Hello everyone! My name is Kelly Welch and I am enrolled in the Masters of Education in School Counseling program. I am in my third semester and plan to graduate in May of 2026. I hope to become a middle school counselor upon graduation. I have spent the past 11 years in the classroom at the middle school level and am now a 504 Coordinator for a high school campus. One goal I have in this class is to learn how to recognize signs of crisis and mental health concerns in students and how to best intervene.

What stood out to me the most is the prevalence of mental health concerns in young people and how it has become a pandemic. The statistic that I found most concerning is that half of all chronic mental illnesses start by age 14. That is such a young age and a critical time in the life of a teen. I took the Deconstructing Stigma Mental Health Quiz and got six out of nine questions correct. Working with teenagers over the years has opened my eyes to the impact mental health has on them.

For years, I battled anxiety. With the help of others, I was able to identify those things that sent me into an anxious frenzy such as procrastination, fear of the unknown, and the fear of making mistakes. I learned coping strategies on how to combat these things. These strategies, such as breathing exercises, journaling, and physical activity, helped to decrease my anxiety and get myself back in the right mindset. I have also been able to encourage others to utilize these same strategies when dealing with anxiety. They have proved to be very helpful.

In my future role as a middle school counselor, knowledge of crisis, trauma, and mental health is vital because it allows me to be able to recognize and assist students facing these issues so that I can help foster a healthier and more inclusive school environment. This knowledge will equip me with the tools necessary to deliver suitable interventions and be able to better meet the needs of my students.

Mental Health in Schools

The article linked above discusses the staggering statistics of mental health concerns in schools and how important it is to rid the stigma that comes along with it. Prior knowledge and increasing my knowledge in mental health concerns is crucial. Too many students go undiagnosed and untreated which interferes with a student's ability to learn and develop. Identifying and treating mental health problems early is a game changer in the life of an adolescent. School counselors must bring more awareness to crisis, trauma, and mental health issues among adolescents. The article mentions the importance of reducing barriers to providing mental health services. We must find a way to lessen the stigma that is associated with mental health. A student cannot learn effectively if they are not in the right mindset. As a future counselor, it is a goal of mine to ensure that students feel seen, heard, and safe so that learning can take place.