First Day of Mental Health First Aid Training
Today our Assistant Director, Lizzie, held the first of a two-day Mental Health First Aid training for our senior staff and Peer Mentors. We discussed the signs and symptoms of some of the most common mental health challenges, as well as risk factors and protective factors for mental health. Our team looks forward to diving deeper into these topics as we complete our Mental Health First Aid training.
Presentations to GIFT Students at NAGLY
Today our team presented to the G.I.F.T. students at NAGLY in Salem. Our Peer Mentor, Mia, shared her story and we discussed The NAN Project’s origin, mission, and Peer Mentor role. It was great to meet this newest G.I.F.T. cohort, we look forward to joining their graduation this week!
Mindfulness and Reflection at Let’s Talk About It!
Today we focused on mindfulness and reflection at our summer teen group, Let’s Talk About It! at the Eliot Family Resource Center in Everett. We practiced a 5 minute guided meditation, shared our go-to stretches with each other, and played a fun get to know you game. Our Peer Mentor, Emilia, shared her comeback story and touched on the role of mindfulness in her recovery. To end the day, our group reflected on what our favorite parts of the past 5 weekly sessions have been, and which activities we want to revisit on our last day next week!
Summer Learning Series Day 5
Today, we had another session of our summer learning series! Sam Tammaro led a CPR and NARCAN training for our Peer Mentors in the morning. In the afternoon, musicians Kev and Tony from Tunefoolery led us in a conversation about the importance of music in mental health recovery, sharing their personal experiences as well as their music. It was great to learn some life saving skills as well as engage with Tunefoolery’s music and mental health mission!
This summer learning series was funded through a grant by CHNA 15, and was made possible by Determination of Need funds received from Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and Winchester Hospital.
Teen Group at Eliot FRC and Presentations to Merrimack College
Today, we held another session of our summer teen group Let’s Talk About It! At the Eliot Family Resource center. The session was focused on active listening and our group engaged in an activity where they took turns listening to a partner without speaking and then summarizing what their partner said. We also a game of simon says and mental health taboo; the friendly competition energized us for the rest of our day! Our Peer Mentors presented to graduate students studying adolescent psychology at Merrimack College yesterday evening and were happy to answer the students’ questions as they prepare for their future careers.
Summer Learning Series & Presentations at North Shore Community College
This week at our Summer Learning Series, Jenna, an art therapist, led us in a group art project. We used shaving cream and food coloring to create marbled art pieces, and then made original stamps based on an image that was meaningful to us. Then, we put our art pieces together to create a garland that we will hang up in The NAN Project office. This summer learning series was funded through a grant by CHNA 15, and was made possible by Determination of Need funds received from Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and Winchester Hospital.
Our team also presented to North Shore Community College’s First Year Experience at the Lynn Campus for the first time!
Day 2 of Presentations to La Colaborativa Interns
Today, our Peer Mentors returned to La Colaborativa in Chelsea to share their stories of lived experience and help spread mental health information and resources with the interns working there this Summer. We were so proud of the interns and our Peer Mentors for their hard work in creating and facilitating these mental health presentations.
Peer Mentor Presentations at La Colaborativa
Today our Peer Mentors worked with the mental health cohort of interns at La Colaborativa in Chelsea to share information, community resources, and lived experience with their peers. The interns did a great job presenting and we look forward to joining them again on Monday.
Events at Eliot Family Resource Center with Ayanna Pressley
Today at the Eliot Family Resource Center, we held our third session of our Teen Group Let’s Talk About It! We also presented our comeback stories to interns at the Cambridge Health Alliance and played some interactive games to practice public speaking. To top off an incredible day we had the pleasure of meeting Congresswoman, Ayanna Pressley, as she spoke with staff and community members at the Eliot Family Resource Center. We appreciate the time she took to discuss the great work the FRC is doing and to ask what more she could do to support the community.
Motivational Interviewing on Day 3 of Summer Learning Series
Today we had our third day of our summer learning series! Kim Bisset, longtime supporter of the NAN Project and Director and Founder of Radiate Career Consulting, led us in an all day workshop on motivational interviewing. Our team learned so much on how to engage someone in conversation so they feel listened to and better equipped to move forward.
This summer learning series was funded through a grant by CHNA 15, and was made possible by Determination of Need funds received from Lahey Hospital & Medical Center and Winchester Hospital. We are so thankful to our guests for what we’ve learned today and look forward to the next session of our summer learning series!
