Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

CLEMMONS — Stress and anxiety have been a significant part of our lives as we have navigated the pandemic during the past 15 months. It has affected our youth and their families as we pivoted to deal with school, work and family life.  Further, with the current variant to COVID-19 as school prepares to open, undoubtedly another wave of anxiety is upon us. In order to try to help the community is these challenging times, on Sunday, Sept. 12, the Interfaith Alliance of Lewisville-Clemmons, the Shallow Ford Foundation and CareNet Counseling will host an “Angst” movie event to start a conversation about stress and anxiety and how it affects our children and teens. Sunday’s event will be from 6-8 p.m. at River Oaks Community Church at 1855 Lewisville Clemmons Road. The in-person event will feature the award-winning 56-minute documentary “Angst” from Indie Flix and will be followed by a panel discussion and question and answer session by community school counselors, professional counselors and faith leaders. The venue is large and can accommodate social distancing. Masks will be required. In light of the current health concerns in the community, there is also an option to view the movie at home.

“Part of the beauty of this film is the openness of the children and young adults featured; for some of them, the “Angst” project marks the first time they are publicly sharing their experiences with anxiety. Our hope is that their candidness and bravery will inspire our community to do the same,” says Rev. Dr. Vincent Howell, leader of the Interfaith Alliance.

While “Angst” documents the struggles some people have with anxiety, it also reveals their hope for the future. Noah, a teenager in the film, describes it this way: “Anxiety doesn’t define me. It’s not just a curse; it also gives me strength.”

“Everybody needs to know that anxiety disorders are real, common and treatable instead of viewing them as a personal choice or something to be ashamed of,” said Dr. Jerry Bubrick, senior director of Anxiety Disorders Center, Child Mind Institute. “Getting help early is crucial in giving people the tools they need to feel better. We just need to start the conversation.”

Said Howell, “Another asset to the program will be a panel of community resources that families can access to answer questions. The panel discussing this topic includes counselors from the Winston-Salem Forsyth County school system, CareNet Counseling, faith community leaders and youth pastors. The panel discussion will also be video recorded so members of the community can review it later.”

Due to the generosity of the Shallow Ford Foundation (formerly the Clemmons Community Foundation) the Sunday evening event and access to at-home viewing is free. Registration in advance is required at bit.ly/AngstEvent9-12-21.  The link to register for viewing at home is bit.ly/AngstAtHome. After registration, a personalized link to view the movie will be sent to you by e-mail before Sept. 12.

About CareNet Counseling

As an affiliate of Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist, CareNet Counseling’s mission is to improve the health of the mind, body, spirit and community through spiritually integrated counseling, research and education. With local offices across the Piedmont Triad, their professional counselors help clients restore and maintain mental wellness which improves their overall health. For more information, go to carenetnc.org

About the Interfaith Alliance of Lewisville-Clemmons

Rev. Dr. Vincent Howell is leading a coalition of area places of worship, businesses, schools and volunteers to help students within the community. Efforts have focused on four areas including clothing needs, snacks and food, mentorship/tutoring opportunities and helping to create a conversation that reduces the stress that students feel.

About the Shallow Ford Foundation

The Shallow Ford Foundation (formerly the Clemmons Community Foundation) exists to connect community and philanthropy for enduring results. They connect people and resources in ways that thoughtfully and meaningfully transform communities with access, opportunity, and an enriched quality of life for all residents.