SILENT NIGHT: When The Holidays Don't Feel Like Joy To Your Youth or Teen

The holidays are often described as the happiest time of the year—but for some young people, they can bring sadness, loneliness and grief. CANCELLED-THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST. WE WILL RESCHEDULE AT ANOTHER DATE. Silent Nights: When the Holidays Don’t Feel Like Joy Parents, caregivers, educators, faith leaders, youth leaders, and community organizations are encouraged to register a young person and help us create a community where asking “How are you really?” becomes just as important as saying “Happy Holidays.” A FREE mental health event presented by Felicia Brookins' S.A.F.E. S.P.A.C.E. TheaterTherapy Foundation for youth and teens ages 12–17. This interactive experience creates a supportive environment where young people can explore an important question: What am I feeling, and do I feel safe enough to tell someone? Using guided conversation, age-appropriate mental health education, storytelling, reflection activities, and the FEEL → REVEAL → CONNECT → ASK FOR HELP framework, participants will explore: Recognizing and naming difficult emotions Holiday sadness, loneliness, grief, and family changes The pressure to appear happy when they are struggling Social media and holiday comparison Communicating difficult feelings to parents and trusted adults Identifying their personal support system Healthy ways to cope with overwhelming emotions Understanding when and how to ask for help Participants will also complete the “My Silent Nights, My Real Feelings” reflection activity, giving them a private opportunity to identify what they are feeling, reveal what may be happening beneath those feelings, identify someone they can connect with, and determine what help or support they may need. We don't want to wait for a crisis to ask a young person how they are doing.