November Mental Health Newsletter

Hope and Thrive Counseling Center has multiple clinicians in the Bellingham office or via telehealth who have openings. Below are the clinicians who have openings and what they specialize in.  Currently, they are booking out 2-3 weeks for new clients.

Alisha Schafer:  ages 8 and up
Specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma

Svetlana Kovalenko:  ages 10 and up
Specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma, grief, PTSD, life transitions

Shayna Adelstein:  ages 13 and up
Specializes in depression, anxiety, trauma, brainspotting

Laurie Zylstra-Haagsma:   ages 14 and up
Specializes in depression, anxiety, autism, parents of special needs, grief/loss

*insurance: Aetna, Kaiser, Premera
OR
pay out of pocket per session

The Whatcom Resource Information Collaborative is a locally based, community governed guide to the services & information you need to navigate life in Whatcom County. Resources include housing, education, food, health, legal, transit and more.

Youth Mental Health First Aid teaches you how to identify, understand and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges among children and adolescents ages 12-18.  This course is designed for adults who regularly interact with young people. The course introduces common mental health challenges for youth, reviews typical adolescent development, and teaches a 5 step action plan for how to help young people in both crisis and non-crisis situations.

This is a FREE course, offered by the Lynden School District. The training will be located in the Lynden Middle School Library.  Please contact Coral Bartlett (instructor) if you are interested at 360-354-2952.

Class Dates:  
Option 1:  Saturday, Nov. 4, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Option 2:  Saturday, Dec. 2, 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

NAMI provides advocacy, education, support, and public awareness so that all people and families affected by mental health illness can build better lives. NAMI Basics:  A 6-session education program for parents, caregivers and other family who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This program is free to participants, 99% of whom say they would recommend the program to others. This course is also available at your own convenience, on demand.  Sign up for the next in-person class now!

NAMI Family and Friends:  a seminar (available in 4-hour or 90-minute format) that informs and supports people who have loved ones with a mental health condition. Participants learn about diagnoses, treatment, recovery, communication strategies, crisis preparation and NAMI resources. Seminar leaders have personal experience with mental health conditions in their families.

NAMI Peer-to-Peer:  Living with a mental health condition or new to this all? Start here. All course materials are furnished without charge. NAMI Peer-to-Peer is for those who are interested in establishing and maintaining their wellness and recovery. The program consists of 8 two-hour sessions and is taught by a team of people personally experienced at living well with mental health conditions.. This program was designated as an evidence-based program by SAMSHA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and updated in 2018.

NAMI Family to Family:  Family member, partner or loved one with mental illness? This one’s for you. An 8-session, 4 week course is taught by trained family members and all course materials are furnished without charge. The class is for families, partners and friends of individuals with mental health conditions. The course is designed to facilitate a better understanding of mental health conditions, increase coping skills and empower participants to become advocates for their loved ones. This program was designated as an evidence-based program by SAMSHA and updated in 2020.