Mental Health & Well-Being: Starting Conversations about our Well-Being

Together for Mental Health: Everyone, Everyday

Developing positive mental health is important to academic achievement and overall well-being.

Talking to an adult when you are struggling with something is important but sometimes this can be hard to do. If you need to share something with someone and don’t know how to start, why not try writing a letter. Begin by writing down what has been bothering you and how long this has been going on, and then add in how you are feeling and how you would like this person to help you. It doesn’t have to be long, but it’s a way to get help and start the conversation.

 Parent/Guardian/Caregiver Information

Having open dialogue with our children is one way that we can promote positive mental health. If you are unsure how to start a conversation about mental health and well-being in your household, consider using one of our conversation starters. Using How Do You Feel Today?, the Feelings Wheel or a Feelings Thermometer to check how your kids are feeling throughout the day can be a great way to start conversations. They can start out the morning by saying how they are feeling on the feeling thermometer – ready to go, happy, etc. and when they get home from school or settle to bed for the night. If their thermometer rating is high then you can have a conversation with them about what they need right now to bring the thermometer level back down. This can also be a useful activity for adolescents who may have a hard time expressing how they feel.