Supportive Relationships

We all have stress in our lives, but did you know that supportive relationships can lower our stress and help us live healthier and longer lives?

These relationships can be with family, friends, teachers, coaches, mentors, or anyone who helps us feel better when we depend on or spend time with them.

Being around people who support us can make us healthier by calming our brain and body when stressful things happen in our life. Research shows that having even one supportive relationship can help.

Read the Supportive Relationships Handout

Experiencing a crisis? See these crisis and safety resources.

Crisis and Safety Resources

Resources

Want tips for how to build and grow healthy relationships? Here are resources that provide articles, videos, and audio tools you can use.

General

Tips for Building Healthy Relationships (Kaiser Permanente, articles and audio)
In Focus: Building and Maintaining Healthy Relationships: How Do I Know if My Relationships are Healthy? (Stanford University Student Affairs)
Characteristics of Healthy and Unhealthy Relationships (youth.gov)
The Benefit of Supportive Relationships Website / Handout (Center for Youth Wellness)
Social Connection Matters for Your Health (Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD)
Supportive Relationships Stress Busters video (California Virtual Training Academy Resources)

Infants, Adolescents, and Older Adults

Infants and young children: 5-Steps for Brain-Building Serve and Return (Center on the Developing Child)
Healthy Relationships in Adolescence (US Department of Health & Human Services)
Teens and Social Media Use: What’s the Impact? (Mayo Clinic Health System)
Maintaining Healthy Relationships with Age (Mayo Clinic Health System)

Intimate Partner Relationships

Dating Matters (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC))
Fast Facts: Preventing Intimate Partner Violence (CDC)
Love is Respect provides information and resources about dating, healthy relationships, personal safety, and supporting others. Call 1-866-331-9474 or text “LOVEIS” to 22522
Find a domestic violence organization near you at the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence

If you need more support or are in crisis:

National Domestic Violence Hotline: Call 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or text “START” to 88788

Find more resources on our Emergency & Crisis

Connect with Community

Find local activities and resources: Call 2-1-1 or go to 211.org

For Caregivers and Families

Family Resource Centers: Free services connecting families and community partners to services and resources supporting children with disabilities. Find a location near you.
Sesame Street in Communities: For anyone caring for young children, check out activities you can do together.
California Parent & Youth Helpline: Free emergency emotional support for parents and youth.
- Call or text 855-427-2736
- caparentyouthhelpline.org

Download the complete set of Stress Busters handouts.