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You are here: Home / Archives for Anxiety

COVID-19 and Self-Care

April 30, 2020 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker Leave a Comment

The COVID-19 fatalities extend beyond the virus itself.

When I woke up yesterday, I found out that an ER doctor in New York City ended her life by suicide. Dr. Lorna Breen was 49 and was the medical director of the emergency department at New York Presbyterian-Allen Hospital. This brave woman contracted COVID-19 on the job, and when the hospital ultimately sent her home, her family brought her home to Charlottesville, Virginia.

It was there that she made her forever decision.

Her grieving father told the New York Times that she tried to do her job, and it killed her.

Think about that. It’s unbelievably sad.

Dr. Lorna Breen / Photo: Columbia University Medical Center

To all of the front-line workers – doctors, nurses, first-responders, food service workers, truckers – everybody: It’s tough being considered a hero today because being a hero comes with a great deal of responsibility. As anxiety increases with the coronavirus pandemic, you want to continue serving people and saving lives…

But one of the things that we most often forget in our desire and our compassion and empathy to want to help and serve people – is that we forget to take care of ourselves.

Listen: You matter.

The situation that we are all in is traumatic. It is filled with a lot of anxiety and stress and the uncertainty of the world – but especially if you are one of these front-line workers that has to serve in the face of COVID-19.

 You are still fortunate to have a job, but having this job can be extremely stressful

Remember: You can’t pour from an empty pitcher. It’s crucial that you have a daily routine in place, a structured lifestyle. The first order of business must be self-care. This could be anything from healthy eating, exercise, meditation, yoga or time in prayer. Whatever self-care looks like for you, now is the time to make sure you are setting time aside for this.

If you are not taking care of yourself, how can you take care of others? The best you isn’t showing up.

I have a niece who is a front-line worker in New York City. She sees the heartbreak of COVID-19 on a daily basis. I have friends here in the Myrtle Beach area who are nurses – and I applaud you all. I am so thankful to have people like you in my life, but one of the things that really sends up red flags is when you negate your thoughts and feelings with a statement like, “I’ll take care of me later. I’ve got to show up and do this now.”

NO! You have got to take care of yourself more now while you are taking care of others.

My intention is to be careful here, and I do not want to come across as insensitive.

You can be compassionate. You can be empathetic. But you cannot carry the darkness. Love people and serve others, absolutely – but you have got to take care of yourself first. This is so important.

God bless each and every one of you. I love you, and I hope you are well and staying safe.

About Jeff Yalden

Jeff Yalden is renowned for his work as a youth motivational speaker and teen mental health and suicide prevention expert. For three decades, Jeff has given his life to students, teachers, counselors, parents, and the mental health community.

For more about Jeff Yalden, click HERE.

Check out Jeff’s book: Teen Suicide: The “Why” Behind America’s Suicide Epidemic

Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression, Loss, Mental Health, Self-Care Tagged With: Anxiety, COVID-19, Dr. Lorna Breen, Jeff Yalden, Self-Care, Suicide, Suicide Prevention

CORONAVIRUS: Managing Stress and Anxiety

March 31, 2020 by Roger Yale Leave a Comment

In the above VIDEO, renowned mental health speaker and Amazon bestselling author Jeff Yalden lays out some important pointers to keep you present and centered in the midst of the global COVID-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

How is your heart?

Are you feeling OK in this time of uncertainty?

How are you doing with your emotions and your triggers?

Jeff says we can’t control COVID-19 or the future. We can’t can’t control people, places or things either, but we can control what we take in. We can control what we ingest.

And he’s not just talking about what we eat or drink.

We can control how much of the news we choose to ingest, for example – or limit the time we spend on things that don’t serve us.

Did you know that feeling overwhelmed is a common symptom of anxiety? The entire world is feeling anxious over the novel coronavirus.

You can choose to limit the noise in your life. Let’s turn down the noise and focus on our self-care.

THE GRATITUDE JOURNAL AND MORE

How about keeping a gratitude journal? This daily practice will help to keep you centered. And even in the most trying times, there is always something to be grateful for.

Even with this COVID-19 situation, we can still be thankful.

As you progress in your gratitude journal, you will start to appreciate things you never really thought about. You might notice a beautiful little tree in your backyard that you never even looked at before – or the way your dog’s eyebrows and ears move when you talk to him.

There are so many things to do every day that can enrich you.

You could write a real letter to a friend. Yes – a snail-mail letter. You can start on that book you always wanted to write.

How about listening to music or catching up on your podcast queue? You can get into a fitness routine. (Yes – you can still go outside. Into the sunshine. By now, we all know about social distancing.)

You can go for a walk or a bike ride, spend time video chatting with family and friends or take a drive.

CREATIVITY, YOGA, MUSIC

De-clutter. Try painting, coloring or drawing. Shoot a video. Set up that YouTube channel you have been thinking about.

Read uplifting books. Get your blog going. Have you ever thought about starting a podcast? It’s quick and easy to get set up.

You can come out the other side of this pandemic as a guitar player.

Jeff practices yoga daily, and he highly recommends that everybody try it. Stretch. Breathe.

The point is this: Downtime because of COVID-19 can become an exercise in personal development.

Watch the above VIDEO for more from Jeff.

THE FAMILY: SHARE YOUR FEELINGS

In the VIDEO, Jeff talks about Dr. Murray Bowen and his Family Systems Theory, which details the family dynamic and mental health. It’s all about how different family members cope with what they are going through in life.

According to Jeff, if we’re not communicating and sharing our thoughts and feelings within the family, we start going outside of it, and that’s where separation happens.

Bullying often comes from our children having to suppress what life throws at them. This can cause them to take their anger and frustration out on others.

Jeff discusses an important point made by his friend, Dr. Alex Crosby at the CDC: The number one statistic for suicide is white males between the ages of 35-50.

According to Jeff, many of these young men were taught not to share their feelings and to “suck it up,” “be tough” or “grind through it.”

“This isn’t healthy,” says Jeff. “When our responsibilities become bigger or our obligations are greater, you have no coping or problem-solving skills.”

It’s critical that we tell our kids that it’s OK to talk about their feelings. The old-school approach is dangerous and simply doesn’t work.

Talk to your children about COVID-19 and pay attention to their concerns.

WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS

COVID-19 is scary. Do what the experts tell you to do. We will get through this.

Make sure to share your feelings with your circle. Communicate. Laugh. Love.

“Find things that you can do that take you away from the stress and bring you closer to what’s beneficial for your overall well-being,” said Jeff.

Resources

ORDER Jeff’s new book, Teen Suicide: The “Why” Behind America’s Suicide Epidemic.

CLICK HERE for Jeff’s online suicide prevention course.

To book Jeff for your school or event, call 800-948-9289

Filed Under: Anxiety, Mental Health, Self-Care Tagged With: Amazon Bestselling Author, Anxiety, CDC, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Dr. Alex Crosby, Dr. Murray Bowen, Jeff Yalden, Mental Health Speaker, Self-Care, Stress

It’s Never Too Early to Talk Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

December 28, 2019 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

    https://i0.wp.com/www.eastquogue.k12.ny.us/NewsImages/Homepage-1.jpg In my career as a youth motivational speaker, it’s not often that an elementary school brings me in to speak – especially in the areas of mental health and suicide prevention. But this was exactly where I found myself early this month in East Quouge, New York – a community on Long Island. This was part of a comprehensive three-day program for fifth and sixth graders, teachers, school staff and parents. I don’t normally address this age group for a number of reasons. They say we want to talk about suicide and mental health, but to what degree? This is a tough age, and I was conflicted with what I know to say and how it would be received by teachers and parents. But when we had our initial phone call, we agreed that I would be a good fit. These young kids were amazing. The administration was amazing. I asked the kids questions, and many of them raised their hands in full understanding of what I was talking about. To be frank, I toned things down to their level, but I didn’t sugarcoat anything either. After that assembly, I was approached by a teacher with a student who wanted to chat. It didn’t take long to realize that this child was in crisis and asking for help. An hour later, this child was receiving much-needed help, and I couldn’t be prouder of this vulnerable student’s courage to speak up. I was impressed with the administration. Some admitted that my message was a little deep and at times uncomfortable – and a couple of teachers were a bit shocked by my content. They didn’t realize how many of these young people related to the message. It’s a strange feeling to have been aware of what these kids were thinking and feeling, while also knowing that their significant and trusted adults might have preferred to avoid the truth and shelter them because they were so young. I was also conflicted because I wanted to be sure of my place. I was just a visitor planting seeds and explaining what I deal with every day. I have a couple of questions… Do you think having the truth spoken is more important than avoiding the subject because we think it’s too heavy? Do you think we should remain quiet because we don’t think a fifth grader doesn’t think about suicide? Do we think sixth graders are too young to be overwhelmed, anxious or stressful? My three days in East Quogue were meaningful. I met with parents, individual students, and got to visit classrooms. I spent a day with the school psychologist. We had a substantially positive reaction to the message for this age group. My heart is full. I am very thankful to have been invited to East Quogue. The lows and highs were a little too much for me, but we advanced the conversation about self-harm and teen mental health. We opened eyes and brought people together. This is what matters.

#1 Best Seller in Two Categories: School Safety and Psychology

Teen Mental Health Speaker: Jeff Yalden

Jeff Yalden is highly regarded as one of the top mental health experts in the world primarily focused on education and school communities working with teens, school administration, counselors, teachers, staff, parents and community leaders. He’s a four-time best-selling author including his latest book, TEEN SUICIDE: The WHY Behind Today’s Suicide Epidemic. His Podcast: Mental Health and Motivation continues to attract thousands of new subscribers every month for his direct talk and influence on today’s mental health conversations for teens and adults. You can learn more about Jeff Yalden by visiting his website – www.JeffYalden.com. You can also learn more about Jeff’s Suicide Prevention Online Course for School Communities and Parents, Jeff Yalden University, and follow Jeff on YouTube and Social Media by clicking on the links below: Online Suicide Prevention Course for School Communities Book: Teen Suicide: They WHY Behind America’s Suicide Epidemic   Facebook Page School Resources Join Mailing List: Text YALDEN to 66866

Filed Under: Depression, High Schools, Life, Mental Health, Self-Care, Teen Depression / Suicide

Filed Under: For Parents, Teachers and Staff, Teen Depression / Suicide, Youth Programs Tagged With: Anxiety, Depression, East Quogue School District, Jeff Yalden, Mental Health in Schools, Mental Health Speaker, Suicide Prevention

Jeff Yalden: 7 Rules of Life

October 30, 2019 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

Mental Health Motivational Speaker Jeff Yalden
The more we get to know ourselves through counseling, wisdom, experience and daily self-care, the more comfortable we are with who we are, what life means and how we live. Enjoy my seven Rules of Life and it is my hope that you find peace, love and joy in your mental and physical well-being, just as I continue to do every day:

1. Let It Go

You are only one person. You can only do so much. If you can change a situation for the better, do so. If you can’t, let it go. Show up every day and do the best you can.

2. Ignore Gracefully

Don’t participate in drama or outside noise. Don’t listen to other people who put you down or don’t believe in you or your dreams.  Ignore those who fail to validate you or are just plain rude. Live a life that is empowering to you. Be graceful in how you respond, act, speak and do. Remember, it’s their issue. Not yours. And if people walk out on you, LET THEM GO!

3. Give It Time

We’re connected 24/7, 365 days a year. Time is at a premium and there never seems to be enough of it. Choose to bring back time by being mindful and present. Choose to bring back time by being mindful and present. Although life is about being in the moment, we must also have patience in the process of living. Perfection doesn’t exist. You matter. Perfection doesn’t matter.

4. Don’t Compare

We live in a world where everyone is trying to live a life compared to what they see on social media, and it can become an addiction. What you are accustomed to is embellished, filtered and photoshopped, depicting an image of a lifestyle that isn’t real. People are making it look like their lives are perfect and yours doesn’t measure up. Don’t get caught up in other people’s fake lives. Put the phone down and connect with people your heart to theirs.

5. Breathe & Stay Calm

It will be OK. Just breathe. Stay calm and don’t act on emotions. You don’t need to answer that email or text right now. Take time for yourself. Have balance and boundaries. Have a trusted friend that you can talk to and vent and know they’re supportive and nonjudgmental. Don’t ever be afraid to seek a counselor or therapist to learn tools for coping, communicating or problem solving. Remember, they work for you. Just breathe. It will be OK.

6. You Are Responsible

The most powerful two-letter-ten -words in the English language: “If it’s going to be, then it’s up to me.” Tough times happen. It might be your fault, or it might not – but understand this: How you move forward from anything is always your responsibility. What are you going to do? Don’t be a victim. Choose to be a victor. Don’t be bitter or angry. It does no good. Choose to be better every day. Be responsible in your behavior, your attitude and the choices you make.

7. Smile

Love will always be stronger than hate. A smile will always be better than a frown. You’ll feel the smile yourself and your smile will brighten someone else’s day. It takes more muscles to frown than it does to smile. If you can’t find a reason to smile, try this: Choose three things you are grateful for and reflect on being appreciative. Replace expectations with appreciation and gratitude.

Life Isn’t Easy

Life isn’t all rollercoasters, unicorns and rainbows. Expectations leave us disappointed. We live in an imperfect world. Things aren’t always fair nor are they black and white. Don’t get caught up in the complications of life. You can only do or be in control of so much. This can be overwhelming when you see it all in front of you. Relax. Breathe. Simplify. At the end of the day, you can’t change people, places or things. You can control you and how you live, act, and respond to people, places, and things. Live with grace, forgiveness, and acceptance. Learn self-care and advocate for your own best mental, physical and spiritual health. Be influential. Be the light for others. As Gandhi said, “Be the change.” Live in a way you wish others can live their lives. Thanks for letting me share my 7 Rules for Life.

Teen Mental Health Motivational & Educational Consultant: Jeff Yalden

Jeff Yalden is highly regarded as the number one Teen Mental Health Speaker in all of North America. Jeff is a Suicide Crisis Intervention Expert and Suicide Prevention Trainer working with hundreds of school communities every year. He’s an Amazon Best Selling Author of four books, including Teen Suicide: The WHY Behind Today’s Suicide Epidemic and BOOM: One Word to Instantly Inspire Action, Deliver Rewards, and Positively Affect Your Life Every Day!  His podcast, Mental Health & Motivation: The Unlikely Life Coach continues to attract thousands of new subscribers every month for his direct talk and influence on families and teens. Since 1992, Jeff Yalden has traveled to 50 states and 48 countries delivering his message, “About Life.” From 2005-2011, Jeff was a celebrity teen and family life coach on MTV’s hit realty show MADE. As a celebrity teen & family life coach, Jeff gets the heart of the matter helping teens, young adults, families, and communities in their struggles together. He’s a Gulf War Veteran and a two- time Marine-of-the-year recipient 1991-1992. He was Mr. New Hampshire Male America, 1990. Every year over 1 million people are left inspired by Jeff Yalden’s inexhaustible energy that permeates after he speaks. Jeff has an online suicide prevention course for school communities, parents, teachers, staff, and teens. Check it out HERE. For more information, please visit www.jeffyalden.com and www.thejyf.org PURCHASE Jeff’s new book, Teen Suicide: The “Why” Behind America’s Suicide Epidemic Link to Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/jeffyaldenfoundation Click HERE for school resources. Join Mailing List: Text YALDEN to 66866

Filed Under: Life, Mental Health, Motivation, Personal Development, Purpose, Self-Care, Success Tagged With: Anxiety, best youth speakers, Depression, High School Motivational Speakers, Inspiration, Jeff Yalden, Mental Health, Mental Health Speakers, Motivation, rules to live by

Mental Health – Full Transparency

October 10, 2017 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

EDITOR’S NOTE:  Mental health speaker Jeff Yalden took himself to the emergency room at a local hospital near his home in the Myrtle Beach area on October 8, after experiencing a bout with anxiety and anger over the weekend. Yalden lives with mental illness, and is a staunch advocate for full disclosure. “I think if you are really going to make a difference in this field, you have to be someone that deals with what you are talking about in order to make sense to the people living it with themselves, and that you understand what they are going through,” he said. The following was recorded Monday, October 9. I want to be completely transparent with you about what happened last night. I know there are a lot of people that don’t think that I should put this out there, but in my opinion, mental illness is rapidly becoming one of the greatest healthcare crises of our time. If we are unwilling to talk about it – if we are not willing to get comfortable being uncomfortable talking about mental health and mental illness – I think we are going to be doing a lot of people wrong – including ourselves, our loved ones and society. For those that don’t really understand why I do it:  I am very passionate about mental health – very passionate about mental illness. Number one, it’s my greatest challenge in my journey of life. Number two, it’s my work. I am very passionate about my work. I got home Friday, and I realized that I just didn’t feel happy. I felt edgy, and I knew that I wanted to relax on Saturday and Sunday. My schedule is very intense. I am doing a lot of work with teen suicide, suicide prevention and mental health in schools. I know some of you understand my work, but it’s hard to understand the depths of my work. There are times when I am in homes until the wee hours of the morning, talking to families. Sometimes I am just being supportive, giving hugs and saying it’s going to be OK – teaching the grieving process and talking about the grieving process – and understanding that, here’s a family or here are friends that lost a significant other or a child. I love what I do. I am not making any excuses. I’m passionate. It’s so deep in my heart. But I just wasn’t feeling good. Saturday, I just wanted to watch football and take it easy. I didn’t want to be around people. And Sunday, same thing, but a couple of triggers kind of set me off, but I was doing good emotionally.  I was just taking it all in. I was dealing with it. I was breathing. I was like, “OK – responsibilities – this is going to be OK.” Finally last night, something happened, and I’ll tell you – there are two things you can’t take back. You can’t take back time, and you can’t take back words. For somebody with bipolar or somebody that’s on the edge with major depression, words can trigger an emotion – and then as much as you try and calm down and relax, like, “it’s going to be OK,” I just flipped. And I tried really hard to keep it inside and to calm down. I took my Yeti and threw it at the wall. Folks, I’m not proud to tell you this. I would never hit [fiancee] Janet. I would never hit anybody. But then I just had some real choice words. Again, you can’t take back words, so I get it. I know Janet is really, really hurt. I am really, really hurt. I don’t really know what all this means tomorrow, going forward. I have to sort some feelings out. I know I need to make some changes. I have to catch a flight today. I want to take my meds and make sure they are all good, and do a lot of self-care – fix myself – because the most important thing right now is that I am healthy for my client. There’s nothing more important than that, because they put the trust in me professionally, and I put trust in me for my responsibility – being with young people – but the bottom line is simply this:  I threw something last night. I had some very choice, angry words. I didn’t throw anything at Janet. I just threw it right at the wall. You know, something about mental illness too is that you can say you are the adult, that you are responsible – that you have to control your anger. And I agree 100 percent. But sometimes you get in this fit of rage. Folks, I haven’t had this fit of rage in nearly 20 years.

Jeff at a recent event for NAMI – The National Alliance on Mental Illness

I just ran into my room, jumped in bed and tried to get comfortable and breathe it out – and I just couldn’t. Janet ended up leaving and going to her family, and that’s one of the things that was the trigger. It was Sunday night. I’m home. I have to leave on Monday. I didn’t want to go out at eight o’clock at night to go eat dinner. This has nothing to do with my love for the family. I just wanted time out for me – in my house, in my four walls. And Janet didn’t really understand that, so she ended up going. I didn’t mind her going. I just didn’t want to go. So, I was in bed last night and was having trouble calming myself down. It’s just really hard. I went to the ER, and I knew what was going to happen there. My doctor says, “Jeff, you know more about mental health that probably I do.” I study mental health. I live with mental health. I teach mental health. I get it. I think I was just going because I wanted to know in my heart that I was asking for help and doing the right thing. At that time, I did not know that I wasn’t taking my Lexapro [depression/anxiety medication]. I had a good talk with the doctor. No, I am not thinking of harming myself or harming other people. I get it. They have to ask those questions. But I needed to calm down. I am not one to take medications if I don’t need to take medications, but I knew that there was something else going on, and I told the doctor that I just need to bring [my] heart rate down. I need to just be able to go to sleep. The doctor gave me Klonopin [a sedative], and I researched it on Google. I took Klonopin when I got home. I didn’t take it before I was driving home. I let the dogs out and went to bed. I woke up this morning, just feeling  that my heart is really hurt. I’m calling the doctor first thing this morning – and my therapist – and just going to try to work on some self-care. I have got to hit the road, and I am on the road for quite a bit. But I think making sure that I am taking my Lexapro is going to make me feel a lot better. Part of the reason why I am sharing this and being so transparent is that this isn’t just about me. I know that I have a large following of people that value my opinion, my advice, and respect me as a person. I work in mental health, and part of me talking about it and part of me in the work that I do every single day – is really telling people that when you are struggling, it’s OK to ask for help. Folks, that’s exactly what happened last night. I know I hurt Janet, and I am sorry. She ended up leaving and going to be with her family and have fun – just leaving me alone. I get it. I can’t expect her to sit with me when I am in this anger and hate. I didn’t want to be alone, so I went to the ER. I just needed to calm down. Here’s the thing: When you are dealing with a family member or a friend that is suffering or living with mental illness and having an episode, first and foremost – do not ever let that person stay alone, because it is at those moments – I am speaking professionally right now, not speaking personally – it’s at those moments when someone is alone that they are not in their right frame of mind that they are more willing to do something that could be deadly. Let me recap: I was not there in that position last night. I know that I am not suicidal. I know that I would not take a gun. I know that I would not take a knife. I know that I would not hang myself. I know enough to just figure out how to take a timeout –to  go get help – go for a walk – go to the hospital. I know all that. But on the personal side – you, my friends – do not ever leave someone alone, even if you are not talking to that person. You’ve got to be patient if you are choosing to live with this person. If it’s too much for you, get out of the relationship, because it’s a lot – and in some regards, it’s not fair. I understand. But the worst thing you can do is ever leave that person alone. If you know someone who is not in their right frame of mind, and they are not able to make healthy decisions, doesn’t it make sense that you need to be there to make the healthy and the right decisions for your loved one? That’s one thing a lot of people don’t understand – ‘Jeff, how do I help?’ – You are not going against the person. You are just thinking more clearly for the person that can’t think for themselves. Some triggers can prompt a response. And when you are dealing with mental illness – depression, bipolar, PTSD – it gets in front of you. In that moment, you might want to react. I don’t think people want to take their life. I think there are a lot of people that just don’t know how to ask for help. I know there will be people that are going to message me after saying this – “you know, Jeff – you give too much information.” I know. But I also feel like,  with the work that I do – if I am not transparent, I am not as effective as I should be. I woke up this morning and I am asking “why”– why am I going through this and what’s going on. I haven’t felt like this for a long time. I took out all my meds  – how I have them packed for my trips, and I wanted to go through them. I go right to my Lexapro. That’s my depression and anti-anxiety [medication], and it works so good for me – and I realize that I haven’t been taking my Lexapro. When I put all of my pills out, how did I miss not putting my Lexapro in there? And I knew something wasn’t right, because when I was putting my pills together, it went so much faster than it usually does. But for seven to ten days, I hadn’t been taking my Lexapro. When I noticed that, you’re damn right I took one right away. I in my transparency to you, I want to just leave you with with this:
  1. Living with mental illness does not necessarily mean that your life is forever change, and you can’t live a healthy life. No. Not at all.
  2. You have to be aware and you have to be willing to ask for help – and I am good at that.
  3. Talking about it. I think we have a responsibility to talk about it – to help give other people awareness that mental illness is real.
  4.  I want to be an inspiration to those that are dealing with mental illness themselves – to say it’s going to be OK. It’s OK to ask for help. It’s really important that you practice self-care.I think it’s really important that you manage your eating and your exercise. That’s self-care too.
  5. Surround yourself with people that are understanding, compassionate and empathetic. If that’s not the case, then those are people that you probably need to put back into your acquaintances category of relationships.
I hope I made sense. To find out more about Jeff’s speaking programs, including suicide prevention, mental health, teen coaching and more, go HERE. To book Jeff now for your school or event, call 800-948-9289. FOLLOW Jeff on Facebook.

Filed Under: Anxiety, Depression, Mental Health, Self-Care Tagged With: Anxiety, Depression, High School Programs, Jeff Yalden, Living with Mental Illness, Mental Health Speaker, Self-Care, Suicide Prevention, Teen Suicide, Youth Motivational Speaker

Mental Health Awareness at Anoka Ramsey Community College

March 27, 2017 by Roger Yale

Jeff Yalden Electrifies Cambridge, MN By Roger Yale for Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker On Wednesday, March 22, Jeff Yalden brought his motivational and mental health expertise to Anoka Ramsey Community College in Cambridge, MN, where he spent a full day with the psychology club and the counseling department. Anoka Ramsey was a top-ten finalist for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence through the Aspen Institute, which is a nonpartisan organization dedicated to educational and policy studies. After breakfast, Yalden spoke with college staff about a message board out in the hallway which had been seen a spike in negative feedback about emotions. “The board usually inspires kids to come check it out, and they would post questions on it, but the school was becoming concerned about their mental health and mental awareness – so they decided to take action and brought me in,” he said. The first step was mindfulness training, which began with an exercise to chart anxiety levels on a scale from one to ten, with ten being the highest. “For us to be healthy, I think we should be operating between two and four,” he said, adding that celebrating little victories and small accomplishments is a good way step back and provide a needed mental break. He spent some time teaching a basic meditation practice of focusing only on breath – the inhale and the exhale – for two minutes. “This slows down your brain – slows the process down,” he said. “We are concerned with how many likes we have on Instagram or who is following us on Snapchat. I think the best thing for you guys is to work hard at finding out who you are – and who you are not.” He went on to talk about his battles with mental health and depression and then shifted to mental health awareness and suicide prevention – how to look out for your friends and not being afraid to say something. “Somebody that isn’t mentally healthy is not thinking in the right frame of mind,” he said. Yalden stressed the importance of getting back “in purpose” after a setback or crisis. “When there is something not right in my life, I go right to the mirror. Take responsibility and be your best advocate.” But sometimes the first and best thing a person can do is to ask for help. “Sometimes the down periods last longer than usual. This is usually the result of chemicals in the brain called neurotransmitters being out-of-balance.” Two contributing factors to suicide can be dysthymia [a persistent mild depression] and adjustment disorder [usually following a stressful life event like a death of a loved one, moving, divorce, changing schools]. “If you have any of these for more than two weeks, go talk to somebody,” he said. One student told him, “My tomorrow will be better, and I will not feel down about it. I don’t let myself down because I love myself.” Impressed, Yalden built on that: “You are doing the little things every day to make tomorrow better than today – and you are making today better than yesterday.” But this requires consistency. “That’s an incredible discipline that you have to do every day. The problem is, you can’t just do it once in a while. You do it every single day and your whole life will change,” he said. To find out why Jeff Yalden is North America’s Number One Youth Motivational Speaker, visit www.jeffyalden.com. Book Jeff now for your next event by calling 800-948-9289.

Filed Under: College & Universities, Leadership, Teen Depression / Suicide, Uncategorized Tagged With: Adjustment Disorder, Anoka Ramsey Community College, Anxiety, Aspen Institute, Aspen Prize, Attitude, Choices, College Speaker, Copycat Suicide, Depression, Dysthymia, Educational Speaker, High School Motivational Speaker, High School Speaker, Leadership, Lindenwood University, Mental Health, Motivational Speaker for Schools, Suicide, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, Youth Motivational Speaker

Jeff Yalden Inspires Lindenwood University

March 25, 2017 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

By Roger Yale for Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker After he was already booked to speak at Lindenwood University in St. Charles, MO, North America’s Number One Youth Motivational Speaker Jeff Yalden got an email that there had been a student suicide on campus. “The young man was a sophomore and part of the men’s lacrosse team, and as you can imagine – this rattled the community and the school,” he said, adding that the athletic director asked Yalden if he could come in a day early to speak with the athletes, because they would be out of town competing on March 21, the day he was to speak. This would have involved changing his existing flights, resulting in additional fees that would be passed on to the school. “They said they didn’t have that in their budget, and this weighed on my heart. I told them I would come in on my dime and do it for free. I’d spend an extra day and then come back on the second night,” he said. Ultimately, the school decided to go a different route, and Yalden spoke on the day he was scheduled. “We had a great turnout. About 150 people showed up to the mental health/suicide prevention talk – and we didn’t really talk about the suicide too much, but we addressed it.” Yalden did, however, talk heavily about his three-point theory about teen suicide: 1) I am alone. 2) I am a burden and a liability to other people. 3) I have the desire for suicide. He talked about major depression, which is short but severe – causing young people to feel as if it will never end and prompt a suicide attempt. He mentioned dysthymia, which is a lower-level but constant depression that can also lead to suicide if left undiagnosed. “Suicide is the culmination of a lot of things, and one thing can be the straw that broke the camel’s back,” he said, and addressed the stigma attached to mental health. “None of you are laughing at me because I have glasses – and if I put my glasses on, life gets a little better. Same thing with therapy or maybe going to the doctor and taking medication. You [should] be your best advocate.” Yalden spent some time talking about cell phones and social media, and the effect these things are having on young people today, and said video will soon overtake all other types of content by 2020. Indeed, a recent Cisco study predicted that video will account for 75 percent of web traffic by 2020 [Source: Tubularinsights.com]. “That tells us that if young people are having trouble with social media today, it’s only going to get worse,” he said. Other hot topics that night were boundaries and balance. “I talked a bit about mental health, asking for help, learning how to put priorities and boundaries into their lives – learning to say know and learning to close their circle. It was a well-rounded program. To find out more about Jeff Yalden’s impactful speaking programs, visit www.jeffyalden.com. Jeff’s schedule fills up fast. To book him now for your event or school, call 800-948-9289.

Filed Under: College & Universities, Teen Depression / Suicide, Uncategorized Tagged With: Anxiety, Attitude, Choices, College Speaker, Copycat Suicide, Depression, Educational Speaker, High School Motivational Speaker, High School Speaker, Leadership, Lindenwood University, Mental Health, Motivational Speaker for Schools, Suicide, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, Youth Motivational Speaker

Missouri Communities Rocked by Teen Suicide

March 20, 2017 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

Jeff Yalden Shares Messages of Hope and Comfort to Missouri Communities Rocked by Teen Suicides By Roger Yale for Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker According to teen suicide prevention expert Jeff Yalden, the state of Missouri is going through a really tough time right now when it comes to teen suicide. Three weeks ago, Yalden delivered a comprehensive presentation about teen suicide and mental health in Hannibal, MO, and returned this week to Brookfield and Barnard, MO, two communities that are still reeling from the losses of two irreplaceable young people. BROOKFIELD On Tuesday, March 7, students from five schools in Linn County converged on Brookfield High School to hear Jeff Yalden speak to them on their level, and planting seeds of hope, enthusiasm and perseverance – and what he calls a drive for success in their journey of life. He captivated middle and high-schoolers, urging them to live in the now and what that might mean – the ups and downs, the challenges and the victories wrapped up in the everyday moments that, strung together, make up a life. The assembly was only the beginning for Yalden. He was booked by Angie Wallace, who founded the Taylor Gilpin Wallace Foundation for Suicide Prevention on behalf of her son after her son made the forever decision to take his own life. “Angie brought me in for an all-day event – high school kids, middle school kids, a luncheon with the community and a parent program – very similar to Hannibal,” he said, adding that Wallace and her son Tanner attended the program in Hannibal. The luncheon was attended by student council kids, physicians, the CEO of the local hospital, prominent community members and the executive director of the Missouri Association of Student Councils, Terri Johnson. A young man stood up and shared his story from when he was contemplating suicide. “Really, what this day was about was inviting the community to open their hearts and minds and understand mental health and teen suicide and how real it is,” he said. Following a dinner with the Wallace family, which Jeff cites as amazing, warm and generous, it was off to the parent program – which was set up at Park Baptist Church in Brookfield. The program was live on Wallace’s foundation page, garnering appreciative comments from as far afield as Texas. “We had about 200 community members come out to my parent program,” he said. “We had clear eyes and full hearts. We shed tears. We also laughed and did some reflecting. It was a beautiful day.” BARNARD That night, Yalden drove more than two hours to Barnard, MO, where just four weeks ago, a young lady named Baylee ended her own at just 16. “A lot of teachers and counselors said that Baylee was probably the most popular junior in her class and that she was an old soul,” he said, adding that Baylee’s grandfather also committed suicide, and that they were very close. “Baylee had a disease that was a little bit debilitating, but she learned how to deal with it. She had a great personality – vibrant and ornery. You couldn’t help but to love her, they say.” She took her life on February 5 – Super Bowl Sunday. He spoke at South Nodaway High School and noted that the principal, Darbi Bauman, was actually Baylee’s aunt. Guidance counselor Nick Wray coordinated the event, and Yalden met with all the classes individually before delivering a speech at the full assembly.  The school serves grades 7-12 with total enrollment of 84 students. Students from nearby Jefferson High School attended the assembly as well. After a brief visit with faculty and staff, Yalden visited Baylee’s family’s house. “I sat down with mom, dad and her sister and heard the story. I read the suicide letter and saw Baylee’s bedroom,” he said. Yalden also saw Baylee’s scrapbook at school, and helped her fellow students clean out her locker – a poignant moment, but one which gave these young people a sense of closure. At the family home, Yalden was hit with a realization. “For the first time in my life, I think I’d come to realize that not all suicides are a selfish individual act, and there’s so much more to explain how I feel about this situation – but Baylee knew what she was doing. It was a combination of many things, and I think Baylee was just really, really tired.” However, Yalden said this left the community rocked to the core. “There is heartache. Everybody is hurting. They were very concerned with the kids and them moving forward. This is a very tight community,” he said. He closed out the night with a family/community program attended by more than 200 family members. “After leaving that community and hearing the hearts of everybody and the pain in those hearts, I’ll tell you – Baylee was definitely the one girl you would want to meet. To discover more about North America’s Number One Youth Motivational Speaker – visit www.jeffyalden.com. Book Jeff now by calling 800-948-9289.

Filed Under: For Parents, Teen Depression / Suicide, Uncategorized Tagged With: Anxiety, Attitude, Barnard MO, Brookfield High School, Brookfield MO, Choices, Copycat Suicide, Depression, Educational Speaker, High School Assemblies, High School Speaker, Jefferson High School, Leadership, Middle School Motivational Speaker, Middle School Speaker, Missouri, Missouri Association of Student Councils, Motivational Speaker, Motivational Speaker for Schools, Park Baptist Church, South Nodaway High School, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Taylor Gilpin Wallace Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, Youth Motivational Speaker

Leading Youth Motivational Speaker Inspires the Oregon Coast

March 10, 2017 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

Leading Youth Motivational Speaker Visits Oregon Coast Jeff Yalden Captivates Warrenton Grade School By Roger Yale for Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker When Jeff Yalden visited the small coastal community of Warrenton, Oregon on February 28, residents were still reeling from the death of a young man named Trevor Secord in January. A report in The Daily Astorian said that the young man was struck by a pickup truck after exiting a vehicle parked on the shoulder of the road. He was running down in the middle of the highway when it happened. “State Police are investigating whether alcohol may have been a contributing factor in his actions,” the report stated. The state of pain and loss was still evident when Yalden arrived at Warrenton Grade School to give a talk to grades 5-8, and for a workshop with faculty and staff at the end of the day. “Part of me being here is not necessarily about the loss of Trevor – but the memory of Trevor is still very raw to these kids, and this has really affected the community in incredible ways,” he said. Yalden said that one of the things he does as a speaker is to carefully talk about the loss and become one with the audience. “You are feeling their pain and you are sharing your heart,” he said. “We were able to talk a little bit about our choices and our reactions to situations – and the importance of asking for help.” He spoke to 350 kids in the gymnasium, delivering a message about life, bullying, anti-bullying, self-respect and a little bit of mental health. “My friends, don’t let your life be about then. Our life is about today. If we can’t appreciate the today and the now, we will never be grateful for what this journey is all about.” With the help of volunteers from the assembly, Yalden spoke about staying “in purpose.” “I understand that everybody’s heart is still in a lot of pain, with a lot of questions. As you go through life, there are going to be times when you are extremely hurt, sad and rejected,” he said. But the key is to get back up when life knocks you down – and this concept runs like a thread in Yalden’s messages. “In life, there are things that takes us out of purpose. You have a life to live, you have a dream to fulfill – and you are going to execute that plan. You fell down, you pick yourself up – and you get back in purpose.” Yalden spent an hour with faculty and staff, talking about teen mental health, suicide prevention and asking the right questions. “In that hour, we also supported and validated who they are and the work they do with the kids every day,” he said. Warrenton Grade School principal Tom Rogozinski had this to say about Yalden’s visit: “Jeff not only inspired the kids, [but] I think he left them with much to think about that we as a school will be able to build on and from as we build a culture that these kids walk into every day; feeling connected, feeling loved and feeling ready to do their best. Jeff left our staff with some real clear marching orders or recognizing kids at risk – and some steps that we can take to support those kids as well.” After his presentation, Yalden was off to Bend, Oregon and then back to Missouri. To find out why Jeff Yalden is North America’s Number One Youth Motivational Speaker, visit www.jeffyalden.com. Jeff’s speaking calendar fills up fast. To book him now for your school, event or organization, call 800-948-9289. TAGS: Anxiety, Attitude, Choices, Depression, Educational Speaker, Jeff Yalden, Leadership, Middle School Motivational Speaker, Middle School Speaker, Motivational Speaker for Schools, School Assemblies, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, The Boom Mindset, Warrenton, Oregon, Warrenton Grade School, Youth Motivational Speaker

Filed Under: High Schools, Teen Depression / Suicide Tagged With: Anxiety, Attitude, Choices, Depression, Educational Speaker, Jeff Yalden, Leadership, Middle School Motivational Speaker, Middle School Speaker, Motivational Speaker for Schools, Oregon, School Assemblies, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, The Boom Mindset, Warrenton, Warrenton Grade School, Youth Motivational Speaker

Top Teen Motivational Speaker Heats Up Heatherwood Middle School

March 7, 2017 by Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker

Jeff Yalden: Can You hear Me Now? Top Teen Motivational Speaker Heats Up Heatherwood Middle School By Roger Yale for Jeff Yalden, Youth Motivational Speaker Finding out that there is a problem with a sound system just before delivering a presentation to 1000 middle schoolers can’t be the best way to start the day. But this is exactly what happened on February 27 when Jeff Yalden visited Heatherwood Middle School in Mill Creek, Washington, where he was set to talk to the assembly about mental health, anxiety and depression – and teaching teenagers how to reduce the stresses they face every day. Despite several hiccups with sound and the fact that school started late due to snow, Yalden spoke for 40 minutes in the gymnasium before speaking with to the three grade levels at Heatherwood separately. “It still went well, but here’s the thing I really want to try to explain: I know my best,” he said. “I know what I can deliver – and when I am not given the tools to be able to do my best job, that deeply affects me. The kids don’t know anything different about the presentation, so they can only go off what they are hearing for the first time.” In the assembly, Yalden stressed a simple yet powerful formula for dealing with potentially stressful situations: Stop. Think. Respond. “This means that you now have to take personal responsibility. You have to say, ‘I am responsible for my behavior. I am responsible for the choices that I make. I am responsible for how I respond.” Things started to change for the better when Yalden got the opportunity to speak to three young men about their lives. “We talked about their attitudes, their behaviors and their choices – and I tell you that was awesome. I really enjoyed that one-on-connection that I was able to make with those boys,” he said. A highlight of the day came in the form of a breakthrough with a young lady who had been struggling to the point of despondency. “The principal and I got to talking, and we took her up to the office and were able to chat with her. The counselor came in and we were really able to make great headway with this young lady. I got to work with her one-on-one. We got to find out her story, assess the situation and got to look at the big picture,” he said. It’s amazing what can happen when you push through obstacles and keep going. Yalden closed out the evening with the parent program, which had an impressive turnout of roughly 50 parents. The topic that night was teens and mental health. “We talked about what is important today with our teenagers and raising their self-esteem and how we can go about that – and the importance of our kids learning coping and problem-solving skills,” he said. He warned of the pitfalls of being “helicopter parents,” always hovering and trying to pick up the pieces of our kids’ relationships too fast. Yalden discussed the effects of social media and cell phones and admonished parents to take a more vigilant role – but he also said he wasn’t talking about taking these away either. “Parents really need to start being really proactive and monitor what their kids are doing online and with their cell phones. They need to understand all the social media platforms their kids are using,” he said, adding that our kids don’t have the emotional and mental maturity to be putting all of this stuff out there, and realizing the consequences of what they are putting out there. “One of the best things we can do is to teach our kids how to go through the struggles of life and come out on the other side. And that’s building self-esteem,” he said. To find out more about Jeff’s speaking and coaching programs, visit www.jeffyalden.com. Book Jeff now for your school or organization now by calling 800-948-9289.   TAGS: Anxiety, Attitude, Choices, Depression, Educational Speaker, Heatherwood Middle School, Jeff Yalden, Leadership, Middle School Motivational Speaker, Middle School Speaker, Mill Creek, Motivational Speaker for Schools, School Assemblies, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, The Boom Mindset, Youth Motivational Speaker  

Filed Under: For Parents, High Schools, Teen Depression / Suicide Tagged With: Anxiety, Attitude, Choices, Depression, Educational Speaker, Heatherwood Middle School, Jeff Yalden, Leadership, Middle School Motivational Speaker, Middle School Speaker, Mill Creek, Motivational Speaker for Schools, School Assemblies, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Speaker, Teen Mental Health Speaker, Teen Motivational Speaker, Teen Speaker, Teen Suicide, The Boom Mindset, Youth Motivational Speaker

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