PHOENIX — It shouldn’t come as a surprise that kids today are more stressed than ever.
From growing up in a post-pandemic world to dealing with an ever-changing digital world, mental health issues for children are steadily increasing.
That was true for 11-year-old Madelyn McCabe. She didn’t know how to process the emotions she was feeling. When left unresolved, those feelings would usually manifest as anger and hyperactivity. As a member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Valley, Madelyn is learning how to work through her emotions healthily.
Partnering with Terros Health, The Boys and Girls Club of the Valley offers its Club Kids wellness programs that address the child’s mental health. When Madelyn is away from the program too long, her mother can see the difference. In December of 2023, when Madelyn was on winter break, she spent two weeks away from the Club.
“And I was like, ‘Oh, she's got to go back!’” Jamie McCabe, Madelyn’s Mother, recalls. “I can't wait to get her back in here, because she needed that support that the wellness program gives her to talk about her feelings and to talk about what is going on and how to deal with things.”
Like the breathing exercises that Wellness Coach Tajia Diggs teaches while the kids work on art projects.
“The tools that are provided in the program are designed to help the youth overcome challenges in life that otherwise might overwhelm their coping ability to overcome those things,” Diggs explained.
Wellness Coaches from Terros Health work with the Club to help their Club Kids with emotional and mental health issues. They use tools like breathing exercises, games, and even art lessons to teach the children how to understand what they feel.
“These are lifelong tools,” Diggs explained. “It's the bread and butter of the program; we want these kids to learn these skills here so that they can translate them into their life, to use them at school, to use them at home, and use them in the community.”
For Madelyn, the program and its tools work. The wellness lessons taught by the Wellness Coaches, like Diggs, at the Boys and Girls Club of the Valley are helping her cope at home and school.
“She helps me with my emotions whenever they feel too strong,” Madelyn said.
“So, that was really important to me,” said Jamie McCabe. “And that's one of the most important and crazy parts of this club. I would have never anticipated that, and I love it.”
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