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You and your mental health

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Welcome to You and Your Mental Health, where you’ll find lots of information about what mental health is, how to learn more about yourself and top tips to look after your wellbeing.

Mental Health is something we all have, it encompasses our social, emotional and psychological wellbeing, affecting how we think, feel, act and cope with stress.

It is absolutely normal for our mental health to fluctuate, life pressures, hormones, relationships, and exams can all contribute to this. We can all struggle from time to time, but just remember that there are so many ways we can help ourselves and support we can get if we need it.

Being able to handle the challenges life throws at us can sometimes feel like a big mountain to climb to feel better, but it doesn’t have to be! 

Top Tips for looking after your wellbeing:

The more you learn about yourself, the easier it is to look after your wellbeing. What activities do you enjoy, where do you feel calm and safe, who do you feel comfortable to talk to. Here at Just Talk, we want to help you explore the answers to those questions and help you build a tool kit of supports and coping mechanisms to help you when you need it.

Weekly Gratitude Journal (PDF 2.97MB)

Self Help and Support Guidance: (PDF 3.63MB)

The Just Talk Journal: My Just Talk Journal (PDF 2.21MB)

It is easy to stick to what we know and not look wider at new activities, opportunities and ways of connecting. But did you know that there is a fast way to find out what goes on in your local area? Keeping active and connecting with others can be so powerful in supporting our overall wellbeing. Have a look what is local to you using the activity Finder: Activity finder.

Guidance for young people on what to do if someone tells you they’re NOT OK (PDF 139KB)

 

5 Ways to Wellbeing:

Research shows that there are simple actions that help us to feel good: Connect, be active, keep learning, take notice and give. They’re called the Five Ways to Wellbeing.

Embedding these five things into your daily/ weekly life as much as you can is a great way to look after your emotional wellbeing.

Find out more about wellbeing and easy ways to improve your mood:

For primary school age

For secondary school age

 

Early Help:

If you’re experiencing difficulties, feelings of anxiety or low mood, or while you are adjusting to changes in life you could talk to your parent, carer, teacher or Mental Health Lead at your school, or your GP.  There are also lots of services in Hertfordshire offering support.

Information on where to find support for young people in Hertfordshire.

Just Talk listens to challenges young people face and has information to help all year round. We create tools and resources in response to your concerns, and in collaboration with young people, to make sure they suit your needs. Find advice and support for your worries

Did you know that Hertfordshire’s commissioned services have a host of free resources for you to access and support your wellbeing? Check out WithYouth’s wellbeing resources here Mental health resources - WithYouth and The SandBox’s wellbeing resources here Resource Zone | The Sandbox

 

Parents and schools

Information for parents and carers

Understanding mental health and what it means to you as an individual can be both daunting and confusing. By helping young people learn how to look after their wellbeing in a way that is beneficial to them as individuals is extremely powerful. It can helping them to better manage and cope in stressful situations, and prevent their experiences from worsening. JustTalk are here to support you on this journey of wellbeing with your child/young person.

If your child is feeling low, anxious, or generally struggling, there are lots of services available to help, all year round. Information on where to get help

You can find lots of information and services catered to parents and carers on our advice page.

It can be really hard to know what to do when your child tells you they are not okay, we have created guidance to support you through this.

When your child/ Young person is in a heightened state, it can be challenging to know how is best to support them. Helping them to regulate and return back to a state of calm is so powerful and can then allow you to have further conversations around what they were feeling and come to find solutions together. For some ideas on grounding activities, click this worksheet Calming and Grounding Worksheet (PDF 198KB)

Just Talk Validating Feelings (PDF 143KB)

Did you know there is also support in Hertfordshire to support your wellbeing?

Remember we all have mental health, and we can all struggle from time to time, particularly when trying to support children and loved ones with their wellbeing.

Here are some Top Tips on how to support your mental health (PDF 3.20MB)

There are services ready to support you with your mental wellbeing, find out more here (PDF 3.06MB)

Regardless of what is bothering you, Hertfordshire have a multitude of services in place to provide guidance, advice and support. From finances to bereavement, you can find out more here Advice and support for your mental wellbeing

Videos with further information around services and support:

Information for schools, colleges and other professionals working with young people

Helping young people understand what mental health is, what it looks like for them and how to look after their wellbeing in a way that is beneficial to them as individuals is extremely powerful in helping them to manage and cope in stressful situations and prevent their experiences from worsening. Below are some resources that can support you in this journey with your students.

Activities to do in school:

• e-learning module
• Interactive Five Ways to wellbeing Journal (PDF 2MB) (following the E-Learning)

  • Primary Diversity Iceberg (PDF 313KB)  - an activity for Primary students, to help Young people explore their emotions and what might be going on for them that could be building up.
  • Just Talk Week 2022 Helping Hands Poster (PDF 148KB) – an activity for primary students, to give suggestions/advice / support to others who might be struggling with their wellbeing.
  • Stress bucket activity (PDF 249KB) – an activity for primary students, to help Young people explore their emotions and what might be going on for them that could be building up.
  • Stress Bucket (PDF 38KB) – an activity for secondary students, to help Young people explore their emotions and what might be going on for them that could be building up.

 

Posters for printing and displaying in your settings: https://we.tl/t-BaPVePWjyd

Signposting and referrals: it can feel daunting knowing where to refer a young person for support with their mental health. But in Hertfordshire we have a breadth of services commissioned to help. Check out Hertfordshire’s interactive service directory, to find the best options for the young person you are supporting  CYPMHS Service Directory - SW

Email us at JustTalk@hertfordshire.gov.uk if you need any of the documents on this page in a different format.