Children's Mental Health Blog

The University of California notes that “Wellness is much more than merely physical health, exercise or nutrition. It is the full integration of states of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.” In other words, our mental health is interconnected with our physical and spiritual health. Because these states are interrelated, there are also similarities in how we can care for ourselves. Here are ten ways to improve your wellness generally, and specifically your mental health:

The other day I was watching TV when a commercial advertising back-to-school shopping came on. I couldn’t believe it—back to school already! It feels like summer just started!

People are relationship driven; it is a biological human need. And how we relate to others is based in large part on how we were taught to relate to our family members. I like to think that we all do the best we can with the skills we have. The more we know, the more skills we have and the better we can do. This is something I learned from author Maya Angelou and it makes a lot of sense to me.

We all feel angry sometimes, and most of the time we can find healthy ways to deal with feelings of anger or frustration. Anger is a completely natural human emotion; it is a feeling that tells us when something may be wrong and is a natural response to threat.

Adolescence is a time of significant change. The body is growing and maturing, hormones are surging and the brain is still developing. In addition, the social environment is changing as our teenagers explore growing independence, focus more on friends, and face decisions about their future.

Teenagers often have the idea that summer is for relaxing, staying up late and sleeping in, and doing whatever they want, when they want. For a short time, this vacation routine is fine and allows them to rest, relax and unwind.

With Victoria Day around the corner, many are looking forward to the BBQ and fireworks celebrations. However, many children can struggle with the sights, sounds and general excitement of these celebrations.

Typically teachers work alone in a classroom. We are in charge of a group of young people and while we have colleagues we work closely with at our school, ultimately, when we are teaching, we are the only adult in the room.

There is an old expression that you should “walk a mile in my shoes.” It encourages us to consider things from someone else’s perspective. I have read some exciting literature that gives us that very opportunity as we try to understand individuals with Autism.

We often hear about the trouble teenagers can get into using the internet and social media. However, there are also some very beneficial uses of the internet and social media that support mental health.