What Do We Do Here?

We are for students. By students.

PEA stands for Personal Effectiveness Association, a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit designed to support mental health through education, fitness, nutrition, and community. We currently support a thriving community of 300+ students in chapters all across the nation.

As students, we've noticed there are limited opportunities for teenagers and young adults to address anxieties and everyday worries. Local students are invited to join us as we go on runs, do yoga, and explore various exercises. We create a safe environment where you can move your body and speak about anything on your mind.

Our mission is to expose teens to the world of fitness, help students improve their mental health through exercise and nutrition, spread awareness for medical literature around physical activity and increased self-esteem, improve overall mood, and most importantly, create healthy, long-lasting habits while having fun!

yoga, bodyweight exercises, running

open peer dialogue

more event pictures here: event archive

Though we may not be professionals...

...we understand the power that setting and accomplishing goals has on building self-confidence along with the importance of having a friendly face to talk to because we are high-schoolers too. Our goal is to help create life-long health habits and, locally, provide a friendly atmosphere in order to help teens manage their day-to-day stressors.

Our approach is based on scientific studies that document the benefits that exercise and open dialogue have for relieving stress and other mental ailments [1, 2] as well as the proven ability of client-run mental health communities to provide successful outcomes for their members [3].

That said, there are a few things we expect of those who choose to join our peer community. Everyone participates voluntarily at their own risk, so please be respectful of others, and come willing to join by moving, listening and sharing in the activities planned.

References:[1] Sapolsky, Robert M.. Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers: A Guide to Stress, Stress Related Diseases, and Coping. United States, W.H. Freeman, 1994., pp. 265-267.[2] Whitaker, Robert. Anatomy of an Epidemic: Magic Bullets, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Astonishing Rise of Mental Illness in America. United States, Crown, 2011, pp. 343-347.[3] Mosher, Loren R., Burti, Lorenzo, Community Mental Health: A Practical Guide. United States, W. W. Norton, 1994, pp. 25-26, 101.

Why We Started

In my freshman year of high school, I was at a spring dance for a neighboring school. It was two weeks before my first HOSA State competition, a month before my first AP exam, and two months before my first high school spring finals. As the loud music shook the stage, my heart rate rose. Rather than having a good time with my friends, all I could think about was everything I had to do that weekend. All the homework, practice, studying - "it was never like this in middle school," I thought.

That night, I had my very first panic attack. I couldn't breathe, let alone think about calming myself down. Moving forward, I decided things were going to need to change if I wanted to be successful in high school. I started using an agenda, so I could track my assignments and study plans in a tangible book rather than in the back of my mind. And, most importantly, I started recognizing times when I needed a rest, such as an afternoon every Sunday or a weekend here and there. That was one of my first real interactions with my mental health and played a major role in starting PEA in an attempt to help high schoolers and middle schoolers around the nation. - Siena

When I moved back to the United States to start middle school after living in the Middle East for 5 years, I faced a series of profound struggles assimilating into life in the USA. The abrupt shift to an environment was overwhelming and took a significant toll on my mental health. I felt quite isolated, grappling with the pressure to fit in while managing the internal turmoil of such a drastic change. Later on, as I began to make friends and become more comfortable, the challenges I had faced made me acutely aware of the critical importance of mental well-being and the need for supportive communities.

Following the next few years of my life, as I navigated high school, I witnessed firsthand the immense stress that so many of my peers faced. The relentless focus on grades and college admissions seemed to overshadow everything else, leaving little room for addressing one's personal well-being. I myself struggled with anxiety, and burnout, often feeling like I had nowhere to turn. This pervasive stress, coupled with my own experiences, made me realize the dire need for a space where teens could prioritize their mental health. -Mahika

Stay healthy, PEA happy.

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