importante para su autocuidado. Parece que hemos creado la expectativa que el autocuidado es algo opcional, algo que podemos hacer ocasionalmente cuando tenemos tiempo. El autocuidado no debe ser algo al que recurrimos cuando ya estamos desgastados y necesitamos descansar de nuestra propia presión interna. El autocuidado no se trata de baños salinos y pasteles de chocolate, se trata de las decisiones que tomamos para crear una vida de la que no tenemos que escapar regularmente.

Pero cambiar las expectativas de nosotros mismos y de los demás toma tiempo y práctica. Acciones pequeñas pueden ser una forma buena para empezar. Por ejemplo, si el decir no a las obligaciones sociales es muy difícil, trate de tomar un descanso breve antes y después de cada evento. Durante este descanso, use el tiempo para practicar cómo darle atención a la respiración, una práctica que ha demostrado reducir el estrés y la ansiedad.

Técnica de respiración 4-7-8

Uno de los ejercicios más comunes se conoce como respiración 4-7-8. Respire por la nariz mientras cuenta hasta 4. Pause y detenga su respiración mientras cuenta hasta 4 y exhale por la boca mientras cuenta hasta 8. Descargue y comparta la tarjeta de respiración 4-7-8 y la publicación para redes sociales. Encuentre aún más actividades en la caja de activación de la Semana de Prevención del Suicidio 2021 aquí.

Conéctese con miles de personas en todo el país durante la Semana de Prevención del Suicidio utilizando los hashtags: #PrevencióndelSuicidio #DíaMundialparalaPrevencióndelSuicidio