Building mental health resilience & self-esteem at Southmead Primary School

primary school workshop Dec 14, 2022

Amazingly, Joel and Jade deliver our assemblies and workshops at as many as 5 schools each week! They work with pupils to build self-esteem and build mental health resilience. Today they were at Southmead Primary School in North Devon so we thought we'd share a few photos and the school's amazing feedback.

Jade wins BBC 'Make a Difference Awards'

award bbc youth mental health Nov 08, 2022

We're so happy to announce that Jade has WON the BBC Devon's 'Make a Difference Awards' in the category of Volunteer.

The judges picked Jade's work speaking to over 35,000 pupils at primary and secondary schools about mental health. She shares her own story and aims to be "the person I wish had spoken to me when I was at my lowest", to destigmatise mental health and encourage others that they can get through this difficult time.

You can hear the ceremony and Jade's acceptance speech here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/p0d8nsbg

If you're a Devon based school that would like Jade to visit then please get in touch.

https://www.youthmentalhealthfoundation.org/believe-in-yourself-school-assembly

A child's advice for parents who are separating/divorcing

divorce parenting Oct 13, 2022

Emily's parents separated when she was 10 years old (not her real name). It really affected her mental health, and she feels that she still carries the scars from that time today. So, I asked her for her thoughts and advice for parents who are going through a separation and how they can protect their own child or teen from the stress and trauma that often comes with this really difficult time.

Did they have a lot of arguments?

I didn’t really know, and if they did, it was when I wasn’t around. But I’m very glad they did it away from me because I hated to see them argue. My advice parents is to keep details especially around the separation private from your child. Unless it is essential to tell them certain things, so they have an understanding of what’s going on. Some things about the separation like why they broke up and how it happened were best kept a secret. Probably because at the time it would have changed my opinion about my parents. Also, some of the...

HOW DADS CAN SUPPORT THEIR KIDS RECOVERY FROM SELF-HARM

lived experience parenting self-harm Sep 15, 2022

Reposting of Dad.info's interview with our co-founder Joel Sutton.

When Joel’s daughter Jade walked out of a bathroom with cuts on her arms, his world collapsed beneath him.

However, what grew from the pain was his family’s learning how to support their daughter, which they turned into a foundation helping others.

Jade’s struggle

‘We were seeing lots of ADHD traits in Jade, lack of concentration and finding it difficult in classroom situations,’ explains Joel. ‘One afternoon Jade was lying on our trampoline just sobbing. It was a different cry we had never heard before- a gutteral sobbing. It turned out that at the age of 10 she was having a breakdown. She was saying ‘I’m stupid, I can’t keep going at school.’ The stress of trying to keep up with her friends had broken her.’

A private specialist diagnosed Jade with ADHD, and in a bid to support their daughter, the family moved to Devon for a specialist school....

Youth Mental Health day is on 19th September

mental health awareness mental health support mentalhealthrecovery self harming teen Sep 12, 2022

What is ?

Youth Mental Health Day encourages understanding and discussion of mental health in young people, enabling them to live happy and healthy lives all year round. Each year, the day aims to get young people, and those who support them, talking about how to improve mental health.

Thestory

Mental health concerns for young people have multiplied in recent times. Today, 1 in 6 5-16-year olds have a diagnosable mental health disorder, with 6 in 10 young people saying they are experiencing mental health difficulties such as anxiety, low mood, eating disorders, and self-harming behaviours. Yet only a third are able to access any effective treatment.

Though times continue to be difficult, Youth Mental Health Day is here to provide hope and positivity. By getting young people engaged in discussions and activities about how to improve their mental health, YMHD goes beyond raising awareness and breaking the stigma surrounding mental...

Listen to BBC Devon's interview of our 18 year old co-founder Jade

awards ceremony bbc mental health awareness Sep 08, 2022

Youth Mental Health Foundation

Listen to BBC Devon's interview of our 18 year old co-founder Jade

4:22

It was absolutely fantastic to be contacted by BBC Devon and be told our 18-year old co-founder, Jade, has reached the final three of their 'Make A Difference Awards' in the category of 'Volunteer'.

Since the age of 11, Jade has been visiting primary and secondary school to discuss her mental health troubles and recovery. Her mission is to build mental health resilience in her young audience and encourage them to ask for help if and when they need it. In her words "I want to be the person I wish had come and spoken to me when I was at my lowest".

Jade has now visited over 80 school, spoken to over 35,000 young people and founded the Youth Mental Health Foundation!

Best of luck at the awards ceremony on Thursday 15th September. By reaching the BBC's final 3 you are already a huge winner.

Jade reaches final 3 of BBC Devon's 'Make A Difference' Award

mental health awareness mentalhealthblog mentalhealthrecovery self harm support self harming teen teen teen anxiety teen self harm teen stress Sep 08, 2022

Great news - our 18 year old co-founder Jade, got a call from the BBC a short time ago and was told she's in the final three for their 'Make A Difference' Awards in the category of 'Volunteer of the Year'!

They interviewed her on radio and the we're all going to the big glitzy awards ceremony on Thurs 15th.

The award is in recognition of her visiting over 80 schools over the past 5 years and speaking to over 35,000 young people about mental health.

We're so proud

#GoJade

Why Should We Talk About Mental Health?

childhood trauma cptsd depression mental health awareness mental health support mentalhealthblog mentalhealthrecovery parents ptsd self harm support social anxiety teen teen anxiety teen depression teen self harm teen stress traumahealing traumarecovery May 25, 2022

Why Should We Talk About Mental Health?

Here are 5 reasons why it's important to break the stigma around mental health.

'Mental Health Awareness' is becoming a popular term, with society shifting towards a more open and accepting stance on mental health. Social media has been a powerful platform for people to be able to share their experiences, learn about mental health conditions, and connect with others online, all behind the security of a screen.

Whilst we have come a long way since the days of repression, inhuman mental asylums, and bizarre and shocking diagnoses and treatments, we still have a long way to go. Shame, fear, anxiety, negative beliefs, and misinformation are just a few of the many roadblocks to openly and comfortably talking about what's going on in our minds and our bodies. The weight of historical baggage still hangs heavy upon our collective unconscious and feeds into our modern-day perception and education around mental health and...

C-PTSD Recovery: Deconstructing Fear.

c-ptsd childhood trauma fear mental health awareness mentalhealthblog mentalhealthrecovery phobia May 17, 2022

In this post, I explore how fear shapes my experience of c-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder). I argue that by acknowledging our deepest fears and phobias, and by recognising the role that they play in our everyday life (most especially in our interactions with ourselves and others), we can begin to break the subconscious cycle of trauma reactions, deconstructing, processing, and eventually recovering from the experience of trauma.

Flashbacks, dissociation, and panic attacks are perhaps the best-known symptoms of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) and C-PTSD (complex post-traumatic stress disorder). What lies at the heart of these conditions, as well as many other mental health conditions, is one of the most overwhelming human emotions: fear.

This post aims to dig a little deeper into my own experience of these symptoms, picking out some of my most prevalent fears which feed the cycle of withdrawal, avoidance, re-experiencing trauma, and suffering from...

Leaving for University: how do I help my teen cope?

mental health support parents teen university Apr 04, 2022

Change is challenging. Teenagers can feel like many things in their life are changing at the same time which is very unsettling… their bodies, friendships, moving from school to uni or a first job, their relationship with you. And facing these life transitions can be a great source of anxiety.

So here are some of my tips for how you can make the transition of leaving for Uni easier for your teen…and for you!

Prepare for changes

Make sure to both think through any life transitions that are around the corner for your teen. Envisaging what is going to change will make the transition smoother for them. For example, looking up online about the university course I was going to do and getting all the practical things ready for moving into my new place massively reduced my anxiety and fear of the unknown. You can even make it into a fun activity! Visualising, discussing and getting excited about the change is a good way to distract your teen. Obviously, when they start to...

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