We work with teens and young adults every day here at Victor. Many of our employees have their own children as well, so we are no stranger to the role social media is playing in their lives.

We try to communicate with kids about their online presence. It's good to set time limits and certain boundaries, but there's no denying that social media will be a part of their lives and follow them into adulthood. 

With the COVID-19 pandemic and boom of TikTok, the social world has grown larger yet more connected at the same time. Video based platforms like YouTube, SnapChat, and TikTok allow teens to hop on trends, recreate, and share easier than ever. Couple that with algorithms becoming smarter and teens can find communities online that they relate to easier than ever.  

There is also an outpouring of educational content. We've needed to get information out quickly and reach as many people as possible during the pandemic. Because of that platforms have evolved and social media has become the primary source of information and advertisements. 

Because of these changes to the social media landscape, the data of how our teens' mental health is effected is also changing. In an article published by Psychology Today by Danielle Ramo, Ph.D., they explore how Social Media is actually helping teens cope with depression.

Curling up with a book on the beach, by the pool, or in the shade of a tree at a park is a feeling readers look forward to every summer. Maybe you are a fan of mystery, romance, or contemporary novels, but if you are a mental health professional, we would like to recommend some particularly relevant reads. 

You’re never done learning when you work in mental health. There are new theories, techniques, and studies published regularly all offering a better way to serve others. It’s also important to be mindful of your own well-being and coping mechanisms.

Mental Health America’s theme for National Mental Health Month is Tools 2 Thrive which places an emphasis on providing practical tools so anyone can improve their mental health no matter their situation.

Though there has been great work in past years to lessen the stigma of seeking help or treatment for mental health, the stigma still prevents people from getting the help they need. There are additional reservations that are a result of poor past experiences with mental health professionals or agencies.

We can’t help people with their mental health unless they first feel safe seeking help or can be connected to resources. This is what our Victor Community Support Center (VCSS) in Redding has been working on for the past two years across Tehama County.

Child Abuse Prevention Month

April is Child Abuse Prevention Month. This month is about bringing awareness to how we can stop the cycle of child abuse by being proactive through prevention.

Child abuse prevention focuses on families' strengths that can be built upon to care for their children safely before any abuse occurs. 

The strategy for preventing child abuse is twofold. The short term plan involves education and intervention. In the long term, we want to raise children in safe and caring communities and environments so they can grow into healthy and stable adults.

We have all been spending a lot of time indoors this past year and it has probably caused you to take into account your surroundings more than you have done in the past.

Being restricted to your home with the occasional grocery store run is a lot less environmental diversity than we are used to. That means the spaces we are spending most of our time in are making a greater impact on our mental health.

Like the people you surround yourself with, the spaces around you also affect you subconsciously. We want people to have the best environments for their work and personal life so they can be as productive and healthy as possible.

Reports show that veterans are twice as likely to die by suicide as civilians according to the Department of Veterans Affairs. This alarming statistic sadly translates to about 18 veterans dying by suicide every single day.

Victor Community Support Services has been an engaged county partner in suicide prevention training and events for years. In collaboration with other support services in our communities, we do our best to support veterans in need of help. Our latest organizational report shows we were able to help over 300 military families with PTSD. Too often however, we don't get to meet them until they've reached a point of crisis. 

At Victor we pride ourselves on not only doing amazing work but also being an amazing place to work. We want to ensure that we consistently meet high standards in our organizational operations, care for our clients, and treatment of our employees.

We are regularly learning how we can improve as an organization in order to fulfill our mission-driven values.For Victor, being inclusive, effective, and forward thinking are more than words. They are action points. We work intentionally so our employees, and by extension our clients, feel supported to grow and thrive so they live healthy and meaningful lives.

Working in mental health and family services is one of the hardest and most rewarding career paths you can choose. You are on the front lines of witnessing people’s lowest lows and are by their side as they move toward new heights.

Having a healthy and vibrant team culture is one of the ways Victor supports its employees to be their best so they can help our clients break cycles of poverty, improve their mental health, and strengthen their families.  

With the holidays drawing near, we are reminded of the value of family time and being able to gather with one another under the same roof. However, life circumstances can sometimes prevent relatives from staying together.

At Victor, we see varying reasons families are moved around or temporarily separated. Our Victor Success Story this month features Sophia, who helped a set of grandparents prepare their home for their two grandchildren whose mother was unable to care for them at the time.

With civic unrest, a presidential election, and a pandemic, the past few months have been enough to make us want to pull out hair and scream. However, we as adults have the ability to identify our emotions and calm ourselves down when anger arises.