Mental Health

Joanna Feast is an education consultant specialising in PSHE and wellbeing culture and is the founder and director of Epiphany ETC Ltd. A former mental health worker, teacher and school improvement adviser, she has worked in education and public health for over 26 years.

“An excellent guide to good practice in mental health education, grounded in theory and context.”Dr Jenny McWhirter, Independent Researcher and Author.

• Chapter 1Introduction; Getting the most out of this book; PSHE: the subject and its parameters; Universal and targeted PSHE; Knowledge and understanding, skills, attitudes and values; Health Education; Why is health education important in the context of learning? ; Healthy or healthier? ; What is mental health? ; Defining mental health; Mental health and learning; Mental health and brain development; Understanding and meeting needs for mental health; Maslow’s theory of need; Taking an evidence-based approach to mental health and PSHE; An evidence-based approach to PSHE; Establishing a safe and positive PSHE learning environment; Effective teaching and learning in PSHE, according to the evidence; External contributors in PSHE; PSHE and assemblies; Using evidence and guidance in PSHE; Guidance to set the scene; The Public Health approach – working ‘upstream’; What is the longer-term impact of working upstream? ; Viewing life through a pupil lens; Values in PSHE; Different levels of prior knowledge; A whole-school approach to mental health; What is involved in a whole-school approach to mental health? ; From the macro to the micro; What makes up the macro? ; What’s involved in the micro? ; Regulation; The window of tolerance; What can help when someone is outside the window of tolerance? ; Window of tolerance and mental health; Bringing it together; Emotional literacy, PSHE and mental health; What are the steps to building emotional literacy? ; Language and mental health: ‘Mad’ headlines; Trauma-sensitive language; ‘We were never meant to do it alone’; Your way of being; Commonalities and individualities; Health-related behaviour change; Why might we need to re-think health-related behaviour?; Explaining health-related behaviour in children; Explaining children’s behaviour in terms of trauma; Theories of behaviour change; The Stages of Behaviour Change (Transtheoretical Model); The Locus of Control Theory; Links to universal and targeted PSHE; Teaching around and about mental health; Understanding the ‘micro’ of mental health and how this translates to the PSHE classroom; How does this translate to the PSHE classroom? ; Sink or swim? ; Mental health for staff and the wider school community; How can adults better care for their mental health? ; Using a coaching model to support better mental health; Sources of support for adult mental health concernsChapter 2Effective teaching and learning in PSHE; Setting the scene for effective teaching and learning in PSHE; What does effective PSHE look like?; Who? What? When? Where? How? ; Distancing techniques; Examples of distancing techniques; Reframed language and questions (and what not to say); Answering questions from pupils; Engagement, not entertainment; Eliciting pupil opinion; Inclusivity of content; Inclusivity of language; Assessment in PSHE; Safeguarding; Work alongside parents/carers; Signposting for teachers’ continuing professional development (CPD)Lesson plansAge 11-14The connection between mind and bodyMental health and my emotionsKeeping myself safe and promoting mental healthChange and mental healthBeing connected to myself and to othersSkills for life – promoting and protecting my mental healthAge 14-16The language of mental health and emotions (emotional literacy)Recognising and managing the early signs of mental illnessHow mental illness can affect people and how to promote mental healthThe effects of our actions on our own and others’ mental healthMental health and identityMental health and life eventsAge 16-18Understanding health-related behaviour and mental healthReframing the language of mental healthRelationships and mental healthMental health, work and moneyManaging mental health during changeMental health: now and in the futureTutor time activitiesTutor time activities for Age 11-14Self-awareness for mental healthPractical ways to support mental health: breathingPractical ways to support mental health: food and drinkPractical ways to support mental health: movement and physical activityPractical ways to support mental health: positive affirmationsPractical ways to support mental health: sleepTutor time activities for Age 14-16Self-awareness for mental healthPractical ways to support mental health: breathingPractical ways to support mental health: food and drinkPractical ways to support mental health: movement and physical activityPractical ways to support mental health: positive affirmationsPractical ways to support mental health: sleepTutor time activities for Age 16-18Self-awareness for mental healthPractical ways to support mental health: breathingPractical ways to support mental health: food and drinkPractical ways to support mental health: movement and physical activityPractical ways to support mental health: positive affirmationsPractical ways to support mental health: sleepAppendix 1: Using External Contributors Effectively and Safely