According to the Mental Health Foundation, work and school can have a huge impact on our mental health. They can be positive for our mental health, giving us a sense of purpose, a routine, boosting self-worth, and providing opportunities to connect with others. But they can also be a source of stress and anxiety, which may then contribute to developing or worsening mental health problems. We all spend large amounts of our time working and studying, whether that’s in school, or at home, or maybe other places like the library – which is why it’s so important that our schools support our mental health, helping us get the mental health benefits of being at school, while reducing any potential negative impacts and supporting us when we need it.
Read the autumn blog from our School Counsellor, Lizzie Arthur.
Hi everyone,
Welcome to my blog which comes to you at the end of a busy start to the new school year and also falls just after World Mental Health Day, which is on October 10th each year. This year, the theme of WMHD is ‘Mental Health at Work’ and talks about the idea of working towards having more supportive workplaces where people feel heard, valued and empowered to talk about how they are feeling.
For children and young people, school might perhaps be considered to be your place of ‘work’ and so the above theme carries over. So how can we make our school environment more supportive of its community’s mental health?
What does a mentally healthy school environment look like?
There are many things that contribute to a mentally healthy school or workplace, from providing education and training on mental health, to ensuring there are enough of the right people in supporting roles, to tackling discrimination and bullying. Importantly, a mentally healthy workplace or school encourages and supports open conversations about mental health. Whilst talking about mental health has become much more common, some of us may still feel that there is a stigma, when it comes to opening up about how we feel.
Talking about mental health
Talking is good for your mental health. And talking about mental health is important. But starting a conversation isn’t always easy. Whether you’d like to talk to someone about how you’re feeling, or check-in with someone you care about, here are some tips that can help:
- Choose someone you trust to talk to
This might be a friend, a family member, your form tutor, Head of Year or a particular member of the teaching staff that you get on well with, or maybe the school nurse or school counsellor. Or you might be more comfortable talking to someone you don’t know, for example through a support helpline. - Think about the best place to talk
It’s important to choose a place where you feel comfortable enough to open-up. You might want to choose somewhere private where you’re less likely to be disturbed. You also might want to talk while you do an activity, like walking together. - Prepare yourself for their reaction
Hopefully, you will have a good experience when you open-up to someone. There’s always a chance that they may not react in the way you hope. This may be for different reasons, like they may be worried about you, or not fully understand at first. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself through these tricky times and practise self-care by doing some of the things that you know help you, if you know what those things are.
If you’re the one helping someone else
- Find a quiet space to talk, without distractions
If you’re worried about someone, try to find a place where you know you can have a conversation without being distracted. Try to give them your full attention. It might help to switch off your phone. - Listen and ask questions
Listening can be one of the most valuable ways to be there for someone. Show them that you’re actively listening by facing them, making eye contact and not interrupting. Questions can help you clarify what they mean and also show that you’re actively listening. Try asking questions that are relevant to what they’re saying, so that the person can feel that you’re really invested and trying to understand. - Ask how you can help
They might want support with making a Head of Year/counselling appointment, or they may just wish for you to keep things normal and to chat about what’s going on in your life. - Lastly, if you feel in any way worried about someone’s wellbeing or safety, please always reach out to a member of staff or other trusted adult. Miss Reed is our Safeguarding lead, and you can find her in the Wellbeing Centre (the Lodge) and you can reach her at c.reed@nor.gdst.net
Talking
Did you spot a recurring theme in the above? Talking. About the topic of mental health. About how you feel. About how someone else feels. Talking isn’t a magic wand that makes all of the difficult things disappear – but talking can work magic in other ways. When we feel seen, heard, valued, deeply understood and fully accepted, without judgement, things shift and paths forward open up where they were invisible before. We are no longer alone, and somehow, that can profoundly change how we feel.
I’ll finish here by wishing you a lovely half term break when it comes. Thank you for reading and remember, if you’ve got something on your mind that’s getting in the way and you want to try talking it through, I’m here to help.
Just email me at l.arthur@nor.gdst.net, or Nurse Page at g.page@nor.gdst.net
Lizzie Arthur
School Counsellor
And finally…
If you need support over half term, don’t forget the services below, all of which are free to access.
Kooth is a monitored, safe and anonymous service where you can access online counselling with qualified professionals.
Chat Health Norfolk is a secure NHS approved text messaging service. All Norfolk young people aged 11 – 19 can text 07480 635060 to start a conversation with a trained health professional.
SHOUT is free, 24/7 mental health support, via text. Just text ‘SHOUT’ to 85258.
If you’re in need of urgent help, the following agencies are good places to turn:
Childline 0800 1111
Samaritans 116 123
NHS 111 111
