Prioritizing Mental Health As Students Head Back To School
The Importance of Mental Health As School Starts
Summer is winding down, which means back-to-school season is upon us. While you’re stocking up on school supplies, downloading the newest student platforms and filling in your calendar with upcoming activities, don’t forget to prioritize the mental health of your student. With new routines, situations, and other factors that come with starting a new school year, you may notice your child having difficulty adjusting or showing emotions or behaviors that interfere with their overall wellbeing, Kids and adolescents struggle with mental health, too, with 1 in 6 people ages 6-17 diagnosed with a mental health challenges each year. Now is a great time to consider meeting with a therapist to focus on increasing resources to set yourself and your student up for success through this school year – and beyond.
Tips For Building Resilience in Students
Young people today navigate unique pressures, from the ever-present reach of social media to the nonstop flow of information in a 24/7 news world. Despite an increase in mental health awareness, nearly half of the teenagers surveyed reported they were not receiving the support they needed to navigate their negative feelings. There are steps that can be taken to help build resilience and make sure the students in your life are being supported.
- Develop Social-Emotional Skills
It’s never too early – or too late – to work on strengthening social-emotional skills. Focus on emotional literacy, problem-solving and self-regulation methods to help the young person in your life learn to recognize, name and work through their emotions. For the younger crowd, this may happen through play, books, and age-appropriate explanations. For older children and teenagers, explain the science behind how the brain works, including how self-regulating methods can help. Through goal setting, breathing exercises, and open dialogue, students of any age can improve their emotional intelligence and ability to work through their problems easier. - Encourage Positive Self-Talk
As early as possible, encourage positive self-talk by teaching how negative thoughts can be replaced with positive and empowering statements. This can be done through positive affirmations, repeated mantras that eventually change the internal thought process. - Build A Supportive Learning Environment
Whether you’re a teacher looking to build an encouraging classroom or a parent hoping to create a safe haven at home, a supportive learning environment will always be a positive thing. Create a place for your students to feel comfortable being who they are, where they feel safe to ask for help and confident in their ability to thrive. Clear expectations, routine and compassion can foster a sense of security that give them a chance to exhale and keep moving forward. - Implement Practical Strategies
Help your student by encouraging them to ask for help when needed. Normalizing that process makes it easier to come forward, dimming the misconception that they must do it all alone. Model goal-setting, showing how to set an achievable goal and then break it down until smaller, less overwhelming steps that lead to the same outcome. - Open Lines of Communication
For a young person, not all lines of communication are equal. Make sure the students in your life know how to reach out if needed. As a parent, this may mean having a serious discussion over text message even if you prefer a face to face conversation. As a teacher, it may look like an easily-accessible request form to speak to the guidance counselor. For anyone regularly in communication with a child or teen, it can be as simple as having a casual conversational check-in to see how they are doing and let them know you’re there if needed.
Signs A Student Is Struggling With Their Mental Health
For some, brushing off the struggles of a young person is easy to do. Considering hormones, the stereotype of teenage angst and the stigma of mental health in general, it’s a common situation. However, half of lifetime mental illness begins by age 14, so it’s time to take a closer look at what the youth of today are going through. Watch for these signs of mental health problems in kids and teens:
- Persistent sadness
- Feelings of hopelessness
- Loss of interest in things
- Difficulty concentrating
- Excessive worry or stress
- Changes in sleep or eating habits
- Anger, irritability and restlessness
- Mood swings
- Unexplained physical symptoms
- Talk or thoughts of self-harm and/or suicide
If you notice concerning changes in your child or teen’s behavior, have a conversation with them. Let them know that you are there for them, encourage healthy habits and seek professional help.
Therapy can be a life-changing experience, helping individuals of any age identify their struggles, manage their emotions, improve coping skills and live a more enjoyable life. Peak Psychological Services offers a variety of treatment methods to make sure the correct type of therapy is used for the specific mental health needs.
If you are looking for a compassionate professional to help your student – or yourself – navigate through life’s challenges, please contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation to find out if we’re right for you.
Mental health is important at all ages. Together, we can make sure this school year – and beyond – is a positive one!
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