Blog Archive
Give to Prevent Suicide
Nov 28, 2023 | Resources
Giving Tuesday is the perfect day to do some good. Our many partners work hard to make an impact by developing programs and spreading knowledge about suicide prevention and good mental health practices. Please help our partners with a donation...
How to Manage Holiday Stress and Anxiety
Nov 28, 2023 | Resources
The holiday season is a time of joy and togetherness, and for teachers especially, it should be a time for rest, to slow down, and to recharge. However, it can also be a significant source of stress and anxiety for...
7 Steps to Help Manage Children’s Holiday Stress
Nov 27, 2023 | Resources
Children usually look forward to winter holidays with joy and enthusiasm. Sometimes, however, holidays can bring stressors that are new and overwhelming for kids. Kids experience stress during the holidays for a number of reasons. For one, when the adults...
How to Help Someone You Love with Depression
Nov 23, 2023 | Resources
Depression affects more than 16 million Americans each year and can be debilitating. You can help others who have depression by following these nine support tips. When someone you love is struggling with depression, it can be emotionally difficult and...
Building a Life of Balance
Nov 21, 2023 | Resources
Finding balance in your life may sometimes feel like an impossible task. You may have work commitments, family obligations, and what about your personal goals? However, balance is necessary to manage life’s stresses. Otherwise you may find aspects of your...
Social Comparison and Body Image in Children
Nov 20, 2023 | Resources
Social comparison is a fundamental aspect of human nature, and it begins early in childhood. Children are exposed to a wide array of influences that shape their self-perception, including how they view their bodies. The relationship between social comparison and...
Teaching Your Child How to Make Friends
Sep 21, 2023 | Resources
Whether a large group or close-knit few, having a circle of friends is crucial in life. For children it is especially important as they learn social skills and navigate interactions with people outside of their family. Feeling like they belong...
Early Warning Signs and Suicide Prevention
Sep 14, 2023 | Resources
Suicide is a crisis that isn’t limited by age, location, economic standing, or financial success. The crushing truth is that intrusive suicidal thoughts can be lurking in anyone’s mind, and oftentimes it’s difficult to identify. Sadly millions of people each...
A Look at the Latest Suicide Data and Change Over the Last Decade
Sep 14, 2023 | Resources
We are focused on being a resource about mental health. This article talks about a troubling trend that has started to happen over the past decade: a consistent increase in suicide rates. This trajectory raises a lot concerns about the...
8 Tips for How to Find Balance in Life
Sep 5, 2023 | Resources
Finding balance in your life may sometimes feel like an impossible task. You may have work commitments, family obligations, and what about your personal goals? 1. Acknowledge Your Needs Be honest with yourself and put your needs first. Only you...
Free family mental health, wellness nights for CCSD families
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Ten to 20 percent of adolescents report dealing with mental health issues, according to Parent Guidance therapists. The Clark County School District is working with the Cook Center for Human Connection to provide mental health resources and weekly...
A Back to School Mental Health Checklist for School Leaders
Jul 26, 2023 | Resources
Summer is almost over the moment it begins, so for school administrators it’s never too early to get ready for back-to-school. As school systems all over the country prepare for students to return to the classroom, it’s more important than...
Mountainair Public Schools Partners with ParentGuidance.org to Promote Student Mental Well-Being
Jul 25, 2023 | News Release
Mountainair Public Schools in central New Mexico is committed to the mental well-being of its students. In order to provide the best possible support for students, the district has partnered with ParentGuidance.org, a leading provider of online mental health resources...
Helping Schools and Districts Address Mental Health Crisis among their Students
Jul 18, 2023 | Resources
In October, about 70 school and district leaders from around the country gathered in Utah for a mental health summit. More than once during the three-day conference, administrators had to break away to deal with mental health emergencies in their...
Why Schools can be a wealth of resources for parents to meet students’ mental health needs
Jul 6, 2023 | Resources
Engaging with our children in mental health conversations more deeply, both at home and in school. If we want to help children during this ongoing student mental health crisis, families need resources that are private, on-demand, accessible at home —...
Apply Internal Sunscreen to Stay Mentally Healthy
Jun 22, 2023 | Resources
Here Comes Summer As we approach the summer months, it’s important to remember that just as we take measures to protect our skin from the sun’s harmful rays, we should also prioritize protecting our mental health. Parents play a crucial role...
Ganel-Lyn Condie has received the Influencer for Good Award
Mar 31, 2023 | News
Ganel-Lyn Condie has received the Influencer for Good Award for her ongoing work that positively impacts communities and families. Ganel-Lyn is a motivational speaker and author of more than a dozen books. Her messages center on faith, family, and...
Calm Room Grant Awards
Jan 31, 2023 | News , Uncategorized
Calm Room Grant AwardsCook Center Awards Grants to Calm Rooms in 16 States and 24 DistrictsWe have awarded grants to the following schools. We are excited to support them as they implement resources and solutions to support the mental health...
Cook Center Leads the National Conversation About Mental Health Among School Administrators
Oct 17, 2022 | News
The Cook Center for Human Connection hosted school leaders from across the country to a mental health summit in Pleasant Grove, Utah. The summit was co-sponsored by AASA, the School Superintendents Association, the Jed Foundation, and the Huntsman Mental Health...
Cook Center to Give $100K for Calm Rooms in Schools
Oct 12, 2022 | News
Supporting youth mental health is one of the leading topics in today's schools. The Cook Center for Human Connection will award grants totalling $100,000 to 20 schools across the country this year. “We want to do anything we can to...
Influencer for Good
Aug 30, 2022 | Press Releases
The Cook Center for Human Connection has given its first Influencer for Good Award to Ashley Rose Reeves for her ongoing work that positively impacts communities and families. Ashley is best known on social media for her brand of positive...
Animated Series My Life Is Worth Living Launches New Episodes Addressing Bullying and Teen Mental Health
Mar 28, 2022 | Press Releases
In honor of National Bullying Prevention Month this month, The Cook Center for Human Connection and Wonder Media have released new, timely episodes of My Life is Worth Living™, the first animated series dedicated to teen mental health....
Your Mental Health Resource- In Spanish
Mar 28, 2022 | News Release
Ayuda En Español By Dakota News Now staff Lifeline ofrece 24/7, servicios gratuitos en español, y no es necesario hablar inglés si usted necesita ayuda Read More
Need advice for supporting your child’s mental health? These resources can help
Mar 22, 2022 | Press Releases
If you can tell your child is struggling with their mental health, how do you bring it up in a way that’s helpful and not going to push them further away? It can feel like a delicate situation to navigate,...
Did you know, the highest cause of death for people ages 10-34 is by suicide
Mar 17, 2022 | News Article
by: Nicea DeGering, Chelsea Perkins The Cook Center for Human Connection was founded two years ago to support youth mental health and suicide prevention and reduce the barriers that keep families from getting the help they need. One of their initiatives is...
“My Life Is Worth Living” starts conversations for students, school districts
Mar 8, 2022 | News Release
By Dakota News Now staff DELL RAPIDS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Talking through issues is a big part of finding a solution. That holds true for kids and adults which is why counselors from the Dell Rapids School District are...
Cook Center for Human Connection and Bend Not Break Foundation Suicide Prevention Concert!
Feb 24, 2022 | Upcoming Events
Schedule Sat May 07 2022 at 06:00 pmUTC-07:00 Location Maverik Center | West Valley City, UT COOK CENTER FOR HUMAN CONNECTION AND BEND NOT BREAK FOUNDATION PRESENTSTHE SUICIDE PREVENTION MEGA CONCERT FEATURING ALEX BOYE. America's Got Talent Alumni Alex Boyé,...
Narrating Student Wellbeing through Animation
Feb 21, 2022 | News Article
Student wellbeing is rapidly emerging as a critical area of concern for educators at all levels. Dr. James Mazza, Professor of Education at the University of Washington, and Anne Brown, President and CEO of the Cook Center for Human Connection,...
‘My Life is Worth Living’ – Cook Center For Human Connection creates mental health YouTube series geared towards teens
Feb 17, 2022 | News Article
By Hailey Barrus SIOUX CITY (KTIV) - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, the percentage of mental health-related emergency visits in children, between the ages of 12 to 17 years old increased by 31%, compared to...
Stride, Inc. Addresses Mental Health Challenges Among Nation’s Youth
Feb 10, 2022 | Press Releases
Ed Tech Leader Initiatives Aim to Help Students, Highlight Contributions of School Counselors February 07, 2022 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time HERNDON, Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A recent U.S. Surgeon General’s Advisory urges “a swift and coordinated response” that addresses the growing mental health challenges...
Jimmer Fredette works with Cook Center For Human Connection To Deliver A Foundation Grant To Corinth School District
Feb 9, 2022 | News Article
“We are honored to be one of the few schools and first in the state selected for this important program,” said Mark Stratton, superintendent of the Corinth district. By Jana DeCamilla This year, in an effort to further integrate the...
Cook Center for Human Connection Partners with American Federation of Teachers’ Share My Lesson Platform to Offer Student Mental Health Lessons
Jan 20, 2022 | Press Releases
Parents help to bring suicide prevention program to 2 schools in the Upstate My Life is Worth Living Animated Series and Instructional Resources Available to 1.9 Million Share My Lesson Educators for Free READ THE ARTICLE
A Discussion on Mental Health: Episode 1 – Steve Young
Nov 10, 2021 | Social Media
By Brigham Young University, A discussion by Steve Young, WATCH THE VIDEO HERE
Watch the First Animated Series About Teen Suicide Prevention
Oct 20, 2021 | News Article
By KAITLYN MCNAB TeenVogue My Life is Worth Living is the first animated web series ever to address teen suicide and suicide prevention. READ THE ARTICLE
Animated Series On Teen Suicide and Mental Health
Aug 2, 2021 | News Article
By Sara M Moniuszko USA TODAY "My Life Is Worth Living" is a new animated series that tackles the topic of teen suicide and other mental challenges. READ THE ARTICLE
Dell Rapids addressing mental health challenges in school
Mar 16, 2021 | TV News
During the pandemic, many have struggled with mental health around the country, and right here in South Dakota. The Dell Rapids School District decided to meet the problem head-on as they partnered with the Cook Center for Human Connection to...
Family Mental Health Night, the COVID impact
Jan 11, 2021 | TV News
The impact of COVID on mental health, as well as free resource for parents, ParentGuidance.org, where people can take free courses to help with their children who are struggling. WATCH THE NEWS STORY
Suicide Prevention Resources for Schools
Dec 22, 2020 | Podcast
There’s an epidemic of suicide out there. To coin a phrase, COVID and winter ain’t helping, but there are plenty of resources for educators in K-12 to help their students get through this. READ MORE
A Bold Plan to Enhance Mental and Behavioral Health
Oct 26, 2020 | News Release
Intermountain Healthcare and Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital are launching a bold plan to enhance mental and behavioral health services for children and teens in crisis throughout the Intermountain West. This effort has inspired an extraordinary $10 million gift to Intermountain...
Parents Help to Bring Suicide Prevention Program to 2 Schools in the Upstate
Oct 9, 2020 | Partner News Article
By Nolan Blair, Reporter Christoper’s Hope Foundation raises the funds to help establish Hope Squads in South Carolina schools READ THE ARTICLE
DoTERRA co-founders and BYU alumni donate to Utah suicide prevention campaign
Oct 24, 2019 | News Release
By Alicia Matsuura -October 24, 2019 The Daily Universe shares why BYU alumni, Greg and Julie Cook, are eager to support the Utah suicide prevention campaign. READ THE ARTICLE