THE MIND BULLY: EQUIPPING STUDENTS WITH THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT THEIR MIND

Asurvey completed published by Place2Be and the National Association of Head Teachers in February 2022 found that mental health problems amongst pupils had significantly increased since the start of the academic year, with higher incidences of low selfesteem, depression and constant feelings of anger.

There is clearly an urgent need to establish a culture of positive mental health in schools and set students up with the skills they need to cultivate emotional resilience, self-esteem and a secure sense of personal identity. Good quality, evidencebased early intervention strategies are key to prevent the further rise of mental health needs in children and adolescents.

The Mind Bully: Mental Health Workshops for Primary & Secondary Schools

The Rooms of Knutsford and ACTivate Workshops have partnered to develop a uniquely interactive workshop, informed by evidence-based practice, helping children better understand and manage feelings of anxiety. The workshop is facilitated by a Senior Cognitive Behavioural Therapist and an experienced facilitator from ACTivate Workshops, combining therapeutic principles with imaginative, engaging and interactive group-based activities. This workshop uniquely blends CBT theory with creative, interactive role-playing. The objective here is for students to learn specific strategies and skills to develop an understanding of their own mental health, whilst enjoying collaborating with their peers and classmates in an exciting, immersive experience.

The creative frame-work for the workshop involves students acquiring specific skills relating to anxiety management to go in their ‘toolkit’, whilst navigating through a “training zone” with various “levels”. Each imaginary door inside the training zone opens to reveal a specific real-life scenario that might be commonly experienced by children and young people. The two facilitators (representing both The Rooms and ACTivate Workshops) adopt the roles of the “Professor” and the “Tour Guide”, guiding participants through each stage of the journey. The workshop culminates in a group reflection and students are guided through the implementation of a specific, personalised plan to put their newly learned skills into practice in future scenarios.

According to the clinical guidelines set out by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE), Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) has some of the strongest evidence in terms of outcomes when supporting young people with anxiety and depression. Key principles include fostering a sense of acceptance for some of the ways we feel and balancing this with the use of skills to change the way emotions affect us. From a therapeutic perspective, translating the theoretical principles into interactive, memorable and engaging activities is key when developing a strong effective therapeutic relationship with children. Whilst the workshop should not be considered “group-therapy”, it has been created in line with the process of delivering therapy on an individual basis with young people. Fundamental elements such as rapport building, psychoeducation, thought-based and behavioural skill development are at the heart of sessions delivered. All materials are provided, including post-workshop resources for teachers and each participant receives a personal certificate to mark their journey through the workshop.

Contact: www.activateworkshops.co.uk enquiries@ activateworkshops.co.uk +447506 680 705 www.theroomsofknutsford.co.uk enquiries@theroomsofknutsford.co.uk +447751 217 845