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The Screenage Survival Kit for Parents/Caregivers panel discussion on May 27 at Oliver Wolcott Library (OWL) featured a lively discussion between the panel and the audience of approximately 25 in-person attendees and others on Zoom.

Panel Discussion: A Screenage Survival Kit for Parents/Caregivers

The Screenage Survival Kit for Parents/Caregivers panel discussion on May 27 at Oliver Wolcott Library (OWL) featured a lively discussion between the panel and the audience of approximately 25 in-person attendees and others on Zoom.

Caroline Wilcox Urgulu, the Early Literacy and Library Curation Specialist at OWL
Caroline Wilcox Urgulu, the Early Literacy and Library Curation Specialist at OWL

The Litchfield Prevention Council, Litchfield PTO, and OWL co-sponsored the event. Discussion was facilitated by Caroline Wilcox Urgulu, the Early Literacy and Library Curation Specialist at OWL.

The discussion focused on gaining the tools and support to navigate the turbulent waters of screen use and addiction, and the panelists for the evening were pediatricians Kate Litwin and Lucia Benzoni and social worker Sarah Bolton.

“The parents came away with practical advice about managing their children’s exposure to social media,” Prevention Council chair Gary Waugh said. “There was a consensus that the entire community needed to take responsibility for keeping our children safe on the internet.”

 

More on the panelists:

Kate Litwin has practiced as a general pediatrician at Rocky Hill Pediatrics for more than 18 years. At work, she routinely counsels parents and patients regarding digital media use. At home, she is the mother of two teenagers and has, like most parents, struggled to set and enforce boundaries at the various stages of child and adolescent development. She has a particular interest in teen mental health and cares for many patients with anxiety, depression, ADHD and eating disorders.

Dr. Lucia Benzoni works in Bristol as a Pediatrician and has 34 years of experience. She lives in Litchfield and is married with five children. A lover of the outdoors, Dr. Benzoni finds joy in engaging in activities like gardening, hiking, and biking. “The struggle is real …. I went from having children that are older that did not have constant access to screens to my youngest child who had constant access.”

Sarah Bolton was born and raised in Woodbury. After graduating from Villanova University, she served a year in the Americorps program in Washington D.C., working for a non-profit agency that encourages adults experiencing homelessness to identify and achieve next steps in their lives. She then lived in New York City and New Haven, continuing her career in public service working for the City of New York and then the State of CT. She eventually made her way back to Litchfield County, settling in Litchfield ten years ago. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from UConn in 2012 and has been working as a school social worker since 2013. Sarah, her husband Jay, and their two children enjoy being involved in the community.

Screenagers

May 27 Event to Promote Positive Screen Use and a Play-Based Childhood

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The Litchfield Prevention Council, Litchfield PTO, and the Oliver Wolcott Library  (OWL) are presenting part three in a series of events to promote positive screen use and a play-based childhood on May 27, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., at OWL.
 
The panel discussion will help guests gain the tools and support to navigate the turbulent waters of screen use and addiction. Those planning to attend are asked to register here so organizers can prepare.
 
Pizza will be served and activities will be available for kids guided by Miss Tricia.
 

More About the May 27 Discussion

How do parents/caregivers get help with managing screen use? Who can we turn to when things are feeling out of balance or out of control? Is screen use really an issue to be concerned about or is it overblown? Are there trends that we should be aware of happening in our community? All of these questions and more will be addressed by a panel which includes pediatricians, school social workers and other experts. Come with your questions/concerns and we will work toward solutions together.

Meet our Panelists:

Kate Litwin has practiced as a general pediatrician at Rocky Hill Pediatrics for more than 18 years.  At work, she routinely counsels parents and patients regarding digital media use.  At home, she is the mother of two teenagers and has, like most parents, struggled to set and enforce boundaries at the various stages of child and adolescent development.  She has a particular interest in teen mental health and cares for many patients with anxiety, depression, ADHD and eating disorders.

Dr. Lucia Benzoni works in Bristol as a Pediatrician and has 34 years of experience. She lives in Litchfield and is married with five children. A lover of the outdoors, Dr. Benzoni finds joy in engaging in activities like gardening, hiking, and biking. “The struggle is real …. I went from having children that are older that did not have constant access to screens to my youngest child who had constant access.”

Sarah Bolton was born and raised in Woodbury. After graduating from Villanova University, she served a year in the Americorps program in Washington D.C., working for a non-profit agency that encourages adults experiencing homelessness to identify and achieve next steps in their lives. She then lived in New York City and New Haven, continuing her career in public service working for the City of New York and then the State of CT. She eventually made her way back to Litchfield County, settling in Litchfield ten years ago. She obtained her master’s degree in social work from UConn in 2012 and has been working as a school social worker since 2013. Sarah, her husband Jay, and their two children enjoy being involved in the community.
 
The Oliver Wolcott Library is located at 160 South St. in Litchfield center.
screenagers
 
Jessica A. Grant

Jessica Grant of Prima Wellness Joins Litchfield Prevention Council

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Jessica A. Grant, the founder of Prima Wellness, a mental health practice and healing space located in the West Street Yard, has joined the Litchfield Prevention Council and attended her first official meeting in March.

Jessica brings nationally recognized leadership in the domains of mental health and integrative wellness as a licensed psychotherapist, clinical researcher, ayurvedic practitioner, and community herbalist.

She served in a director role within Yale University’s School of Medicine for nearly a decade prior to departing for full-time private practice and consultation work. With over 22 years of clinical experience, Jessica has extensive expertise in the arena of PTSD treatment, neuroscience, and evidence-based practice.

Jessica is deeply passionate about integrating the indigenous wisdom of ecomedicine, eastern philosophy, somatic sciences, and plant psychology as powerful healing alchemists.

She spends much of her time in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, where she supports the cultivation of endangered field and forest botanicals, and shares a deep love for animals with her ever-growing rescue fur family

Her path to joining the Litchfield Prevention Council began when she met council Chair Gary Waugh at the suicide prevention walk at the White Memorial Conservation Center in the summer of 2024.

She was there to support Prima Wellness clients and family members who have personal experiences linked to suicide. The Prevention Council shared a video she made at the event on its Facebook page.

Together they decided Jessica would be a great fit for the council, given her experience with prevention work in the realm of forensic mental health, and in providing training for those using the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS), an evidence-based model for assessing suicide risk as part of a prevention protocol.

She also played a role in the implementation of various empirical modalities including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in the Connecticut juvenile justice system. DBT is a cognitive-behavioral treatment approach whose goal is to help individuals manage difficult emotions, improve interpersonal relationships, and enhance coping skills. 

“Jessica is a wonderful addition to the Litchfield Prevention Council,” Gary Waugh said. “She adds expertise and experience to our focus of reaching and connecting with students and young people to help guide their grown in positive directions.”

To learn more about Jessica Grant, see her Prima Wellness website. 

Litchfield Wellness Festival Coming in July

Jessica Grant is also part of the group planning the Litchfield Wellness Festival, which will take place July 5 at Litchfield Community Field and July 6 at the White Memorial Conservation Center and other locations (Stay tuned for the full program.)

The festival will host featured presenters, classes, and vendors in wellness categories including physical and mental health, yoga, movement and fitness, holistic healing, nutrition, herbalism, healthy living, and natural beauty. 

In addition to Prima Wellness and Litchfield Park & Recreation, some of the participants and sponsors signed up include Charym Yoga, NKYV Rituals, Kula Collective, Sanctuary Power Yoga, Ageless by Nature, ACE Hardware, Litchfield Health & Wellness Resources, and Litchfield Magazine.

See the Litchfield Wellness Festival website to learn more and for updates.

The Harlem Wizards at Lakeview High School March 17, 2025.

Prevention Councils Sponsored Harlem Wizards at Lakeview High School

The Litchfield Prevention Council joined with the Wamogo Wellness and Prevention Council and other sponsors to present the Harlem Wizards at Lakeview High School on March 17 for a Lakeview PTO fundraiser.

Litchfield Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh welcomed guests to the sold-out game that featured the Region 20 Lucky ‘Cats (teachers and staff) taking on the Wizards.

Together with our colleagues on the Wamogo Prevention Council we are proud to be sponsoring tonight’s event. We choose the theme “Growing Together, One Choice at a Time” because it is reflective of the work we do. We want to bring all aspects of our communities together to help us achieve our goal of keeping our children safe. Towards this end, we offer informative programs that encourage good choices and warn against risky ones. We work closely with both parents and educators to deliver our message. We hope you join us in our efforts to “keep our kids safe.” Enjoy the game!

In a post on Instagram, the Lakeview PTO thanked everyone in Region 20 and the Harlem Wizards for supporting the new PTO. “We filled the den and came together as one community for an amazing night,” the post said. “We couldn’t have done it without all of you!”

Lakeview High School is located in the former Wamogo High School as part of Litchfield public schools and Region 6 schools (Morris, Warren, and Goshen) merging to become Region 20.

 

Sreenagers presented April 29 by the Litchfield Prevention Council

Join Us for ‘Screenagers’ at Oliver Wolcott Library

Please join the Litchfield Prevention Council, the Litchfield PTO – CT, and the Oliver Wolcott Library for a viewing of the film “Screenagers,” the elementary school age edition of Screenagers Movies at OWL on April 29.
 
We are partnering to continue the conversation about screen use and its effect on our youth. Come and learn the latest research as well as what we can do to ensure play-based childhood in our community.
 
The 6 p.m. program is open to all community members, who are asked to register to attend using the link on the event listing page: https://www.owlibrary.org/adult-events.aspx…
 
OWL will offer a story time for children during the screening and discussion and pizza will be available for both children and adults!
Gary Waugh, chairman of Litchfield Prevention Council, received an award from the Western Connecticut Coalition of Prevention Councils

Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh Receives Award

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The Western Connecticut Coalition of Prevention Councils presented the Earl Bailey Community Asset Builder Award to Litchfield Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh at its meeting in September.

The award recognizes Gary and his colleagues on the Prevention Council for their efforts to build a proactive mental health community in Greater Litchfield. It celebrates bringing people and community resources together to facilitate programs that support healthy lifestyles for all of Litchfield’s citizens.

The Litchfield Prevention Council has offered programs on Internet Safety with State Trooper Scott Driscoll, Natural Highs with psychologist Matt Bellace, the Choose Love Movement with Sandy Hook parent Scarlett Lewis, the Free Hugs Project with activist Ken Nwadlke, Jr., and NARCAN Training at the Litchfield Historical Society.

The Council also helped sponsor and participated in the Oct. 19 American Foundation for Suicide Prevention Connecticut Chapter Suicide Prevention walk at White Memorial,

To learn more about the work of the Litchfield Prevention Council, join us at one of our meetings, held on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Bantam Annex, or reach out through the website contact form.

Prevention Council Chair Gary Waugh Receives Award

The Litchfield Prevention Council provides information, training, and resources that encourage our community members to adopt healthy lifestyles, positive choices, and personal responsibility.

Our Partners in Prevention

Western Connecticut Coalition
Connecticut Clearinghouse