Where is the line?
GUEST POST BY HEADSTRONG EDUCATION IN TRAINING
Veronika Chidemo and Lisa Jones are co-founders of HeadStrong Training in Education. Check out their ‘Coaching Culture in Education’ webinar with our co founder Quinn Simpson.
When talking about mental health with staff and students, how do we know when a supportive conversation would benefit from a coaching approach? When is it appropriate to give support, advice and encourage to seek further support from professionals?
These are questions we are asked all the time. Holding non-judgemental space for a young person or a colleague can quickly turn into a conversation, during which some information might be shared that raises our alarm bells. With increasing awareness in schools of the importance of early interventions with any mental health and wellbeing concerns, it is crucial school staff are clear on what to do when a young person or a colleague shows signs of experiencing poor mental health. Knowing our boundaries is key, and as teachers, our roles should not be mistaken for being therapists, counsellors, psychologists, and mental health professionals.
A CULTURE OF MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING
In an ideal world, schools’ cultures are rooted in mental health and wellbeing awareness, which create an environment where mental health is openly talked about. This in turn, reduces any stigma associated with mental health, which is one of the main reasons young people and adults are reluctant to seek support at the earliest opportunity. Remember, mental health is NOT mental illness. Mental health is about keeping ourselves well and that includes physically, emotionally and neurologically, as everything is connected.
Our mental health and wellbeing exist on a continuum, and it is common to experience feelings of low mood, anxiety and overwhelm. These feelings may be there for several reasons and from both internal and external factors. Feelings of stress and anxiety are a useful physical and mental function to keep us safe and/or spur us into action, for example.
IT’S OK TO TALK
Conversations around mental health might include discussing feelings and emotions, ways to self-regulate, recognising symptoms of stress and individual triggers, how to use helpful coping strategies, understanding how our brains, minds and bodies work together and so on.
A coaching approach to helping a young person or a colleague to understand potential barriers to prioritising their mental health and to help unlock their potential to grow into their power is a vital skill to help build self-esteem, confidence and resilience. The aim of these conversations is to empower the individual.
As with any conversation like this, it must always be permission based. For example, some people may just want to vent and offload, others may want to be coached on the subject matter, others may want a gentle ear to listen. It’s important to establish how best you can help first – this can be done by asking a simple question such as ‘what do you need from me right now/in this moment?’ or ‘how can I best support you with this?.’
WHERE IS THE LINE?
If a colleague or young person talks about feelings of depression, anxiety, low mood, that have persisted in severity over a period of time (2 weeks or more) and have impacted on their day-to-day experiences of their usual life, and/or they mention self-harm, suicidal feelings or abuse for example, of course correct signposting and following your school’s safeguarding procedure is a must. If a harm, it is also important to ensure that they understand that confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, and the priority is keeping them safe.
Should it transpire at any point of the conversation that our vis-à-vis is in crisis and/or is dysregulated, it is key we provide first-line assistance straight away. This might involve performing physical first aid, ringing 999, as well as mental health first aid by co-regulating with them, for example through breathing exercises, movement, such as going for a walk and talk, or any other grounding exercises they might find useful. Staying calm and having a reassuring tone in our voices will go a long way too, to help coming back to a neutral space.
A basic rule to follow is that if you feel the young person or colleague needs more specialist support, that is the time to signpost. It is recommended to have a list of resources/helplines/organisations to hand to be able to signpost accordingly.
If you would like to know more about training on Mental Health Awareness, we would love to chat. Get in touch – hello@headstrongtrainingineducation.co.uk
Veronika and Lisa are an Educator and Psychotherapist duo, who have co-founded HeadStrong Training in Education, with the aim to bringing Mental Health Awareness to the heart of education.
