Wellbeing Programs in Schools
Wellbeing is the foundation of every child's good functioning, whether academic, social or sporting
Most school students have dealt, or deal with, anxiety, stress, depression and other psychological distress. At a young age your mental and physical well-being is as important as ever, and when you don’t have the skills to navigate the pressures of your psychological health, it can send you into a downward spiral.
Our wellbeing programs are designed to empower students to be proactive with their health and wellbeing, and taking a holistic approach that also engages parents to have a comprehensive approach when their children demonstrate signs of poor wellbeing.
The truth is, wellbeing and mental health isn’t something you can perfect, but you can develop skills that help you navigate with confidence. At Healthy Minds, we’ve done the scientific research to understand the ingredients behind a strong mindset and the skills needed to manage your wellbeing successfully.
Success is more than just academic achievement.
It's a direct result of children applying good life skills for a happy future as adults, not just for good grades.
We combine psychological skills training with a pragmatic, integrated model of mental health to bring about a culture of wellbeing in your school.
Our programs have a sound scientific evidence base on how to prevent psychological disorders such as anxiety and depression.
We have had a positive impact on thousands of students, staff, and parents at many leading state and independent schools across Australia.
Our programs are always delivered by registered psychologists and trained facilitators with clinical and group training expertise.
Our Program
Our program is designed to target the key pillars of a students life (themselves, their parents and their teachers). Ultimately, educating the adults around them helps to shape their educational experience and ensure that their wellbeing is supported by the people around them.
So, our program is divided into:
Students
Our program teaches students emotional regulations, stress management and how to regulate their thinking patterns so they navigate their academic and social lives with positivity and confidence.
Staff
We equip teachers with the tools to teach mentally healthy classrooms and foster positive conservations, whilst also managing their own wellbeing.
Parents
Through evening seminars or resources, we teach parents how to implement positive wellbeing language at home to reinforce growth for the students.
Integrate into pastoral care time or HPE
Taught by specially trained psychologist-facilitators plus your own school staff, the 8-week program involves one lesson per week, and fits into the Health or Personal Development curriculum of each school's Year 7 or 8 class schedule, or can be integrated into pastoral care time.
Prevent and reduce the risk of psychological disorders
The thinking skills that prevent or reduce risk for depression, anxiety, eating disorders & body image problems can be taught and learned. Our programs help school children to understand and navigate their emotional lives by teaching psychological flexibility, realistic thinking, self-compassion, and many other practical tools.
Reduce the risk of burnout in high-performing students
Contrary to popular belief, some types of perfectionism actually inhibit success and achievement. We teach children how 'unhelpful perfectionism' plays a troublesome role in mental health, achievement, and general quality of life.
Impart skills and tools for life while they are at school
The Healthy Minds schools program gives students the skills and tools to understand and deal with procrastination, challenge the unrealistic media ideals that promote body-image dissatisfaction (which can lead to disordered eating and depression), cultivate gratitude as an everyday perspective (shown to improve sleep, immune system function, and happiness), and the motivational techniques that change problem behaviours into helpful, healthy, and high-performance behaviours.
The Healthy Minds Approach
Our framework is clinically proven to improve student’s approach to their wellbeing. Our very own Dr Tom Nehmy developed the methodology, ensuring that our program is structured and rooted in clinical psychology.
The key concepts of the Healthy Minds approach include:
01
The Helpful Thinking Process
Our well-being program teaches students how to reframe their negative thoughts into constructive thoughts and build cognitive resilience to help them overcome challenging situations.
02
The Wellbeing Wheel
Our holistic framework links all the elements that individuals need to build positive and strong personal wellbeing.
How We Tailor Our Training To Your Environment
It’s all well and good to understand the basis of wellbeing means and how this can help you navigate challenging emotions and periods of heightened stress, but the real challenge is in applying wellbeing techniques to your daily life.
We roll out our wellbeing programs to schools where psychosocial hazards are most prominent. For instance, implementing well-being programs in schools helps students benefit from mental resilience skills, reducing burnout, and improving conflict resolution to improve team building and social abilities.
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Woodcroft College in Adelaide’s southern suburbs has been an accredited Healthy Minds school since 2016. Originally working closely with the Year 8s (and other levels with booster sessions), Woodcroft College and Dr Tom Nehmy agreed to switch to a Year 7 focus. Healthy Minds has supported multiple all-school staff training days, parent workshops within the Junior School, and has become a major component of Woodcroft College’s approach to wellbeing.
Watch this video of Head of Middle School, Mr Tom Charlton, talking about the school’s experience.
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Brisbane Girls Grammar School is one of the Australia’s leading girls’ schools. In 2020, they sought to implement a comprehensive and evidence-based approach to student wellbeing with a focus on prevention and skills building. That year we commenced a partnership that has run annually since, including staff training days, parent evenings, weekly facilitated presentations to the Year 8 girls across two terms, and booster sessions for other year levels. Our Brisbane-based facilitator Laura Eyles has become a familiar face around the school as our years-long partnership continues.
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Casterton Secondary College in Victoria is approximately 70kms from Hamilton in Western Victoria. As an early adopter of the Victorian government’s Mental Health Menu, they identified Healthy Minds as an approved, broad student wellbeing program rated in the top tier of evidence quality. Healthy Minds’ impact on the school has also extended to the surrounding district, with Dr Tom Nehmy being invited to present several community wellbeing seminars.
Why Choose HealthyMinds?
We leave the therapy to the professionals, providing you instead with development programs and training that equip you with skills to succeed in the workplace and wider settings. Our training programs aren’t designed to inspire or motivate you, but equip you with real skills and tools that you can adopt and practice in your private life.
We use scientifically-proven information and data to validate our mental resilience principles and ensure that you see the improvements you need. At HealthyMinds, we frequently roll out our wellbeing programs to workplaces and schools, ensuring that large groups of people are aware of how to consciously take control of their well-being and mental abilities.
Healthy Minds is a program you can trust.
Independently reviewed by Beyond Blue's Be You Programs Directory and classified as having the highest evidence rating of 4/4. We are also listed in the VIC Mental Health Menu and NSW Mental Health Menu.
Become an Accredited Healthy Minds School
We offer an accreditation process which maintains quality practices and adoption of the latest developments in corporate mental health. By becoming an accredited Healthy Minds school, you provide your students with the skills and knowledge to be their best, and establish your school as a leader in student wellbeing.
Here are some of the schools we have helped.
Teacher Participant
"Wow. As good as any PD I have been involved in over the duration of my 30-year career. This would be extremely valuable for colleagues and staff. In fact, this workshop would help our school move forward."
Student Participant
"It was extremely helpful and one of the best experiences of my life”
Manage Your Wellbeing With Healthy Minds
The difference with Healthy Minds is that we aren’t offering you therapy. Our approach is focused on providing you with development programs that help you get ahead of the curve and build skills that will help you succeed when you are faced with stressful periods or complex emotions. By starting with students, we’re equipping them with the skills they need to succeed in life before they’ve encountered any challenges.
Contact us today, and we’ll help implement our training in your educational setting. We offer workshops, live webinars, or digital self-paced courses, so there’s something for everyone. Our directors Nick Lee and Tom Nehmy are happy to speak with you.
FAQ’s (Frequently Asked Questions)
Are well-being programs just for people struggling with stress and mental health?
No! Our wellbeing programs are for everyone. It equips you with the skills to navigate future stress and prevent emotional disregulation.
How long does it take to see the benefits?
Particular techniques or methods can provide you with immediate relief and support when you’re in periods of stress. But with our training program, consistency is key. So, by regularly practising our skills and approaches, you’ll build long-term resilience and clarity that you can use moving forward in all aspects of your life.