Student Wellbeing & Mental Health
Lysterfield Primary Student Wellbeing and Mental Health Team
Robyn Mowat \ Assistant Principal - Student Inclusion and Wellbeing
Kayla Pepper \ Mental Health & Wellbeing Leader
Neil Butler \ Student Wellbeing Advisor
Kim Bedford \ School Counsellor/Social Worker
Building Stronger Friendships with Friendology!
At Lysterfield Primary School, we understand that friendships play a huge role in a child’s wellbeing and learning experience. That’s why we use Friendology, a friendship skills program developed by URSTRONG, to equip students with the knowledge, strategies, and confidence to build and maintain healthy friendships.
Friendology teaches students that, just like learning to read or solve maths problems, friendship skills can be learned and practiced. By giving students a common language to talk about friendships, we help them navigate social situations with confidence and kindness.
How does Friendology work?
Through engaging lessons and role-playing activities, students learn how to:
Understand the Friend-O-Cycle - Friendships aren’t always perfect - and that’s okay! The Friend-O-Cycle helps students understand that friendships naturally go through ups and downs and conflict is a normal part of healthy relationships.
For example, if two friends have a disagreement over a game at recess, they can use the cycle to talk it out, listen to each other's feelings, forgive, and move forward. With these skills, kids learn how to rebuild trust and make their friendships even stronger over time.
Put out ‘Friendship Fires’ – Friendship Fires are the small conflicts that happen between friends. Instead of ignoring them or letting them grow into bigger problems, students learn how to ‘Talk it out’ using kind, honest, and assertive communication.
For example, if a student feels left out because their friend played with someone else at lunch, instead of bottling up their feelings or reacting with frustration, they can say: ➡ “I felt left out when you didn’t sit with me today. Next time, can we make a plan so I know what to expect?”
Use the ‘Friend-O-Meter’ to check friendships – Friendology helps students recognize when a friendship is healthy, unhealthy, or somewhere in between. If a friend is being kind and supportive, that’s a ‘green-zone friendship’. If a friend is making them feel excluded or upset often, they may be in a ‘red-zone friendship’ that requires action.
For example, if a student notices that a friend is repeatedly ignoring them or being unkind, they might decide to "Talk it out" or, if necessary, take a step back from that friendship.
Recognize ‘Friendship Facts’ – One of the most important lessons in Friendology is that no friendship is perfect. Students learn the 4 Friendship Facts:
These facts help students understand that it’s normal for friendships to have ups and downs and that it’s okay for friendships to change over time.
How can families support Friendology at home?
We encourage families to use the Friendology language at home! If your child is experiencing a Friendship Fire, you can guide them to "Talk it out" by asking:
- “What happened?”
- “Have you told your friend how you feel?”
- “What could you say to resolve it?”
By using this language consistently, we can empower our students to handle friendship challenges with confidence, kindness, and resilience.
To learn more about the URSTRONG Friendology program, visit urstrong.com. Let’s work together to create a school community filled with kind, respectful, and resilient friendships!
Workshops / Information
Navigating Friendships Q and A Webinar - Michelle Mitchell
This Q and A webinar is designed to help parents and their tweens or teens (ages 8–16) make sense of the often tricky world of friendships. You’ll hear real, anonymous questions answered with warmth and wisdom – covering both the common and the unexpected.
When: Tues 27th May, 6:30 – 7:30pm AEST
Cost: $25.00 AUD
Access: It is yours to watch and view as many times as you want for 6 months from the date of purchase.
Click here for more information and to register -
Promoting a Positive Autistic Identity
Click here to register -
Sleep & Teens
Click here to register -
Anglicare Parentzone Newsletter - Parenting in the East What's On Term 2 2025
News and information on programs, services, groups and events to support parents across the Eastern Region of Melbourne. Some of the upcoming programs for Term 2 include Parenting Anxious Children, Talking Teens, Circle of Security Parenting and Tuning in to Kids -
ParentZone Pods
Podcasts for parents, carers and those who support others with their parenting. The ParentZone Teams are delighted to bring you TWELVE ParentZone Pods. Each Pod identifies and explores common issues parents bring to our parenting groups and offers strategies to try in these situations.
Podcast Series 1
Episode 1: Family Meetings
Episode 2: Dealing with Anxiety
Episode 3: Sibling Rivalry
Episode 4: Getting Children to Listen
Episode 5: How to Respond to Kids' Behaviour
Episode 6: How to Stop Yelling at your Kids
Podcast Series 2
Episode 1: Positive Discipline
Episode 2: School Refusal
Episode 3: Parenting our Teenagers
Episode 4: Meltdowns vs Tantrums
Episode 5: Couples Parenting Together
Episode 6: Dads Parenting Today
ParentZone Pods can be found on our website, Apple and via Spotify