3 minute read
INTERVIEW WITH ALEX GEORGE
A lesson on thinking differently with... DR ALEX GEORGE
Primary Times gets some useful insights from Dr Alex George about the importance of encouraging children to take charge of their mental wellness.
Dr Alex George is known and loved by many for his honest and approachable take on how we should all care for our mental health. He’s currently the government-appointed Youth Mental Health Ambassador, which means it’s his job to help shape children’s mental health education and support in schools. Now he has wriמּ en his fi rst book for children, A Beמּ er Day, which was created to be a positive and practical guide for children to learn how they can care for their mental wellbeing with confi dence.
The book covers all kinds of relevant and helpful topics for children aged 9-11, arming them with the skills they’ll need to deal with everything from peer pressure to exam stress, online bullying and anxiety.
Dr Alex shares his thoughts about why he wrote this fantastic book…
“It’s easy to think of mental health in terms of just problems, or something that needs to be fi xed. I want us to think diff erently. It’s not all about people looking sad with a rain cloud looming over their heads. It’s also about feeling happy, relaxed and able to deal with any situation life throws at us. Mental health can mean lots of things, and by learning to connect with what’s going on inside our minds, we can turn it into a force for good. “As the Youth Mental Health Ambassador appointed by the Prime Minister, I’m determined to make a change for the beמּ er. None of us are born with an instruction manual that shows how to keep our minds in good shape. We have to get to grips with it as we grow up, and that can be challenging. “At the same time, I learned from experience that we don’t have to do this alone. Help and advice is always out there for us all, and not just for those moments when we’re fi nding life tough.
Dr Alex’s book isn’t just about reading good advice, it’s fi lled with practical exercises too!
A Beמּ er Day, Your Positive Mental Health Handbook is available to buy now in paperback for £9.99
A BREATHING EXERCISE FROM THE BOOK:
Primary Times were lucky to receive a extract from the book to show you one of the many helpful exercises you can try! ‘Some people fi nd that breathing exercises help to ease the symptoms of anxiety. This is because when you breathe deeply, it increases your oxygen levels and sends a message to your brain that tells it to relax. Breathing exercises don’t take very long and even beמּ er they can be done anywhere.
Here is one you can try:
1. With relaxed shoulders and your head upright, breathe in slowly and deeply through the nose. 2. Feel your lungs fi lling with air, then breathe out slowly through the mouth. 3. Purse your lips to be sure the air leaves nice and gently. 4. Repeat the process for a minute, or until you feel a sense of calm return.’
