October is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time when the Australian community comes together to raise awareness and promote better Mental Health for all. To celebrate, the Wellbeing Team hosted an exciting lunchtime event with Headspace Syndal on Wednesday, 23rd of October 2024, where students and staff came together to connect and engage on all things mental health. It was fantastic to see our community sharing meaningful conversations with Headspace staff, strengthening our commitment to wellbeing in a fun and supportive setting.

Healthy Minds-Parents/Carers Evening Workshop

Thank you to all the parents and carers who joined our evening workshop on October 23, 2024, with Dr. Tom Nehmy, Director of Healthy Minds. Tom provided valuable insights on understanding and managing anxiety in children.

For those who couldn’t attend, a limited-time recording is available here:

https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/Hl9iA9Md3g7VqxWF9dbCKl4gamBo4VC1ZO1ICv-6QChOBXwY8r10_MDEkE3ynU1v.hO7rt7oQ37iuP4eD Passcode: XEs5j*H2

Please note the link will expire on 7 November 2024.

Year 7 Healthy Minds Program

We're nearly at the end of the Year 7 Healthy Minds Program, with just one session remaining. Here’s a brief overview of Sessions 6 and 7, along with related parent modules. We encourage parents and guardians to continue these discussions at home.

Session 6: This session focused on gratitude as a means to enhance positive emotions and improve quality of life. Students learned that gratitude can shift their focus toward positivity, and they practiced writing gratitude letters, a powerful exercise benefiting both the writer and the recipient

Session 7: This session covered understanding stress, self-criticism, and self-compassion. Students identified their unique 'stress signatures' and explored 'life-medicines', daily practices to reduce stress and promote relaxation, helping them stay in the optimal stress range

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 14 · 31 Oct 2024

In this issue