1 Supporting Your Child’s Mental HealthFebruary, 2017 Michelle Cassidy Mental Health Lead @mcassidy905
2 Susan
3 Schools Have a Unique OpportunitySchools are an optimal setting to: Reduce stigma Promote positive mental health Build student social-emotional learning skills Prevent mental health problems Identify people in need Build pathways to care Schools in Ontario have a unique opportunity to help overcome some of the problems that prevent children and youth from developing good mental health. Schools are ideal settings in which to promote positive mental health by creating caring schools and classrooms, teach and strengthen social-emotional skills, provide support and monitoring for high risk students to prevent onset or worsening of mental health problems, reduce the stigma surrounding not just mental health problems but also counselling and therapy. School staff are also ideally positioned to help identify students who need mental health support, and to provide information and assistance for students and families seeking help.
4 Paradigm Shift From a “topic” to comprehensiveFrom the role of community service providers to a shared responsibility
5 Mental Health is NOT an Event
6 What does comprehensive mean?Staff Students Parents Community
7 YRDSB Mental Health StrategyPriorities
8 BIPSA for Student Achievement and Well-BeingBuilding Knowledge and Capacity Developing Mentally Healthy Environments Reducing Stigma Creating Collaborative Care Pathways Michelle
9 Reducing Stigma
10 Stigma Reduction For the purposes of this presentation we will just give you a snapshot of the work of one working group: Stigma Reduction. Created a system wide STIGMA REDUCTION campaign for Mental Health Week –NOTICE….LISTEN….CONNECT (Gr. 2-12, workplace) This campaign was done by most during MH week but may be done at any time throughout the year elements appropriate for all schools, and staff, and others just for students or staff Follow up activities/resources are being sent to schools shortly. This is part of the GOOD FOR ALL.
11 Mental Health Video supporting the Notice...Listen...Connect campaign.
12 REFLECT
13 Breaking the Stigma V2.mov
14 Building Knowledge and CapacityBev (from a leadership development strategy)
15 Audiences All staff members Students Parents/FamiliesCommunity partners Bev- mention that building knowledge is for everyone…..we all need the same messages!
16 Social Emotional LearningMichelle
17 What does promoting mental health look like in school?What is social emotional learning (SEL)? Not innate talent but learned abilities Self Awareness Self Management Social Awareness Relationship Management What happens in mental health treatment: Children and youth learn how to increase emotional and cognitive regulation Mindfulness Distress Tolerance Emotion Regulation Interpersonal Effectiveness Compare to cardiac care
18 Student Achievement improves..When SEL taught in school: Social, emotional skills increase Positive attitudes and behavior increases Student achievement increases 11% on standardized tests Durlak et al., 2011
19 VIDEO Mental Health Embedded--Student VoiceMichelle WELCOME – Welcoming and accepting school environments inspire a sense of belonging and help nurture a student’s identity within a larger community. TEACH – At school, students can learn the skills, attitudes, knowledge and habits that build their personal resilience. NOTICE – Caring adults at school can learn how to notice students who may be struggling with mental health. PARTNER – By guiding them through clear pathways to care, school personnel can help families with mental health assessments and treatment services.
20 Our Task as Parents and EducatorsTo prepare our children/students to be: Ready for the post secondary and employment world Positive contributors to society Healthy and Thriving
21 What do we mean when we talk about mental health?
22 Holistic Approach
23 Our Students 32% Elem 39% Sec 58% Elem 64% Sec 46% Elem 54% Sec“I feel like people won’t value me if I don’t do well at school” 32% Elem 39% Sec “I usually hide my feelings of anxiety and sadness” 58% Elem 64% Sec “I feel I am expected to be perfect ” 46% Elem 54% Sec
24 Impairing Well-Being Students feel their worth/value connected to school achievement Many indicating they don’t have hope for future Limited physical activity Many students indicate they don’t think they matter to others What is the impact on feeling safe?
25 How can we together promote mental health for all?
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27 Why Does this Happen? The Power of the Brain Cassidy
28 Designed to keep our body in balance Our body craves homeostasis The brain supports adaptive functioning It is hardwired to protect us Cassidy
29 Why is this important? Flight, Fight, or Freeze Cassidy
30 A Helpful Brain Model Dr. Daniel Siegel CASSIDY
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32 Pruning gets rid of circuits we don’t useChanging the Brain We need our brain to have the alarm system, we wouldn’t want to turn if off BUT higher level cortical functions help us moderate it Plasticity allows us to strengthen how the brain regulates Pruning gets rid of circuits we don’t use CASSIDY Negativity bias Attachment Startle response
33 Sending the brain a message of safetyCreating Safety Sending the brain a message of safety
34 The Power of Relationships YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE!Cultivating relationships which promote mental health
35 The Myth of SELF Regulationhttps://youtu.be/Wz1pnFBLZM4 Mirror neurons
36 We all have a primal need to
37 Family Mealtimes Schedule them if you have toNo technology, including answering the phone Structure the conversation, must be positive Devote one meal month to each family member (choice of meal, pick the positive conversation starter, and 1 affirmation)**identity development
38 Family Dinner
39 ….teach me HOW to calm down don’t just TELL me to…
40 Understanding the Triad S.O.S STOP….OBSERVE….SHIFTMIND Thoughts/Feelings Behaviors BRAIN/BODY Physiology
41 Shifting the Triad: Modifying thoughtsThoughts/Feelings Shilagh
42 Cognitive Reframing Adapted from: D. Bilsker, M. Gilbert, DCognitive Reframing Adapted from: D. Bilsker, M. Gilbert, D. Worling & E. J. Garland Situation Thoughts Thinking Error Realistic Thoughts All or Nothing Thinking Overgeneralization Disqualifying the positive Jumping to conclusions What proof do I have? Would most people agree with this thought? If not, what would be a more realistic thought? What would I say to a friend in a similar situation?
43 Self Compassion Not about judging ourselves positively, but a way of relating to ourselves kindly, embracing ourselves lovingly flaws and all
44 Gratitude and Joy Gratitude Lists Gratitude JournalJoy List/Joy Calendar Practice of Gratitude Affirmations
45 Changing our Response: Modifying PhysiologySensation/Physiology CASSIDY
46 Strategies: Take up SmokingJust kidding! Why this works: Taking a break physically from place/environment which generates stress Deep breathing Let’s practice… 4, 7, 8 Breathing
47 (free audio guided meditations)Mindfulness A seated meditation may be easiest OR a body scan Seated Body Scan MARC.ucla (Mindfulness Awareness Resource Centre) meditation recordings iTunes U Guided Mindfulness (free audio guided meditations)
48 Shifting the Triad: Modifying BehaviourShilagh
49 Importance of Sleep 2 types of sleep: Restorative sleep Non-restorative sleep Large increase in children, youth and adults getting primarily non restorative sleep… 3 primary factors: Lack of physical activity Blue Light Stress/Anxiety
50 Get the body moving (full range of motion activities, tension and release) Get outside~ Nature
51 Your role in supporting your childPractice stress reduction with your child Celebrate all aspects of your child—character, personality, school, work etc. Deliver messages of self compassion Get help if you feel their/your stress level is impacting you in ways you cannot manage Stress becomes a problem when you feel overwhelmed by the things that happen to you. You may feel “stressed out” when it seems there is too much to deal with all at once, and you are not sure how to handle it all. When you feel stressed, you usually have some physical symptoms. You can feel tired, get headaches, stomach upsets or backaches, clench your jaw or grind your teeth, develop skin rashes, have recurring colds or flu, have muscle spasms or nervous twitches, or have problems sleeping. Mental signs of stress include feeling pressured, having difficulty concentrating, being forgetful and having trouble making decisions. Emotional signs include feeling angry, frustrated, tense, anxious, or more aggressive than usual.
52 Who we are and how we engage in the world are much stronger predictors of how our children will do than what we know about parenting. The question isn’t are you parenting in the right way? The question is: Are you the adult you want your child to grow up to be? Brene Brown
53 Are you ready to change the lens?The Power of Positive Psychology
54 The 21 day Challenge Daily:Write down 3 new things you were grateful for that day Journal one positive experience Exercise Meditation One random act of kindness
55 WEB Resources Websites: Parents for Children's Mental Health Anxiety BC Anxiety BC Parent Toolkit Mind Your Mind Physical Activity Sleep Benefits Better Sleep for Children Better Sleep for Teens Screen Time Overview Healthy Screen Time Limits Healthy Eating and Mental Health Understanding Anxiety Parenting for Life Tip Sheet Parenting for Life Booklets.
56 BOOKS Building Emotional Intelligence (Linda Lantieri)Flourish (Dr. Seligman) The Mindful Child (Susan Kaiser Greenland) Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain (Daniel Siegal) The Highly Sensitive Child: Helping Our Children Thrive When the World Overwhelms Them (Elaine Aron) Keys to Parenting Your Anxious Child, (Dr. Katharina Manassis) Worried No More, Second Edition: Help and Hope for Anxious Children (Aureen Wagner) Freeing Your Child From Anxiety, (Tamar Chansky) Helping Your Anxious Child (Ronald M. Rapee)
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59 Questions? Susan