The Anchor

From the Wellness Centre

teenMHFA Year Tens

This training commences from next week and will span the rest of term with a two week hiatus when SCUBA diving dominates the schedule of our Year Tens. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding the emotional fitness of your child during this vast phase of training.

 

The subject matter of this course which is delivered by film, activities, teacher facilitation and hopefully healthy conversation, is as follows: 

 

Session One discusses mental health problems in general and understanding how common and disabling these are in young people. Students also learn about professionals who can help. 

 

Session Two talks about helping a friend who is in crisis, whether because they are suicidal, engaging in non-suicidal self-injury, using alcohol or other drugs, or experiencing bullying or abuse. The Action Plan (‘Look, Ask, Listen, Help Your Friend’) is introduced for the first time, and applied to a crisis situation. You can find details about the Action Plan on the MHFA website listed below. There is a video that shows a young man helping a friend who is experiencing suicidal thoughts. Participants are told that in a crisis situation it is important to get a responsible adult involved right away. 

 

Session Three takes a step back and discusses how to help if someone seems to be developing a mental health problem. We don’t teach students how to diagnose problems – it’s advice about being a supportive friend, encouraging the friend to seek help, and knowing when it’s time to get an adult involved. Your child will bring their manual home after Session Three. 

 

The students are also provided with the following information: those staff members at GSG who have participated in the 14-hour Youth MHFA training, as well as a list of supportive agencies and links. 

Teen mhfa - what parents need to know.pdf

GSG Staff who have been trained in Youth Mental Health

  • Mrs Karen Bradbury
  • Ms Elinor Couper 
  • Mrs Jill Bascombe
  • Ms Rachel Mordy 
  • Mr Taylor Colton
  • Mrs Renae O’Donnell
  • Mr Grant Taylor
  • Mrs Lisa Sounness
  • Mrs Alexis Stone
  • Mr Neil Ferreira
  • Ms Liz Stewart   
  • Mr Paul Donaldson
  • Mrs Liz Cosh
  • Ms Rebecca Davies
  • Mr Ian Robson   
  • Miss Ellen Smith
  • Ms Bea Pritchard
  • Mrs Emma Franklin
  • Mrs Nyree Mackenzie
  • Mr Bryce McLean
  • Mr Nathan Symonds
  • Mrs Loren O’Dwyer
  • Miss Katie Gunning
  • Mr Julian Gugenheim
  • Mrs Naomi Cooper
  • Ms Georgie Mullins
  • Mrs Emma Poole 
  • Mr Paul Osborne
  • Mrs Penni Berryman
  • Mr Steve Berryman
  • Mr Josh Pitman 
  • Mr Tim Basten
  • Ms Amanda Stanborough
  • Mr Gavin Riches
  • Mrs Kristy Jaeckel

Supportive agencies, links and services:

I urge you as families to discuss these matters and develop a family culture of cooperation and mutual support as you enhance your mental health literacy. 

Friendships in Early Adolescence

“Your children didn’t know how to tie their shoelaces until they watched you do it. You talked it through and then they practised repeatedly. Learning friendship skills is the same."

 

One of my go-to gurus for information about this at times fraught area is Linda Stade. Her latest offering Friendship is the Subject Testing Our Kids Daily (inspiringgirls.info) This article was originally published in 2022 and offers some insights into adolescent friendships from the skills which are necessary to learn, to maladaptive friendship dynamics, to friendship lessons from parents.

 

For more information about how to navigate and facilitate making and maintaining healthy friendships dive even deeper into this topic by leaning into regular reading and upskilling – from Linda Stade, to Andrew Fuller, to Claire Eaton. 

 

Yours in mental fitness

 

Ms Sheryl Moncur | School Counsellor and Teacher