Consider this: Boats don’t sink because of the water around them; boats sink because of the water that gets into them. In some way or another, we all have water seeping in—physically and mentally!
Our mental health can be summarized as a sense of well-being and safety, an awareness that we all have positive abilities, we can cope with the typical stressors of life, we can be productive, and we can contribute. Unfortunately, our mental health tends to suffer during the holidays. The National Alliance on Mental Illness notes that 64% of individuals living with a mental illness felt that their conditions worsened around the holidays.
Students need your help, especially when so much is out of their control (e.g., poverty, divorce, pandemics). But while students need your help, they may not reach out to you. If they don’t, that’s okay—you can reach out to them! If your arms are too full, don’t worry, Indiana has you covered. The Indiana School Mental Health Initiative (ISMHI) works alongside school districts and their community partners. ISMHI provides “resources, consultation, professional development, and education that promotes and sustains the social, emotional, behavioral, mental, and physical health of Indiana’s school-aged children.”
For more information, check out these upcoming ISHMI events:
December 9 — Avoiding Exclusionary Discipline Practices: Restorative Discipline as an Effective Alternative
February 23 — Educating the Whole Child Summit: Creating the Conditions for Learning
Patch that boat!