Mental Health America of the Piedmont was founded in 1944
by a group of Spartanburg citizens concerned with the inhumane
treatment afforded to local residents suffering from mental
illness. This group worked to bring advocacy, education,
and referral services to individuals
in need.
Carolina Counseling was founded in 1936 to provide relief
to individuals with mental illness through counseling and
other therapeutic services. By providing quality behavioral
health services at an affordable rate, this agency has helped
thousands of individuals and families lead healthy and productive
lives.
In May 2007, MHAP and CC merged to form The
P.A.C.E. Center — representing the full scope
of services and programs we provide: Prevention, Advocacy,
Counseling, and Education.
We urge you to take note of the many programs
and services that are highlighted in this website and
please contact us should you
need additional information.
Back to School
Going to school may be stressful to some students. Recognizing
that fear and responding with early intervention can calm
the student and prevent the situation from becoming a problem.
Children often fear what they do not know. Therefore, first
time students may have more questions and anxiety than returning
students. However, if the child is changing schools, the
anxiety may also increase. If the opportunity for the student
to visit the school, classroom, or teacher is offered, then
the child's anxiety level may be greatly reduced. Questions
like "where is my class?", "is my teacher
nice?" "what door do I enter?", and "do
I go to the office first?" all can be answered with
one visit. This visit would also give the child some understanding
of the route to and from the school.
Start the typical school schedule for the child a week
or so prior to the start of school. Young students should
have a fixed bedtime and wake-up schedule to which they
are adjusted prior to the start of school. This practice
period would also be a good time to finish school shopping
and again, put a positive spin on the overall school experience
for the child. Students can get excited about the new clothes,
lunch box or other school supplies which will help increase
the positive feelings about the start of school.
Parents should be calm and display low anxiety about their
child starting school. Anxiety is "catching" and
if the child sees the parent nervous, apprehensive, or sad,
the child will assume those same attitudes. Parents should
look for subtle signs from the child that would indicate
that the child has concerns. These signs may include attempts
to avoid school or its preparation, seeking increased parental
approval, clingy behavior, or flatly refusing to attend
school. Parents should allow their children to voice their
concerns and to offer supportive reassurance. Giving a child
a safe, comforting environment in which to discuss their
fears and concerns opens a positive dialogue that will set
the stage for an on-going supportive child-parent relationship.
Ten to fifteen percent of children have diagnosable anxiety
problems. These may result from being overly attached to
their parents, from having had a prior negative experience,
or from an ongoing emotional or behavioral issue. Be responsive
to your child's actions and emotions. Don't dismiss the
fears and concerns of young children, but instead hear them
out and provide positive support. Should you feel you child
is suffering from a serious emotional or behavioral issue,
contact a behavioral health professional. The sooner a problem
is addressed, the sooner it can be remedied.
Download
as Bulleted Tip Sheet
Download
as Informational Brochure
For further information on children's mental health issues
contact the P.A.C.E. Center at 864-583-5802.
P.A.C.E. CENTER TO HOLD
ANNUAL MIND BALL OCTOBER 24, 2008
The P.A.C.E Center is excited to announce that we will
hold our annual fundraising event, The Mind Ball,
on Friday October 24—please save the date and continue
to visit our website as more information will follow on
auction items, entertainment, and our celebrity host for
the evening.
The P.A.C.E. Center is an affiliate
of Mental Health America in South Carolina and National
Mental Health America.
The P.A.C.E. Center is a small non-profit organization
that provides free and low-cost counseling and education.
As a 501 C3 organization your donation is fully tax-deductible
and greatly appreciated. To donate, please click the button
below.
|
