At El Centro De La Raza, an assist for youth mental health from Seattle Sounders FC

The partnership between Providence Swedish and Sounders FC continues to spread the message of the importance of mental health for all ages.

Providence Swedish and Seattle Sounders FC, in collaboration with Work2BeWell (W2BW), partnered to promote positive mental health among youth at an event on March 17. Two Sounders athletes, Alex Roldan and Jesus Ferreira, visited with 120 Spanish-speaking students from various parts of Seattle and Federal Way at El Centro De La Raza in Seattle. El Centro de la Raza is a vital community organization dedicated to uniting all races in Seattle and empowering them with valuable support and resources.

^{Players from Seattle Sounders FC discussed the importance of supporting youth mental health as well as their own emotional well-being at a March event at Seattle's El Centro De La Raza.} 

The event focused on the importance of mental health, with helpful mental exercises from Daisy Aceves, Ph.D., pain psychologist from Swedish Pain Services. There was also an engaging Q&A with the athletes, emphasizing the significance of mental health care in all areas of life. They shared personal insights on managing stress and taking breaks from soccer, offering relatable strategies for the attendees. Students were able to ask questions and get a group photo with Alex and Jesus.

After the Q&A, Work2BeWell and Dr. Aceves unveiled W2BW’s emotional first aid kit, actively engaging the students by exploring their sensory preferences. This interactive segment helped illustrate the importance of personalized mental health tools.

^{Young Sounders FC fans had a ball at March's event at El Centro De La Raza.} 

At the end of the event, each student received a Sounders soccer ball and a Providence Swedish clear, drawstring bag, extending our appreciation for their involvement. Sounders FC even invited all 120 students to attend their May 3rd match, offering an exciting opportunity for further community connection. The partnership between Providence Swedish and Sounders FC continues to spread the message of the importance of mental health for all ages.

Watch the video to share in the fun and learn more

About Providence Swedish

Providence Swedish has served the Puget Sound region since the first Providence hospital opened in Seattle in 1877 and the first Swedish hospital opened in 1910. The two organizations affiliated in 2012 and today comprise the largest health care delivery system in Western Washington, with 22,000 caregivers, eight hospitals and 244 clinics. A not-for-profit family of organizations, Providence Swedish provides more than $406 million in community benefit in the Puget Sound Region each year. The health system offers a comprehensive range of services and specialty and subspecialty care in a number of clinical areas, including cancer, cardiovascular health, neurosciences, orthopedics, digestive health and women’s and children’s care. 

About the Author

We don't seek to just be your care partner. We want to be your health partner. The Swedish Community Relations Team is focused on addressing big issues such as mental health and addiction, homelessness, diabetes and the general well-being of communities across Puget Sound.

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