High school can be a stressful time for many students and can put a strain on their mental health. That’s why, every Tuesday, the school counselors host “Take a Breath Tuesday” as a way for students and staff members to relax and take a break from their personal workload. Counselors Jodi Beland and Annaleigh Broad initiated “Take a Breath Tuesday” during the previous school year.
“Last year, during May, which is Mental Health Awareness Month, we did Wellness Wednesdays once a week. And we saw what a response it had for our students, so we said we need to do this more frequently. I knew Mrs. Broad is here on Tuesdays, so we made the switch from Wellness Wednesdays to Take a Breath Tuesdays,” Beland said.
Due to the positive feedback they received, the counseling team decided to provide different ways for students to reduce their stress during lunch.

“We have the therapy dog occasionally. We have bracelet making, [and] we do stress ball making. We do coloring, fidgets, and rock painting, which was a huge hit last year and something we’ll do again,” Broad said.
In addition to the various activities that are provided for students, Take a Break Tuesday offers a place to unwind and prepare for the remainder of the school day.
“We have a lot of repeat visitors, and then they tell their friends, and then they all come. Some kids will pop in for five minutes, some will stay the whole time. We have some kids who don’t even do the activities. They just want to sit and be on their Chromebooks and work in a quiet space,” Broad said.
With stress being more common in high school students, it’s important to have a way to take a break from school. According to data collected by Cross River Therapy, “45 percent of students in high school admit to being stressed almost every day in school.”
“Regardless of who you are, your mental health is important, and it’s important to take care of it,” Beland said.
Beland and Broad are taking suggestions from students for activities they want to see during Take a Breath Tuesdays. The counselors want Take a Breath Tuesdays to be something for students to enjoy and have a time to decompress the way they feel most comfortable. To submit their ideas, students can stop by the counseling office or email the counseling team.