Year 7 Healthy Minds Program

We have recommenced the Healthy Minds Program with our Year 7 cohort. We are now at the halfway point of the program, with students completing Lesson 5. This lesson revisits the key principles covered so far, which include:

Our thoughts and interpretations of event cause our feelings, rather than the events themselves
Automatic thoughts are often inaccurate or unhelpful, and can reflect biases or habitual patterns of thinking
We can identify 'thinking errors' in our automatic thoughts (from Lesson 2)
Balanced, realistic, and helpful thinking requires us to consider different perspectives and search for evidence we might have missed
We can make helpful decisions about our actions, regardless of the urges our feelings give us.

We encourage parents and guardians to continue these conversations at home. Please see the parent module below for an overview of what students have covered this week. We've also included a helpful thinking template to practice at home.

Module 5 - Parent Module

Helpful Thinking Process template

If you have any questions regarding the program, please do not hesitate to get in touch with our Mental Health Practitioner - Fosia Mohamud.

How to Have a Healthy Mind in Year 12

Wednesday 16th of October 2024 during period 5, year 11 and 12 students are invited to participate in a Healthy Minds Presentation that will teach them tools and strategies to manage stress and maintain their overall wellbeing. The session will give students insights on how to stay balanced, manage pressure, and keep a healthy mindset—vital tools for thriving at school and beyond.

October is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when the Australian community comes together to raise awareness and promote better mental health for all.

The Black Dog institute has a lot of information and resources you can access to enhance your knowledge around mental health literacy, which you can access here.

To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month, the wellbeing team will be hosting Headspace Syndal to connect and engage with students and staff next week Wednesday 23rd of October 2024 at lunch time. Students and staff are encouraged to come along and join in activities and connect with the wellbeing team and Headspace staff.

Parent/Carers evening workshop

The Wellbeing Team invites all parents / carers to an insightful evening workshop focused on understanding anxiety in children. We believe that empowering parents / carers with mental health knowledge is key to supporting their children’s wellbeing.

This workshop will cover:

What anxiety is, where it comes from, and how to manage it
The difference between "normal anxiety" and "clinical anxiety"
Practical strategies to help children overcome anxiety
The link between reducing anxiety and building confidence
A step-by-step guide for parents on supporting their child
Tips for creating a home environment that reduces anxiety

Join us on Wednesday, 23rd October 2024 at 6:00 pm via Zoom. Further details will be provided closer to the date. To register please enter your details via the link below:

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=N7Ns2Ycaz0S2mzzsM0pMH_harB7k9mFBmTBye7kybxpUQkVXM01EQ041RzQ5ODJBMlFCMUpTMkNaWS4u

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to get in touch. Link to zoom session will be shared on compass closer to the date.

Fosia Mohamud

Mental Health Practitioner

On behalf of the Wellbeing Team

The Team

Celine Tsang-Student Wellbeing Leader/Counsellor

Celine.Tsang@education.vic.gov.au 

Fosia Mohamud-Mental Health Practitioner

Fosia.Mohamud@education.vic.gov.au 

Madeline Mitchell- Art Therapist/Counsellor

Madeleine.Mitchell2@education.vic.gov.au

Annette Paterson- PSD Coordinator (Program for Students with Disabilities)

Annette.Paterson@education.vic.gov.au

Wellbeing Student Placement Program

We currently have five counselling students onsite providing support to our students until the end of the year. They are in the process of completing their Masters of Counselling at either Monash or Victoria University.

Having these counselling students provides a valuable resource for our student body, offering increased access to mental health support at school.

Our goal is to provide a safe and supportive space where students wellbeing and mental health are our top priorities. We encourage both parents and students to reach out early if there are any concerns so that we can offer timely interventions. Please be assured that counselling sessions are strictly confidential unless safety risks are identified. Parents can contact our Learning and Wellbeing Leaders to discuss concerns and initiate referrals.

For students, your first point of contact is your teachers and the relevant Learning and Wellbeing Leaders. Students can also self-refer for wellbeing support using our student referral form  Click Here. The referral forms are also accessible through the wellbeing office, which is open to all students. A member of the wellbeing staff will get in touch with you as soon as possible to schedule a session.

External supports you can access:

Headspace: 24/7 phone counselling service for 12 to 25-year old’s.

P: 1800 650 890 www.headspace.org.au

E-Headspace: 24/7 online counselling service for 12 to 25-year old’s.

www.eheadspace.org.au

Beyondblue: 24-hour Phone and online counselling for mental health.

P: 1300 22 46 36 www.beyondblue.org.au

Beyondblue also have a series of podcasts on various topics. 

https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/not-alone

Lifeline: 24-hour phone crisis support and suicide prevention services.

P: 131 114 www.lifeline.org.au/get-help/online-services/crisis-chat

Kids Help Line: 24/7 free phone and online counselling for 13 to 25-year old’s.

P: 1800 55 1800 www.kidshelpline.com.au

WHSC Newsletter

Respect | Excellence | Creativity

Issue 13 · 17 Oct 2024

In this issue