There are many places locally and within schools that provide help to students with mental health issues. People from all ages can be affected by mental health issues including, students, parents, teachers, kids and adults. Even if the parent does not have a mental health issue, but their child does, it has an affect on them.

There are many clinics in Stillwater and sites around to get help. At Stillwater Area High School there is a facility called the Wellness Center to help students with their problems emotionally and mentally. Also at SAHS, the counselors are always available to talk.

Mental illness is a very serious thing, but many people are very unaware of this issue. Mental illnesses are medical conditions that effect someone’s ability to think, feel, their mood and ability to relate to others and daily activities. Serious mental illnesses can include major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder.

Junior Hailey Smieja said, “When I think of mental illnesses I really just think of someone who has a hard time focusing on school and at a job if they have one, not so much depression and anxiety.”

The Wellness Center provides educational, preventive and health-related services, encourages students to make a health lifestyle, facilitates referrals for students in need of services to school and community healthcare professionals and promotes service provisions that overcome cultural, social, and financial barriers.

Family therapist Nora Eiesland said, “We see kids for all sorts of needs, not just mental illnesses.  In fact most of the kids we see are not suffering a mental illness.  They are simply feeling stress,  grief or other normal yet tough reactions to the difficulties they face in life.”

The dedicated counselors including, Ann Bellows, Holly Brabeck, Nora Eiesland and Laurie Schwartz are all qualified in a variety of different fields including marriage and family therapy, resource specialist and chemical dependency.

Chemical dependency therapist, Holly Brabeck said,“Kids come to the wellness center to seek help with chemical use, stress, concerns about peers using chemicals or friends with depression. ”

In the community outside of school there are many other places to get help for mental illnesses. Canvas Health is a prime example. Canvas Health is located 375 East Orleans, Stillwater, MN 55082. Canvas Health not only offers help with mental health, but also provides aid to those who are struggling with aging, transportation, chemical health, and domestic and sexual abuse.

Sophomore Marissa Matchey said, “Canvas Health is known to be a very good place to get help and I actually know someone who went their for therapy with depression and it helped her a lot.”

Mental illnesses are a very serious issue and there are many resources to helping you find stability. In school and out of school there will always be people there to talk to.