It has been a massive term in the College’s well-being space. In terms of my role, my priority is the whole College preventative education for our students, teachers and parents. Not only is this in my role description, but it is also supported by evidence across many themes of wellbeing, mental health and mental illness. Research is finding that the best protective actions we take to prevent mental illness, bullying, suicidal ideation is our work in preventative education. More particularly, students need explicit social and emotional education, education and development of their resilience, coping strategies and connection with their peers, family and community. It makes sense that if our young people can identify their emotions, thoughts and feelings, practice healthy coping strategies and connect with their support network, mental illness is less likely to occur. Evidence is finding that by upskilling our young people in these areas is more effective than treatments of mental illness. This current evidence in mental health research is the driving force behind the programs incorporated into the College.  

Early Years

We are working on identifying unhelpful and helpful thoughts and how these thoughts influence our feelings and actions. I demonstrate this with puppets. Poison Parrot represents our unhelpful thoughts, sometimes making us feel scared or nervous and sometimes stopping us from taking action. Powerful Puppy represents our helpful thoughts and can be seen as our inner cheer leader – many of our young children imagine their inner cheerleader as mum or dad. How wonderful is that, that they see you in this light. I am hearing student’s comment to each other, “is your poison parrot making you stop?” This concept of identifying thoughts feelings and actions is formed from Cognitive Behavioural Therapy which is a common practise utilsed by many therapists.

Middle Years/Senior Years

In middle years and senior years we have been practising restorative conversations. This is another evidence-based practice that supports the resolution of conflict. Although the outcome is conflict resolution the practice develops our students empathy and connection with their peers. Across the research it is the most recommended practice (that I have found) for bullying. Restorative practise supports actioning current conflicts but also prevents future conflicts. Please find below links introducing restorative practices and an example of restorative conversation. Restorative conversations are not punitive but student led with the intent to understand all parties perspectives.

Restorative Approach Example - Primary School - Bing video

Introduction to Restorative Approaches - Bing video

Year Level Connect

Lessons in the middle years, year level connect is a complete unit on resilience. Some of the topics taught and discussed are: perfectionism, grief and loss, catastrophising, helpful and unhelpful thoughts and dealing with setbacks.

Headspace

Rikki from headspace provided explicit lessons on identifying emotions, coping strategies, self-care and discussions around defining mental health. In the parent session, Riki discussed parents being the first point of call that our young people will model from, in terms of coping strategies and openly discussing mental health (not always mental illness). If talking about mental health is not normalised at home, it is unlikely that our young people will feel comfortable talking about it when they need it. All student’s 12 years and over have free access to headspace. There are multiple modes of support available such as an online account, online chat to therapists or face-face support at the Toowoomba centre. Please find the link below to the headspace website.

headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation

LifeChanger

LifeChanger is a new program being delivered at our school. To be honest, the program delivered beyond my expectations. The main outcomes from LifeChanger are the development of resilience, student strengths and connection. Not only did the team teach these concepts but the students practised and developed their skills in connection and resilience. The student’s got to experience those wonderful neurological pathways of positive emotions and feelings from encouraging each other and connecting as an entire cohort. Our students really did put in 110% effort into these sessions. These sessions will support the prevention of bullying and gossip while fostering positive cohort cultures of peer encouragement and leadership.

For parents, caregivers and educators,

We now have access to this wonderful online resource which has a database of themes and topics around supporting parents and their children. If you are noticing any red flags with your young person or yourself, please access this website for immediate psychologist research and practical advice in your chosen area.  This are presented mostly in 1-hour webinars or articles. Please find below links and a screen shot from the website.

I would like to wish all our staff, families and students a successful end to the term according to their needs and priorities.

Katrina Ballantyne

College Counsellor