Looking After Mental Health S1

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Looking After Mental Health

Keep the opening calm and reassuring. Explain that mental health is about feelings, thoughts, and coping, and that everyone has mental health just like everyone has physical health.

Glossary

mental health - how we feel, think, and cope each day

wellbeing - feeling as well and comfortable as we can

calm - feeling settled in body and mind

happy - feeling pleased or enjoying something

ready to learn - feeling able to start, listen, and try

routine - the usual order that things happen in

support - help from a person, tool, or strategy

Our learning goal

I can recognise why looking after my mental health is important and identify activities that help me feel calm, happy, and ready to learn.

One thing that helps you feel calm

Use this as a gentle starter. Accept single words or short phrases such as music, quiet, drawing, routine, break, or breathing.

What is mental health?

Mental health is about:

• how we feel

• how we think

• how we cope with things each day

It can change from day to day.

Use simple examples such as feeling worried before a task, happy at break time, or tired after a busy morning. Avoid heavy clinical language.

Everyone has mental health

Mental health is not only about being unwell.

Everyone has mental health.

Looking after it can help us feel safer, calmer, and more comfortable in school and at home.

A common misconception is that mental health only means mental illness. Correct this gently and clearly.

Why it matters

When we look after our mental health, it can help us:

• focus better

• ask for help

• feel more settled

• be ready to learn

Link this directly to everyday classroom life: listening, joining in, finishing a task, and managing change.

Feelings give us clues

Our body and mind can tell us when we need support.

We might notice:

• a busy mind

• a tight tummy

• feeling cross or upset

• wanting quiet time

Present these as clues, not problems. Some autistic learners may recognise body signals more easily than emotion words.

Calm, happy, ready to learn

These feelings can look different for different people.

• Calm: body feels settled

• Happy: enjoying the moment

• Ready to learn: able to listen, try, or start

Emphasise that there is no single right way to look calm or happy. Some learners may show feelings in different ways.

Which sentence is true?

A

Only unwell people have mental health

B

Mental health never changes

C

Everyone has mental health

D

Mental health is only feelings

Checks the key misconception from slides 2 to 6: mental health is about feelings, thoughts, and coping, and everyone has it.

Complete the ideas

Mental health is about how we feel, how we think, and how we cope each day. Looking after it can help us feel more settled and ready to learn.

feel

cope

settled

sleep

run

noisy

happy

The blanks use key vocabulary directly taught in the first block.

Which clue might show someone needs support?

1

Busy mind

2

Big lunch

3

New pencil

4

Fast shoes

What can affect mental health?

Some everyday things can make feelings easier or harder.

• sleep

• noise

• change

• friendships

• too much stress

Keep this practical and concrete. You can mention sensory overload, unexpected changes, or feeling lonely as examples.

Small actions can help

Looking after mental health often means doing small helpful things regularly.

These actions do not remove every problem, but they can help us feel more in control and more comfortable.

This is an important transition slide: students move from understanding importance to identifying supportive actions.

Activities that help us feel calm

Different calming activities work for different people.

Examples:

• breathing slowly

• sitting in a quiet space

• listening to soft music

• using a fiddle toy

Make clear that preferred calming tools vary. Avoid suggesting that one strategy suits everyone.

More ways to feel calm

Other calming choices may include:

• drawing or colouring

• having a short movement break

• using a weighted item if it helps

• following a familiar routine

If weighted items are mentioned, keep it general and appropriate to the setting. The point is familiar sensory supports, not specialist advice.

Activities that help us feel happy

Feeling happy can support wellbeing.

Helpful activities might be:

• spending time on a favourite interest

• talking to someone we trust

• playing a game

• doing something we enjoy

For autistic learners, favourite interests can be an important and valid source of comfort and joy.

Activities that help us get ready to learn

Some actions help us prepare for learning.

• check the timetable

• get the right equipment

• know what happens first

• have a calm start

Stress predictability and preparation. This links wellbeing directly to learning readiness.

Choosing what works for you

A helpful strategy is one that supports you.

Think about:

• What helps my body feel settled?

• What helps my mind feel clear?

• What helps me start learning?

Although the slide contains reflective prompts, keep delivery concrete. Offer examples rather than expecting abstract answers.

Support from other people

Looking after mental health also means knowing who can help.

Support might come from:

• a teacher

• a teaching assistant

• family

• a trusted adult

Reassure learners that asking for help is a strength, not a failure.

Mental health in everyday life

Looking after mental health can become part of a routine.

For example:

quiet time → calmer body → better focus

clear routine → less worry → easier start

Use the arrow format because the causal chain is the key teaching point here.

Which is most likely to help someone feel calm?

A

Soft music

B

Too much noise

C

More stress

D

Sudden change

Draw attention to the difference between things that affect mental health and actions that can support it.

Choose the helpful words

Small actions can help mental health. A quiet space or slow breathing can help someone feel calm. Checking the timetable can help a person feel ready to learn. Talking to someone you trust can help wellbeing too.

space

timetable

trust

noise

surprise

rush

stress

This echoes slides 8 to 15: calm strategies, learning readiness, and support from other people.

Which activity could help you most at college?

Expected answer elements: one personal strategy from the lesson and a simple reason, for example quiet space helps me settle, timetable helps me know what happens first, or drawing helps me feel calm.

What is one thing you learned today?

Reflection only. Encourage short, concrete answers linked to the lesson content.