Health & Wellbeing

What ever your pattern in relationships may be, healthy relationships are crucial for mental health. When you spend time with people you care about, who care about you, this can help you feel connected and supported. We know relationships aren’t always easy. Starting new relationships can often be a challenge. For those who have had challenges in relationships a reluctance to engage with others may become a barrier to future relationships. Anyone experiencing mental health difficulties may feel like disconnecting from people, rather than reaching out. But here’s the thing – the more you work on your relationships, the stronger they get. Strong relationships can provide support and a sense of belonging and community. 

When you spend time connecting with and supporting others, your wellbeing improves, too. Investing in relationships can improve your mood by: 

• Boosting your energy 
• Improving your sense of belonging 
• Helping you relax 
• Helping you feel supported.

The National Headspace team have the following tips for navigating relationships. 

• Focus on positive relationships that make you feel good about yourself. Build relationships where you support each other and where you feel you can be yourself. 
   
• Every relationship can bring you different benefits, so try to keep a variety of people in your life, such as friends from work or school, teachers, parents, people who have similar interests and more. 
   
• Communication is important. When you are open with people, they will be more open with you – which strengthens your relationships. 

When aiming to establish new connections, as a new student at school, wanting to make new connections in addition to current friendships or wanting to remove yourself from current connections and establish new ones, the following may be useful:

• Take the first step. Focus on small level interactions that may in time evolve into a relationship or at least a connection eg. Saying “Hi, how are you?”, having eye contact, smiling.
   
• Be open – just as you would not like someone else to judge you, don’t judge others. You may find a strong connection with someone from a different group whom you may connect with better than you may think.
   
• Start with people you have access to, someone on the bus, a person sitting near you in class.
   
• Start the conversation. When you're with someone you'd like to know better, start a conversation.
   
• Show interest. Even if you're just meeting someone, you can make them feel comfortable by asking the right questions and being a good listener. 
   
• Follow up – if you have said “Hi” to someone once, don’t expect an immediate connection. Real connections take time, consider making an effort to greet them again, and over time with confidence and the right moment further engagement may occur.

Making an effort to meet new people can be risky. There is a chance of being dismissed or even a negative response, however, there is also the potential, over time for meeting new people, establishing strong connections, an improvement in confidence, wellbeing, mental health and the opportunity to bring more to our daily lives.

Recently our Year 7 students participated in a Community Day which focused on Belonging. The day involved sessions focusing on our College’s culture and history and incorporated a session for skill development for healthy relationships and connections. This session provided skill development for making new connections, boundaries, inclusivity, conflict resolution and problem solving. Year 7’s engagement in this activity and others through the day was a great example of students having the opportunity to grow in their relationships and within our College community. Small steps of engagement and connection each day in Year 7 are a great way to start for healthy and sustainable relationships.

Yours in friendship

Rachel Smith | College Counsellor