FOCUS ON MENTAL HEALTH
Tahlequah Daily PressMay 12, 2018
Cherokee
This is the fourth year the
"We specifically emphasize children, because a lot of times, parents maybe aren't aware of what services there are, or maybe they're having issues with their children and they're not really sure what to do," said
Like any other aspect of a child's upbringing, the sooner problems are addressed, the sooner solutions are found. Skinner said even a baby can suffer from depression, and people might not realize that.
"Parents may not know that at
Several organizations participated in the
event, including
Little Cherokee Horses is a free service to anyone who needs it, helping people improve their social, emotional or cognitive functioning by spending time with therapy horses.
"My dad has this movement disorder and he was having seizures a lot," said Guthrie. "Then we started realizing what a good impact it had, because he got around some of these miniatures and it washed away a lot of his symptoms. They help both my dad and my daughter, Chloe, with their movements. She gets around good. She's like a butterfly now."
Little Cherokee Horses can bring their animals to elders, the handicapped and children. Guthrie said spending time with the miniature horses is safe and can relax those dealing with anxiety.
"They're really good around walkers and wheelchairs, because we've had them exposed to walkers and wheelchairs," she said. "They're very gentle. They mostly want to know what you've got in your pocket."
The event was superhero-themed, as participants ran around in Superman and Spiderman costumes. Kids could make their own masks to hide their identities as they played various games, or they visited Batman, who was running a cotton candy machine.
"Well, he loves superheroes, so that's originally why I wanted to bring him," said Peyton. "Then I actually read that it was for children's mental health, and I figured this would actually be good for his mental health. Having a good time and spending your day with your heroes is good for a kid's brain, right?"
The more mental health is discussed, the more aware parents might be about their children's problems. Resources are available for parents who believe their child is dealing with a mental health issue, and Skinner said parents should not be afraid to seek help.
"The rate of teen depression is on the rise," said Skinner. "It's like an illness that people are afraid to talk about. If you're afraid to talk about it, how are you going to treat it?"
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