Welcome to the Parenting Well podcast with Parent Engagement Network!  I am Dr. Shelly Mahon, your host. And today, you are listening to Parenting Well, where we know that parenting well is challenging and that all parents are the best parents they know how to be. The foundation for raising happy, healthy youth is for us as parents to fill our own well with useful, reliable, credible information, tools and strategies. This leaves us more engaged, educated and empowered to support our children in being strong, resourceful, confident and resilient in the face of life’s many challenges and adventures.

So, let’s fill that well!

Today’s well source is Kathy Valentine. Kathy is the chairperson of the HOPE Coalition of Boulder County and has been on the coalition since its beginning in 2005. She is a retired school counselor and gave many workshops on depression and suicide awareness to various staffs while working. Kathy is also the Executive Director of Colie's Closet, a BVSD high school peer education program dealing with depression and suicide. Kathy is passionate about educating the entire community about risk factors around these issues and is excited to bring today’s panelists and community members together to begin the discussion about the importance of connection in our lives.

This podcast covers:

• Resources for managing depression
• The role stigma plays in support services
• How to recognize warning signs of depression and what to do about it
• Some of the risk factors of depression
• The difference between being sad and having clinical depression
• Strategies for managing depression when you feel like you are "spiraling"
• What to do if you are worried about your child
• How kids should respond to their friend's depression
• The importance of self care, modeling, and talking to your children regularly

Resources:

Website: The Hope Coalition of Boulder County

Resource: National Suicide Prevention Hotline

Resource: COVID-19 Mental Health Resources

Resource: Warning Signs of Depression