What's happening in Wellbeing . . .

Introducing the MAT Program

This term on Tuesday afternoons selected year 5 students are lucky enough to be participating in the MAT program.

The MAT Program uses therapeutic martial arts drills, games, metaphors and stories, to deliver the physical and mental wellbeing objectives of our school in a fun and interactive way.  Its format engages and empowers young people to learn life skills, and to better manage the challenges in their lives.  (The program does NOT rely on sparring of any form amongst its participants.) 

The approach and the strategies are informed by the following therapeutic frameworks:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Identifying the causal relationships between emotions, thoughts and behaviours and how to manage each of these. 

Mindfulness Therapy

Developing awareness, acceptance and action in of events and behaviours.

Trauma Informed Practice

Repairing regulatory abilities: sensory integration, sensory processing, executive functioning and sense of agency.

Individual Psychology

Positive reinforcement, collaborative problem solving, empathy, choices & natural consequences.

All the games, drills and exercises practiced in the MAT Program are directly linked with one or more of the theories mentioned above providing the benefits of these therapeutic frameworks in an active and fun modality.