FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) — It’s that time of year again, school has started with a new classroom, new classmates, and homework piling up. Essentia Health Clinical Psychologist, Alexandra Kohlhase, talks about what kinds of feelings there may be.

“It’s exciting to go back and see friends. It’s exciting to maybe have some structure entertained to the day. But it’s also nerve-wracking. A lot of children kind of dread assignments and homework, and I think that’s a really common thing,” said Alexandra Kohlhase, Clinical Psychologist at Essentia Health.

In 2023, the Centers for Disease Control saw the mental health rate in children continue to worsen, with 4 in 10 students having persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness, and 2 in 10 students considering attempting suicide.

“We need to create

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