LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- As anxiety and depression skyrocket among children, some of the pandemic's unsung heroes are school counselors.
At Jefferson County Public Schools, teams of mental health practitioners are helping kids survive — and even thrive — during a difficult year.
Chelsey Bard's daughter, Adrianna, is a 5th grader at Indian Trail Elementary. Sometimes school would be overwhelming.
"She would literally just sometimes break down and cry," said Bard. "She definitely had some anxiety."
Adrianna said she first noticed her mental health was struggling when she was too scared to take a test.
"I was terrified. I just didn't know what to do," she said.
Adrianna has come a long way since then. She's now weathering the pandemic without much stress.
"NTI 2.0 is kind of hard, but overall, I enjoy it," said Adrianna, giving credit to her school counselors.
"She is brilliant, and she's not going to let anything stop her from her goals," said counselor Erica Woolridge. "I'm just so proud of her."
Erica Woolridge teams up with the school's mental health practitioner, Sirlivia Mahin. This year, they're reaching more students than ever.
"We've seen a flux of anxiety, people having issues with isolation, peer regression, missing their friends, a lot of difficulties with attention and focus," explained Mahin.
With school being virtual, the counselors are using new tools to communicate with families, both during and after school hours, to replace in-person supports.
"Kids can just pop in virtually to talk about whatever they wanted to talk about," Woolridge said of open zoom links for students.
"I've had to open up to sometimes, (students saying) 'Miss Sirlivia, I don't want to talk to you today, but I'll check in through text,'" said Mahin.
Indian Trail also teaches students mindfulness techniques through yoga practice, another tool to combat stress.
"It helped. I felt a lot better. It helps with flexibility and mental overall," said Adrianna.
"Their minds always go a thousand miles a minute, so it's definitely nice to let them know that there are exercises and things to do to help you calm down and think clearly," said Bard.
The mom and daughter pair want to break the stigma on mental health, telling adults and children that it's OK to reach out for help.
"If you feel some type of way about it, and you don't know what's going on, I guarantee you should probably tell an adult," said Adrianna.
"Once you apply and say that you need help, you've already won half the battle," added Bard.
In 2019, JCPS approved $3 million to give every JCPS student access to a mental health counselor. The district now has 136 mental health practitioners. All elementary schools have hired a mental health practitioner.
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