Articles by Sara Rattigan, Communications Director
Sara Rattigan, M.S. is the communications director for The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, and a public health communicator whose passion has always centered around innovative approaches to health education and health promotion for youth of all ages. Before joining The Clay Center, Sara served as a health communications specialist at the MA Department of Public Health (MDPH), working with epidemiologists and industrial hygienists to use data findings to inform injury prevention intervention.
At MDPH, Sara had the honor of project managing and creatively contributing to Getting Hurt Is Not In Your Job Description, a Massachusetts statewide social marketing campaign to raise awareness among young workers about injury prevention and their rights and responsibilities on the job. After MDPH, she went on to provide oversight, at Harvard University, for a range of high-level Title IX projects specific to sexual and gender-based harassment education, prevention, and response, including project managing the adaptation of an undergraduate online training module for multiple graduate schools across the University.
Sara received her M.S. in health communication from Tufts University School of Medicine, and her B.A. in theatre arts from Fordham University’s College at Lincoln Center, with minors in communications and media studies, and creative writing.
To learn more about Sara, or to contact her directly, please see Our Team.9 Self-Care Tips for Teachers
January 20, 2021
9 Self-Care Tips for Teachers
During COVID-19, teachers are feeling additional pressures on top of their already demanding work lives: Being responsible for teaching and emotionally supporting students from afar Creating innovative ways to teach remotely and navigating the technology to do it Responding to increased parent communications, through multiple online platforms If hybrid teaching, regularly switching between in-person and remote learning If in-person teaching, being prepared to go remote with a day’s notice These new […]
Ask Ellen: How to Respond to Your Child’s Big Emotions
November 24, 2020
Ask Ellen: How to Respond to Your Child’s Big Emotions
During challenging times, it’s normal for families to feel overwhelmed and anxious. But kids don’t always have the necessary skills to cope with those emotions, and this can sometimes lead to tantrums and meltdowns. What can parents do in these situations? In our latest Ask Ellen Q&A, child psychologist Dr. Ellen Braaten took questions directly from parents, […]
Supporting Your Family’s Emotional Health During COVID-19
October 21, 2020
Supporting Your Family’s Emotional Health During COVID-19
The longer families are homebound due to COVID-19, the greater the concerns about child, teen, and parent mental health. We are struggling to cope with challenges never dreamed of, all while feeling more isolated from those we’d typically turn to for support. Not knowing when the pandemic will end, many families want to know what […]
Ask Ellen: How to Develop Your Child’s Executive Function Skills
September 15, 2020
Ask Ellen: How to Develop Your Child’s Executive Function Skills
Executive function skills are essential for kids to thrive at school and at home. Planning, staying organized, and managing time are important for academic success and balancing the responsibilities of daily life. But what if your child is struggling with these skills? In our latest Ask Ellen Live Q&A, our co-director Dr. Ellen Braaten took questions directly […]
Clay Center Newsletter
August 24, 2020
Clay Center Newsletter
Subscribe to our monthly newsletter to have our latest content and tips delivered to your inbox. Miss an issue? Find it below! Clay Center Newsletter – 2021 Issues April 2021 – Civil Conversations, Thank You Notes, and More March 2021 – Back-to-School Anxiety During COVID-19, Sleep Hygiene, and More February 2021 – Teen Breakup Violence, Self-Care […]
May – Meditation Challenge
May 2, 2020
May – Meditation Challenge
Every day is time for supporting our mental health, but this year families everywhere are in need of extra hope, support, endurance, and moments of calm. This May, during Mental Health Awareness Month, we hope you’ll accept our meditation challenge. As parents, grandparents, teachers, community workers, and other caring adults, it’s important to take care […]
Bipolar Disorder and The Arts: Mark Vonnegut’s Story
April 7, 2020
Bipolar Disorder and The Arts: Mark Vonnegut’s Story
Despite our growing awareness of mental health conditions, the relationship between creativity and mental illness is often misunderstood. In this Parent Strategy Announcement (PSA), Dr. Mark Vonnegut discusses how art helped him to overcome his own mental health challenges, and why mental illness doesn’t have to be a barrier to achievement and creativity. Watch our […]
A Clay Center Top 10 – Blog Year in Review
January 16, 2020
A Clay Center Top 10 – Blog Year in Review
Looking forward in 2020, we couldn’t help but look back at our most popular blog posts during 2019. Like everyone, we want to thrive in the year ahead. Learning what’s been of most interest and use to the parents and caregivers we serve helps us to decide on what new original content will best support […]
Admissions Scandal, College Pressure, and Mental Health
March 20, 2019
Admissions Scandal, College Pressure, and Mental Health
You can also listen to this podcast on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud, and most podcast apps – just search for “Shrinking It Down.” On today’s show, Dr. Ellen Braaten joins Gene and Steve to think deeper about our American culture that’s contributed to issues like the recent college admissions scandal, as well as less extreme (and less fraudulent) […]
Young Healthy Minds: Shining Light on Mental Health Through Education
December 19, 2018
Young Healthy Minds: Shining Light on Mental Health Through Education
Here at The Clay Center for Young Healthy Minds, we know that there just aren’t enough child psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers — anyone who helps to take care of kids — to go around. Yet there is an incredible need for resources to help support the mental, behavioral, and emotional well-being of our future generation. […]
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