Relief Wednesdays at Decatur High School

When tragedy touched one Decatur family, they rallied to turn their tragedy into an opportunity for our community. Joe Bodine started pre-school in Decatur and graduated from Decatur High School in 2015. He passed away on May 25, 2016. He was a charismatic young man with an infectious smile and a generous heart. 

​To honor his life, his family has set up Joe’s Fund at Decatur Education Foundation. These funds will be used to support adolescent mental health and addiction resources.

Joe’s mother, Lori Heeman, approached Melissa Browning, Pathways Transition Programs (PTP) Operations Manager with a request to create group stress management workshops. PTP responded immediately. Within two weeks Dr. Jain, PTP Founder and CEO, designed a complete curriculum to led Decatur high school students through a six-week, 30-minute skill-building workshop program.

​“Teenagers are under so much stress, internally and externally,” said Annalee Craigmile, PTP Workshop Facilitator and Individual and Family Therapist. “The concept was to allow the students to share their anxieties and stress points, and understand that they are not alone.”

The informal approach allowed students to open up about issues and share within the safety of PTP staff and their peers. As a part of the curriculum, PTP staff coached students on simple coping tools. Techniques included specific body movements, breathing exercises, and thought-shifting strategies.

“There is a grave misunderstanding that stress and anxiety can ‘go away’,” said Craigmile. “Through these workshops, we got the opportunity to teach the students that stress and anxiety cannot go away, but they can be managed.”
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To inquire about Relief Wednesday workshops for your school or organization, contact PTP at [email protected].