School Talks

School staff experience much of the burden of care regarding many of the rising mental health concerns in young people.

I have presented many talks and workshops over the last 20 years to staff as professional development and also to parents in evening events. I will have a conversation with executive staff beforehand to ensure that it is tailored to your school culture and any issues that particularly need addressing. For example, I have delivered the talks below with a focus on grief or bullying or dealing with suicide, and can integrate theological perspectives for faith-based schools.

  • This talk looks at hope with a particular focus on the struggles young people are having at the moment to experience it. It explores the four elements of Hope - a belief in meaningful possibilities, coping well while poised to act, nurturing relationships of hope and generating glimpses of our hopes- which have been demonstrated to correlate strongly with wellbeing. We will also examine “what gets in the way” of being hopeful for younger generations and what the adults in their lives can do about this.

  • School staff are at the intersection of three intense and dynamic emotional subsystems: colleagues, students and parents. Using a Bowen Family Systems approach, we will address, ‘How to best set healthy boundaries in each of these subsystems’, ‘Getting clear on my responsibilities (how to not over-function)’ and ‘Common issues that deplete self care and how to overcome these’.

  • We will address the recent developments and treatment for highly prevalent diagnoses in young people (including anxiety, depression, addictions and ADHD) and how to avoid burnout while supporting them.

  • These two common issues faced by young people are having a growing and devastating impact on mental health. Understanding the recent science and exploring practical strategies for managing these newly emerging but troubling behaviours.