From the Wellness Centre

Year Eight teenMHFA

At present the Year Eights and I are involved in the mental health first aid training for teens. I'm so excited about the students’ engagement in this course, which features their curiosity, open-mindedness, empathy and compassion for the young people who, in films, share a little of their lived experience when they were 13 to 14 years old. So far we've learned that having challenges and problems in our mental health is not about weakness, it's more about being human. The Year Eights are familiar with the three aspects of the definition of a mental health problem: there's been a major change in thoughts, feelings or behaviours that has impacted on the young person’s typical routines and relationships and which doesn't resolve within a few days. Furthermore the students also know that help seeking is a strength and we've watched a film which includes a teenager interviewing a school counsellor, a headspace psychologist and a psychiatrist. We conclude the course next week, and students who have attended the majority of classes will receive a Certificate of Completion for teenMHFA early in Term Three.

Older Persons MHFA

During the forthcoming school holidays, I have the distinct honour in being further trained as an instructor for this relatively new course. From Term Three, GSG will be offering a rich suite of mental health first aid courses – teenMHFA, Youth MHFA, Conversations about NSSI (non suicidal self-injury), Conversations about Suicide and Older Persons MHFA. 

Youth MHFA

Tambellup CRC has engaged GSG to provide training in Youth MHFA on 14 and 15 September. If you are keen to attend, please email me directly, or express your interest to the Tambellup CRC. Further information can be found below.

The scourge of vaping

You may be interested in the information below, which offers a very clear fact sheet for young people, as well as some hints around opening a conversation with someone you’re concerned about regarding a vaping habit. 

• Factsheet: Vaping and Young People (lungfoundation.com.au) 
• Fallout from youth vaping crisis sparks warning as more children take up habit to fight stress - ABC News
• Talking about vaping, alcohol & other drugs - Raising Teens (raisingteenagers.com.au)

Ms Sheryl Moncur | School Counsellor & Teacher