Karen Chen and Lyndsey Fry are no strangers to the spotlight. The Olympic silver medalists and Connections Academy virtual school alums are well known for their athletic accomplishments, a result of incredible talent, dedication, commitment and struggle. It's this last point, however--struggle--that has both women speaking out publicly about their personal, often difficult, mental health journeys.
As a school counseling professional with over 17 years' experience, I couldn't be more appreciative.
I know that talking about mental health, openly and honestly, is vital to us supporting young people who are navigating what has escalated to a mental health crisis. This is what we know today:
- Research shows half of mental health issues in Americans begin by the age of 14
- Mental health has worsened for youth over the course of the pandemic, with higher percentages of youth experiencing stress, anxiety, sadness and isolation
- 1 in 5 children are experiencing a mental, emotional, developmental or behavioral disorder in any given year with ADHD, anxiety, behavioral problems and depression the most prevalent
- Anxiety has skyrocketed among teenage girls - 55% over a five-year-period!
Positive Steps Forward
Karen and Lyndsey take time to speak to others about mental health, especially teens, to shatter stigma around seeking help from mental health professionals. I'm proud to be interviewing them both on this topic for Connections Academy by Pearson's Emotional Fitness talks. Both women join a growing list of heroes like Simone Biles and Michael Phelps who, by sharing their personal stories, can encourage others to get the support they need.
In addition, parents are more clearly articulating what they want to see from schools to support their children's mental health. Pearson's latest Global Learner Survey shows that nearly two-thirds of parents globally want schools to offer mental health awareness at an early age--primary or middle school. They're also letting mental health drive their decision making when considering what school to send their children to. Overwhelmingly, parents favor schools with rich mental health services.
Help is Out There
When I talk to parents about their children's wellbeing, I encourage them to tune into their children's mood, affect, and behavior. I offer the signs of possible distress to watch for, but also point them to a wealth of resources, many of which I've posted on the Connections Academy website. You'll find advice like, "reach out to school counselors (we're free and right in your schools)," to free mental health screenings from Mental Health America, to information about support groups like the amazing Active Minds that aims to "change the conversation about mental health."
Above all, I tell parents to keep talking to their kids, and if your kids won't talk to you, then find someone they will talk to. Be proactive and don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Morgan Champion is a professional school counselor with over 17 years supporting PreK-12 education. She is the School Counseling Lead for Pearson Virtual Schools where she supports the work of school counselors and educators at over 45 Connections Academy and Pearson Online Academy schools nationwide to enhance the student and staff experience.
About Karen Chen and Lyndsey Fry
Karen Chen is a women’s figure skater with a 2022 Beijing Silver medal, 2017 U.S National Champion title, a 2022 U.S. National Silver medal, and three U.S. National Bronze medals (2015, 2018, 2021). A dedicated academic, Karen attends Cornell University's School of Human Ecology as part of the class of 2025. In 2017, Karen published a memoir titled, Finding The Edge: My Life on the Ice, and is currently on tour with Stars on Ice. Karen is a 2017 graduate of California Connections Academy.
Lyndsey Fry is an ice hockey player who graduated from Arizona Connections Academy in 2010. She was a member of the 2014 Olympic silver-winning U.S. Women’s national ice hockey team, and she is a graduate of both Harvard University and Arizona State University. Today she is the Senior Director for Amateur Hockey Development for the Arizona Coyotes and an NHL radio analyst. Lyndsey also runs girls’ hockey camps, where --beyond coaching hockey-- she is a mental health advocate promoting healthy practices and emotional fitness.